Kallie caught Ash’s stare and her breath caught in her lungs. She tore her eyes from him and continued to fold the clothes, and four hours later they were done. Kallie had to slip out in the middle of everything to take a scheduled phone call, but other than that, she’d been free the entire afternoon to help.
And she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
“I’ve got delivery times scheduled with the charities,” Kallie said as she walked out of the closet. “A couple of them can’t get out here until tomorrow, but the homeless shelter and the law office are coming by in an hour or so. Their names are written on the boxes, so if you let them in, they’ll know which ones to take.”
“Thank you for all your help today,” Ash said.
“I’ll send you an invoice in the mail for my services with a due date at the top. You can pay all at once with a check or a card, or you can—”
Kallie felt herself being grabbed before his domineering lips planted onto hers. She felt her phone slip from her grasp, clattering to the floor as her body went weak. His tongue slid across her lips and she moaned into him, falling into his body even though her mind kept telling her not to. Not to give in. Not to fall prey to the trick. His tongue forced his way inside and her toes caught on fire. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her away from the front door before setting her ass on the edge of the couch.
“It’s been torture not touching you,” Ash whispered into her lips.
Kallie cupped his cheeks as her tongue darted out to lick his lips.
“Stay for dinner,” Ash said.
Kallie closed her eyes before she took a step away from him.
“I can’t,” she said.
“Come on. Stop fighting this, Kallie. Stop making excuses. I know you’re scared. I’m scared too. And yes, we’ve lived lives before we met, and we’ve been through things no one could even imagine. That’s what happens in life. But I know you feel this. I know you just felt what I did.”
“Ash, I can’t—”
“It’s been torture for me to stand by you for four hours and not touch you. Not kiss you.”
His hand reached out for her face and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Not taste you,” he said mindlessly.
“Ash, you aren’t listen—”
“I want you, Kallie. More than anything. And I’m not going to stop pursuing you,” he said.
“It isn’t that I don’t want to, Ash. I actually can’t,” Kallie said. “Not tonight.”
White-hot heat was pulsing through her veins. Desire was bursting in her gut. She could still feel the lingering of Ash’s lips upon hers and she wanted to feel it again. She wanted to be wrapped up in his arms again. To feel his naked body against hers again.
“Why not tonight?” he asked.
“I already have plans,” Kallie said defeatedly.
“Then cancel them.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have to return this necklace,” she said.
“What necklace?”
Kallie groaned as she took another step away from Ash.
“I’m busy tonight, okay? It’s not an excuse. I actually have plans.”
She could feel his eyes on her. Burrowing a hole into the side of her face. Her cheeks blushed with embarrassment at the mere thought of it. Successfully manipulated by her ex-fiancé into dinner. It was pathetic and she knew it. Her eyes chanced a look up at Ash and his sight was narrowed, reading her like an open book.