Judging Books

“Are you going to stay?” His voice was so quiet, I could barely hear the words.

“If you’ll let me,” I said, almost as quietly. “I’d really like to.”

He looked up at me, his expression hopeful but cautious.

“Why did you go?” he asked. “You left so fast, and I didn’t know what to think.”

“I’m an idiot,” I said. “I think that’s the best explanation I have.”

“You aren’t an idiot.”

“Sometimes I am.”

“Did I scare you?” His voice cracked on the last syllable, and he cleared his throat. “I wasn’t trying to.”

“I think I scared myself.”

“Will you tell me why you left?”

“I’ll try. I don’t think I’m as good at explaining myself as you are though.”

His chest rose as he took in a deep breath and let it out in a long stream. He nodded a couple of times before pushing himself off the wall and tentatively reaching behind me to shut the door. He nodded toward the pile of shoes on the floor, and I slipped off my pumps. I set my purse down next to them and turned to find Ethan wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

He quietly held me to his chest as I encircled his waist.

“You’re really staying?” he asked again.

I nodded, afraid of opening my mouth and saying something stupid.

Ethan reached out toward me, and I grasped his fingers with mine. He walked slowly, leading me back to the pink bean bag chairs. He sat down first, and I settled myself on his lap. I lay my head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around me.

“You feel so good here,” he said, squeezing me tighter.

I closed my eyes for a moment, breathing in the scent of his Axe body wash and listening to his heartbeat.

“I’m so glad you came back,” he said softly.

“So am I.” I lifted my head and leaned in to kiss him softly.

Kissing softly didn’t last long. Ethan grasped the side of my head, holding my lips tightly against his as his tongue explored my mouth. A shiver went through me as I felt his cock pressing against my hip. I gasped and pulled away, and his dark gaze met mine.

I licked my lips as I looked at his face. My thighs clenched as he stared into my eyes, and I knew I wanted him—right here and right now. I raised myself up enough to toss one leg over him so I could straddle his lap before bringing my mouth back to his.

I opened my eyes to his and backed away from his lips. He was looking back at me with that shy half smile and sparkling, bright eyes. His tongue darted out and touched the rings in his lip, and his cheeks warmed with blood. While still looking at him, I ground myself against him and watched his eyes get wide and his mouth drop open. He swallowed hard and then grabbed my hips, holding me still.

“Shit, Ashlyn…”

I rocked forward again, still looking into his eyes as his hands gripped my hips a little harder in an attempt to keep me from moving. I didn’t want to stop, though. It had been quite some time. The sensation was entirely too good, and damn if he didn’t feel pretty well-endowed as well. I wanted to know for sure if I was right about that. I leaned over his chest and put my lips up close to his ear.

“You don’t have to apologize for this,” I said softly while rotating my hips a little. “It feels pretty good, if you ask me.”

Ethan pushed hard on my hips, effectively sliding me back to the middle of his thighs so I wasn’t pushing down against his erection any longer. I tried to look at him innocently through my eyelashes, but I k

new I wasn’t able to pull it off. His eyes became wide and dark as he looked at me.

While his eyes were still locked on mine, I reached down, past his abs and grazed my fingers over his length. Make that his considerable length. Holy shit, if he wasn’t packing some serious heat in there. While I was distracted by my discovery, I barely heard Ethan gasp before I felt myself twirling and falling. I didn’t even realize what had happened until I was on my back next to the bean bag chair with Ethan on top of me.

Ethan’s eyes were intense and dark, staring down at me from where he suspended himself by his arms with his hands placed on either side of my head.