I was in hell. For the briefest of moments, I actually contemplated trying to slide under my bed to hide.
"I'm fine," I answered, using the little bit of breath I had managed to recoup. I frantically tried to shimmy my jeans up over my legs although my prone position wasn't helping much.
"I thought someone was attacking you," the last voice I wanted to hear at the moment said from my bedroom doorway.
I was wrong before. This was hell. "That someone would be my jeans." My answer came out muddled thanks to my predicament as heat filled my cheeks.
"Are you okay?" he asked, obviously concerned to see my panty-covered ass face up while I tried in vain to hide my face in the wood flooring.
"By okay, if you mean 'would I like to die at the moment?' That would be a resounding yes," my voice came out muffled due to the wood flooring against my face.
"Would you like my help?" he asked. Now that he knew I hadn't suffered some stroke or cracked my head wide open, he was completely amused.
"No, I think I can handle this," I said sarcastically, flipping over onto my back so I could hike up my jeans. It was only after I was in the middle of flipping over that I realized my sweater had hiked up to my neck, exposing my bra-covered chest.
"I kind of thought we would work up to this, but hey, I'm all in," he joked, leaning against the doorjamb.
"Seriously, God must hate me," I mumbled, abandoning my jeans so I could pull down my sweater. "I'll be out in a minute," I said, trying to salvage the smallest bit of dignity I had left.
"Are you sure? I have no problem assisting you," he said, winking at me.
"Out," I demanded, trying to ignore the heat that flowed through me from his wink. It was unfair that even in mortification his wink had the power to seduce me.
He chuckled, pulling my bedroom door closed behind him and leaving me alone in my misery.
Chapter 8: Appetizer anyone?
Nathan
I pulled into Ashton's driveway ten minutes early and debated waiting in the car for a few minutes. As a rule, I never showed up early for a date. Women appreciated punctuality but loathed being surprised with an early arrival. As with everything concerning Ashton, all my rules were a wash. I wanted to see her, and I didn't want to wait.
I tried to at least discipline myself to walk to the front door like I had some kind of control. I knocked, expecting her to answer, but was surprised when I heard a dull thump from within the cottage like something had fallen or had been knocked down. Going by instinct, I reached out and tried the doorknob. Finding it unlocked, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Adrenaline raced through me as I heard struggling coming from the other room. Calling out to Ashton was only a formality since there was no way in hell I was waiting around to see if someone was attacking her or something to that effect. Her muffled response only fueled my fire as I prepared to kick someone's ass. Little did I know what I would find instead.
Perhaps the finest panty-covered ass I had ever seen greeted me. Seeing that Ashton wasn't being attacked, I allowed myself to enjoy the show. Offering my assistance made her creamy skin take on an enticing shade of pink that begged to be touched with my hands and lips.
By the time she had regained her composure long enough to kick me out, I was fully aroused and fighting the temptation to scoop her up in my arms and tumble down on the bed that was practically calling my name.
Fifteen minutes later, Ashton emerged from her room with all her clothes in their rightful places. "Not one word," she threatened as I appraised her appearance.
I couldn't help throwing my head back and laughing at her feisty tone. I was used to dating women that were dull in their refined ways. Very rarely did they ever lose their cool, and they never said anything without weighing their words carefully first. Somewhere along the way, I had convinced myself that's what I wanted. Being with Ashton's quick tongue gave me a glimpse of what I had been missing. In the last forty-eight hours, she had made me laugh more than I had with all the women I had been with combined.
"I wouldn't dream of saying anything," I answered, rising from the couch.
I smiled as she took a visibly relieved breath.
"Ready to go?" I asked.
"Yes," she answered, obviously ready to leave behind the scene of the crime.
Chuckling at the evident relief in her voice, I innocently placed my hand on the small of her back. The warmth of her skin beneath her sweater made me feel nothing close to gentlemanly as I guided her toward the door. Looking her up and down from behind, I wondered if her smooth skin would feel as soft against my lips as it had looked a few minutes prior.
No longer able to resist, I turned her body with my hand until she was facing me.
She looked up at me with hooded eyes, and I could tell my touch was affecting her much in the same manner it was me. Without pause, I crushed my lips to hers. Unlike the kiss earlier that day, there was nothing playful about this one. I needed her to know just how badly I wanted her. I dragged her into my arms until her body was flush against mine, devouring her sigh of surprise as she felt my arousal. Our tongues merged together in a tantalizing dance. Each stroke made the fire inside me burn hotter, consuming me. In a more rational part of my brain, I worried I was hurting her as I crushed her even tighter in my arms, but when I tried to pull back, her hands reached up to my head, pulling me closer. This time it was me who groaned in surprise as she took control of the kiss. She rubbed her body seductively against mine, grinding her hips against the bulge that wanted to burst out of my jeans. I placed my hands firmly around her waist and backed her up against the door so she could feel exactly what she was doing to me. She moaned with pleasure and hiked up a leg around me, keeping me pinned against her. With one hand, I held her leg up and rolled my hips, smiling with satisfaction as she panted against my lips with need. She was close to no return and I could sense by her erratic movements the sensation was new to her. The need to bury myself in her was overpowering, but I ignored my own needs as I rocked against her again. She whimpered against my lips. Breaking the kiss, I trailed my lips over her cheek and past her neck until they were on her ear. Gripping her ass in my free hand, I pulled her as close to me as our clothed state would allow.
"Let it come," I murmured in her ear, rocking against her one last time. The shudders radiated throughout her body as her release took over.
"Oh, god," she sighed once the quaking in her body was under control. "I'm pretty sure I should be mortified at what just happened, but oh, god," she repeated, dropping her head to my chest as her soft body sagged against mine.