Take Me Again (The Knight Brothers 1)

Dammit. She shook her head and pushed him out of her thoughts.

Alone in the living room of Ethan’s apartment, she straightened the pillows on the sofa and glanced around. The servers had taken care of the silverware, plates, and glasses, and there wasn’t anything left for her to do. So she headed for the kitchen to make sure things were clean for the morning, killing time and giving Ethan more opportunity to be alone.

The day had been rough, as funerals tended to be. For Ashley, she’d had the added stress of dealing with people she hadn’t seen in eight years.

Of facing Sebastian.

Despite being prepared, seeing him again had been a shock. When she was younger, he’d been a gorgeous guy, a guy who’d seemed to understand her when no one else bothered to care. Until he hadn’t.

Now, over eight years later, he was an extremely sexy man. He’d filled out, his body muscular, evident even beneath his well-cut suit, his dark hair cut short but stylish, and his face was, in her opinion, a work of art. She could stare at him for hours.

Which sucked considering she still resented the hell out of him and for damned good reason.

She’d kept busy throughout the afternoon and evening and managed not to let herself be cornered by him at any point, not that she had the sense he wanted to talk to her. He’d appeared surprised to see her again and definitely puzzled by her relationship with his brother. More than once, she’d caught him staring at her over the top of his tumbler glass, his blue eyes intent as he studied her.

Just looking at him brought her back to the past. She braced both hands against the stainless-steel sink and sighed, remembering his betrayal as if it were yesterday. She might have been the one to come on to him, a teenage girl certain she knew what she wanted, but he hadn’t pushed her away. They’d been caught together by his father. Yet the next morning, as she’d made her way downstairs, hoping adult tempers had cooled down, she’d heard voices coming from his father’s study.

“I think boarding school abroad is the smartest, safest option,” Alexander Knight had said. “Ashley will make friends there, and it will take the temptation away from Sebastian.” He’d clearly had no problem all but punishing her for their mutual actions.

She’d flattened herself against the wall outside the study, where the door was partially open.

“I agree,” her mother had said, not in the least bit concerned about sending her daughter away. Ashley had been hurt but not surprised. Jocelyn had probably seen boarding school as a benefit, giving her more spa time, she still thought bitterly. Although she had made peace with her mother, spoke to her occasionally and on holidays, she’d never forgotten the woman hadn’t been there for her when Ashley was growing up.

“It’s not right,” Ethan had said, standing up for Ashley. Being there as he’d been from that day on. “Keep her home and let Sebastian get his shit together.”

Alexander, who didn’t like to make parental decisions, must have been going around the room, taking advice, because Parker spoke up next. “I don’t care,” he said. “Do what you think is right.”

Switzerland, she thought, even now. It always amused her that though the nickname came originally from his skiing, it fit his placid personality. When it came to family choices, he let things swirl around him, not taking sides.

“Sebastian? You’ve been silent,” his father said.

“Come on,” Ethan said. “Keep your dick in your pants and let her stay. She doesn’t deserve to be sent away.”

Ashley had leaned against the wall outside the study and held her breath, realizing whatever Sebastian said next would determine her fate. She might not love it here, in this big house and new school, but boarding school abroad would be so much worse. Lonelier, she’d thought with a shudder.

“Jesus Christ. You’re really going to put this on me?” Sebastian had asked, sounding pissed.

“You’re older,” Ethan reminded him. “You can control yourself.”

“She runs around the house in tight sweats and doesn’t wear a bra. I’m only human,” Sebastian muttered.

“And that answers that. Discussion closed,” Alexander said. “I’ll call my contacts abroad and see if I can get her into a good school come September.” He paused, then, “Behave yourself for the rest of the summer,” he muttered to his son.

To this day, Ashley’s stomach lurched when she thought of how they’d discussed her life as if she were a thing to be bounced around without thought or care. All because Sebastian hadn’t spoken up. Hadn’t said he’d keep his hands to himself so she could stay.

Blowing out a deep breath at the memory, she straightened her shoulders, reminding herself it was in the past. Just because she was here for Ethan now didn’t mean she had to deal with Sebastian. That decided, she headed into Ethan’s study, where he’d holed up after the apartment emptied out.