Hold on to My Heart (Maine Sullivans)

Damn it, he still had his clothes on. But he needed to be inside of Ashley now. Hell, he’d needed to be inside of her for every moment of the past six weeks.

As if she could read his mind, she tore at his clothes, ripped his shirt over his head, then yanked his jeans down his hips and legs. Together, they rolled the condom over him.

Where he’d been so careful in Vienna, cognizant of how little experience she had, today all that mattered was making her his in one hard plunge of possession.

She breathlessly urged him forward with her hands on his hips, pulling him in harder, deeper. Again and again, they rocked together, chasing the kind of bliss he’d only ever known with her. Feeling sensations so much bigger and brighter than he’d ever thought possible.

Stilling above her, he stared into her eyes. There was a wildness in her gaze, a desperation he knew must be mirrored in his own.

“Ashley.”

There were so many things he wanted to say. So many things he didn’t know how to say.

Wordlessly, she reached up to his face, brushed the pad of her thumb over his lips, then rested her hand on his jaw. He could easily read the wonder in her eyes.

And then she kissed him. Her lips were soft—so very soft and sweet—despite the wildness of their passion. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, closer than he’d ever been held before.

On a groan, he lost himself in her. And as both of their releases spiraled out together, he felt the most beautiful sensation in the center of his chest. Right in the middle of the heart that he’d always felt was lacking, that he’d always believed could never truly know love.

But right here, right now, holding Ashley tight, he almost thought he understood.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Ashley never wanted to leave Nash’s arms. But despite the glow of their lovemaking, she knew she couldn’t keep living in a fantasy world for another second. Not when they were in her bed in her Bar Harbor home. And judging by the clock on her bedside table, Kevin would be home from school any second now.

After they’d made love, Nash had curled her close, and she had fallen asleep against his broad chest. She’d been so overwhelmed by the pleasure of being with him again that she hadn’t been able to muster up the will to tell him they couldn’t do this, or that he needed to leave immediately. Instead, she’d given in to the warmth and the joy of being with him.

“Nash,” she said in an anxious tone, “you’ve got to go. Now!”

Still half asleep, he reached for her again, but because she knew Kevin would be walking in the door soon, she was finally able to muster up the strength to push him away.

“Kevin will be home any second!”

Thankfully, that was all it took for Nash to spring to life. The speed with which he hopped off the bed and put on his jeans and shirt showed her how much he respected her wishes when it came to her son.

She’d never seen anyone move so fast…or conversely been so upset at how quickly he’d covered up his physical beauty. She would have liked to stare at Nash for hours. Maybe even learn to sculpt so that she could make a statue of him to gaze at once he was gone again. But she wasn’t an artist like so many of her family members. Ashley was good at spreadsheets and organization. She was good at putting a business plan together and making sure her plans stayed on track.

It turned out that she was also good at sleeping with Nash. Really good at it, she thought as she yanked her own clothes back on, her fingers fumbling slightly in her haste.

“We need to talk, Ash. About what just happened. About us.”

“Okay. But not now. Call me later, and we’ll figure out a time and place to talk things through.”

Though Nash looked a little disgruntled at being thrown out of her house like this, he didn’t argue. “What’s your phone number?”

It was crazy how they knew so much about each other’s lives and bodies, but didn’t have each other’s phone numbers. She called out the numbers as she led the way down the hall and into the living room.

But they were too late, because the front door was already opening.

“Mom?” Kevin called.

Ashley always made sure to be home by the time Kevin was done with school. She supposed Josh was right that working for the family business gave her some extra flexibility with her hours. But she’d more than earned that perk. She worked evenings and weekends, often putting in an hour or two at night after Kevin went to sleep. When he’d been a baby, she’d worked during his nap times. All her adult life, she’d been determined to prove herself to her parents, that sympathy for her predicament shouldn’t be the reason they kept her employed.