by Ari Thatcher
Ash peeked in the bathroom doorway. “About ready? I need to be there a little early to hold Mark’s hand.”
“I’m just about there.” She waved the hairspray can over her head for one last dose.
Ash coughed and backed out of the doorway. “Hey, watch where you aim that weapon. I’m breathing here.”
She ducked her head and set down the can. “Sorry. I just want to be sure I look okay.”
He shook his head and his gaze took a long, slow, survey of her from head to toe. “You did look in the mirror, right?”
Unease settled in her midsection. “Yeah, why? Should I have brought a different dress?” She’d aimed for conservatively sexy, a tailored, sleeveless turquoise floral dress with a coordinating solid-colored jacket. Her peep-toe, bone-colored heels were the closest she could come to a conservative shoe.
The heat in his eyes when he met her gaze again could have melted the icicles on the eaves outside their room. “If you looked any hotter I wouldn’t make it to the reception.”
She smiled, relief calming her. “Is it time to go? Do you have to meet Mark somewhere before the ceremony?”
“The wedding is here on the grounds, which is a good thing judging by all the snow. They’ve cleared the walkways, but your feet are still going to freeze.”
“The things we women go through for fashion. Let’s get our coats.”
The ceremony was brief. The couple had written their own vows, the sentiments quite moving Bree thought. Romantic and sweet with the groom’s voice catching as he promised eternal love.
She caught Ash looking at her several times. Once he even winked, sending ripples of warm fuzzies throughout her. Soon, the minister was presenting the couple as man and wife and the happy bride and groom filed down the aisle between the folding chairs, followed by their attendants.
The large room had been divided to have the area for the ceremony and the remainder for the reception. Bree followed the other guests to the tables and looked for her name on the place cards. Ash would be at the head table as best man, so she was on her own until the dancing started.
The other people at her table were friends of the couple, all around her age, and conversation came easily. Everyone agreed the bride was lovely, the groom rather thunderstruck. He looked nothing like the beast he’d been at the bachelor party, Bree noted, keeping that thought to herself. Totally smitten when he looked at his bride, his hand always touched her as if he couldn’t believe his good luck.
Bree sighed. Maybe someday she’d find a guy who’d look at her that way. Even better, he’d be someone she could feel that way about, too.
After the ritual toasts, cutting of the mile-high white cake, and the serving of hors d’oeuvres, the DJ turned on his mic and turntable, announcing the couple’s first dance. Soon enough, Ash came to Bree with his hand held out. “Dance?”
She popped to her feet, surprisingly eager to be in his arms again. Critters awakened in her stomach and she pressed her palm there to quiet the nerves. She lifted her arms to hold him behind the neck, his hands resting on her his as he led her in a slow sway.
He dipped his head and inhaled near her ear. “You smell great.”
“Thanks. My favorite perfume.”
“You don’t wear it to work. You wear something different.”
He noticed her fragrance at work. Nice. “This one is too heavy for some people. I don’t want to gag anyone in an elevator, or something.”
“So, this stuff would linger in my bedroom if we made love there? We’ll have to try that soon, so I can smell you on my pillow all week.”
His words send warm shivers down her side. Such a romantic thought.
The song changed to a retro hit. The dancers broke apart and began bobbing around the floor. Ash shook his head wildly and waved his arms. Bree laughed and swung her arms in a more sedate move, kicking her feet in time with the beat. It wasn’t the chicken dance, thank goodness, but the afternoon wasn’t over yet.
One of the guys who’d been at the bachelor party circled around them, shouting something at Ash. He dropped in a hip-hop split and popped back up. Suddenly, he looked hard into Bree’s face, then down at her feet. He leaned in to be heard over the music. “It is you.”
She fought to keep her reaction at bay, smiling in her most polite brush off way. “Do I know you?”
Ash slowed down and took notice.
“From last night,” his friend said. He elbowed Ash. “So you decided to keep her around, huh?”
Sending her an apologetic look, Ash said, “You’re mistaken, dude. Leave my date alone.”
“Your date borrowed the stripper’s nail polish, then?” He pointed to her feet, where her large toenail peeked through the small opening.
Ash shook his head. “You think they only made one bottle of that color? Come on, man. Drop it.”
The guy’s breath reeked of alcohol when he took Bree in a one-armed hug. “I want a turn, that’s all. She was really hot last night but I didn’t get a shot at her.”
Mark broke through the dancers surrounding them. “What’s up, guys? It’s getting a little loud.”
Taking Bree’s hand, Ash pulled her from the friend’s side. “Nothing, man. We need to hit the road before the next storm arrives.” He held out his hand.
Mark shook it, slapping him on the shoulder. “You’re not going to stick around for the garter toss?”
“Nah. Leave that for the younger guys who need all the help they can get.”
“Okay. Well, drive safely.” Mark smiled at Bree. “Wait, I haven’t met your date. I’m Mark, the lucky groom.”
“I’m Bree. Ash and I work together.”
“Oh, you’re Bree? Ash has mentioned you.” His gaze narrowed. “You look familiar.”
She smiled and batted her lashes in a pretense of flirting. “I have one of those faces.” She didn’t know which worried her more, that he remembered her from last night, or he’d been in the club where she’d danced. They’d messed up, thinking she could strip and appear at the wedding without being recognized. It was definitely time to go. While they drove back to the city, however, she would grill Ash on what he’d said about her in the past. “It was nice meeting you, and congratulations on your marriage. May you two be happy forever.”
His face softened again. “Thanks. I really think we will be.”
Ash took her elbow and made a path through the dancers. As they neared the table, he stopped suddenly. A petite blonde stood before them. “Ash, it’s nice to see you again.”
“Jillian. Hi.”
“How’ve you been? Are you still drawing your little comic books?”
His mouth thinned.
Bree hugged his arm to her side, knowing it made her boobs more obvious. She jumped in before Ash could respond. “You mean video games? He’s one of the top gaming artists in the country. He gets offers all the time to go to work for our competitors. It must have been so hard for you to give him up, knowing he was headed for greatness like this.”
She paused for effect, enjoying the wide-eyed response from Jillian. Bree took a deep breath, bent closer and went in for this kill, whispering, “Especially since he’s such an amazing fuck!” She fanned her face, then smiled and looked up at Ash. “Are we about ready, babe? I don’t know if I can wait until we get back to the city to have you between my legs again.”
His grin spread slowly, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. He nodded and turned back to Jillian. “You heard the lady, I’ve gotta go. But it was so nice running into you again. Say hi to…what-his-name for me, okay?”
Ash’s arm wrapped around Bree and he almost ran from the room. He retrieved their coats, helped Bree with hers, and led her outside, where he burst out laughing. Once he stopped, he placed a hand on either side of her face and kissed her hard. “That was astoundingly satisfying.”
“Are you sure? I mean, it wasn’t over the top?”
“Well, fuck yeah, it was over the top, which is why it was perf
ect. You are the perfect girlfriend.” With an arm around her shoulders, he led her down the walkway toward their building.
“Girlfriend? Isn’t this rather sudden? I mean, shouldn’t you at least buy me a drink first?”
“I’m feeling so high, I’ll buy you anything you want. A new car, a trip to Comicon…” He glanced down at her feet. “A new bottle of nail polish.”
“Oh, my God, I almost died. I thought he was going to tell everyone. Do you think Mark recognized me for real?”
“Mark’s so in love with his new wife, he won’t think about you again for weeks.”
“But what if he does realize I stripped for the party? Will he be pissed you brought a stripper to the wedding?”
“I didn’t bring a stripper to the wedding. I brought a beautiful, intelligent woman who helped me out in a moment’s desperation. I shouldn’t have put you in the situation. It was inexcusable. If you were smart, you’d walk away from me now.”
She glanced at the snow, now in five- or six-foot drifts where the plow had piled it. “I don’t think I could walk home in this weather.”
He laughed. “Thank goodness for that.”
When they reached their room, he slid the key card and opened the door, motioning for her to enter. “Your feet must be frozen.”
She kicked off her shoes, picking them up and setting them on the dresser. “They’re cold, but they’ll thaw.” She slipped off her coat and jacket, laying them on the foot of the bed, then reached for the zipper on the back of her dress.
“Let me help you.” Ash slowly drew down the zipper, kissing her skin as it was bared.
She moaned. “Don’t we have to get on the road?”
He pushed the dress off her shoulders and let it puddle at her feet. “Soon, yeah. But if I don’t do this now, I’ll have to pull over on the side of the road and fuck you in the car. I can’t make it till we get down the mountain.”
She shivered, more from the gravelly sound of his voice that revealed the state of his arousal than from the cool air. “No, that car isn’t big enough, for sure.”
Her bra strap loosened, and her breasts swelled at being freed. His hands came around her and cupped her, kneading and pinching and sending sparks down to her clit. One hand slipped down the back of her panties and fingered her crack. She rocked back against him.
“One day when we have more time, I want to play with your ass.”
“If you’re not going to follow through now, quit teasing me. We need to get this show in the road.”
“Oh, you want it faster?”
She heard his pants unzip, felt the fumbling behind her, and suddenly his cock pressed into the small of her back, its tip wet. “That’s more like it.” She pushed her panties down and braced her hands on the foot of the bed. Stepping out of her panties, she spread her legs.
Ash moved to the nightstand and returned, tearing open a foil packet. He spread her moisture over her pussy, flicking her clit. Her hips rocked and she gasped at the shock of heat that hit her. Moving quickly, confidently, he inserted two fingers into her, curling them to stroke the sweet spot. Her pussy clenched his fingers, and Bree felt her juices flow.
Ash quickly replaced his fingers with his cock, thrusting hip deep in one move. His cock seemed larger than she remembered, or she’d tightened more around him. The friction made her need build quickly. She reached between her legs and found her clit, rubbing hard as Ash pumped. He grunted with each thrust, his thighs hitting hers and throwing her off balance. She pushed back against him, not wanting to lose the contact.
Harder and harder he drove, fast and faster her fingers circled on her clit. She whimpered when the knot in her tightened. “Ash—”
He growled and thrust. Heat spread over her skin, throughout her insides, and the knot of her clit grew painful. She was so close. So…close—
Ash cried out, clenching her hips. He plunged once more, and her own orgasm broke free, her legs growing limp. She shuddered, wobbled, and his arm came around her to lower her to the bed.
After disposing of the condom, Ash came back to her where she lay panting on the bed. His ribs rose and fell with his breaths, his abs muscles rippling enticingly. If they weren’t on their way out, she’d explore those muscles and a few more.
She sat up and reached for her panties and bra. A flash of thought hit her. Was this the end of them? She was his wedding date. The amazing sex had been a bonus. Sure, he’d said little things about after, but that could have been foreplay for all she knew.
Standing in her underwear, she folded her dress and slipped her pumps back into their shoe bag and zipped her suitcase closed. While Ash did a pass-through in the bathroom looking for anything they’d left, she tugged on her skinny jeans and clingy cashmere sweater. She’d worn casual, imitation fleece lined boots on the ride up, and poked her toes into them. Her hair was still a dignified helmet, so she wrapped a knit scarf around her head, draping the ends down her front. With a final touch of lip-gloss, she was ready to go.
She found Ash watching her, his expression unreadable. “What’s up?”
He shook his head and reached for her suitcase handle. “Nothing. I’ll go load the car and get it warmed up.”
Out of nerves, she opened and closed the dresser drawers, checking for forgotten items. This had to be the most awkward ending to a date she could remember. Maybe because she’d never gone out of town with a guy on a first date. This was worse than internet dating. She had no clue what he was thinking, if he wanted to see her again for anything other than sex.
Would she agree to that? Ash becoming another fuck buddy? No, she couldn’t see that happening. He was too real. She’d seen that on his face when she’d mouthed off to his ex-. His heart would be involved with anyone he saw on a regular basis.
Bree knew she needed to grow up and ask him what came next. After they ran into each other at work Monday morning. After the week passed by and they were faced with weekend plans. She sank onto the bed, hugging her coat closed, and waited.
When Ash entered again, he stopped just inside the door. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Fine. I was just thinking about things.”
“Things…”
“Yeah. I guess it sounds scary when a girl says that, huh? Maybe I just need something to eat when we get down the mountain.”
He slapped his palm against his forehead. “Food, of course. Did you eat anything at the reception? I was so nervous about my speech, I didn’t check to be sure you had what you needed.”
She stood, grabbed her purse and walked to him. “I’m fine. I did eat, had some champagne. It was all good. So let’s go.”
He held onto her upper arms. “I never apologized for putting you in a bad situation.”
“You said enough. I volunteered. It’s not a problem.”
“But something is.”
“No, not really. It’s just nerves.”
He shook his head and shrugged.
“Do you want to see me again after this?”
His brows drew together. “After what? After this amazing weekend of sex? Fuck yeah.” He must have heard how that sounded. “Bree, I’ve been trying to work up the nerve to ask you out for months, I told you. Are you having second thoughts, now? I can see how being a dick and asking you to strip for my friends makes me a lousy boyfriend prospect, but I’ll make it up to you.”
She laughed. “I think we both need to get over that stripping thing and start fresh.”
He grinned. “Cool. Is tomorrow night too soon?”
“To start over?”
His hands tightened on her upper arms. “Dinner. And we’ll see what happens from there.”
“Okay, sure. That sounds good.”
He turned and opened the door, leading her out. “Cool.”
As he helped her get in the car, she glanced up at him. “And if you really think you’re going to get away with not fucking me after dinner tomorrow, think again.”
He paused, that slow grin of his wi
dening. “Point taken. Dessert is a given, then.”
Bree leaned back in her seat, those stomach critters fluttering madly. She wasn’t going to think anymore about where this was going. Sometimes it was enough just to enjoy the ride.
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed this story, and perhaps gained some…satisfaction from the read. If so, please tell your friends about it, and consider leaving a review at the site where you bought it, or on Goodreads. One of the best parts of being an Indie Author is the power to keep book pricing low, but we can only succeed with the help of readers who share the news about the books they enjoy. Thanks!
Yours in passionate reads,
Ari Thatcher
About the Author
Ari Thatcher has always loved romance, the hotter the better. Turning up the heat level in her own writing involved closing her eyes as she typed the "good" parts, but soon she got used to using "those" words and was pleased with the result. Finding out that others enjoyed it, too, was icing on the cake!
Her stories are split between light contemporary and paranormal genres, with some BDSM in the mix for good measure. She enjoys being in a metaphysical world filled with shapeshifters and psychic gifts, but some stories just insist that sex and romance is enough.
Visit Ari’s website for excerpts of her other books, stay up to date with her on Facebook, and sign up for her newsletter for release announcements.
Ari also writes less sensual and sweet romances as Aileen Fish.
Other Books by Ari Thatcher
Celtic Rhythm (Ellora’s Cavemen Flavors of Ecstasy II)
Honey
Death by Sex
Kyle’s Redemption
Maui Heat
Maui Rekindled
Honey and Heat (print only anthology containing Honey, Death by Sex, Kyle’s Redemption, Maui Heat and Maui Rekindled)
Demon of Desire
Fighting for Control