“What in the hell did I miss?” Rhett demanded as he walked over with a beer in his hand. “I got stuck chatting with the landscaper and apparently missed the show of the century.”
“Well, let’s see,” Dylan began. “Dana and Zoe have decided to have kids, and Ash is going to hit on all the nannies. Oh wait, Dana asked Claudia to work for them in that capacity. Although I can’t imagine where that idea came from.”
“We were actually going to share her,” Zoe added helpfully. “But in giving that some thought, I’m fine with Dana having sole custody of your sister.”
Rhett scratched his chin as he stared at Ash. “I wasn’t aware things had progressed this far. You might want to think about giving her a ring first. I know that’s not a requirement, but it’s still a nice touch.”
Charlotte rubbed her forehead. “Why have these dinners gotten even more bizarre? It almost makes me wish for the tense, silent affairs we used to suffer through. At least they were predictable. I never know what’s coming anymore. Dana, dear, you’ve certainly livened things up around here.”
Dana wasn’t sure if that comment was actually intended as a compliment, but she murmured her thanks anyway. Ash put one arm around her, then patted her stomach with his hand. “We need to go ahead and feed you, sweet cheeks. You may already be with child.”
Dylan burst out laughing, while Rhett made a gagging noise. “I have no idea why I’ve stayed away this long,” he mused. “This is far more entertaining than I remembered. Is there any chance you’ll name the first brat after me?”
“Um—no.” Dana shook her head. “But if you’re nice, I’ll let you drive our new minivan.”
Rhett wrinkled his nose as if smelling something foul. “Dude, say it ain’t so. You can never come back from something like that. You’re aware that even Porsche makes an SUV now, aren’t you? There’s no reason at all to go with the ultimate manhood killer.”
“But it’s got that third-row seat,” Ash whined, “and the entertainment system. Dana and I could watch porn and make out while the kid was sleeping.”
“Asher Jackson.” Charlotte coughed. “You’re not supposed to say stuff like that in front of your mother. I’d rather remain ignorant to your heathen ways.”
“You must be deaf and blind if you’ve managed to do that.” Dylan smirked. “There are practically billboards all over the state about your son’s exploits. Be glad that it isn’t possible for Ash to get pregnant because no one would ever know who the other party involved was.”
“As if you were a saint before you married Zoe,” Ash mocked. “I seem to recall you doing your share of entertaining the masses. Out of respect for your lovely wife, I won’t go into the details, but we both know I can easily call bullshit here. And don’t even think of adding anything of your own, Rhett. I know all about those flight attendants and how you accumulated all the frequent flyer miles you’ve got. Hell, you could take a trip to China every other day for the next five years and still have plenty left over.”
“This is such a proud moment for me as a parent.” Charlotte sighed. “I swear, you got this from your father.”
Ash looked at his brothers in wry amusement. It wasn’t as if they could dispute her claim. Their father had always loved women, and he’d instilled a similar sort of appreciation for the opposite sex in his boys. “Where’d Bart go?” he asked once he noticed that the other man wasn’t in the room.
“There is a board meeting at the country club,” Charlotte said, before pointing toward the table. “He’ll eat at the club, so there’s no need for us to wait to sit down to dinner.”
Rhett kissed their mother’s cheek. “This is an unexpected treat. Both the brat and the bastard have left the building. Was it my presence, do you think?”
“If it is, how about moving here?” Ash joked. “I can’t remember the last time we’ve been rid of them. Oh, no offense, Mom.”
“Naturally,” Charlotte replied, not looking in the least offended. Ash had a feeling that she shared his sentiments.
He held out a chair for Dana, then took a seat next to her. He absently leaned over and brushed a kiss onto her lips, then froze. What in the hell just happened? She had paused with her glass of water halfway to her lips as if she was as stunned by his actions as he was. He needed to play this off carefully because that had clearly been an act of affection on his part. Something he never did. He winked at her, trying to look like he wasn’t freaking out inside and said, “Can I get my baby mama anything else?”
Across from them, Rhett made yet another gagging noise. “How about a case of condoms and some birth control pills? The last thing the world needs is an Ash Junior running around.”
Ash raised his middle finger and flipped his brother off, effectively ending the heightened scrutiny his unusual gesture had put him under. He’d need to be more careful in the future because Dana brought out a side of him that had been tucked safely away for years—and for both their sakes, it needed to remain that way. He could have a casual relationship with her without losing his heart and his head so long as he was careful. It just needed to be based on sex rather than affection and connection. Except the problem was that somewhere along the way, even he’d stopped believing his own bullshit.
“Tonight was fun,” Dana mused out loud as Ash shut the door to his apartment behind them. He hadn’t even bothered to ask her if she was going home. Instead, he’d driven them to his place like it was the most natural thing in the world. “It’s amazing how much more relaxed things are when Bart and Claudia are gone. Your mother is a lot of fun.”
Ash seemed to consider her words for a moment before nodding slowly. “Tonight she was. I can’t get over the difference in her since our talk the other evening. She reminds me of the woman I vaguely remember from when we were kids. Whereas all these years a part of me thought I had imagined that whole side of her.”
Dana perched on the sofa and removed her shoes. She’d worn heels with her jeans tonight for the added height and her feet were killing her. Ash dropped down next to her, and without thinking, she lifted her legs and placed them in his lap. “I’ll let you do almost anything to me if you rub my tootsies.”
He raised an amused brow and promptly got to work on her arches. “I don’t know a man alive who would turn that kind of offer down.”
“My ass is off limits,” Dana quickly added.
Ash rolled his eyes before huffing. “Why do you immediately have to assign restrictions to your offer? You know I’d make it good for you. After the first time, you’d never want it any other way again. You’d be all about the anal.”
Dana picked up a nearby pillow and tossed it at his head. “In your dreams, baby. You’ll just have to make do with the front area. I don’t know you well enough to let you explore my no fly zone.”
Ash paused and wiggled his brows. “So what you’re saying is that after we’re better acquainted, I’ll be granted back-door privileges. About how long does this ‘getting to know you’ phase generally last? I mean, are we talking in terms of days, weeks, or months? Do you have a specific time frame? I can set an alert on my watch so we don’t forget it.”
“I have no idea.” She giggled. “I’ve never done that before.”
Ash looked over at her in surprise. “Really? I thought that was pretty common now. I never figured you for a prude. You certainly haven’t been so far.”
Dana stuck out her tongue at him. “Listen, to me that requires considerable trust in a partner. A woman could easily be hurt by someone who doesn’t have any regard for her. And considering I’ve never been in a relationship other than Paul, it just hasn’t happened.”
“So why not with him?” Ash asked, sounding tense. “Clearly he’s still hung up on you.”
“Er—what does that have to do with it? And to answer your question, sex was never a big thing to him. He was more involved with his business and he enj
oyed the companionship of having a girlfriend. He wasn’t one to push any sexual boundaries.”
“Well, he was certainly ready to sign on for that threesome, so I find that hard to believe,” Ash scoffed.
“Yeah, I’m still confused over that,” Dana admitted. “Paul’s kind of a straight arrow.” Shrugging, she added, “Maybe he’s wanting to get out there more.”
“He probably used too many steroids to do much of anything,” Ash muttered. “Come on, you can’t get muscles like that otherwise. There’s no way he’s not using. I bet he couldn’t get it up most of the time.”
Dana looked quickly away, hoping he couldn’t see how his words had hit the mark. She let out a loud yawn. “I’m kind of tired. These family dinners really wear you out.”
“I’m right, aren’t I?” Ash smirked. “He couldn’t fly the flag up the pole, could he? Damn, that must have sucked. I bet you got a lot of reading done though. No wonder you stayed with him for so long. It was like hanging out with Zoe.”
“You’re so mean,” Dana snapped. “I didn’t agree with you, by the way. I’ll have you know he rocked my world multiple times a day. He was a sex god. You could only hope to be that good.”
Ash used her foot to slide her down farther on the sofa until she was lying across his lap. “Is that right?” he asked idly. “I’m sorry to hear I haven’t been performing up to his standards. I’ll have to see what I can do about that right now.”
“Um—you’re fine,” Dana said quickly before trying to roll away from his reach. But he reacted faster, clamping his hands around her hips, holding her still.
“Oh no, I wouldn’t dream of leaving you unsatisfied.” He unbuttoned her jeans before lowering the zipper. Then he slid his hand inside and cupped her through her panties. She had no idea how he managed to stroke her engorged clit in such a tight space, but within moments he had her squirming at the edge of orgasm, moaning and begging for release. He seemed to know the exact moment that she was on the cusp of her orgasm and he’d change his rhythm just enough to delay her release. He did it so many times she thought she’d lose her mind.
“Dammit, Ash!” she hissed. “If you can’t finish the job, then let me do it myself.”
Instead of being insulted, he clucked his tongue and chuckled. “So impatient, baby.” He pushed one thick finger into her wet heat and that was it. She came so intensely that it almost hurt. Ash slowed his movements, bringing her back down gently until she was capable of rational thought again. Then he removed his hand from between her legs and her eyes widened as he licked each digit clean. “You taste fucking amazing,” he groaned as if she were truly the best flavor on earth. He then put his arms under her and got to his feet, moving them toward the bedroom. After his patience in satisfying her, she figured he’d want it hard and fast, which was fine with her. But as usual, he managed to do exactly what she least expected. He laid her down on the bed and slowly undressed her, peppering her body with kisses as he removed each piece of clothing. “You’re stunning,” he praised, and she knew that he was being sincere. It was there in the near reverence on his face as he stroked her quivering skin.
“I bet you say that to all the girls,” she teased, attempting to lighten the moment. She’d never seen this side of him before, and as much as she loved it, she was also terrified by the intimacy.
But he refused to reciprocate her humor. Instead, he murmured, “You know better than that. You’re different; you always have been.” He seemed almost confused as he added, “I have no idea what I’m to do with you. If I had half a brain, I’d run, but I can’t seem to stay away.”
“Ash,” she whispered uncertainly, then went silent as his eyes locked on hers. Finally she asked, “What’re we doing here?”
“I think we’re making love,” he replied huskily. “Beyond that, I haven’t a clue. For once, let’s not overthink this tonight.”
She should flee. This was far too intense to manage. But for the life of her, she couldn’t leave. She knew with a certainty that if she did, something between them would be lost forever. Ash was displaying a vulnerability that she hadn’t thought him capable of and he’d shut down on her if she rebuffed him. She didn’t know what she wanted or needed from him, except that she had to stay and see this through. In the light of day, things would probably return to normal and this magical moment would be nothing but a fond memory, but what if . . . So she took a leap of faith and hoped she survived it. “Take me, I’m yours,” she whispered.
Dana had always been uncomfortable in the missionary position because it was so intimate, but she found that with Ash, it was her favorite. She loved having their tongues tangled together while he moved slowly in and out of her. She locked her legs around his waist, pulling him even deeper as he took one of her nipples into his mouth and laved the tip before biting it gently. “You feel so good, baby,” he moaned as his pace increased. “You drive me crazy.” He licked his way up to her neck and dropped a string of kisses there before reaching her ear. The feel of his teeth on the sensitive outer shell had her shivering.
She dug her heels into his back, impatient to reach the release that was oh so close. “Ash, please,” she begged.
In a move that nearly stopped her heart, he flipped them over until she was astride him. She stared down at him in shock. He flexed his hips upward as he murmured, “If you want it, take it.” That was all the encouragement she needed. She rose upward until just his tip remained inside her, then lowered herself back down. He put his hands on her hips, guiding her movements as they reached their orgasm together.
“Oh my God.” She sobbed as she collapsed against his chest. “That was—unbelievable.” She was barely aware of him disposing of the condom. She wanted to protest when he returned with a wet washcloth and gently cleaned between her legs, but she was too tired to care. Then she was snuggling into a position that had quickly become second nature for her. Sleeping within the circle of his arms was an addiction that she was afraid she’d find no cure for. And even scarier was the realization that she had no desire to try.
Thirteen
Dana clicked to end the call, then looked at Ash suspiciously. “Your stepsister just called and invited me to spend the day at the beach with her.” When he stared at her in obvious surprise, she sighed. “You didn’t know anything about it, did you?”
“Hell no,” he muttered. “And I don’t think it’s a good idea. Just because she’s been forced to play nice for the past few weeks doesn’t change the fact that she’s a Class A bitch. She’s not my buddy and certainly not yours.”
“Gee, thanks,” Dana remarked dryly. “I’m glad to hear how likable you think I am.”
Ash pulled her onto his lap and held her as if he’d been doing it for years. It had been hard to adjust to at first, but she’d become accustomed to his easy affection and his almost constant need to touch her when they were together. As much as she’d tried to deny it at first, it had become clear they were in some sort of romantic relationship. They spent most of their free time together, and she slept at his place more often than she went home to hers. Instead of being his pretend girlfriend for hire, at some point she had transitioned into the real thing. There had never been any kind of official discussion; it had just happened. “Baby, I didn’t mean any offense. It’s simply that I know Claudia. I realize that it makes family events easier when everyone gets along, but you don’t have to subject yourself to any of her shit on my behalf. I couldn’t care less if you never speak to her.”
Dana reclined against his chest as she processed his words. “I know all that.” She shrugged. “But she has been making an effort, even though I’ve rebuffed her at every turn. What if she is trying to turn over a new leaf? Don’t I at least owe her one more chance? Remember, I did kick her chair over backwards and I have been rather rude to her from the very beginning. So it’s not as if she’s the only one at fault.”
“I think sh
e evened the score by spitting her coffee on you,” Ash pointed out. “Don’t feel guilty about anything. She’s far from a victim. Underestimating her would be a dangerous mistake. If you’re determined to see this through, then you should arrange for her to meet you here. You can use the resort facilities.”
“Um . . . I believe security was instructed to bar her from the Oceanix after the coffee shop incident,” Dana said dryly. “I can just see them calling in the SWAT team and handcuffing both of us.”
“Mmm, I wouldn’t mind seeing you like that,” Ash purred. “But please don’t include Claudia; that ruins the picture in my head.” When she elbowed him, he sighed. “I’ll have them allow her entrance. If she behaves, her privileges will be restored. If not, she’s banned for freaking life.”
Dana pushed against his hold, attempting to get to her feet. “I need to call her back. Plus, I’ll have to run to my apartment and get my swimsuit.”
“You’ve got one in my bureau,” Ash grumbled as he reluctantly released her. “I swear, I’m not shocked that Claudia’s a cockblocker. I had plans for today and they had nothing to do with her.”
Dana stuck her lip out at him, imitating his pout. “Poor baby. I promise I’ll make it up to you later.” Just before she left the room, she tossed over her shoulder, “I’ll even let you spank me. You know how you love seeing my ass jiggle.”
Ash glared at her as he adjusted himself. “You’re evil. A man shouldn’t be forced to resort to a hand job on Sunday morning. The Lord frowns on that type of behavior.”
“I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t approve of anything you had in mind today.” Dana giggled as she went to change clothes. A part of her still had trouble believing she actually had her own drawer in Asher Jackson’s bedroom. Even Rosa had been impressed when she discovered it. Dana had been careful not to make a big deal out of it in front of Ash though, since men panicked over small stuff. Heck, she always had as well. Paul had tried to get her to leave things at his place, but she never had unless it was by accident. That had seemed like too much of a commitment. But with Ash, she was breaking all the rules.
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