“Ah. Okay. No idea what that is,” Hawk said, leading the way into the elevator. On the top floor, he wordlessly put the gold key in the lock and opened the door. Phillip had been right. The room was practically wall-to-wall bed. An enormous bed, at that.
But boy, did it look comfortable. Just looking at it made Ashton want to strip naked and slide under the covers.
To sleep! her mind quickly corrected when she felt Hawk brush her shoulder as he passed.
“Are you okay with this?”
“Of course,” she said, forcing her voice to sound both firm and totes blasé. “Why wouldn’t I be? We’re here to sleep.”
“Sleep, yeah.” He raked a hand through his hair and turned around.
She watched him for a moment, the way his shoulders lifted and his back muscles flexed with each inhale. When her eyes started to travel to the deep south of the back of his body, she snapped awake.
“How do you normally sleep?” he asked.
“Nude.”
“I meant, which side?” He quirked a half-grin. “But nice to know.”
Ashton exhaled a little laugh, trying not to totally die. “I shouldn’t admit it, but this is a bit…new…for us.”
“Understatement of the year.” He tossed the key on the single chest of drawers in the room. “But we’re two adults who’ve been friends forever. It shouldn’t be weird, when you think about it.”
“Absolutely,” Ashton said, trying desperately to not think about sleeping in a bed next to Hawk. A guy she’d never even innocently fantasized about.
Why was that, again?
Knock it off. We’re friends. Two mature adults. Stop looking at his butt!
What would happen if he tried something? What if she lost her head for an instant and tried something? Or what would happen if they accidently touched toes under the covers? Or legs or hands or…other things? Like being hit by a tidal wave of feverish heat, she flushed all over.
“There’s not even a TV.” Hawk sat on the edge of the bed and loosened his tie. “Damn, this room really is only for sex.”
Don’t say that! Ashton felt like screaming, then she felt like covering her ears like a little kid afraid of the boom of fireworks.
Boom, boom, boom.
“Good thing our relationship has always been so solidly platonic,” he said, cocking one side of his mouth. “Right, my fiancée, dear…who sleeps in the nude?” He slid off his tie and draped it over a chair. “Ash? Are you all right?”
Why was he—a notable sexually repressed man!—so totally cool about this? Hadn’t she caught him checking her out earlier?
Or had that been in her mind?
“Ash?” he repeated.
Not until then had she realized her back was pressed against the door. Like a nervous bride on her wedding night, she was afraid to completely enter the room. Wasn’t she the one who prided herself on the openness of sex?
Not that they were going to have—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Jeez! Stop!
“No, I’m fine. Completely, fantastically good.” She pushed herself off the wall. “Just, um, inspecting the escape route in case of a fire.”
Hawk cocked his head. “Well, there’s the door behind you, and that window. We’ve got two choices. Let’s hope for no sparks tonight, eh?”
For the sake of practicing what she preached, and displaying the confidence that people expected, Ashton chatted about this and that, totally ignoring the existence of the huge bed they both sat upon.
Hawk even ordered room service, and they split a club sandwich. How totally normal was that? After he did one too many yawn-talks, Ashton realized all the tension was obviously in her head alone. Hawk didn’t see this situation as anything awkward. He probably wanted her to stop gabbing so he could catch some Zs.
“Is it cool if I take off my clothes?” she asked. “It’s not like we haven’t seen each other naked before.”
“Ash, we were kids. And yes, I mind. We’re not all as free-wheeling as you.” He stood up, but smiled at her dotingly. “Not that I don’t respect that about you, and not that I wouldn’t enjoy watching you undress, I better wait in the bathroom.”
Because it was probably expected of her, she rolled her eyes. “So uptight,” she said, but was relieved he’d made that call—as she knew he would.
Quicker than a stripper on the clock, she peeled off her dress and kicked off her shoes, choosing to sleep in her bra and panties. At least they matched. Not that it mattered!
“I’m using one hanger,” she called out to Hawk. “Three more for you.” She had no idea what he would choose to sleep in. Back at the Cove, he probably had a set of flannel pajamas that buttoned all the way to his throat.
“Thanks,” he said, opening the door and stepping out into the room. “Oh, sorry, I thought you were already in the bed. Do you need another minute?”
As confidently as she could under the circumstances, Ashton stood in front of the closest in nothing but her bright turquoise underwear set. Her confidence swayed big time when she saw what Hawk was wearing… A skintight ribbed tank top and black boxer briefs.
Boom!
“Shirt?” she asked, looking only at his eyes while holding out a hand. “So I can hang it up.”
“Thanks.” He handed it over, followed by his pants, tie, and jacket. “Thank you,” he added, sounding kind of nervous, but totally cute.
No, not cute! And not stimulating, either!
Without further ado, she crawled over the bed to the far side and asked Hawk to hit the light. Whoa, she was such a good actor, it even surprised her.
A moment later, the room went dark, though she didn’t hear Hawk move. “Um, there’s a toothbrush in the bathroom. I used it first, but I’m relatively germ free.”
“Thanks, and funny, but I carry one in my purse. I already took care of it after we ate.”
“Right. Good. Good hygiene.”
Finally, she felt the bed move as Hawk slid under the covers.
Boom!
It was too dark to see anything more than shadows, and she was relieved about that. Though relief was short-lived when she inhaled that sexy, woodsy, mouth-watering aftershave she’d so thoughtlessly bought him for Christmas.
“Good night,” she said, too frozen to adjust positions, despite the enormous bed.
Hawk sighed and shifted. “An hour ago I was exhausted; now I can’t sleep.”
“It’s natural with all the tension pumping through your veins.”
“Tension? I didn’t say anything about—”
She couldn’t help pressing her lips together to stop a giggle as she rolled over to face him. “Tension from the interview, meeting Phillip, the wedding, and travel. That kind of tension.”
“Oh, yeah. Well, yes, there’s that.” He rolled over so they were facing each other, a good sixteen inches separating them.
“Not everything is about sex.”
The burst of laughter coming from his side of the bed was probably not the sound the walls of this hotel room were used to.
“That might be the funniest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”
His deep voice was full of merriment, and with just a dash of good-hearted teasing…the exact tone of someone who’d known her fifteen years. The sound made her want to scooch up beside him and rest her head against his chest to feel the vibrations of his laugh.
“Okay, okay,” she said, after regaining focus, “that might’ve been out of character, but you know what I mean.”
“Maybe.” Ashton could just make out that he’d lifted his head to rest on his arm. “My track record of knowing what you meant is around sixty percent. I can’t imagine there’s a guy out there who scores higher.”
The words made her smile, making those butterflies that had taken up residence in her tummy start flapping overtime. “Honestly, though, how do you think the interview went?”
“Don’t want to jinx myself.”
“Superstitious as always.”
“You know how my father’s been counting on me to carry on the teaching legacy at Preston-Ivy.” He paused as if waiting for her to nod in agreement. “I liked Phillip well enough, and I like the school. But what he said about you.” He sounded on the brink of sleep, that explosion of mirth probably taking his last bit of energy.
“It’s fine, Hawk. He doesn’t know me,” she said, fighting another urge to slide forward so she could hear his whisper in her ear, feel a little of his body heat to warm her freezing cold hands.
“No, he doesn’t know you. Not like I do, Ash.”
Half a breath later, she felt his hand touch her arm. It was for only a second, then gone, but there was no way it wasn’t intentional.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, her heart was racing, stomach full of knots, mouth practically aching. To kiss him. Just the idea made her temperature rise, and it was a thousand degrees under those covers. She was tempted to throw them off so she could breathe, but how would that look? She was sweaty and flushed.
But he’d touched her. In bed. That had to mean something.
“Thank you,” she whispered, not trusting her full voice to not crack.
There were things she needed to say, wanted to share and confess—things she suddenly realized she’d been feeling for months, maybe years.
Would it be wise, though, before she knew absolutely what those feelings meant?
In the abstract, she could tell George Hawkins anything. Even the classic “Yeah, so earlier today, you looked at me and I looked back, and for the first time, I felt…something. And then, ya know, I couldn’t stop thinking about you, or your eyes and mouth and hands, and, well, I don’t know if you feel the same way… Even though you probably don’t, because you would’ve said something by now. Because when it comes down to it, you’re braver than me. But if I don’t say something right now, I might lose all respect for myself…”
“Hey,” she exhaled in the tiniest whisper.
No reply. She listened carefully to Hawk’s even breathing. He was fast asleep.
With her next exhale, she wondered if she’d just dodged a bullet.
Hawk was not asleep.
For a while, he stared up at the ceiling, not seeing anything, but needing to focus on something besides Ashton lying beside him.
He probably shouldn’t have said that, how he knew her so well. Definitely shouldn’t have touched her like that. But he couldn’t help himself. Because what Phillip had said made him stop and think. No one who really knew Ashton would ever dream she should do anything with her life other than the field she loved.
Every time she talked about it, she lit up.
It was also true, and hard to admit, that really being with her might be detrimental to his career at Preston-Ivy. They’d only playacted being engaged. It wasn’t real.
She moved. He held his breath. She sighed. His heart pounded inside his ears. He wanted to say something. But what? That she smelled nice…like blueberry pie? And that she probably tasted like it, too? Right. How insane would that sound? And how fast would she order him to sleep in the tub?
He threw an arm over his eyes. Next, he rolled to his side away from her, facing the wall.
Hawk did manage to sleep some, but not restfully. At least he’d stirred before his bedmate was awake. Knowing that the sun rose ridiculously early in Maine, it had to have been around six a.m., because the sunlight filtering through the drapes was yellow and bright. The same sky as when he went running in the morning in Detroit.
Man, it would be nice right about now to burn off as much energy as possible before he was forced to be with her again.
Forced.
The absurdity of the word made him smile.
When she stirred, very carefully and quietly, Hawk got out of bed, took the three steps to the bathroom, then took a shower an Eskimo would be proud of.
Luckily, his white shirt and pants were barely wrinkled. Last thing he needed was to show up at Virtue Cove in the rumpled clothes from yesterday, with equally rumpled Ashton in tow. The wedding crowd would have a field day, not to mention the photographers surrounding the compound. Though he and Ashton were no one the press should care about, what if they did catch a good shot? Anything that even smelled like a public walk of shame wouldn’t endear him to Preston-Ivy’s board.
Not to mention, one appraising look from Tyler, and he’d punch Hawk in the head. Or he’d try. Hell, he’d have every right. Even if nothing had happened, his buddy would be way pissed. Hawk couldn’t risk that. Ty was more like a brother to him than his own siblings.
By the time he finished in the bathroom and opened the door, Ashton stood facing the open window, fully clothed.
Damn. The gorilla side of him wished she was still in nothing but that skimpy blue underwear from last night. That had certainly gotten his heart pounding like a jungle drum.
“You finally done in there?” she asked, holding her dark hair back with one hand in a high ponytail. When she let it fall, it cascaded around her face like an ebony waterfall.
Hell, man, she looked amazing first thing in the morning.
“Sorry,” he said, trying not to stare.
She tilted her head. “What’s the matter with you?”
“Me?” He smoothed down the front of his shirt. “Why?”
“You’re looking at me funny. Anything special on your mind?”
Hawk couldn’t help smiling. “I was just thinking that you should always sleep in tiny hotel rooms in strange towns with nothing on.”
“Hawk!” For the first time in forever, he saw Ashton blush.
“It’s true.” He reached for his tie. “And I won’t take it back.”
She rolled her eyes as she walked past him. “Um, so give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to leave.” Before closing the bathroom door, she turned back. “Do you think they have strong coffee downstairs?”
“I’m sure they do.” He leaned forward. “But the place we were at yesterday serves breakfast. I saw blueberry pancakes on the men—”
“Okay!” she cut in. “Give me five minutes and I’ll meet you downstairs. Get the car!” Then she slammed the door in his face.
Hawk threw his head back and laughed until his eyes watered. This woman was so much fun to be with. He could really get used to it.
But, of course, he couldn’t.
Fantasizing was one thing. On many levels, though, it wouldn’t work—for either of them. Somehow, he knew they both knew it. But still, he wanted to be with her as much as possible the rest of the week. Who knew—maybe this was the last time they’d get to hang out like this. Tyler was settling down, after all. Maybe Hawk would be next to tie the knot—things like this were contagious.
There was never an absence of women who seemed more than interested in him. Maybe he should just pick one and get on with his life.
Or damn. What if Ashton was next to get married?
His gut tightened.
He didn’t like the idea of that one bit. It was selfish of him, but if Hawk couldn’t have her all to himself, forever, then he didn’t want anyone to have her.
After returning the key and grabbing his receipt, he went out for the car and pulled it right up to the front. True to her word, it wasn’t five minutes later that Ashton came out the glass doors. Sunlight hit her face and hair, while a soft morning breeze blew the bottom of her dress.
Leaving Hawk trying very hard to not feel anything.
“Step on it,” she said after sliding in and fastening her seatbelt. “I’m starving.”
Her expression and voice and downright lovable spirit made Hawk feel all kinds of things. The only thing he could truly identify was that he liked her. A whole hell of a lot. So much that it might kill him to be without her.
“Yes, ma’am.” He floored it, tires peeling out as he flew onto the street.
Ashton gave a little girly shriek-giggle, grabbing the side of her seat with one hand and Hawk’s biceps with the other. The surprise touch ma
de him momentarily flex, but Ashton must not have noticed, because she kept her hand in place, fingers encircling his muscle.
“Want me to drop you off in front so you can grab a table and get started?”
“No,” she said, her fingers pressing into his arm, almost as if she didn’t want to let go. Didn’t want to leave him for even the time it took him to park.
That was nonsense. He was still stuck in the same annoying daydream. Ashton had more logical things on her mind than not wanting to let go of his arm.
Finally, maybe noticing how she was holding him and not wanting to give the wrong idea, she did release him, then tucked some hair behind one ear. “I mean, sure, I’ll hop out right here if you slow down. Slow down, Hawk!” she ordered as Hawk deliberately pretended to pass the restaurant.
He chuckled then slowed to drop her off. “Pancakes?” she asked as she opened the car door.
“Please,” he replied. “And a tall OJ.”
As she was closing the door, he was about to amend his request, but was beaten to the punch.
“Only if it’s freshly squeezed,” they said together.
“I remember,” Ashton said with a warm, knowing smile. Her good-natured laugh that followed and the easy, companionable way she knew what he liked to eat made his chest hurt.
“See you in there, Hawk.”
He took his time parking, waiting for the heat and tightness in his chest to go away. Which it finally did—like always. The more his rational brain mulled it over, Ashton was not the girl to get tied up in knots about.
Not if he wanted the future he’d mapped out before him.
Chapter 6
The pancakes were heaven, but Ashton hardly noticed them, because Hawk’s first-thing-in-the-morning total cuteness occupied most of her mind as they sat across from each other eating breakfast.
“Last night was fun,” she said without thinking. Well, actually, she had been thinking, which was why it was what spilled out of her mouth.
“Yeah?” He set down his fork.
The Last Plus One Page 19