“Yes, Lucy?”
“Still in a sour mood I see. Does that mean you’re no closer to finding a wife?” Her tone held disappointment. “Time is ticking.”
“No, that’s not the case at all. In fact, I’ve worked out the situation. Nothing for you to worry about. Is that the only reason why you’re calling?”
He held the phone between his chin and shoulder, and set plates and a bottle of expensive wine out, and grabbed glasses from the cabinet. Yeah, this would be casual. Just as he wanted.
“Unless you’d like to have conversation, but yes, that’s the only reason.”
“Talk to you later.” He clicked off just as he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and almost dropped the glass he had in his hand. His balls throbbed. Ash looked like a dream come true, but better. There were no signs of the tired woman from before. She was an image to behold. Her hair hung down her bare shoulders in soft, supple waves that made his fingers ache to touch. Her skin was glowing. He could no longer see the dark circles, the sign that she hadn’t been sleeping well. Everything about her shimmered, even her toenails that were a bright color. But then there was the dress she wore that was made to make a man melt in his loafers. It was a dress of all dresses. The color of cherry red, the plunging neckline gave a nice view of her ample breasts. He remembered her perfect, firm tits, and how they fit in his palms so right. The tight material clung to her body like a second skin, showing off her soft curves. As much as he enjoyed the dress, he wanted nothing more than to rip it off with his teeth and plunge his body deep inside of her, making her his all over again. He wanted her so badly that he could almost smell her pussy from where he stood across the room.
Growling with pent-up need, he’d have to have a lot of control and patience being around her for the next thirty days if his intention was to behave.
“You look lovely,” he said.
One corner of her crimson lips turned upward into a teasing smile. “The dress really is lovely.”
“I ordered Chinese. I thought we’d take the opportunity to get everything out on the table.” He popped open the wine bottle and poured them each a glass. “Have a seat.” He pulled out one of the barstools for her.
“I might be a little overdressed.”
I couldn’t agree more. “I think you’re dressed perfectly.”
She slid onto the chair, tugging down the hem of the short skirt that gave an exceptional view of her long, toned legs. If this was five years ago, he’d already be on his knees, head between her legs, lapping up the warm juices he knew he’d find. But reality was, this wasn’t the past, and the present left a bitter taste on his tongue, although a little taste of her would sweeten the deal.
He sat down in the chair next to her, thankful there was enough space between them so he wouldn’t forget protocol and absentmindedly reach out and touch her. He held up his glass. “How about we toast to closure?” Yeah, this was the right track.
She squinted. “Sounds good.” She clinked her glass against his.
He watched her sip the wine, how her lovely lips closed over the rim and her slender neck gently moved as she swallowed. She tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear and her simple cross earring glittered in the light of the chandelier. Her tongue came out to sweep across her bottom lip and a tortured sound slipped from his mouth. Damn, he’d give his riches just to have her naked, under him, whimpering his name over and over as he claimed her pussy, her mind…and heaven forbid, her heart. Yet, he couldn’t forget that she’d left him. How hurt he’d been. The cracks in his heart that remained.
She took a longer drink and he noticed that her fingers were trembling. She was nervous, and an unexpected emotion fluttered through him. No, he couldn’t feel sorry for her. She’d come to him, after these years, asking for his help, and he gave it to her. He wasn’t a monster. It was only right that she exchanged the offer and helped him too. This was a win-win situation.
He clenched his teeth until he felt an ache in his jaw. He drank the contents of his glass, then poured another, feeling a little less tense with the alcohol warming his bloodstream. He reached for the container of rice and spooned her out some, followed by a helping of sweet and sour chicken. Then he stopped with the spoon mid-air. “Oh, shit. Sorry. Old habits die hard.” What the hell was he thinking by serving her?
“Thank you. You remembered one of my favorites.” Her smile, although very small, reached in and grabbed his gut and twisted.
How could he forget? He’d stop every Friday and pick up Chinese, and they’d have an indoor picnic and talk for hours about their hopes and dreams. “It’s no biggie. It’s the closest takeout besides pizza.” He played it off.
He filled his own plate with rice and a large helping of pepper steak. He dug in, but he found his attention wandering.
Their eyes met a mere second before she cast her gaze to her plate. She dipped her fork in and took a bite of rice. Had he hurt her feelings? Damn, this might be too hard to follow through with. It wasn’t too late to send her away, come up with a different plan. There had to be another way, but when he opened his mouth to tell her his concerns, what came out wasn’t what he’d planned. “Do you like your hair?”
She nodded. “Analisa is certainly a miracle worker. But I guess I should be asking you if you like it. After all, it was you who paid for it.”
He watched her casually steal a piece of broccoli from his plate, but he didn’t let her sarcasm go. “I thought you’d be more appreciative,” he mumbled, digging into his steak and popping a piece into his mouth, chewing with a newfound spite.
She dropped her fork and it landed against her plate. “I should be appreciative that you believed I needed a makeover to earn my place as your wife?” she snapped.
He took a sip of wine, swallowed his food, and sighed. “You’re taking it all wrong. For this month, I’ll expect you to go places with me, requiring a certain…” He skimmed his gaze to the plunging neckline, noticing that her nipples were hard and pressed against the material. His cock hardened to the point that he was afraid the zipper in his slacks might not hold up. “Dress. Should I have expected you to run out and buy the outfits? This is a business agreement, isn’t it?” He saw several expressions flicker across her features and he bit back the desire to curse a string of words that would burn most ears. He drained his glass for a second time. They both reached for the bottle and their fingers touched. She jerked back and her lips thinned.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
It took him a long second to regain his equilibrium as he poured another glass. “More?” he asked.
“Sure.” She held up her almost empty glass for him to refill.
He placed the bottle back and again concentrated on his food, practically inhaling it as he tossed around how he was going to deal with his raw feelings. He couldn’t allow her to see into his heart, or that he still carried around a good bit of anger toward her for leaving. “I bet you’re happy to get graduate school out of the way and start a new career.”
She nodded, wiping the corner of her mouth with one finger. “I’ll have so many new opportunities.”
“What are they?” He just wanted to hear her talk.
“I’ll find a job in something I want to do, not what I have to do.”
“No more waiting tables?” He lifted a brow.
“Never again.” Her eyes twinkled.
“You still bailing your sister out every time you turn around?” Once her face twisted, he knew he shouldn’t have asked. The last thing he wanted was for their time together to be spent arguing and angry.
“Declan, let’s not go there.” Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the fork.
“I’m sorry, but honestly, I was only asking for conversation.”
“And then conversation leads to you putting her down.”
“Come on, it’s not like she’s an angel.” Damn. Was he tempting her into an argument?
“And like you have the right to talk. The man who proud
ly admitted upstairs that he’s had more than one woman in his bed at one time.”
“If you don’t wish to talk about your sister, then we won’t.” He had to tread carefully. Ash could bring up a whole lot of his prior sins.
“You’re just now understanding that I don’t?” She took a bite of rice.
“I would have helped you, even if you didn’t come here.” The words slipped from him before he could stop himself.
She laid her fork down. “It wasn’t easy asking you. If only I had another choice.”
He didn’t like the sudden concern he saw in her expression. “I would have helped you over the years also. We are married.”
“That’s only partially true. Marriage typically means two people living under one roof, sharing each other’s bed, supporting one another in good times and bad. You and I, well, we haven’t said a word to one another before yesterday in a very long time.”
“I wasn’t the one who left.” Drawing in a deep breath, he pushed his plate away. He was no longer hungry. He didn’t mean to be an ass, but that’s where this headed.
She leaned back into the chair, laying her hands in her lap. “And you didn’t leave me a choice.”
“I left you plenty of choices,” he snarled.
“It was always your way or the highway, right, Declan?” Her eyes grew cold. “You knew I couldn’t choose between you and my sister. I would have never asked you to choose between me or any of your family.”
“You thought that’s what I wanted? No, I just wanted my wife to see something outside of her troubled sister’s needs. She was dragging you down, and our relationship. She was jealous that you were happy and she was miserable.”
Drawing in a deep breath, she slid off the chair. “I might have to stay here, in your home, but I don’t have to listen to you harassing me or my family. There’s no reason for us to go there. It’s done.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m no longer hungry.”
“Eventually we will be able to communicate without it leading to an argument.”
“Well, if the only two things you can talk about are how much you despise my sister and how many women you’ve had in your bed, I’d say there’s fat chance for peaceful conversation.”
She turned and walked away, leaving him watching the sweet sway of her bottom with a swollen cock that he knew now, more than ever, wouldn’t be allowed to dip back into her ever again.
****
After hanging all the clothes and putting the intimate garments into the drawers, Ash went into the bathroom and started for the shower when she glanced at the whirlpool tub. She deserved a nice, long soak. The mere idea of sinking into warm water with the massaging jets on full blast made her toes tingle in delight. And after her mini argument with Declan, she deserved to soak away all her troubles, at least for tonight.
She hadn’t taken a bath in a long time. Her bathroom back in her apartment only had a shower, no tub. And this bathroom was fit for a queen.
Tonight, she wouldn’t allow her mind to wander down the past—what she should have done. Nothing was okay between her and Declan, but she didn’t need to solve anything tonight. It was okay to give herself a small break, after all, she was here helping him.
Running the water, she undressed and hung the beautiful dress back on the hanger, giving it one last glance of appreciation before she stepped into the tub. Sinking her body deep, she guessed it’d be impossible to forget Declan completely because he seemed to always sneak into her mind when she least expected it—or wanted it. Now was no different. Her body was upside down and twisted after today’s events. They’d gone from one end of the crazy spectrum to the other in a matter of hours. Earlier she’d anticipated that he’d make love to her, against better judgment of course, but around him her logic was on vacation.
Goosebumps scattered her skin as the warm water splashed up around her hips and stomach. Sighing with pleasure, she leaned against the curved side and laid her head back. She looked out through the window, tinted for privacy, admiring the view of downtown Atlanta. The twinkling lights reminded her of diamonds. The rain had started and pelted the glass, soothing her as she relaxed into the water. Although this wasn’t the best of circumstances, she couldn’t deny that she hadn’t felt this sexy, or feminine, in years. Looking at her reflection in the window, she’d pulled her hair high on her head to keep it from getting wet, not wanting to ruin the look Analisa had given her, at least not yet. She could see the lighter streaks against the dark backdrop of her natural color. Although she would have never had done this for herself, she was glad she’d listened and let Analisa put the highlights in. She turned her cheek and looked at the dress she’d worn. Declan had found her appealing. The strain in his jaw and the torment in his gaze had been a dead giveaway. It had made her feel womanly, wanted, until things took an acerbic turn. She should have known they would. They had a lot of sour grapes between them that needed worked out.
A big part of her was uncomfortable being here, although he’d gone to a lot of trouble in making her bedroom a respite of sorts. She no longer belonged in his home though, close to him, and yet being near him made her all tingly. When he touched her he ignited a part of her she believed she had lost long ago. A woman doesn’t have a lover like Declan then lose it and feel like it’s possible to find it again.
She shouldn’t want him—didn’t need the complication. Although her body told a different story. Her breasts were heavy, her nipples bunched and throbbing, and between her thighs there was an ache that only happened on rare occasion. Truth was, she was on fire.
Remembering how she’d walked in and saw him for the first time in five years, she’d been overcome with so much emotion. She knew then what she was feeling was dangerous.
Without a doubt Declan hadn’t been a monk since she’d left him. The papers told his story and it wasn’t one that made her overcome with joy. He’d had one leggy blonde supermodel after another. They were young partiers with a desire to burn the midnight oil. And here she was, Ash was a homebody, in bed early, and rising at the crack of dawn. While the other women had people waiting on them hand and foot, Ash was waiting on others. And all this time, these women were sleeping with her husband.
Push those thoughts aside before they eat you alive.
Reaching for the loofah, she dropped two pea-sized amounts of soap from a tall bottle and began massaging the sweet-smelling crème over her chest, down her stomach and along each leg until she was covered in suds.
Tonight hadn’t gone as she’d expected, but she guessed it could have been far worse.
She paused the sponge as she pondered an idea. Would Declan keep up his relationships with other women while she was here?
Why should it matter? He was free to do what he wanted, after all, he was only her husband.
She gulped a large dose of reality. What if he brought one of the women here, to share his bed? No, she knew him. He’d never do such a thing…never. Or would he? Once upon a time she thought he’d come racing after her when she left. But no, she guessed she wasn’t worth the chase.
Dropping the sponge into the water, she dunked it, wishing she could do the same with her thoughts. Allowing her mind to run rampant would only make her miserable.
She needed to be very careful not to trust Declan. He was a stranger. They’d once shared something precious, beautiful, but it was over.
It was hard to believe that long ago she had been a seductive woman, flirting with Declan every chance she got. Although they’d been married, she had still found it entertaining to surprise him with sexy lingerie. She remembered his favorite had been a lacy, one piece with netted tights. When he’d walked into the bedroom and found her in the outfit, spread out over the bed, she’d witnessed a tortured man bursting to come out of his flesh. He’d practically ripped the material from her body as he’d taken her hard and fast, all while still wearing his suit and loafers. She’d always known how to make him feel better after a hard
day.
She’d changed drastically. She used to love her body. She’d loved being kissed, touched, caressed, and stroked into orgasm. Declan had made her feel desired, sexy, capable in bed. He’d coaxed her to explore, and encouraged her to tell him her deepest, darkest secrets. It was her fantasies that had had made the Georgian nights hotter than hell.
Ash sighed as she sunk lower into the water, rinsing off the soap. Her skin was sensitive, alive—needy. She should be focused on managing herself the next thirty days, not imagining Declan sharing her bed.
She shouldn’t be here, soaking, thinking of his arms wrapped around her, his naked body pressing into hers, his large erection stretching her wet muscles. How was it possible that he got better looking with age? Of course, he would. He had people around him doing his every bidding. That’s what money bought you. She sniffed loudly. She knew it was more than that though. He was gorgeous. Mr. Sexy with wild hair and gray eyes. Not to mention that he had a body that could melt her panties away. Tall, broad-shouldered and coiled muscles that she wanted to sink her nails into.
Frustration built inside of her like a rubber band being pulled to its limit. She rubbed her hands over her shoulders, down her arms, back up to her sensitive breasts, tweaking the hard nipples. With her big toe, she turned on the button that sent the jets whirling into action. The warm water spun around her legs, her stomach and her breasts that were tight with need. She hadn’t given herself pleasure in a long time.
Closing her eyes, relaxing her head back onto the curved side of the tub, she eased deeper, running her thumbs over her hard nipples. Her heart pitter pattered behind her chest, so fast she could feel the beating against her palm. Her skin tingled from the water and her breaths were rhythmic and calm. Spreading her legs slightly, the water swirled around her core, sending a wave of sensation rushing through her. The sudden pressure of the jets circling her clit almost took her off guard. Pleasure ceased her muscles and she purred in delight.
His Weekend Wife (The KNIGHT Brothers Book 2) Page 10