by Leddy Harper
Oh, hell. I could only imagine the things she would say once I had her beneath me. But I couldn’t think about that right now. If I did, I wouldn’t make it two more minutes, let alone two more months.
I pressed my hand against the top of the butcher’s block, and then I leaned forward enough to bring our faces closer without touching. “That’s where you’re confused, babe. I play with my wood in the shower.” I righted myself, though I didn’t move away. “Now, back to letting me help with your kitchen…I can get started on a new island for you. That’s something I can work on between projects.”
“Fine. How much would you charge for something like that?”
“Doesn’t matter, because you’re not paying for it.”
“Well…” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I guess you won’t be making me one.”
I finally gave in to the smirk that left my cheek sore from the strained muscles. “Wrong. Think of it as an incentive to be patient—your reward for taking the time to get to know me.”
“So, when you finish, does that mean the wait is over?”
“Sure does.” It just so happened that it wouldn’t be ready before the first week of August, when I would no longer have a reason to keep my hands to myself.
“And how exactly will I thank you for your generosity?”
My dick twitched a second before I muttered, “By sitting your bare ass on top of it while I eat…your pussy.”
Other than whispering, “Oh, shit,” she was speechless.
In order to keep myself from following through with that right now, on top of her rolling cart instead of the console I planned to build, I had to leave. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, but in the end, it made me more determined than ever to hold off. At least until I wouldn’t have to worry about her facing legal ramifications when I sank into her for the first time.
And later that night, after I came to thoughts of her mouth around my dick, I contemplated all the ways I could make it to my birthday without Kristy finding out the truth. Although, one thing was for sure.
I had to avoid Emma at all costs.
Chapter Three
Kristy
Spending a Saturday night alone was bad enough…but spending it inside was unbearable. Ironically, it never used to bother me, but one evening with Ash changed that. Tonight, without Emma or Ash here to keep me company, I could no longer ignore just how lonely my life was.
So, I made a drink and took my tablet to the back yard—my version of getting out of the house. The humidity was tolerable once the sun went down, and the mosquitoes hadn’t been too bad lately. I figured I wouldn’t have a problem staying cool as long as I had an ice-cold Malibu and cranberry to sip.
Before moving in, I’d lucked out and found two chaise lounges at a garage sale. They’d been well taken care of and looked brand new, and to top it off, they were in my price range—dirt cheap. They fit perfectly in the back yard, though this was the first time they’d gotten any use.
I’d been outside for over an hour and was on my third drink when Ash’s sexy rumble came out of nowhere, catching me by surprise. “Mind if I join you?”
With very little light and clouds covering the moon above, I couldn’t see his face. Although, I didn’t exactly need to. His voice was sexy enough without the added visual of his tempting smirk or sinful eyes.
Ash didn’t wait for me to answer before he took the empty chair next to mine. Sitting on the edge with both feet planted firmly on the ground between us, he rested his forearms on his thighs, his hands clasped together between his knees, and leaned forward. I could see his outline perfectly, down to the straight angle of his spine, and the silhouette of his muscular stature made my breath hitch.
“What’s the point in asking if I mind something if you’re just going to do it anyway?” I teased, laughing so he wouldn’t take me seriously and leave.
“I didn’t figure you would—the question was more or less rhetorical.” Even without seeing his face, the smile on his lips was heard loud and clear. “Call it a lucky guess.”
I set down my tablet, no longer needing solitaire to occupy my time. “Would you like anything to drink? I only have coconut rum, though. Not sure if that’s manly enough for you.”
“Nah, that’s okay. But thank you. I’d rather not impair my judgment around you. That doesn’t seem like a very safe situation to be in.”
“I’m on birth control. That makes it safe.”
“Fuck, Kris…” Apparently, he found it too difficult to utter both syllables.
I didn’t normally care for that moniker, but then again, I’d never heard it come from Ash. The grit that filled those four letters raised my body temperature at least five degrees, putting me in the feverish category. On top of that, having it follow something as lewd as “fuck” had me picturing his lip tucked between his teeth, his eyes nearly closed, and his hand fisted around his hard—
Whoa. Maybe the third drink wasn’t such a good idea.
“I’m trying to be good here, Kristy, but you’re making it hard.”
I couldn’t stop myself from saying, “I can think of something else I could make hard.”
He groaned and fisted his hair. His harsh breaths made my body overheat—well, that and the rum. This conversation needed to move along before I straddled his lap and gave him no choice but to give me what I wanted. It’d only been one day since he had asked that we spend a little time getting to know each other, and considering I had agreed, it wouldn’t be fair of me to go back on my word now.
“Did you get those orders done?” That was the only question I could come up while thinking of his wood. “You said they had to be finished by the end of the weekend.”
He dropped his arms, and from what I could tell, he turned his face toward me. “Yeah. I just have to assemble them tomorrow to make sure there aren’t any issues, and then take them apart so they’ll fit in the trailer.”
“You deliver them, too?”
“Normally, yeah. But this particular guy always picks them up. He buys them from me and then sells them—along with a lot of other stuff—at some vintage market on the other side of town. It’s kind of like a cross between a flea market and art festival…minus the festival aspect.”
If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought he was nervous. Except, I’d been around him enough to quickly dismiss that idea. He had confidence in almost everything he did and said—from what I could tell—without being arrogant. Which was great, because I couldn’t stand cockiness. Nothing was more of a turn-off than a big ego.
I loved listening to him talk about his job; his talent fascinated me. “I’ve never heard of it. Is it like a bunch of tents outside or something? I usually hear about art shows coming to town. They’re typically in the spring and fall.”
“No, it’s not like that. Someone bought an old shopping center and converted it into an indoor market. Think of a mall but smaller, and rather than stores, the bays are rented out and individually run.”
“So he buys stuff from you and then turns around and sells it? Why wouldn’t you just do that yourself? I don’t understand why you wouldn’t rent out one of those spaces and get the sale yourself. Seems to me you’d get more business that way.”
“It wouldn’t be worth it. He has his area set up like a house with furniture and handmade wall art, as well as blankets and pillows and crap. I wouldn’t have any of that to bring in business. Not to mention, if anyone wants something special or different, he gives me a call and places an order, so I get the business either way. Letting him do this frees up my time to sell to other people.”
“Well, I guess that makes sense.” I extended my leg and nudged his knee with my foot. “Speaking of freeing up your time…how’s it going with the kitchen island?”
He grabbed my ankle and settled my bare foot in his lap, where he proceeded to rub the sole like a professional masseuse. “I haven’t started yet. I’ll probably look for plans tomorrow and then get everything I’ll need
on Monday.”
The surprise of his touch—as well as the electric shock radiating up my calf—made me pause. Then, in order to speak without lust jumbling my words, I cleared my throat. “You know…you could stop wasting time coming here to tempt me and go home to get started on it now.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” He pressed his thumb into the arch on my foot and stretched the soft muscle, pulling a moan past my lips. The sensation shot straight to the apex of my thighs and left me yearning for more.
“The faster you get done with that, the faster we can move to the fun part.” My words came out full of air and heavy with desire. There was no way he didn’t know what he was doing to me.
“If that’s what you really want, Kristy…then maybe you should let me get to know you.”
Not able to have this conversation while he touched me, I slipped my foot from his grasp and sat up straighter. I bent my knees and pulled them toward my chest, yet I stopped myself at wrapping my arms around my shins. I didn’t need him to think I was closed off. I just had to keep my distance before I became too desperate for his affection and threw myself at him, begging him to make this ache disappear. Because if he could leave my panties this wet from a little foot massage, I couldn’t image the things he could do with other places on my body.
“I just don’t know why this is so important to you, Ash. I mean, I’ve already told you I’m not interested in a relationship, so what’s the point in getting personal with one another?” That may have been a little too harsh, though I wasn’t sure how else to say it.
“Have you ever had sex with someone you didn’t really know?”
I had to think about that for a moment. Not because my list of sexual partners had been extensive, but because it’d been too long since I had intimacy of any kind. “No, I haven’t. I guess I’ve known them all on some level prior to sleeping with them.” Hearing my words replay in my mind, I gasped and added, “Not them all like there’s been a lot. I just meant the few guys I’ve been with—as in, collectively.”
Ash held up his hands, which was good since I still couldn’t see his face. “Hey, I’m not judging. I honestly don’t care how many men you’ve been with. As long as you’ve been safe, what difference does it make?”
“I appreciate that, but seriously, it hasn’t been many.”
Emma’s father had been my first, and after we split, it had taken years before anyone else had come along. I might’ve gone on countless dates, but the majority of them ended the second I got out of their car, never hearing from them again. There had been two different guys who’d helped me out through the years—friends with benefits, so to speak—and then my list ended with the last guy I had dated. Four partners might’ve made my grandmother call me promiscuous, but nowadays, it was as close to a virgin as a woman could get. Especially since I was over thirty and never married.
“Okay,” he continued, “and how many of those were you in a relationship with?”
I knew where he planned to go with this, yet I answered anyway. “Two.”
“Then why do you automatically think I’m looking for one just because I want to be better acquainted before we become physical with one another? Whether you call it convenient or no-strings-attached sex, friends with benefits or fuck buddies, it doesn’t change anything—it wouldn’t be the kind of relationship you’re insinuating.”
“Agreed…but that doesn’t mean we have to sit around and braid each other’s hair, either.”
He laughed, though it was barely audible. More than anything, his shoulders jumped, dancing to the tune of the hushed humor rolling through his chest. “I’m not saying we become best friends, Kristy. But there’s a lot to be said about knowing the person you’re sleeping with. Be real here for a minute. Most of the pressure would be put on me—size aside—and if I don’t have a decent understanding of what turns you on or where on your body to touch, how do you expect me to satisfy you the way you want me to?”
“Oh…” Well, that made more sense. “Okay, if that’s what you’re talking about, then by all means, let me tell you what gets me going.”
Before I could say another word, he shifted from his chair to mine, taking the empty spot at the end where my feet once were. I wasn’t sure why he’d decided to move closer or what to do about it, so instead, I remained motionless out of fear he’d leave me hot and bothered again.
I couldn’t take the risk of that happening one more time.
“I don’t want you to draw me a map, Kris.” The rasp in his voice as it dipped told me far more than his words ever could. “I don’t need step-by-step instructions. Just give me a little time to understand you better. Again, I don’t see any reason to rush.”
Yeah, and I didn’t see the reason to become acquainted with one another without taking our clothes off, but I chose to give up on that argument. No need to make myself sound even more desperate or pathetic. “How do you propose we do that? Play Never Have I Ever? Truth-or-Dare?”
He lifted his hips off the cushion and pulled his cell from his pocket. When the screen lit up, I could finally see his face, and I couldn’t help but notice how young he appeared in the stark, white glow of the electronic. It was yet another reminder why this couldn’t turn into anything serious.
After quickly typing a few things with his thumbs, he finally stopped and cleared his throat. “Here, I found an app we could use. It’s a game that’ll help us learn things about each other. Do you want to give this a try and see where it goes?”
The ice rattled in the bottom of my plastic cup, reminding me I was out of alcohol. “Okay, fine. Download it while I get a refill. I have a feeling I’m going to need something strong to get through this game.” I pulled myself off the chair and turned to him before leaving. “You sure you don’t want anything?”
He glanced up, smiled, but then shook his head. “I’m good, thanks.”
While inside, I grabbed the large candle that I kept on the coffee table, unable to go much longer with him in the dark. Not to mention, if this game ended up being racy, I wanted to see his expression.
I carried the jar, lighter, and my fourth drink back outside, noticing he hadn’t left the end of my chair. I almost sat in the other, but then I thought better of it. I mean, he was the one who insisted that we took our time, so if he had a problem being that close to me, then he’d have to be the one who switched seats.
Once the wick came to life, the growing flame cast a glow wide enough I could see the smirk lining his lips. And before I took the first sip of my disproportionately mixed drink, I rethought my decision to add that extra shot of rum. I had a tendency to get flirtatious, as well as affectionate, when I drank. Then again, neither one would bother me—especially if it got him to cave.
Damn. I really needed to lay off the alcohol and buy a new toy.
This was getting ridiculous.
“Ready?” He lifted his gaze to my face and regarded me with a quirked brow. “There are different levels, but I figured we should start with the ones meant for people who have recently met. It generates the questions, so we’ll just take turns. Sound good?”
“Sure. Go for it.” I might not have sounded very enthusiastic, yet secretly, I was kind of excited to play. At least I didn’t have to spend the evening alone like I’d originally thought when I came out earlier.
He tapped on the screen and then asked, “Are you a morning person?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “No. I don’t know anyone who is. My turn.”
Ash handed me the device, and while I tapped on the purple button to generate another prompt, he began to stroke his thumb over the top of my foot, distracting me until I could barely read the words on the screen.
“Oh, this is a good one.” I got all giddy when I saw the suggestive subject. “What’s your favorite body part on the opposite sex?”
The way he held my gaze should’ve been a sin. “I’m totally an ass man.”
“Come on…give me something better than that.�
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“Yeah, because your answer was so profound. But fine.” He turned his attention to the dark sky, squinted for a moment as if deep in thought, and then dropped his chin with a wicked smirk on his face. “Your lips, because they make me wonder what they’ll look like wrapped around my dick while I watch you suck me off.”
I swallowed thickly and clenched my thighs together. It suddenly became sweltering outside, as though the mid-summer sun hovered directly overhead while I sat in front of an industrial heater with a fur coat draped over me.
My only hope was if his response affected me this way, maybe it did the same for him.
He took his cell and pressed his thumb to the screen. “Do you judge a book by its cover?”
“Yes, and if you disagree, then you’re a liar. Everyone does.” I held out my hand, too impatient to find out what he’d have to admit to next. And after seeing what it generated, I couldn’t help but thank the creators of this ridiculous game. “Do you watch porn?” There was a second part to that, yet I didn’t see the point in it. I didn’t care about his view on pornography…only if he viewed it.
He dropped his gaze and muttered, “Yes. My turn.”
I clutched his phone to my chest, refusing to hand it over. “Not so fast, Ash. By all means, elaborate on this for me. What kind? How often? What do you do while watching it?”
To my surprise, he held my stare with utter intensity, not shying away like he had a moment ago. “I’m not picky, but if I had to choose a favorite, it would be one with an older woman and younger guy—hot babysitter, sexy tutor, dad’s new wife. You get the idea. But I don’t watch it often, maybe once every other month or so. And I think you know what I do, Kristy. But since you want to hear me say it…I jack-off.”
Even though his voice deepened during that last admission, it still didn’t seem to affect him as much as it had me. Regardless, I ended my turn and waited for him to direct another question my way. But when he asked, “Do you believe in karma?” I snatched the device from him.