“Well…I was kinda hoping that your drinking wine was some kind of ‘bat signal’ indicating you need to de-stress.”
I chuckle, but his face is devoid of humor. He closes the distance between us, his imposing form forcing me to back up until I’m pressed against the island. He takes my wine glass, sets it aside, and lifts me, setting me down on the counter.
His lips flutter on my neck as his hands cup my breasts. I’m scared by how badly I want him.
There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him.
“I’ve been thinking about you all night,” he rasps into my ear.
I’m too scared to tell him the same.
He bunches my skirt around my waist, parts my legs, and brings his body closer, his bulge pressing against me.
Smoothing back my hair, he looks me in the eyes and says, “We need to talk.”
Chapter 7
Jake
Her pretty face scrunches in confusion. “Talk?”
I kiss her lightly on the lips. “What kind of a spell do you have me under?”
She blinks in confusion. “Spell?”
“I crave you like a damn addict craves his fix.”
Her cheeks turn pink. “You don’t have to say those kinds of things.”
My brow draws inward. “Those kinds of things?”
“I mean, I’m sure you have women throwing themselves at you. You always have. I’m just a number. You don’t have to act like I’m something special when I’m not.”
I bite my lower lip, genuinely afraid of what I’m about to say. “Ashlyn, I’m gonna tell you something, and I hope it doesn’t scare you or anything.”
“What would scare me?”
I press closer. The feel of her warm breath washing over my chest gives me goose prickles.
“For the last week, I’ve been listening to those romance novels you’ve written on audio as I’ve been working.”
“Oh…um, that’s weird. Is it because of Gran? Did she try to rope you into a two-person book club or something?”
“No, it’s because I’ve never cared so much about impressing someone with my sexual
prowess before. I needed to know what you liked, and I figured that’d be the place to go for intel.”
She swallows hard but keeps her emotions hidden. “Why did you care so much?”
“There’s something about you, Ashlyn. You have me beguiled. I thought that after we hooked up last night, we’d settle into a casual friendship, but I was wrong. I don’t ever see anything between us being casual.”
I can’t take it anymore. I bend down to kiss her, her mouth greeting mine eagerly.
Holy, hell—what is going on?
I force her lips off mine and cup her cheeks in my hands.
“I need to know what this is,” I say. “I need to know if you feel anything for me or if I’m just a fuck boy to you.”
