He started his vehicle and departed.
“She thinks she’s protected,” he said to the dummy he’d arranged in the passenger seat. “She’s fuckin’ not.”
His lips stretched into a grin that felt as if it didn’t fit his mouth. Not surprising, given he’d had little to smile about since he was a kid.
But now—now that was changing, so he’d keep smiling at Awful Ashley’s expense.
4 – Sweet Temptation and Visible Panty Lines
Ashley woke wrapped around Josh. She blinked, not moving for long seconds. Because of her brother’s confidence in the ex-soldier, she’d trusted Josh not to make a move on her. She’d trusted him to keep her safe and had slept better than she had in weeks.
Instead of Josh misbehaving, she’d accosted him, treating him like a cuddly toy. She sucked in another quiet breath. He was still asleep, so she made a stealthy retreat. She peeled her arm away from his trim waist and separated her chest from his muscled back.
Thank the stars, he’d worn his boxer-briefs to bed. The man was way too tempting to her peace of mind. Not her typical type but that didn’t stop the fantasizing. He’d popped into her dreams like a magical genie, and they’d…they’d…
Heat collected in her cheeks. Luckily, he was a heavy sleeper. Unlike her older brother. Once she’d created space between their bodies, she started shaking, and it wasn’t with fear.
She liked him.
Ashley bit back a groan. Only she could make a relationship difficult. Josh was doing her brother a favor. The ex-soldier was marking time until he decided his future.
The truth—with the campaign at full-tilt plus her constituent duties, a man was the last thing Ashley needed. Men were demanding. Men were possessive. Men were plain hard work. At least, that was her latest experience. Oh! She’d missed telling Josh about her relationship with Charles. The man bore a grudge and was still sore at her for winning the nomination for the Manurewa seat when he’d been confident it was his. Perhaps she’d better mention him to Josh. Although, she doubted Charles would stoop to breaking into her home.
A quick glance at her watch told her to hustle. She had a lot to do today, and dreaming of the impossible was a waste of her day.
She wasn’t Josh’s type. Too serious, one of her previous boyfriends had told her. Too busy, another had declared. Too organized. Lacked spontaneity. She sighed and rolled out of bed to hit the shower. Time to roll on with the political campaign—the part of her life shecouldcontrol.
After a quick shower, she realized two things. One, she’d forgotten to organize her clothes the previous night. And two, she refused to wear the lingerie her intruder had pawed through. Ashley wrapped a towel around her body—thankfully a large one—and scuttled to her bedroom. She poked her head around the door.
Josh was awake and speaking on his phone.Of course.His gaze tracked to her as she hovered in the doorway.
“Just a sec, Louie.” Josh quirked his lips, his humor reflected in his ocean-blue gaze. “Would it help if I closed my eyes?”
“Yes, please.” So polite when her stomach churned with excitement. That sensual gleam in his expression made her feel special.
“I’ll keep them closed until you tell me.” His cheeky grin pushed heat through her body.
She swallowed, saw his eyes were closed and rushed toward her wardrobe. What could she wear? If she’d been thinking clearly the previous night, she could’ve washed the underwear she’d had on that day. Somehow, she’d have to find time to purchase lingerie today. Meantime, she’d go commando and wear trousers. She shuddered, thinking of the infamous legs episode. Definitely trousers.
She remembered a camisole top and a bra. She’d put them on a drying rack in the laundry. Panties too. Triumphant, she grabbed a rose-colored merino jumper and black trousers before retreating to the laundry.
Her drying rack was empty, her lingerie gone. She stared at the white plastic frame. Her intruder had stolen her laundry too? Muttering under her breath, she stomped back to her clothes where she’d left them in the spare room. She pulled on the trousers and maneuvered the jumper over her head before surveying the result in the half-mirror. The slacks fit well, but any fool could see she was braless.
Ashley checked her watch and muttered again. She needed a scarf or something to hide her chest.
“I’ve made tea,” Josh called. “Should I pour it to go?”
“Yes, please.”
Josh appeared and stared at her, blue eyes so full of heat she froze.
“What?” A defensive note filled her question.
“You look gorgeous.”
“The intruder took my underwear from the laundry. I don’t have any,” she wailed. “I need a scarf to divert gazes from my boobs.”
“Where are the keys for Frog’s car?”
