“Wouldn’t you be?” Josh asked as he opened the pantry to grab hot chocolate ingredients. “We’re no closer to discovering the person responsible. We’ve probed her background, and apart from the accident where her passenger died, nothing jumps out at us.”
“We’ve looked into that too,” Gerry admitted. “She took responsibility and did her community service. We’ve tracked the family, and they say they bear her no malice. It was an accident. The only one we haven’t spoken to is the young boy.”
“We have someone checking on him,” Nelson said. “I mean her.”
Josh heated the milk, added the chocolate mix, and whisked everything together. Next, he poured the frothy liquid into mugs and dropped in marshmallows. “There you go. I’ll see you nice and bright in the morning. I’ll text you the details of what my sister discovered in a few minutes. That will give you something to work on before your official details come through.”
“Thanks for the hot chocolate,” Gerry said.
“Goodnight,” Nelson said.
When Josh entered the room, Ashley sat on the bed, still fully dressed. Her eyes were damp when she turned in his direction.
“I’m scared, Josh. You got hurt today because of me. What if the man had shot at your sister or your nephew? What if this stalker hurts someone else? Should I step away from the campaign?”
“Sweetheart.” Josh strode over, set down the hot chocolate, and hauled Ashley into his arms. “I’m fine.”
“This time,” she retorted. “I couldn’t concentrate on the movie. All I could think of was the consequences of having a stalker. Maybe if I back from the public spotlight, he’ll stop.”
“That’s silly talk. Use that beautiful brain of yours. This man, whoever he is, won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”
She stiffened in his arms. “Me.”
“Yes.”
“Ashley, you’ve always wanted to be a politician. You can’t let this man derail your life. Your dreams.”
“Well, what do I do? I’d hate for someone else to get injured.”
“Nelson, Gerry, and I are working to keep you and everyone else safe. Is there anything in your past? Another incident where someone blamed you for the outcome?”
“No. I’ve racked my brain. The truth is the accident scared me. It changed me for the better. Because my friend died, I don’t drink alcohol and haven’t touched a drop since that party. I changed my behavior and concentrated on learning the skills I required to go into politics. Jess’s death turned me into a goody-two-shoes.”
Josh’s heart ached for her. Her regret was transparent, her sorrow at losing her friend. Nelson had shown him the accident reports, and although Ashley had alcohol in her system, she’d been nowhere near the limit. The judge had slammed her for having a blood alcohol reading while driving on a restricted license, but she hadn’t intended to drive that night.
“I’m tired of being good, Josh. Tonight, I crave sin.” She yanked at his loosened tie, leaving him in no doubt of what she had in mind.
Every muscle in Josh tensed.Sin. Yeah, he was up for that. He ached for her. “What about your brother?”
“Don’t ask. Don’t tell,” she spoke in a solemn voice. “I’m an adult, and I have a stalker chasing me. If something happens to me tomorrow, I won’t have regrets involving my career path, but I will mourn not getting my hands on your splendid body.”
Josh grinned. “Splendid body, huh?”
“From what I’ve seen so far. I might’ve missed two skinny, spindly legs.”
He should keep his word to Frog. His word—it meant something to him. “According to my friends and family, I have an atrocious record with women. The second thing—I promised your brother I wouldn’t put my hands on you in an inappropriate manner.”
Ashley released a snort. “Fine, let me do the work.” She dragged off his tie and started on the buttons of his shirt. “I’ll be the bad guy.”
Josh’s pulse jumped at her cool fingers on his flesh. Hell, he wanted her so much. He’d never spent so much time with a woman and not had sex. The thought brought a frown. “No, Ashley. Wait.”
“What happens if my stalker kills me tomorrow? Or you. I need this.I want you.I know what I’m doing. I’m clear of mind, and I’m a mature adult. My party thinks I’m capable of running the country, so I’m certainly competent to make this informed decision. Think of it this way. We’re two adults who want each other. Neither of us is making promises nor have expectations for the future. This is a slice of time we’re carving out for relaxation. Something private for us.”
He didn’t want to be her man of the moment.
The thought whacked him over the head. Even though they hadn’t known each other for long, he admired her. Liked her a lot. Hell, was this how his last serious girlfriend had felt when he’d walked away? He’d warned her, given her the truth, but she’d wanted more. Tried to force his hand, which led to him making his famous one-date rule.
“Hey!” Ashley knocked her knuckles against the side of his head, hard enough to gain his attention but not hurt him.
