If his current expression was any indication, he’d probably lose his mind if he had any idea what kind of dangers she faced and overcame on the regular.
“Fine.” she soothed, running a hand along his upper arm. “Nothing dangerous. How about that private tour then? I’d love to see your place.”
“You would?” His eyes positively glowed at her suggestion, and Clea felt liquid heat in her core at the sultry sound of his words.
“Well, only if you’re there, of course.” She smiled, trying to keep it light though every part of her wanted to feel every part of him. God, it had been a long time since she’d felt like that for anyone.
“If we go to my place, you won’t be coming back to the hotel tonight.”
Now that was an invitation if she’d ever heard one.
“I’m completely fine with that.” Clea grinned, wondering what kind of house Asher lived in.
“What about your friends?”
“I know where to meet them in the morning.”
“Listen,” Asher’s voice was low, serious. “Consent is important to me and I want to be upfront with you. I’m not dating material, Duchess.” He shook his head. “We can have fun, but that’s it. I don’t do long-term. We have fun in your room here, or I take you to my place. It doesn’t mean we’re anything but lovers for the night.”
“Oh, you’re my kind of man.” She grinned. “I don’t do long-term either. I tried once, but my heart wasn’t in it. And the sex was mediocre.”
And why was she telling him this? She wanted to getintohis pants, not have him shun her. A night with him? Sign her up.
“I can assure you, sex with me is far from mediocre.” He chuckled.
“Promises, promises,” she teased.
“Careful, Duchess.”
There was something in the way he looked at her, something feral and wild that called to everything feminine in Clea and had her wanting Asher to take her right there on the bike. They sat for a moment, just holding each other’s gaze, the heat between them building.
“Damn, I want to kiss you,” she breathed.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “I want that too, but not here.” He turned back to the steering console. “Hold on to me.” He ordered as he revved the engine.
She didn’t need told twice.
Clea slid as close to Asher as she could, wrapping her arms around his waist again and pressing herself against his back. She enjoyed taking in the scent of him and appreciating the heft of his body as the wind whipped through her hair. That delicious heat they’d shared earlier enough to keep her warm, even as the night air licked at her exposed skin while Asher drove them toward his place.
Despite having just met, Clea felt completely comfortable with Asher. Probably because she was completely comfortable with herself. She knew she had her own back, and she was the kind of woman who knew what she wanted and usually got it. Asher was what she wanted right now and the fact that he’d made it clear upfront that there’d be no lingering threads after their hookup was an incredible relief. She wasn’t great with entanglements.
While some women might have considered Asher’s honesty brutal and off-putting, the way he’d laid out terms from the beginning was an incredible turn on to Clea. She liked knowing what she was dealing with.
Asher brought one of her hands to his mouth for another kiss and Clea pressed her torso closer to him as he rested her palm along his belly again and went back to steering with two hands. She smiled, reveling in the sensations in her body, the desire unspooling in her belly at his touch.
If this was the response he called from her fully clothed, she couldn’t wait to get naked with him. Couldn’t wait to feel those soft lips across more of her skin. Couldn’t wait to find out what kind of lover he was, though she didn’t have a doubt in her mind about that.
Damn, she couldn’t wait.
Tonight was absolutely going to be a good one.
5
Ashercouldn’tstopgrinningas he drove Duchess’s bike. Not only was the BMW a comfortable ride and smooth as silk on the road, he was thoroughly enjoying the way Duchess pressed up close to him as he drove them through the town and out into the woodland. Though they’d just met, there was something about having her nestled in and wrapped around him like that that felt right.
He liked the idea of protecting her from the wind with his body and couldn’t keep himself from lifting her hand to his face to take in her delicious scent. There was something intoxicating about her particular blend of fruity and floral, something ephemeral too, like an oceanic breeze he couldn’t get enough of.
He wanted to linger as he lowered her hand again. Her skin was so soft, and those rings adorned her perfectly. But, lingering would be detrimental to the driving. No way in hell was he about to crash her bike. She was trusting him to drive them safely and he wasn’t about to let her down.
