“Gone.” He shifted his gaze, staring at something over her shoulder. “I never really knew my father. Mum died when I was young, shortly after we came to Pine Haven.” He shook his head. “That trip took everything out of her.”
An ache bloomed in Clea’s chest at the thought of a young Asher losing his mother, and she rubbed a palm over her heart space.
“My mom died when I was young, too.” Her soft admission drew his eyes and Clea met his emerald gaze head on. “I’m sorry for your loss, Asher.”
And damn her, but she meant it. The thought of him alone and hurting made her chest ache more.
“Look at us,” she chuckled, breaking the gaze and reaching out for the rocks glass. “A couple of orphans.” She downed the rest of the whiskey, relishing the burn as she handed Asher the empty cup. “Thanks for the drink.”
“Would you like another?” He gestured to the tray. “We still have water and wine.”
“I’ll pass on the wine for now.” She smiled. “But I won’t say no to the water, or another whiskey.” She’d enjoyed sharing it with him and the burn dampened that strange ache in her chest.
“I’ll get the bottle then.” He cupped her face with his palm, trailing his thumb lightly along her cheekbone as he leaned in for a kiss.
He pulled away far too soon and Clea found herself chasing his lips again. She wasn’t sure what it was about him that made her want more, but as Asher encouraged her to relax and promised to be back soon with her stuff, she wanted him to stay.
There was just something about that man.
She stared after Asher in a daze for several minutes before getting with the program, downing some water and reaching for a washcloth. As she ran the soap over the cloth, Clea marveled at how much she and Asher seemed to have in common. Okay, dead parents and a healthy appreciation for fine things weren’t really all that much in common, but it was a start.
Just look at that chandelier, like jewelry for the home.
And then there was the sex.
Mind blowing didn’t even begin to cover it, and they’d only just scratched the surface. Damn, what Asher could do to her body.
At that thought, Clea got busy with the cleanup.
Though the water felt incredible on her road weary muscles and she would have loved soaking for hours, she didn’t want to spend all her time in the tub unless he was in it with her. If she only had one night with Asher, she was going to make the most of it.
All of it.
7
Ashertooksomedeep,steadying breaths trying to get his head around things as he surveyed his space looking for Duchess’s backpack.
Holy shit, that woman was something else.
He’d thought she was something the moment he’d laid eyes on her with her patrician good looks, sexy air of confidence, and all that bling, but the reality of her was more than he’d been prepared for. They’d just met and already he’d experienced two firsts in his life, having a woman in his lair, and taking her bare.
Fuck.
What the hell was wrong with him? He never had sex ungloved, but from the moment he’d first kissed her, he’d lost his damn mind with need.
For her.
There’d been no thinking, only primal passion and damn him, but he’d been rough with her. Not that she’d seemed to mind. And how fucking sexy was that?
Asher scrubbed his hand down his face on a curse. He really was an asshole sometimes, wasn’t he?
He refocused on collecting their things, hoping Duchess was enjoying her soak while he tidied up their clothes. He had to do something to keep himself from going back in there and taking her again.
Shit, it had been hell fighting his primal urges when he’d dropped her drinks off earlier. Not only had she been sexy as hell with her silky neck exposed and the water lapping at her tits like that, the way she’d memory-laned it with him tugged at his protective instincts.
He’d never told a woman about his mum before.
And that made three firsts tonight, didn’t it?
