My hand was still on hisjaw.
I should probably have movedthat.
After another second Ididmove it, letting my hand fall to the side with a thump.
“I panicked,” I admitted. “Ididn’t want to freak you out.”
Ashley’s already raisedeyebrow arched further, a sideways question mark right there on his face.
“It wasn’tthatbad,” I defended. “Uh.Was it?”
Ashley shrugged. “We’re even now,”he said. “Your technique could use work, but I’d give it a solid six out often. That’s a pass mark.”
I deserved this, and I knewit.
A quick check behind usrevealed that our tail had disappeared, if he’d ever been following us inthe first place. Maybe it was my overactive imagination.
MaybeIwas stilljumpy after yesterday.
“He’s gone,” I reported,turning back in time to see Ashley smirking at me, barely holding back a laugh.
“So you justkissed me,” he said as Ipicked the bags back up, striding ahead. “Do you do that to all your clients?Because I can see why you’d be popular.”
“I’m not living this downanytime soon, am I?”
It was the kind of thingpeople did during chases in movies, wasn’t it? I didn’t have a wholelot else to go on.
It wasn’t that I wantedto kiss Ashley and that my brain had supplied that solution because it meant Igot to. No way.
Couldn’t be.
Could… it?
I shook it off, followingAshley as he bounded up the three steps to the front door of the building infront of us and rang the bell.
“Ashley?” a voice crackledthrough the speakers.
“That’s what they call me,”he said cheerfully, grinning broadly.
Whatever this place was,Ashley clearly liked it here.
“Come on up, honey. Let’ssee what you’re bringing me.”
“Oh, you’re gonnalovethis,” Ashleyresponded just as the door swung open. He turned back to wink at me.
I deserved that, too, so Icouldn’texactly argue.
Trailing after him as hemade his way to the elevator, I couldn’t help turning the kiss over in my headagain.
Ashley’s lips were sosoft.
There were amillionother things I could have done, including juststopping.
I didn’t want to thinkabout this. I wasn’treadyto think about this, and I wasn’t sure I everwould be.
“I wouldn’t bring justanyone here,” Ashley said as the elevator started moving. “But you’ve beentrustworthy so far. I’m trusting you not to be an asshole here, too.”
“I won’t be,” I said. “Andif I am, kick me in the shins or something and I’ll apologize.”
