Page 43 of Burning For You

One more pop into her bathroom to make sure that was set, then stopped in front of the mirror in the bedroom for a quick glance at her attire.

Jeans, a cotton long-sleeved top fitted a bit more to her body than she was used to wearing. Or used to wearing around other people.

But it wasn’t like she had a huge wardrobe to choose from. She never did. Never had and didn’t care about those things.

She had a lot more now than she ever did before and she was pretty content... kind of.

When the buzzer went off, she jumped, slammed her hand to her chest like a lunatic and told herself, “Just calm down. It’s Ash. You’ve known Ash since kindergarten. Knew more about him in those last two years of school from Corbin. Coming,” she said into the speaker, then made her way out the door and down the stairs to let him in.

“Hey,” he said. “You dressed up for me. I feel honored.”

She lifted one eyebrow. “I’d hardly say this is dressing up.”

Even if she was touched that he’d noticed she’d put a bit more effort into it.

“No sweats and your hair is down. I’d call that dressing up.”

She was climbing the stairs, him behind her. “Are you one of those guys who likes a woman to be all fancy and polished?”

“If I did I would have gone home with Bree tonight. Or at least taken her card and number.”

She held the door open to her place for him, trying to figure out how to address this.

“Joke or not?”

“Unfortunately, not.” His shoulders twitched as if he had a gag he was barely holding in place.

“I think I might need a better explanation.”

“Oh, you’ll get it. For a number of reasons. One is it will prove to you I’m not who you think.”

“I’m already realizing that.”

Like that knowledge bomb he’d dropped on her last night.

She’d replayed it in her head all night and was going to find a way to bring it up to her mother. To find out if it was true. If they did reach out because Corbin asked them too.

And that Ash had asked Corbin.

“Shoes on or off?”

“It’s not wet out. You can keep them on.”

He took his jacket off and handed it over, she hung it on the hook behind the door.

She had to keep her eyes off his face, the rough growth of beard that was sexier than she’d thought it’d be.

His T-shirt that was snug on his body, showing off some pretty large biceps.

She highly doubted he spent a lot of time working out, but he had a couple physical jobs so he probably didn’t need to hit the gym.

“I worked at the barn today for an event with Clay.”

Once it was brought up at the family dinner the other day, she’d looked into it more and saw how beautiful the place was.

“A wedding?”

“No. Some work event. It was to bring two businesses together. Half were happy, half pissed, most kind of wary on how to move forward. The more they drank, the more I heard.”