“Of course,” he responded with a nod and leaned over the table to get closer.

“If you had a girlfriend with some serious moves, and I mean serious moves, and she offered to show you those moves while wearing her most expensive and seductive lingerie, knowing that it would lead to the hottest sex of your life, would you:

A: Encourage her and fuck her into oblivion.

B: Let her do her thing and maybe fuck her.

C: Tell her that you’re tired, then roll over and go to sleep, leaving your girlfriend who hasn’t had sex in weeks, is needy, and wearing said lingerie, to her own devices.” I leaned forward, resting my chin on my open palm, and awaited his response.

Josh didn’t hesitate. He leaned over the table until his mouth was next to my ear, causing me to shiver as his hot breath caressed my skin. “If it were you, Ash, I’d let you show me your moves and I would enjoy the fuck out of watching you. Once you were done, I’d throw you on the bed and feast on you. Then I would fuck you, not into oblivion, but into a whole other universe. You’d be feeling me for days, and I would be walking around hard knowing that. So to answer your question, I would choose D, and create a whole new option for us.”

Holy fuck. My body flushed and my panties dampened at the mere thought. My eyes slammed shut as the lightest of kisses hit my temple, and I shot to a land of ecstasy. Josh moved back and sat against the leather of the booth, and I matched his stance. A lingering gaze between us fell over the table, and I couldn’t break away. I knew I needed to descend back into reality, but the thought of him between my legs was a beautiful confusion that I wanted to bask in for a little longer.

A fresh vodka coke was put on the table, and he was already sipping on his whiskey. I needed to get my thoughts off the orgasm I’d be giving myself that night and change the conversation. Did I pack Mr. Good Vibes?

“Is he another one of your book husbands?”

My head shot up to find Josh’s amused gaze. Please, God, do not tell me I said that out loud. I decided to throw caution to the wind. I was tipsy, I was with a friend who had seen me naked before, and I had an awesome vibrator.

“He is my vibrator.”

He choked on his drink and his eyes bugged wide open at my admission. “Warn a man before you start talking about vibrators.”

“You use your hand, and I use Mr. Good Vibes. It’s really no big deal. All this talk of sex has put me a little on edge, so I’ll be spending some time with him tonight, and I know he won’t disappoint. He never does.” My mouth was moving before my brain had a chance to stop me. I had just divulged that I was going to go back to his apartment, disappear into the room next to his, and give myself a rocking orgasm or two. Ladies and gentlemen, please refer to me from now on as Ashlyn “No filter” Hart.

“A lot of women have vibrators, Josh. Probably even your mom.” I smirked and lifted my glass to my lips.

His face went ashen, and he slowly shook his head in disbelief. I could only imagine the thoughts running through his mind. One point to Team Ashlyn. Mom jokes for the win.

“You did not just make a mom joke that involved the word vibrator.” A glint of mischief hit his eye, and I trembled with anticipation as he leaned in closer. Would he unleash a dirty comeback? Whisper something highly inappropriate? Or would it be the promise of some form of retribution? I loved our friendship.

“Josh Crawford?” A high-pitched voice sounded from beside the table.

Josh winced at the intrusion, then sat back in his seat and broke the closeness we were sharing. I turned to find a girl with a fierce red bob, a corset that looked like it belonged in the pages of penthouse, and a face full of so much makeup that it made her look older than her years. It really was a shame, because she was a stunning girl.

“Hey, Lucy,” Josh said without conviction.

“It’s Louise,” she said, correcting him with a genuine smile. “Can I sit? I was hoping I’d run into you again.” She didn’t wait for an answer.

I watched in fascination as she slid in next to Josh until she was practically sitting on his lap. My amusement wasn’t lost. Josh was famous for his shit-eating grins, and I knew I was now firing one that could match the best of his.

“Hi, I’m Ashlyn,” I said sweetly, and held out my hand to her.

Josh’s eyes shot wide as he watched who I assumed was a recent conquest shake my hand.

“How do you know our dear Josh?” I asked.

“About a month ago he was in my bed, and I can’t get him out of my head,” she cooed, and shifted her body so she was facing him, then she placed one of her manicured hands on his chest and started playing with the buttons of his shirt. “I am hoping he will be back in my bed tonight.”

A month rang bells in my head, and it screamed in recognition. I met Josh’s gaze as visions of being snuggled up to his chest with our legs tangled together engulfed me. It was a month since I crawled into his bed after being found out by Eden, desperate for the comfort that I knew only Josh could provide.

“A month ago you say?”

“Christ,” Josh muttered and shot me a pleading look.

“Yep.” She giggled in reply.

“Well, I better leave you two to catch up. A month is a long time.” I smiled sweetly at Louise, then smirked at Josh as I stood and grabbed my clutch from the table.

“Can you give us a minute?” Josh asked, not waiting for an answer from Louise. He grabbed my hand, and I was soon being led through the crowd toward the back of the bar and away from the thumping music.

“What the hell are you doing?” I scoffed, then we stopped and he dropped my hand.

A look of frustration greeted me, and he took a deep breath before he spoke. “There is no way in hell that you are leaving. Tonight is about you, and not some chick whose name I didn’t even remember. We are leaving together.”

“I’m seriously going to start calling you Tarzan.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Tarzan beats his chest, grabs a woman, and storms away with her just to make a point. That’s what you just did, so tonight I’m calling you Tarzan,” I stated matter-of-factly.

His gaze pinned onto mine while he tried desperately to stop the smile begging to be seen. “If calling me Tarzan makes you stay, then call me Tarzan.”

“What are you going to do about Louise?” I asked softly. “She seems pretty determined to go for round two with you?”

His eyes darted away from mine and looked back to the table where Louise waited. Hesitation flashed across his face and, at that moment, I saw the first look of regret I’d ever witnessed Josh display when it came to women.

“I really need to stop with the random pussy,” he said and hissed under his breath, as if he was in conversation with himself. “This shit can’t keep happening, especially when I am out with you.”

Was Josh standing before me, saying he was going to give up casual sex? Why was he suddenly so afraid that I’d witness what I already knew was his lifestyle? His forehead pinched, and he looked like he was deep in thought.

“Josh, it’s really no big deal. It’s happened before, and it will happen again. This is you. It’s what you do. It’s completely fine.” I grabbed hold of his hand and finally got his attention, though his face remained hard.

“It’s not fine at all, and you shouldn’t accept it.” He left me and headed back to the table.

With a sigh, I followed close behind him, and Louise looked at us both with suspicious eyes. She stood from the table and grabbed her purse. Her eyes shot daggers at me, then they looked at Josh like he was the biggest loss she’d ever felt.

“I didn’t think you’d ever settle down,” Louise said, with regret tainting her words and a fleeting look at Josh.

“Excuse me?” Josh asked.

“You two,” she spat, once again glaring at me. “I should have realized. You were looking at her like she was the only girl here, and you were looking at him like you would take out any girl that got near him. I can’t believe you let me believe I had a chance. What kind of girl does that? I cannot believe you are with her, Joshua.”