I crashed around his fingers, while humming his name. My body trembled in pure ecstasy, and I felt like I was floating away into a blissful state. Josh tucked my hair behind my ears, and I finally opened my eyes to look at him.

“You, Ashlyn Hart, are something else.”

He pulled me close to his chest, and I concentrated on the rhythm of his heart as my body lay limp in his arms.

With the last ounce of consciousness I could find, I whispered, “You, Josh Crawford, are something better.”

AS THE FIRST SIGNS of consciousness greeted me, the night before flashed in my memories and I sighed in contentment. Visions of Ashlyn withering on my bed, begging me to make her come, while my name fell from her lips, replayed in my mind, and I knew they would forever be etched in my thoughts. I wanted to fuck her last night, to claim her again, to make her mine, but I was man enough to realize the time wasn’t right. I could read her better than I could read anyone else. Her hesitation was palpable. Her heart and mind were bruised by the actions and constant fuck-ups of Lachlan, and I planned on spending my days and nights attempting to soothe her bruises and to bring her back to the Ashlyn I knew was still there. When I thought of her, I couldn’t help but think that even the prettiest gems had moments when they lose their sparkle.

Warmth on my bare chest awoke my senses, and the feeling of being under Ashlyn’s watchful gaze hit me. Our bodies were a tangle of limbs, and our heat draped each other like a blanket on a cold winter’s morning. Her body covered half of mine, and now as her chin was resting on my chest, she looked at me with the wide, inquisitive eyes.

“Mornin’ Ashy,” I said, my voice husky and thick from sleep.

She didn’t say a word, but her eyes latched onto my face and roamed freely over my features. Her silence was deafening and, to be honest, I was surprised she was still in my bed. I had expected her to flee sometime during the night and pretend that nothing happened.

“You,” she whispered, allowing her gaze to drop and linger on my mouth.

I tucked her hair behind her ear softly and repeated her statement, “You.”

“Last night, you kissed me.”

“And you kissed me back.”

“You also, oh shit.” Her cheeks tinted pink, and her eyes bounced away from mine.

“Gave you three orgasms? Yes I did that too.”

“Holy shit. Josh, fuck!”

Now it was time for the freak out to commence, so I loosened my arms from around her waist. Ashlyn pushed herself off the bed and started pacing my room, wearing the skimpiest of panties and a shirt that left very little to the imagination. All I wanted to do was pull her back to bed and remind her just how good she felt a few hours ago. Her eyes randomly flashed to mine, and then dropped back to the floor as she paced. I could only imagine what was circling around in her head. I propped myself up in bed with the sheet rested low on my hips, and I crossed my arms over my chest. I watched intently as she completely came undone with flashbacks of the night before. Her cheeks would tint briefly with pink, she’d pull her lip between her teeth, then she would mumble something so softly that I couldn’t make it out. I took complete pleasure in her reaction, because with the tainted cheeks and the lick of her lips, I knew she loved what she saw in her memories.

“That can’t happen again,” she mumbled, pointing back to the bed for added effect.

“It’s going to happen again, Ashy.”

“No, it will not. Keep your mouth and hands away from me and put on a damn shirt.”

I laughed at her craziness, then lifted my arms above my head and stretched. I knew the sheet fell down lower on my hips to reveal the deep V cut, because her eyes traveled with it and she licked her lips. Christ, she was killing me. Her soft groan of discomfort as she gazed over my body certainly didn’t discourage me. It was like throwing gasoline onto a raging fire and encouraging it to burn.

“Did you enjoy it?” I asked in a low voice.

She looked at me like I had lost my mind, like I had said the craziest thing she’d ever heard. Her hands fell to her hips and she stood in a what-the-fuck stance with narrowed eyes. Fuck, I loved her sass.

“Josh, I had three fucking orgasms, of course I liked it, but it can’t happen again. You were being all bossy and broody, and you know that makes me want to rip off my panties and yell ‘here, have at it’.”

With a huff, she rushed out of my room, and I heard the guestroom door slam. Within seconds, I heard it reopen, and then she stormed back into my room with a face of thunder. “Why didn’t you tell me I only had panties on?”

“Fuck me, I love it when you’re feisty. Do you really think I would tell you that you were standing in my room in panties with your sass flying off on all cylinders? Fuck no.”

“You are impossible.”

Once again, she stormed out. This time she disappeared into the bathroom and I heard the shower turn on. Still chuckling, I climbed out of bed, stepped into the living room, and made my way to the kitchen. I had an hour before I had to be at work, and I was in desperate need of coffee, considering a gorgeous blond with a greedy body kept me up most of the night.

I flicked through my emails and checked text messages while the coffee brewed. I was so distracted that I didn’t hear Ashlyn step into the kitchen until I heard her sigh loudly. My eyes shot up to find her staring at me with a frustrated look. She was dressed in skinny jeans and a shirt that hung off her shoulder, and her hair was piled on the top of her head. She had left her face completely bare, just the way I liked it.

“What’s wrong now? I haven’t said a word.”

“Do you own a shirt?” she asked in a voice that I didn’t like hearing from her. It was quiet, reserved, and nervous.

“Why are you freaking out?” I asked softly.

Finally, she allowed herself to look at me and indecision swam within her bright green eyes.

“Come here, Ash.”

To say I was surprised when she crossed the kitchen would be an understatement. When I opened my arms, she stepped in, and her arms circled my waist. Her head rested over my heart, and my chin rested on the top of her head. She smelled of shampoo and the perfume that sent my body into overdrive.

Ashlyn being in my arms felt incredibly right. I felt like comforting her and taking away her obvious fears and securities was what I was made to do, and what I would continue to do. I wasn’t going to hide the fact that I wanted more of last night . . . a lot more. Now that I had another taste of her and felt her body quiver under my touch, I went spiraling into the unknown. The only thing I knew was I wanted it again, and I would have it again.

“Five fucking years,” I mumbled under my breath in complete disgust at myself.

“What did you say?” she asked, pulling away slightly and looking up at me.

“Nothing.”

Ashlyn stepped out of my arms and busied herself with making breakfast. I watched her like a hawk, and I couldn’t help but notice the sideways glances she would give me. I knew she was overthinking everything. This woman had completely opened up to me while staying at my place, and I was afraid that once she was back in her apartment the walls would go back up. I couldn’t let that happen. Last night something shifted between us. I knew it, and so did she, yet she was here fighting it.

“I’m heading down to Lilac Cove for a couple of days.”

What the fuck? Where had this come from? This was the first I’d heard her mention going down the coast. I poured both of us a cup of coffee and handed one to her. She impassively took the cup and lifted it to her mouth.