Kiss Me at Midnight (Entangled Flaunt) (3 page)

He brought his glass to his lips. She watched, way too mesmerized by how kissable his lips looked as he swallowed. “You’re staring.”

“I’m
thinking
,” she corrected.

“A penny for your thoughts?” he asked, his lips quirking.

She played with the rim of her glass, her finger tracing it slowly. “I was just thinking…well, remembering actually. I wasn’t kissing Roger because I liked him. It was an experiment.”

He cocked a brow. “Do tell.”

“He’s gay. I was his guinea pig.”

His features froze in shock. “No way! Roger? Gay? I never would have guessed.”

She understood his reaction. By all appearances, Roger had been the stereotype of the quintessential, All-American, football captain straight man. It had created quite the scandal once he finally came out. As far as Ashley knew, Ethan didn’t keep in touch with people from high school. He’d hated almost every second of being here and had lit out like a fire was under him after graduation. She wasn’t surprised that Ethan hadn’t heard about Roger, given all of that.

He shook his head. “So I created all that drama back then over…nothing.” He laughed but it was laced with bitterness. “Damn it.”

While she couldn’t deny the amount of time they’d lost was a waste, she wasn’t going to spend another minute on what ifs. That was then. And tonight was now. She grinned, remembering that night with Roger. It felt like a lifetime ago, really. “He said it was like kissing a dead fish. That’s how much he enjoyed it.”

Ethan chuckled, then quickly forced it back down with a gulp of wine. “Sorry.”

“I think that assessment was his problem. Not mine.” She leaned closer, resting her hand on his knee. “I have it on good authority I’m an excellent kisser.”

He moved his leg closer to her, shifting his position so he faced her more fully. “Hm. I’ll have to take your word on it, won’t I?”

“You’ll never know until you try it,” she said, reaching out and laying a hand on his hard bicep, her mouth watering at the way he felt under her palm. Strong. Hard. So freaking
hot
. His skin, even through the protection of the shirt he wore, burned her. “Maybe it’s time you tried.”

His bicep flexed under her hand. His eyes were narrow and burning a hole through her. All she could think was
yes,
take me now
. He looked so determined to do exactly that.

She moved her fingers over the table restlessly, tracing invisible patterns in the wood. He caught her hand and trapped it between his and the table. Her breath caught in her throat as he scooted closer, his knees touching her left thigh. She drew in a deep breath.

After giving her a slight smile, he played with a lock of her hair. When he tugged on her hair slightly, it sent shivers down her spine and heat coursing through her blood.

“It might sound crazy after all these years…” He tugged her hair harder, and she bit back a moan. How could something so stupid as him playing with her hair make her want to jump his bones? “But I missed you so damn much, Ash.”

So he wanted to get all handsy on her in public? She could play that game. She turned and pressed more fully against him before resting her hand on his knee, creeping upward slowly, inch by inch. His nostrils flared, and he took a big gulp of his wine.

Good. He looked as affected by her as she was by him.

She trailed her hand a little higher up his thigh and leaned in close. “I hear you’re an IT guy now.”

“I heard that, too.” He dropped her hair. For a second, she thought he might be pulling away. Rejecting her. But then his hand touched her lower back, and he urged her even closer. It was like the years they hadn’t spoken had faded away. Hell, it was like the years they
had
spoken had faded away, too. This was a whole new dynamic between the two of them, and it had been a long, long time coming.

God, she wanted him. Now. Here.

“Do you live here now? Or are you just in town visiting family?”

She moved her hand a little higher on his thigh and smiled at him, her eyes lowered.
Just right
. “Why do you ask?”

He gave her a cocky look. “Because we both know what’s happening here, and we both know how it’s going to end.”

“Oh?” She leaned in even more, her nose practically touching his, until she could feel his warm breath on her skin. “And how might that be? Enlighten me.”

He chuckled, his hand pressing on her lower back more determinedly. “Okay. Look. I don’t play games with women.” She cocked her brow at him, and he grinned. “Not anymore, anyway. If I see something I want, I go after it. And you know what I want right now?”

She let out a whoosh of air. He was so…so…alpha male. She couldn’t wait to see how take charge he was in the bedroom. Hot
damn
. “What do you want?”

“I want you naked and screaming my name out so loud the whole town hears you.” He ran his other hand up her thigh and under her skirt, making her entire body clench down in need. He stopped at her upper thigh, not even edging closer to where she most wanted him. “I want to fuck you until you’re so sore you’ll be limping for a few days after I’m done with you. I’ve wanted to have you since I was nothing more than a stuttering kid, but now? I
need
you. So my only question is…are you in, or are you out?”

She took an unsteady breath. Well, okay then. That was one way to kick things off. Honest and forthright. She could work with that. “Just for tonight, right? No strings attached?”

He shrugged as if he didn’t care what she wanted, as long as she went home with him. “Yeah. Think of it as a night of fun between old friends. Catching up on lost time.”

“In that case…” She chugged the last of her wine and set it down on the table with a
clunk
. “My condo is a three minute walk from here.”

He removed his hand from her thigh and stood up. “After you.”

His cheeks went red, and she knew it was because he stuttered. He always got embarrassed when he lost track of his words, but it only made her like him even more back then. He had been so freaking handsome with his soft brown hair and dark brown eyes that him having a quirk that he hated only made him more real to her.

She reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing tight. “Ethan, I don’t
care
if you stutter. You know that.”

“I know,” he said, offering her a cocky grin. The vulnerability was gone. “But enough about the past. I’m more interested in what happens
next
. You ready to go?”

All of this time, she’d been hurt—and yes, angry—that he stopped talking to her. But being with him again,
seeing
him again, hearing his apology, made something else far too clear…

She’d missed him, too.

And it was time to see what he hid under those clothes.

Chapter Three

“So this is where I live now.” Ashley unlocked the door to the small condo, her hand trembling as she turned the light on. So…she was nervous. Good. That meant she wasn’t sure what to expect out of him. He liked that idea, because it meant she realized how much he’d changed. “I bought it a few months ago, after my dad died.”

“It’s nice,” Ethan said, his voice low. “And I’m sorry for your loss, by the way.”

She smiled and opened the door, motioning him inside before following. “Thanks. After I graduated med school, I—”

The second she closed the door, Ethan was on her. He’d waited his whole teenaged-life for a chance to kiss her. To
have
her. He wasn’t about to waste a fucking second of tonight with hesitance or second-guessing. Hell no. He’d take her, and if she wanted him to?

He’d take her again.

Simple as that.

She clung to his shoulders, her nails biting into his skin through his thin shirt, and moaned into his mouth. When her tongue brushed against his, his cock hardened even more than it already had. She reached down between them and cupped him, squeezing and stroking with perfection. When he groaned, she slid her fingers over his length, exploring him.

Jesus fucking Christ, the woman was going to kill him, and he hadn’t even gotten into her bedroom yet. He backed her toward the couch, his eyes on the end goal so he didn’t fuck it up and make them tumble over a discarded heel or some shit like that. Luckily, she was a neat freak and nothing stood in the way of him getting her where he wanted her.

When the backs of her knees hit the couch, he pushed her down on it, never breaking contact with her mouth as he removed her boots. His fingers working over her skin sent shivers down her spine and straight to her core. Her tongue dueled with his as he yanked her skirt up and brushed his fingers over her inner thigh. Slowly, he skimmed his hand even higher and rolled her tights down her leg. Every inch of skin he bared drove him even more insane with desire. By the time he had them off of her, he was ready to scream with impatience.

He kissed her ankle, then moved higher, nipping at her calf. She moaned and dropped her head back, giving herself to him. He kissed her knee, then sank his teeth into her inner thigh. She cried out, burying her hands in his hair and urging him even higher. When she trembled and spread her legs more, granting him access to her pussy, he ran his fingers along her slit.

He slid his fingers underneath the soft satin. When he brushed her soft lips, he shuddered, unable to believe he was doing this with her. The woman he’d always wanted but never had. He traced a finger over her hip, directly over the line of her panties, but not going any further. When she whimpered, his gut clenched with desire. Desire so strong and intense, he almost gave in to the urge and took her right there.

She dug her feet into the couch and clung to his biceps, a breathy sigh escaping her as she tried to urge him closer.

“
Ethan
,” she gasped, her hands bunching on his arms. “Don’t stop.”

Stop? Why the hell would he do that? “Ask me nicely,” he said gruffly, running his finger over her stomach. He crept closer to her clit, but didn’t touch her there. “Ask me for what you want.”

Her fingers flexed on him. “I want…I want you to…”

“Yeah?” He crept even closer to her core, tracing the spot on her hip where her leg and body connected. Then he kissed her, deep and hard. By the time he pulled back, she was whimpering, her hips moving restlessly beneath him. “Tell me, Ashley.”

“I…I want…” she trailed off, her cheeks pink. After licking her swollen lips, she met his eyes. “I want you to fuck me. Hard.”

“Gladly.” He traced a wide circle around her clit, pulling back to watch his finger move over her black satin panties. The sight of the wet fabric almost drove him over the edge. “So fucking hot.”

He flicked his tongue over her racing pulse, his grip on her tightening. Christ, he wanted to push inside of her and fuck her all night, but he held himself back. She needed to be as desperate for him as he was for her, damn it. He gently slapped the side of her ass, the sound of his hand connecting with her upper thigh filling the room.

She drew in a ragged breath, her eyes wide. Reaching down, she yanked on his hand and pressed his fingers against her clit. “
Now
.”

He moved his fingers against her, her own pressing him even closer. “Like that?”

“God, yes.” She spread her legs wider and let her head fall back. Her long strawberry blonde hair trailed down the side of the couch, almost touching the floor. Fuck, what a picture she made. Perfect. “
Please
, Ethan.”

The sound of his name on her lips made him growl and kiss her hard. She didn’t shy away. If anything, she demanded more. Gave more. He deepened the kiss, his blood pounding ferociously through his veins. As he plundered her mouth with his, he reached down and ripped her panties off. The sound of shredding fabric barely registered with him before he was sliding a finger inside of her.

She was so fucking warm and wet and tight. So goddamn tight.

He pressed his thumb against her clit and moved his finger inside of her, grunting when she cried out into his mouth and raised her hips. She grabbed his shirt and fumbled with the top button, and he arched his neck to help her. Once she got the top button undone, he withdrew his fingers from inside of her and then thrust again, harder. Faster.

With his free hand, he clenched her hip, his fingers biting into her skin. For a second, he thought he might be too rough with her, holding her too tightly, but she wrapped her leg around his waist, dug her heel into his ass, and hauled him even closer.

Suddenly, she pulled away from his mouth and lifted her hips higher. “Taste me.”

“W-What?” He pulled back, his eyes on her. She looked like a goddess right now, all flushed and flustered and hot. He lowered himself down her body just a tiny bit.

She finished unbuttoning his shirt. “Taste me,
please
. And lose the shirt.”

He shrugged out of the clothing. “Better?”

Her gaze skimmed over him, darkening with desire. Some small part of him had been afraid she wouldn’t like what she saw. Some insecure, long-dead part of him. But she reached out and touched the tribal tattoo he’d recently gotten on his chest. He’d wanted one for years, but it had taken that long to find the perfect design. She traced it with her fingers, barely grazing his skin. “
Much
better.”

He yanked her down so her hips rested close to the edge of the couch, then slowly ran his hand up her thighs, watching the way his fingers smoothed over her flawless thighs. He closed his hands over the hem of her dress. “Lift up your arms.”

She raised her arms and let him pull her dress over her head, baring her beauty for him. He feasted his eyes on her, easily removing her bra with a flick of his wrist. Once she was naked, he sank to his knees between her thighs. She was flawless. Perfect.

The pink lips of her pussy begged to be touched, the wetness that glistened on her shaven skin showing him how badly she wanted him. Holy fuck, he needed his lips on her
now
. He slowly lowered his head and bit the soft flesh of her thigh just hard enough to sting, then licked the love bite.

She quivered and dug her hands into his hair, her nails scraping against his scalp. He moved higher, tasting her again. He repeated the movement again and again until he reached her pussy, then closed his mouth over her clit. He swirled his tongue in circles, and her legs shook.

He pressed harder against her, thrusting a finger inside of her as he went down on her. The more she squirmed, the hotter he got. But he was determined to taste her as she came, her sweet juices coating his tongue.

When her legs tightened on his head, and she stiffened, he sucked harder. Her entire body shuddered, and she froze. Her back arched, and her eyes closed. As she pulsated around his finger, he ripped his pants button open. He’d barely unzipped his khakis before she was sitting up, kissing him.

Within seconds, she shoved him back and climbed on top of him, her hands moving over every inch of his body she could reach. He fastened his hands on her hips and pulled her warmth down against his cock. She tossed her head back, her graceful neck curving perfectly, and dug her nails into his pecs.

Fuck, she was even hotter on top. She looked down at him, her smoky green gaze heated, determined. “Do you have a condom, or should I go get one?”

“Left pocket.” She slid her hand in his pocket, easily finding the foil packet. Once she retrieved it, he held his palm out. “Give it to me.”

Instead of handing it over, she slithered down his body, running her hands down his pecs, over his abs, then to the waistband of his pants. “No.”

After making quick work of removing them, she lowered her face to his aching cock. Within moments, her tongue was on him, and her mouth closed around his length, sucking gently. He hissed and tensed, not wanting to come in her mouth. Hell no.

He needed to be buried so deeply in her sweet pussy he forgot anything else existed. But her warm, wet mouth on his pulsing cock felt fucking amazing. Too much so to pull her off and stop it. He arched his hips slightly, going even deeper down her throat. She moaned and took him in without hesitation.

His beautiful, shy Ashley from high school had learned some fucking skills since he’d run away from her.

Idiot. We could have been doing this all along.

When she rolled her tongue over him, swirling and sucking, he squeezed his eyes shut. His balls were getting tighter and tighter, and his control was getting more fragile by the second.

“Shit,” he muttered before he hauled her up and kissed her, open-mouthed and hot. As his lips moved over hers, he snatched the condom out of her hand and ripped it open, rolling it onto his dick. Once it was secured, he pressed her onto her back and moved between her thighs. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the sofa above her head.

He snaked his hand under her ass, palming her perfect, smooth skin. She fit inside his hand to perfection, and he slapped her gently, unable to resist. She whimpered and shifted in his arms. “Again.”

He couldn’t believe it. Most women shied away when he played a little rough, but here was his Ashley, begging for more. He hit her again, a little bit harder. He watched, mesmerized as her pale skin flushed with life. Then he did it another time. She cried out and pushed up against him, thrusting her pussy against his aching cock.

He ran his fingers over her butt, smacking it one more time, harder than before. She moaned and wiggled against him, her entire body practically vibrating.

When he gripped her hips and positioned himself at her entrance, she panted rapidly and said, “Yes.
Please
.”

He didn’t waste any more time. Fuck no. He thrust inside of her all the way, burying himself completely inside her sweet pussy. She shrieked and dragged her nails down the fabric of the couch, pulsating around him.

She was hotter and wetter than any other woman he’d ever known.

He withdrew, swirled his cock around her entrance, making sure to brush against her clit as he did so, then thrust inside of her again. He repeated this gesture so many fucking times he lost count, stopping only when she started cursing him out and begging and crying for release. As he moved inside of her, gripping her hips to hold her in place, she grew tighter and tighter until she finally came again, clenching down on him as he spurted inside of her, the force of the pleasure taking all coherent thought away.

He bit down on her shoulder, holding back the words trying to escape. He knew if he talked now, he’d only fuck it up. Knew he’d stutter or worse—say something about how long he’d waited for this… Or how much he’d always wanted her.

After he caught his breath, he withdrew from her and stood, heading for what appeared to be the bathroom. By the time he cleaned up, regained control of himself, and came back out, she was in a silk robe, daintily perched on the edge of the couch with her chin up in the air—looking for all the world as if she hadn’t just been thoroughly fucked.

The only thing that gave her away was the messy hair and swollen lips—and maybe his handprints on her ass, but he couldn’t see those.

She looked up at him, her eyes uncertain. “Uh…that was…wow.”

“Wow?” He rubbed the back of his neck, standing in front of her completely naked and trying to look as calm as she did. It also gave him time to form his words, because right now? He needed all the help he could get in that department. “Yeah. I think that covers it.”

Her gaze skimmed down his body, lingering on his dick. “Want to stay the night? We did agree to one night, after all. I don’t see the sun yet.”

Yeah. He really did. But that’s why he shouldn’t.

For her, this had been a one-night thing with a guy she used to be friends with. She’d said as much back at the bar. Hell, he’d even agreed to those terms, but with her, it was never that simple. For the first time ever, he actually
wanted
to stay overnight with a woman.

And that wasn’t acceptable. No attachments. No feelings. No over-nighters.

Those were just three of his rules he was already trying to make excuses to break, and he’d only been with her a couple of hours. What would happen if he spent the whole night in her arms?