Igniting Ash (21 page)

“I want you,” he whispered again as his hands swept underneath the hem of her dress. He traced the edge of her underwear, eliciting a shiver from Emma. She gave a soft moan, pushing her hips toward him, wanting to show him that she was on board.

“Yes,” she gasped. “Asher, show me.”

His mouth crushed to hers again, his tongue delving and sliding luxuriously against hers. His hand cupped her satin-covered sex, his middle finger stroking her wet seam. Her hips bucked, lust starting a simmer in her blood. Her thoughts clouded, becoming lost to her when he pushed his hand into her underwear and parted her sex with his fingers. All the while, his mouth caressed her neck and shoulder, his tongue lapping at the burning skin.

Emma writhed against his hand, her head falling back to hit the fence. With her throat exposed, Asher moved his mouth to the untouched skin, and all she could do was hold on tight and let him carry her with him.

But something wasn’t right.

Emma froze, the prickling feeling breaking out across her skin. The same sensation she’d had a few times over the past week. Someone was watching them.

“Asher,” she said, her tone somewhat panicked. “Asher, stop.” She patted him on the shoulder. “Someone’s watching. I can feel it.”

He looked up at her, his eyes swimming in confusion. “What?”

“I d-don’t know. I just feel it. Please, can we get out of here? It gives me the creeps.”

Pulling his hand out of her panties, he offered her a tight smile. “Sure. I took this too far anyway.” He spun around and began walking back around to the front of the bowling alley.

Rejection hit hard once again. “Asher! Wait!”

He turned to face her as she rushed to catch up with him. “You didn’t take it too far. I was with you,” she said. “But there was someone there, Ash. I swear to you.” She exhaled in frustration. “You have no reason to be annoyed. I’m the one who laid it all out there for you to stomp all over.”

“I did not stomp, angel.”

“You didn’t welcome it either.”

The muscle in his cheek ticked. He threw his hands into the air. “I’m lost how to deal with what you said. I don’t know what to do. That shouldn’t be a huge surprise for you. It’s not the first time I’ve been clueless.”

He was right; he did look lost and utterly forlorn, but Emma wasn’t going to hide her feelings. Asher deserved to know the truth.

“I’m going home, Asher. I told you I wasn’t making any demands and I meant it. Don’t follow me. Think about what happened here tonight and remember I meant every word.”

Emma walked away, fighting the urge to look back and fighting the urge to run.

Chapter 21

“So the dickhead broke your heart?”

Emma glared at her friend. She’d been reading through some documents and taking notes for her father when Meagan decided Emma didn’t need to work. She’d walked in the office and hadn’t really stopped talking since. Emma had given her a few details on the night with Asher, though she hadn’t confessed her feelings. The sting of Asher’s reaction was far too raw. It seemed that Meagan had worked it out already though.

“What on earth makes you think I have a broken heart?” She kept her eyes on the screen in front of her.

“You’re sulking. Asher has to be the reason. If last night went well you wouldn’t be sulking. You’d be on cloud nine.”

“That doesn’t mean he broke my heart,” Emma shot back. “Things just didn’t go according to plan.” She was sulking, she knew it.

Meagan’s eyes thinned as they homed in on her. “You lie, Emma Carnes. I’ve known you my entire life and I know when you’re lying. ‘Fess up.”

Groaning, Emma tossed her pen across the desk and slumped in the chair. “There are times when Asher frustrates the hell out of me. I’m patient with him, but it seems it isn’t enough.”

“Why does he need patience? He’s a grown man, not a toddler.”

Giving details about Asher’s past didn’t sit well with her, so she waved the question away with a bat of her hand. “He takes longer to adjust to change than most.”

“But what change? Having a gorgeous woman in his life? The only adjusting most men would do when you’re around is to the crotch of their trousers. What’s really going on, Emma?”

“Nothing that a little time won’t cure.” Desperate to change the subject, she asked, “Are you busy this afternoon?”

Meagan pouted, unhappy that Emma hadn’t confessed it all to her. However, she didn’t probe any further and answered her question. “I was going shopping. The boutique on Leicester Street has a dress put to one side for me to try on. Why?”

Emma reached for her bag and pulled out a pair of bowling shoes. “Could you return these to the bowling alley for me?”

Meagan stared at the shoes, then looked at Emma before returning back to the shoes. “What the hell are you doing with those?” Her disgust was evident. Her nose crinkled; her lips curling.

“Bowling, of course. I forgot to swap them back for my shoes after we’d finished, that’s all.” Her heart thumped as Meagan eyed her. She wasn’t buying it for a second.

“
We’d finished?
Asher side tracked you, did he? What kind of cheap-arsed date did he take you on? Went to McDonald’s afterward, huh? Classy, Emma. Really classy.”

“I’m not talking to you about it. Do me this favour. Please?”

“You walked home? In those?” Meagan shuddered. “Did anyone see you?”

Emma shook her head, but it wasn’t in denial, it was sheer exasperation. She didn’t care if anyone had ever seen her in the shoes or not. She’d been too consumed with thoughts of Asher than what the hell she was on her feet.

“Will you take them or not?”

Meagan exhaled and flicked her hair over her shoulder. “I’d rather not, but if you insist then I guess I have no choice.”

Emma’s temper snapped. She stood, shoving the chair back and slapping her hands on the desk. “You know what? Forget it. Forget I asked. I’ll do it myself.”

“What are you shouting at me for?”

“Because, for once, I asked you for help and you refused. You never even thought that I asked because I really needed it.” She gripped the edge of the desk and inhaled. Slow and deep.

Meagan pouted. “You lose your shit over some grotty shoes? If it’s that important I’ll take them back for you. Chill out, Emma.”

Gritting her teeth, she tried to calm herself. “This is more than the shoes. Maybe you should have a think about how unbalanced our friendship is. The shoes were merely my tipping point.” She swallowed. “I think you should leave, Meagan. Leave and think about it all.”

“You can’t send me out of my own building,” she scoffed as she rolled her eyes.

“It isn’t your building. And if you’re not going to leave then at least get out of the office. I’m feeling crappy enough without having an argument with you. One that’s been brewing for months.”

“I don’t know what your problem is.” She placed her hand on her hip. “Nor do I have any idea what you’re talking about when you say it’s been brewing. You’re just angry at Asher and are taking it out on me. None of this is my fault.”

“Out!” Emma shouted, pointing at the door. “Go!”

“I’m going,” she responded, swivelling on her heels. “But it’s not because you told me to. It’s so that I can talk to my father.”

Emma slumped back into her chair. The last twenty hours had been awful. “Do whatever you want, but don’t think that you can sort this out by getting your father to fight your battles for you. You’ve been a pretty shitty friend for far too long. I’m finally biting back.”

She wasn’t sure Meagan heard the last sentence as the door slammed closed while she spoke. Letting rip a frustrated groan, she let her head flop onto the desk.

A timid knock at the door had her yelling again. “Go away, Meagan!”

The door opened causing Emma’s head to snap up. “I told you to…”

Asher filled the space, shuffling uncomfortably as he shot her an awkward smile. “Would you like me to go too? Or just Meagan? I didn’t see her in the corridor, by the way.”

Conflicting emotions swept through her. She was relieved to see him, somewhat calmed by his proximity, and yet wanted to shout at him just like she’d done to her friend. Emma hated the whirlwind within her; she hated being at odds with so many people.

“You can stay,” she replied. “But only if you say something I like.”

Asher nodded and closed the door. Keeping his gaze lowered he moved around the desk to get to her. Emma waited, wanting to know why he was here before she spoke. She’d laid herself open to him last night. She wouldn’t do it again without a hint of movement from him. There had to be more before she took another step.

Emma followed him, twisting her chair around to face him, and when his eyes snapped up to meet hers what she saw made her breath catch. His brown eyes swirled with heat…lust, so intense she swallowed the anticipation rising within her. She grasped the arms of the chair, the air between them growing hotter, thicker, when he leaned in bracketing her body by placing his hands on the desk either side of her.

Asher’s breathing was ragged. He tried to speak, opening his mouth three times before snapping it closed. Emma stared at him, attempting to work out what was going on with him. When he’d arrived he’d appeared uncertain, but the longer he remained in front of her the more intense he became. The air around them crackled with power, a pulsing strength she wasn’t used to from him. She wanted to know what had caused it and where this had come from. “What are you doing here?”

He closed his eyes momentarily, his voice sounding raw when he spoke. “You,” he replied.

“What about me, Asher? Tell me why you’ve come here.”

“I…I don’t want to be anywhere else, Em. I’ve tried.”

Her heart crashed against her chest. His words hitting her hard. “Asher, I—”

He shook his head, his gaze boring into hers. Emma gulped. Flames of arousal began licking at her skin, her nipples budding and pushing against the cup of her bra. It may have been an aspect of Asher she’d never experienced before, but it was one she liked.

“You told me that…you loved me,” he said, his voice gruff.

Emma swallowed. “I did. I’m not going to take it ba—”

She didn’t finish. Asher pressed his mouth to hers taking her breath away as well as her words. His arms remained on her desk, only his lips touched hers, and yet she felt him with every inch of her body. She’d been consumed by him before, had immersed herself in his seduction but this time it was very different. The kiss was rough, hot, devouring. His tongue stroked, teased, and lapped at hers, and the waves of lust rolled right the way down to her toes. Her hips rolled in the chair, her hands clenching at the arms. This was far from how she’d envisioned their next interaction to be, although she couldn’t bring herself to halt it. Even if she was curious to know where his intensity had come from.

As if hearing her thoughts, Asher tore his lips from hers and stared. He still caged her in, still holding her hostage in the office chair. Her heart beat heavy and loud, and by the look of Asher’s face, along with his rapid breathing, his was working as fast as hers.

“You want me,” she stated rather than questioned. Emma felt it; she didn’t need him to confirm it.

Asher nodded. “You gut me. You twist me up and slash at my composure. My life had balance. My life had structure, then you blew it all apart with a smile. I don’t know what to fucking do about you.”

Letting go of the arm of the chair, Emma placed her palm on his chest. The heavy thud of his heart pounded against it. “And yet you’ve come here because you didn’t want to be alone.”

“No. Alone I’m used to. I didn’t want to be without you.”

It wasn’t a reciprocation of love, but it was one hell of a step forward for him. Emma decided not to push and to accept what he was giving her. She leaned forward and kissed him. He relaxed, coming closer to deepen the caress. His lips still held an edge, they hadn’t lessened in their dominance, and because of that her lust reignited. It broke her heart that he accepted being alone, but raised her hopes that he’d come to her when he needed to.

His lips moved roughly over hers, his tongue dipping into her mouth for the smallest of tastes. Emma rode the wave he’d created, her thighs squeezing together each time his tongue delivered a gentle stroke. The man was potent. One kiss and she was ready for him.

She laughed, the giggle bubbling up and bursting into his mouth. Asher reared his head back and raised a brow.

“I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you.”

“Then what?” Those eyes that surged with a dark intensity only moments before now thinned with accusations.

Emma winced, embarrassed to tell him what she had been thinking, though at the same time if she didn’t confess Asher would assume she’d been laughing at him. “It was a silly thought. It popped into my head at the wrong time.”

His lips thinned.

“Okay. Okay, I thought that you were potent. That your kiss was all it took to have me ready.”

A frown creased his forehead. “Ready?” A heartbeat past. Two. “Oh!
Ready
?”

Heat radiated across her chest and cheeks. Her temperature escalated when he licked his lips. Slowly. “So you’re ready? Now? Here?”

“I…you…” Her gaze shot toward the door. “Here?”

Asher’s chuckle rippled through the air. He held out his hand and pulled her up out of the chair when she took it. “I’d fuck you anywhere, angel. However, I can see your office doesn’t appeal to you, so how about we leave?”

A thrill of excitement shot to her core at the crudeness of his words. No other man could make her melt by using such terms. In fact, in the past she’d been turned off by such things. Asher appeared to be the exception in many areas of her life.

Derailing her train of thought, Asher wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. “I need to be with you, Em. I know I’m not giving you the declaration you want but I’m giving you what I have.”

“And that is?” she asked, stalling him. She would need more from him. She had to know this relationship was heading in the right direction.

“I’m giving you me. And I’m asking you to wait.”

“For?”

Asher kissed her forehead. “For all of me. Angel, there is no one else in this world I want to be able to say those words to. I know you’re mine, but my issues make me roadblock myself. Please wait for me, Em. I’m giving you every part that I can. Please wait for the rest.”

Emma didn’t answer him. Instead, she took his hand and led him toward the office door, snagging her bag and coat on the way out.