Page 18 of Midnight Secrets

A fuck-me vibe?

I wasn’t even sure what that meant.

Was it a good thing?

I slipped out of the car and all my carefully constructed walls began to build around me, a brick at a time. The fake smile that I’d cultivated curved my lips, and all my emotions were locked down until nothing remained but the outer shell that the world knew. Ash was the first person to look beyond that mask and search for who was beneath it.

Papa sat in the living area with Jordan, the two of them sipping cups of coffee.

“There she is,” Jordan said, his gaze meeting Ash’s. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” Ash gave him an easy smile. “I had to borrow Lucrezia today, Mum sent me on an errand for her latest soiree.”

“You never did like domesticity,” Lucas said. “It’s as well Lucrezia was here to help you. Coffee?” He nodded to the tray with a coffee pot sitting on it.

“I’ll get some mugs,” I said, disappearing out the doorway to try and catch my breath. Everything was moving too fast around me, and I was left feeling lost and confused.

My fingers were clinging to the edge of the kitchen counter as I tried to steady my breathing, when a hand landed on my waist that nearly made me jump out of my skin.

“Looks like they nearly drank all the coffee.” Ash set the pot onto the counter beside me.

He was too close, sending my emotions into a spiral. “I’ll put the kettle on.”

His fingers tightened on my waist. “I need your phone number to let you know when the shipment is ready.”

My eyes closed and I prayed for divine intervention because right now all my walls were crashing down around me. Ash should have a public health warning stamped on his sexy ass because he was endangering my sanity.

I slowly turned until my eyes were level with his chest and I held my hand out, one eyebrow arched. “Phone.”

His grin made my stomach knot, but he opened his phone and placed it in my hand, my name already typed in and awaiting my number. How could anyone be this confident? I held his phone out, my gaze meeting his.

“I promise not to drunk sext you,” he muttered.

The demon on my shoulder took control of the situation, wrestling it free from the angel urging caution. “My phone is always on.” I shrugged and went to lift the kettle, my heart pounding.

Ash spun me around, my back hitting the wall, his hand gently cupping my throat. Holy fuck, my panties were going to be destroyed. He stood between my legs and his eyes bored into mine.

“You need to stop fucking tempting me, Angel. Men like me tend to stake a claim and fucking ruin that person.” My mouth dropped open and his hand on my throat tightened. “If you keep leaving that mouth open, I’ll find you something to put in it.”

I tried to swallow but nothing seemed to respond to my command. Ash’s head descended until our breaths mingled and the side of his nose touched mine.

“You are a bad man’s fantasy and I really don’t have any good thoughts right now,” he husked.

My mouth opened and closed, my tongue flicking across my lips. “I’ve never been anyone’s fantasy before,” I whispered.

Ash tilted my head back until I stared into the deep blue of his eyes. “You’re definitely making an appearance in mine.”

Drowning. I was drowning in sensations, moisture gathering between my legs. There was something about Ash, a magnetism I couldn’t refuse. I remember him smiling in the past, but this smouldering seriousness suited him better than any other expression. He was a predator and I was his prey, and there was nowhere for me to hide.

A noise in the hall startled me. Ash lifted the kettle and filled it with water as if nothing had happened. My heart beat erratically, and I tried to swallow.

“Hey.” Jordan sauntered in. “How did the meeting go?”

“Good.” My practiced smile was back in place even though I was a wreck inside. “Everything is sorted.”

“Perfect. My guy has most of your site designed. He just needs some pictures. Are they still on your tablet?”

I nodded and left the kitchen to fetch my handbag with all my stuff in it. My legs were shaky and my fingers touched the wall to steady myself. How was he having such an impact on me, and yet, he seemed barely affected and completely in control?

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