Page 13 of Pandora's Pain
Ashton raised his hand, nearly touching my cheek with it. The tension in the air was thick and growing more so by the minute. I’d even lost track of whether I was attracting him or he was attracting me. Either way, I was screwed. Maybe in the good way as well as the bad. No one said I couldn’t have fun while doing my duty.
Our breathing matched in pace, slightly ragged and certainly heated. A little part of me doubted I could go through with this already.
A loud cough interrupted us. Ashton’s attention ripped away from me as he turned to scowl at the man behind him.
Oh, wait. Not just any man. Alex. Of course, he was about to witness my weakness. If I knew my luck, Zeus had probably gifted him with some kind of mind reading ability just so he could keep an eye on me.
“Shall we,” Ashton said, indicating towards a surprisingly empty corner booth.
I gulped loudly, nerves building up within me again. I wasn’t sure if I was completely ready for this, but I’d try my best.
As I slid into the booth, a broad silent man in a black suit and matching glasses moved to block me from the rest of the bar. Ah, a bodyguard. That explained why the booth was so empty. This was one of the times I was grateful for Zeus’ magic brain dictionary.
A warm leg touched mine, sending a jolt of desire through me.
“Champagne?”
I nodded and took the thin flute of pale liquid Ashton offered. Our fingers brushed as I took the glass, and I tried my best not to shiver.
Trying to distract myself, I took a sip of my drink, delighting in the bubbles as they touched my tongue. I’d never tasted anything like this. I certainly hoped there’d be more to come.
“Good?” Ashton asked, a knowing smirk on his face. This was a man who knew how to woo women and frequently used it to his advantage. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn I was just one in a long list of conquests. A small part of me wanted to make things difficult for him. The rest wanted something a lot more primal.
“Very,” I replied.
“It should be. I only drink the best.” He seemed a little full of himself when he said that. The heated look he gave me suggested that only the best applied to me too, not just the drink.
I smiled, making sure it reached all the way up to my eyes. I knew a compliment when I heard one. Making sure I seemed flattered could clear my way to getting him back up to my room.
“Why are you here, Hope?” Ashton leaned in close as he spoke, closing the tiny gap between us.
“You asked me to be?” I replied, setting the champagne flute down and playing with the stem. I needed to reign my nerves in, they were starting to get the better of me.
His laugh filled the booth, but it felt genuine, not fake in anyway. “Not here, here. Why are you in town?”
“I’m here for work,” I answered, hoping he wouldn’t sense the lie. Not that it properly was one. In a way, getting sins back into the box was a job. Just not in a very traditional sense.
“Me too.” He brought his mouth level with my ear so his breath fanned against my skin. “I hope you have time to play while you’re here too.”
This time, I couldn’t repress the shiver. The anticipation was a little too much for me. There was next to no way I’d be able to trap this man without anything further happening.
My gaze flitted to his lips, then away again once I’d caught myself. I wanted to kiss him more than I was accepting even in my own mind. Maybe this was what Alex had meant when he said the man attracted sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Though I hadn’t seen much evidence of the latter two yet.
“So?” he prompted.
“Sorry?” Heat rose to my cheeks as I realized I had no clue what he’d just said. Instead, I’d been too busy daydreaming about what else we could do with our mouths.
“I asked if you wanted to come backstage at my show?”
I perked up, thinking back to how he’d appeared on the television screen upstairs. Did I want to see that? I thought so. He’d been captivating and raw while singing.
“Yes, that would be great.” I took another sip of my champagne, mostly to cover up the slight hint of nerves that’d made their way into my voice. “When is it?” I blurted. I didn’t want to delay finishing my mission for too long. I had a feeling it was going to get harder the longer I stayed here and experienced freedom for what felt like the first time.
“Curtain goes up in an hour.”
“An hour?” I squeaked. “Don’t you have to get ready?” I searched through my information overload to try and work out how long it would take to set up that kind of show. Hours, at the very least.
“I am ready.” He waved down at his outfit, which left nothing to the imagination. I had to wonder if men just came this way now. “I have staff to do the rest of it, Hope. I’m at the stage where I don’t have to do it all myself.”
