Page 16 of Falling for Ash
The Goddess of Love was renowned for her ability to knock a person on his or her ass with one of her cocktails. Aphrodite! He silently cursed the Goddess when the small, luscious female who made him long for things he’d never dared before stood up. She swayed on her feet, adorably tiny ones encased in low heels with a sling back that made his mouth water.
“Easy now,” Ash muttered, standing in time to take gentle hold of her elbows. “Steady on.”
“Thanks. I, um, need the little girls’ room,” she mumbled, and Ash nodded, without letting go. Her skin was soft and warm beneath his fingers. He quite liked it and had no plans to relinquish his hold until she spoke again.
“I need my arm back first, though.” The gorgeous stranger laughed, smiling up at him with big blue eyes that sparkled in the dim light, and fuck him, Ash couldn’t breathe.
“Beautiful,” he whispered.
“Gabby,” she corrected, gathering her purse before walking away.
“Gabby?”
“Yep. Gabriella Keen.” She hiccupped.
He stared, enthralled. She was so adorable. So full of promise. Ash should walk away now, quick before he tainted her with his past. But instead of saying goodbye, his next words surprised him.
“Lovely to meet you, Gabriella. Please allow me to escort you.”
“To the potty?” She cocked her head to the side, causing one honey colored curl to land in the lovely crevice between her bountiful breasts.
Ash swallowed, then hissed.
Actually fucking hissed.
Out loud.
His cock strained against his pants. He hadn’t felt this out of control since he’d hit Demonic puberty about two thousand years ago.
Holy fuck.
Even more astounding was the fact the curvy little minx seemed completely unaware of the affect she had on him. He could easily pick up on sexual mind games and flirtatious teasing, but she was doing neither. At least, not on purpose. Maybe that was why he was so unwilling to say his farewells.
Gabriella was like a breath of fresh air in the typically sulfuric Underworld. He wanted to continue their conversation. Hell, he’d listen to her read the phone book if she wanted. So yeah. If she needed to use the facilities, hell yeah, he’d escort her. If she wanted to go dancing, find a restaurant, go for a walk, or fuck it, fly to the moon, Ash was her guy.
Or he would be.
Soon.
Grrr.
“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go,” Ash replied, voice deep and gravelly. He swallowed his next growl, not wanting to scare the female. But she merely grinned, tilting her head back, stepping closer, and steadying herself with a hand on his chest.
“No one has ever said that to me before, uh, I don’t know your name,” Gabriella replied with a wide, and not entirely sober, smile.
“I’m Ash.”
“Ash? I like that. It’s unusual. Well then, Ash, I guess you can walk me to the restroom.”
Ash growled, pleasure filling him at the sound of his name on her plump lips. He wanted nothing more than to grab and pull her closer, flush against his hardened body, just so he could breathe her in and savor her warmth.
She tormented his senses with her nearness. A good kind of torture. The type that made him want her all the more. Still, she did not give in to blatant flirtation or coquettish displays. She simply was that alluring.
To be honest, it was a tad disappointing.
Did he want more than he was wanted?
Did he completely lose his touch?
