Page 134 of In Your Wildest Dreams
“No, babe, notokay. You look stunning.” She sits up and crosses her legs. “Where is he taking you?”
“He wouldn’t say.” I turn and smooth a hand over the silky red material. I bought the dress especially for tonight. It’s simple, but formfitting. The straight top cuts low over my cleavage and the hem falls well above my knees. A slit over my left thigh shows a flash of upper thigh. Ash said he wanted to take me on a fancy date, and I was so excited about the idea, I got a little carried away with my outfit. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll mind.
My phone buzzes somewhere. Everly moves around a few articles of clothing to uncover it and hands my phone over.
As I read the text, my stomach flips with excitement. “He’s here.”
I slip on my shoes and grab my purse. Everly follows me out to the living room and opens the door. My boyfriend steps inside in black slacks and a white sweater. His hair is tucked behind his ears and his face is scruffy with the start of a beard.
We stand there gawking at each other for long enough that Everly erupts into giggles.
“Have fun you two.” She whispers as she walks past me, “I predict that dress is off in under five minutes.”
I grab my coat off the hook and shrug it on.
“I am going to have a very hard time being a gentleman,” he says, running a hand over his jaw. “My girlfriend is the hottest woman alive. Or dead. You’re the hottest woman to ever exist.”
Ash drops a soft kiss to my lips, groaning as he pulls away. “All right. You ready for this?”
Hand in hand, he leads me outside. It’s early evening and the sun is just setting. The sidewalk is empty except for two guys standing next to a flashy, turquoise sports car.
They turn as Ash and I walk toward them.
“Dude, sweet car,” one of them says. “I’ve never seen a McLaren in person before. I’ll give you my life savings if you’ll let me sit behind the wheel.”
The other nods. “I’ll give you my girlfriend for a week if you let me drive it. She’s flexible as fuck.” The other smiles, then glances at me. “She’s brunette. You’ll have one of each.”
I think the kid is joking, but it’s hard to tell. My grip tightens on Ash’s hand, and I hear him chuckle quietly.
“My girlfriend doesn’t like to share,” he says, brushing past them. Ash opens the passenger door for me. It lifts instead of swinging out, revealing a snazzy leather interior.
I take a seat and he closes me in, then goes around the front and takes the driver’s seat.
“Did you buy a new car?” I ask, taking in all the shiny knobs and buttons.
“Just borrowing it for the night.”
When he starts the engine, my heart races. Ash waggles his brows with a grin.
He takes me to a new restaurant that opened last week. We’re led to a table near the back and instead of ordering, the chef comes out and says he’s prepared a tasting of all his favorite dishes. My boyfriend does fancy well.
“I have a surprise for you,” he says after we’re alone.
“Another one?”
“Check it.” He removes his left arm from the sweater and lifts it up.
I’m temporarily distracted by his half-naked body, but then he turns and lowers his shoulder. A red heart about three inches tall and wide covers the top of his arm. “It’s you. I mean, it’s in the spot that brought me to you.”
“Ash.” His name is the only word I manage to get out. It’s so sweet and perfect.
Giggling nearby catches my attention and I look over to see two women staring at my boyfriend. Ash notices at the same time and quickly puts his sweater back on with a knowing smirk.
“Always showing off for the ladies.”
“Nah, just for you now, babe.”
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