Page 33 of Domino
I laugh. “I’m a determined man.”
“That’s great. I’m an unavailable woman.”
“Are you, though?”
“I’m not interested in you. How about that?”
I narrow my eyes and study her closely. “I don’t believe you.”
She opens her mouth to respond, but she falters, then says nothing. The one thing I notice is that even though she’s pretending like she’s this tough, untouchable woman—and something tells me that she is indeed—there’s that twinkle in her eye. She’s more amused than she’s letting on and has more interest in me than she’ll say.
“Believe what you want, but I’m telling you that I’m not interested in you, and I have no desire to see you again,” she says.
“Okay, if you say so.”
“I do.”
“All right. We’ll see.”
She’s trying so hard to remain tough, but I can see the cracks in her façade. Before I can say anything more, she looks at me.
“Please don’t come in here to see me again,” she says.
“I make no promises.”
She chuffs and rolls her eyes. “You’re impossible.”
Ashley turns away and walks off, leaving me to enjoy my breakfast. But as I do, I keep my eye on her and more than once, I catch her glancing back at me. Every time I do, she quickly looks away, and though she tries to hide it, I can see her face growing red. Yeah, there’s something there. She’s putting on a tough face and is trying to keep me at an arm’s distance, but I can see there’s something in her eyes that says she doesn’t want me to go too far.
I finish up my breakfast, pay my bill, and leave a generous tip for her. As I’m heading out the door, I see her glancing my way and give her a wink just to let her know I caught her looking and that she doesn’t seem as uninterested in me as she’s pretending to be. She tries to turn away, but she’s not quick enough and I catch the smile on her face.
Chapter Thirteen
Ashley
After sharing a nice dinner with Missy and Mark, I got Cole ready and put him to bed. Now, I’m enjoying a glass of wine as I soak in a warm tub, unwinding from the day. I watch as the tendrils of steam curling upward and relish the feeling of the water soaking into my muscles. I enjoy waiting tables more now than I did when I was younger. There’s a lot of really nice people here in Blue Rock Bay, and I enjoy talking to them. They’re a lot of fun.
It’s hard work, though, I’m not going to lie. And at the end of every shift, my legs and feet are killing me. Soaking in the tub has become my guilty pleasure. It’s not something I did back home very often. Not only did Ryan make me feel guilty about it, but I usually had also too much to do. It sounds weird, since I’m not only working now but also caring for Cole, but Ryan was obsessive about me keeping the house clean. There was always one project or another to do. I was constantly in motion and always had something to do.
Now, things are different. I’m busy, but I don’t have somebody breathing down my neck and I get to have some leisure time for myself. So, I’m taking advantage of it. And right now, some soft music, a few candles, a glass of wine, some scented oils in a hot bath—this is just what the doctor ordered.
I lean back against the back of the wide, clawfoot tub and let out a deep sigh, relishing the feeling of taking a bath and relaxing. I close my eyes and try to clear my mind of everything, just wanting to completely space out and reset my brain. But as I try to focus on nothing, Max’s face pops into my mind. I quickly try to banish it, but the harder I try, the more firmly the image seems to stick.
I tried to play tough and put up an icy cold front, hoping to scare him off. But he wasn’t buying it. Not in the least. He’s persistent as hell, and if I’m being honest here, I have to admit, if only to myself, that I kind of like it. Maybe it’s the fact that I was with somebody for so long, who, most days, barely seemed to tolerate me. Maybe I like the attention and the fact that Max is pursuing me as hard. And the fact that he is, makes me feel… good.
It’s selfish and I know it’s narcissistic. I’m just letting him stroke my ego and give me the attention I haven’t been getting for years. Maybe it’s screwed up, but I have told him that he’s wasting his time. I’ve told him I’m not available. So, if he wants to continue chasing me and stroking my ego, that’s on him. All I can do is keep being honest and tell him I’m not interested.
As I continue thinking about the situation with Max, I can’t help but think about how gorgeous he is. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t noticed. It’s hard not to. His rugged good looks combined with his humor and boyish charm are a potent combination. And I hate to admit it, but that bad boy edge to him only adds to his allure.
His green eyes float into my mind’s eye and it makes me shudder. A warmth fills my belly and spreads through me quickly. I feel a flutter between my thighs that is unexpected but feels nice all the same. In my mind’s eye, I imagine myself pressing my mouth to his, feeling his tongue swirling languidly around mine. It’s an image that sends a shiver through me.
It’s been so long since I’ve gotten myself off. As I think about Max, I imagine feeling his hard, toned body pressed to mine, and I feel myself growing incredibly wet. I quiver as I slide my hand down my belly, slipping it between my legs. With my fingertips, I stroke my wet, swollen lips, a quiet gasp slipping out of my mouth. I tease my clit, sending shockwaves of pleasure shooting through my body.
I picture Max kissing my neck, imagine his tongue upon my skin as his hands roam my body. As I slip two fingers into my pussy, I slide my other hand down and circle my clit with my fingertips. I picture having Max looming above me, imagining feeling his long, stiff cock slipping into me. As I start to move my fingers inside of me, I moan softly.
I drive my fingers into my hot, wet core, imagining having Max deep inside of me. I picture his glittering green eyes staring into mine as I feel him moving within me. Biting my bottom lip to stifle the cry that threatens to burst from my throat, I plunge a third finger into me as I continue stroking my clit, imagining Max thrusting himself into me.
I picture his mouth crashing against mine, feel his tongue dashing against my own, feeling that connection building between us as I ram my fingers into me. The sound of my whimpers echo around the tiled bathroom, the pressure building up low inside of me as I continue to plunge my fingers deep into my pussy, the image of Max fucking me driving me absolutely wild.
