Page 7 of Doctor's Surprise Bride

I blink in confusion. I didn’t just summon Captain Wentworth right out of the page, did I? My lips part in a smile at the thought, feeling far too sentimental about my favorite fictional character. He’s flawed in some ways, but perfect in others and I can’t help but compare Ashton to the man in the story. He is nothing like the man from the page.

Well, as far as looks go, he’s close. He’s taller than average, built big and strong, and he has that handsome, clean-shaven face. And those deep-set gray eyes …

Wait, he’s real. He’s right in front of me.

My smile drops and I jump back, almost dropping the book but catching it right before it hits the floor. I watch with undiluted shock as the man steps in my direction. His eyes are filled with heat that grows more intense as he draws near.

“We’re not open,” I stammer, taking a step back. “We don’t open for another hour.”

“The door was open,” he says, closing the distance between us and stepping into my space. “I never got to really see you last night.”

I take a step back and he follows, dropping the bag he’s carrying on top of a stack of packing bins loaded with unlabeled books. I don’t bother looking down to see what it is he just put down, not when my eyes are being held captive by his.

“I … What are you doing here?” I ask breathily, my heart hammering in my chest. He takes my hand and guides me deeper into the stacks, out of sight of the library’s entrance.

“I came to apologize,” he whispers. I swallow when he licks at his lips, his eyes dropping to my mouth before rising to meet my gaze again.

I keep forgetting that I should be wary of this man. After last night, I am supposed to stay far away from the likes of him. I should hate him, and yet …

“Ashton, I—”

“Fuck,” he breathes as he suddenly grabs my waist and pulls me flush against him. He plucks the glasses off my nose and sets them on a shelf behind me. “I like that. The sound of my name on your lips is fucking unreal. Say it again.”

“Ashton, we’re in…”

My mouth runs dry when something dark clouds his expression. “I came here to apologize for what happened last night, but I can’t focus long enough to behave. I dreamt of you all night last night, and then this morning, you’re all I’ve been able to think about.”

He brushes a finger down my cheek, the simple touch making my body quiver with something I’ve never felt before. I’ve never been this close to a man before. No one has ever touched me like he’s touching me right now and I should—no,need—to resist. How can I when he’s got me trapped beneath his gaze like a deer in a car’s headlights?

This big, beautiful man has managed to drop all my defenses with a simple touch. I need to pull them back up before he hurts me beyond the damage he’s already caused.

Kick him out.Tell him to go toy someone else’s heart and leave you be. Say it!

“Ashton, anyone could walk in,” I offer weakly.Damn it.

“You just said you don’t open for another hour. I thought I could apologize with peppermint hot chocolate and snickerdoodles. They’re your favorite, right?” My eyes widen in shock. How does he know that? “But then I saw you. I think I can do better by you than a hot drink and sweets.”

A hot rush of need pools in my stomach. “W-what do you mean?”

I notice the way his throat bobs as he swallows before speaking, his eyes not leaving me once. “Tell me, flower, have you ever been touched by a man before?” he asks thickly.

I swallow hard. “No.”

My lips part in a gasp when he suddenly slips his massive hand under my sweater. His hand glides up my ribcage and to my breast, his thumb strumming my nipples roughly through the thin material of my mesh bralette. Ashton leans in and traces his lips over my pulse point, kissing a gentle path up my neck before stopping shy of my lips.

“How are you real?” he breathes hotly against my skin. “Fuck, baby, what have you done to me?”

I don’t get to react before his mouth closes over mine hotly, offering me my first kiss.

I gasp into the kiss, moaning deeply when his tongue sears into my lips. I taste coffee on his lips and it’s the most addictive thing I have ever tasted. My hands tangle in the front of his shirt, trying to pull him closer. Ashton’s free hand slides under my sweater and caresses my waist before drifting lower to grab my ass as he deepens the kiss. He gives into my pull, pressing me back against the shelf. I feel his hardness twitch underneath his clothes against my stomach. It sends pulsing heat to my sex.

I should to put a distance between myself and this man, but why would I when I could let myself melt in his arms instead?

“I knew you would taste amazing but this is better than I could have ever imagined. I bet the rest of you tastes just as addictive,” he rasps, his hot mouth traveling back to my neck, his breath laboring against my sensitive skin.

I can feel myself growing wet beneath his ministrations. His words make me tremble, and when his fingers pop the button of my jeans, I arch into his touch. I bite my lip and look around to make sure no one’s watching but he draws my focus back to him when he slips my jeans down.

“Ashton, we shouldn’t—”

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