Page 37 of Dirty Secret Love

He winks. “I try. Stick with me, and you’ll go places, Miss Asher. Now, how about we try out your new bed?” He shoots me a mischievous, flirtatious glance.

“I have a new bed?”

He pretends to be offended, hands on his hips. “Of course, I’m a tall man and your bed was too small to fit the two of us. I’d say it’s less of a surprise and more of a necessity.”

“Well, let’s see if it works well, Mr. Kershaw.”

He grins. “I wouldn’t mind trying a thing or two that I just read in one of the books you own,” he states.

My eyes open wide. “What are you talking about?”

“I read something very sexy in that How Not to Lose Your Heart book.” He winks at me. “Dorian was lapping Lexy’s cunt while his fingers were opening her small pucker in the back.”

“Why were you reading that?” I ask, trying to sound upset and not turned on at all by the thought of having anal sex with this man. It’d be my first time, and if it’s as sexy as Dorian does it with Lexy, I’m all for it. But I shouldn’t and maybe I should add rule number six: Don’t dare read my books—like never, ever touch them.

“If you’re not into that, we can always try fucking against the wall—or I’ll bend you over on the counter and tell you that you’re a dirty, dirty girl.”

That does it. In an instant, the distance between us closes. He pulls me into his embrace, his hand cradling the back of my head. Our eyes lock, the world fading into a blur as our lips meet. It starts gentle and exploratory but soon deepens, fueled by an undercurrent of longing and desire.

The warmth of his body against mine and the intoxicating mix of his scent makes my head spin. This is no ordinary kiss. It feels like a welcome home. I’m starting to wonder if touching him, kissing him, will weaken me so much that I won’t have the strength to let him go.

Suddenly, the sound of the front door creaking open shatters the moment. We pull apart hastily, our breaths coming out in ragged gasps. A familiar voice calls out, echoing through the house, causing my heart to plummet.

“Sutton, are you home?”

My eyes widen in panic as I whisper, “My parents.”

River’s eyes mirror my shock. We exchange a look of disbelief, both of us frozen in place.

ChapterNineteen

River

“My parents,”Sutton says, her voice tinged with a mixture of alarm and frustration that has me debating between protecting her or just running for our lives.

I don’t escape, but I do rush to shut the door of what I’d like to call Sutton’s new office. The same place they might think I sleep while I’m staying with her,andrespecting her virtue.If they only knew all the things I did to their daughter. That will remain, of course, our dirty little secret.

But now, I have to concentrate on what matters. “How did they get in?” I hiss, realizing that if they can enter this easily, we’re literally fucked. Also, I’m trying to remember if we even locked the front door, but I have no idea since we entered through the garage.

So, it was probably one of my brothers who left the door open. They love blaming me for every mishap. “You always fuck up, River,” they keep saying. But really, it’s the other way around. Because of their negligence, Sutton’s parents could’ve caught us fucking in … well, any room. I wasn’t sure if we were going to make it to the bed. Not after the stuff I read in that book. It was smutty, dirty, and delicious.

I won’t be able to learn if it has a happy ending because I’m being cockblocked by my fiancée’s parents.

“Maybe they grabbed the key that’s hidden under the mat?” Sutton suggests casually. As if it’s an everyday occurrence and she’s just annoyed that they’re here. Not concerned about how the fuck they entered without knocking first.

The absurdity of the situation tugs at me. Here we are, hiding like teenagers, and the key to her entire life is left conveniently under a doormat.

“The key is where again?” I rub my forehead, trying to calm the fuck down because, seriously, this can’t be real. She leaves the key to her house right in front of it. “You’re joking, right? I thought the lock was code activated.”

“No, it’s both,” Sutton explains. “I keep the key in case anyone has to come inside—it’s more secure than giving out my code.”

My jaw drops in disbelief. “You do realize that’s about as safe as leaving your password on your laptop, right? What’s next, drop an invitation to thieves, so they can just make themselves at home and take anything they want?”

She chuckles. “This is Heartwood Lake. Who’s going to rob us?”

Just then, Ruth Asher appears in the hallway, which now feels narrow and asphyxiating. “Oh, Sutton, you’re here. And you’re with Mr. . . . Kashew, was it?”

“Kershaw.” I nod politely. “Good to see you again, Mrs. Asher.”

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