“What’s wrong?” He asked.
“Nothing.”
He might’ve believed her if she hadn’t been so quick to answer.
Gently cupping the side of her neck with his hand, he enjoyed the soft feel of her skin against his fingertips. The gentle pulse in her neck was faster than he expected, giving him a momentary rush. Despite her attempt to disguise her reaction, Alex knew he affected her.
“Then why won’t you look at me?” Keeping his fingers on her chin, his other hand cupping the back of her neck, Alex fought the urge to kiss her right there in front of God and everyone.
~~*~~
Ashleigh stared back into the greenest eyes she’d ever seen.
Her reaction to him was ridiculous on a grand scale. As though it hadn’t been hard enough to make it through the night without dreaming about his hands on her, or the firm, gentle stroke of his tongue in her mouth, he’d had to go and show up at her house.
During the drive, she’d had to accept that she was pleasantly surprised to see him, and that had pissed her off. She didn’t want to look forward to seeing him, yet here they were and once again, he was touching her.
After the explosive chemistry that ignited between them the night before, she didn’t have any illusions about what would happen between the two of them if she would just give in. The way he stood in front of her now, his body so close, his hands so gentle where they scraped against her skin, she knew that given half a chance, she would probably do just that.
Her first mistake of the day had been agreeing to go with him. Her second... climbing into the small cab of his truck and breathing in the intoxicating scent of the man. With his sinful voice washing over her as they drove, her body had come alive, and for the first time in her adult life, she found herself wanting something she knew she shouldn’t want.
But the whopper of them all was standing here, her body pressed against his, their eyes locked on one another and his presence consuming her.
“I’m just preoccupied.” She lied. She wasn’t looking at him because she wasn’t sure she could control herself if she did.
Clad in a tight black t-shirt and gray running shorts, Ashleigh was gifted with a view of the man she hadn’t had before. Seeing so much of him should be off limits. Between those powerful thighs and his thick, sinewy arms, Ashleigh had wondered briefly if she would even be able to run. Every muscle in her body had turned to gooey noodles, offering her very little support.
She dared to look him in the eye, and the moment she locked onto those glowing emeralds, she knew why. Along with the heat she saw reflected there, she also saw genuine concern and to know that she had caused it didn’t make her feel any better.
“I’m fine. Really.” She said unconvincingly. “It’s just…”
Just what? What was she going to tell him? It’s just that I can’t stop thinking about that kiss? I can’t help but want to touch you. Everywhere.
Ummm… no.
She couldn’t tell him that because Alex would likely play to her weakness and she would find herself in his bed – or hers – only to end up wanting something she could never have. Considering she could never say no to the man, she could in no way give him the impression that she wanted him.
“I’m just excited about the trail.” Wow, even she didn’t buy that one. “You ready?” She pulled away from him.
Breaking the contact was like unplugging from an electrical socket.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he answered, looking somewhat disappointed.
Forcing her ear buds into her ears, Ashleigh set out at a relaxed pace, needing to get warmed up. Although thanks to Alex’s wicked touch, she was already pretty damn warm.
Later that afternoon, Ashleigh was sitting on her back patio, her laptop in front of her, and her mind drifting to places it shouldn’t be. The morning run had left her invigorated, a restless energy pulsing through her. Alex had allowed her to keep up with him, and although he tried to tell her that it had been the exact opposite, she knew better.
They’d managed the full nine miles in just under two hours, and Ashleigh was so wired, she could have gone another nine. Instead, they had walked for a solid ten minutes before returning to his truck.
When he dropped her off at the house, they still hadn’t done a lot of talking. The energy had been throbbing inside the small confines of the truck, and Ashleigh had been forced to ignore it. And him.
Thankfully, when they reached her house, Alex simply pulled into the driveway, shot her a beaming smile that had her insides quivering, before telling her that he’d see her later. And if she had been at all disappointed, she ignored that too.