was funny, but she definitely didn’t. “Don’t you dare,” she threatened.
“Sorry. If you could have seen the look on your face.”
She snatched the bra out of his hand and grabbed her key card, eager to disappear and bury her sorrows in a package of M&M’S from the minibar. This was what she got for her attempt to look sexy and sultry for Dash.
Little Blade squirmed in her arms as she struggled to hold on to him and manage the key card. Not that she needed it, seeing that her door was halfway open.
“Let me help,” Dash offered, reaching for Little Blade.
“You’ve already been enough help, thank you very much.”
“Hey, what did I do?”
She hesitated, knowing he was right. Dash didn’t deserve to have her frustration taken on out him, especially when he’d basically saved her from having to ask a stranger to return her underwear. “You didn’t do anything.”
His eyes revealed the first sign of sympathy.
“Apparently, in my rush to get back to sing I didn’t close the door all the way. It’s my fault.” While that was true, she did feel he was partially responsible. She refused to meet his eyes. “However, you aren’t blameless.”
“How’s that?”
It was probably a mistake to admit this. “I wanted to show you my sexy side.”
He grinned and rubbed his hand down the side of his face. “You don’t need to work hard at that, Ash. I find you plenty attractive already.”
Her gaze shot up and a warm feeling chased away some of the embarrassment. “You do?”
“Surprisingly so.”
“Surprisingly?” How was it the man could compliment and insult her in the same breath?
“Given the fact you tried my patience to the nth degree most of the day, yes, surprisingly.”
“I tried
your
patience?” She found that pretty cheeky, all things considered.
“You do. Plus, I find you distracting.” He moved closer so that her back was against the wall.
“Oh?” It was hard to speak with him standing so close, especially when his gaze was focused on her lips. As he brought his face closer she held her breath in anticipation. He didn’t disappoint her. Tilting his head to one side, he pressed his mouth to hers. Wrapping his hand around the back of her neck, he edged her even closer. His mouth was warm and pliable; he tasted slightly of beer, but his lengthy and exploratory kiss was what intoxicated her. A sigh rattled through him as he reluctantly dragged his mouth from hers.
Ashley kept her eyes closed as Little Blade squirmed in her arms.
“Good night, Ash.”
“Night,” she returned, and nearly stumbled as she stepped through the doorway. As soon as she was in the room, Ashley set Little Blade on the floor. From the mess of clothes on the floor it was clear Little Blade had had a fun time rooting through her suitcase. Unwilling to leave Dash just yet, she turned back to thank him again.
He noticed she’d peeked her head out. “I want to get an early start in the morning.”
“Okay.”
He frowned and glared at her as if he expected her to argue or make an unreasonable demand.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing. It’s just that I get worried when you’re overly accommodating.”
For him to say that was insulting. “Why would you kiss me one minute and then glare at me the next?”
“Maybe because I find myself liking you far too much.”
She enjoyed the sound of that. “Is that a bad thing?”
“It could be.”
“How’s that?” she pressed.
“Well, for one thing, you’re living in California and I’m likely to get this job in Seattle. I’ve done long-distance relationships before and they don’t work.”
At least she knew where she stood. And he’d told her before that a relationship wasn’t high on his priority list. Still, she’d hoped maybe that had been starting to change. “I’ve got enough on my plate as it is,” she added, so he’d know she wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship with him, either. “I’ve got to get through
“Sorry. If you could have seen the look on your face.”
She snatched the bra out of his hand and grabbed her key card, eager to disappear and bury her sorrows in a package of M&M’S from the minibar. This was what she got for her attempt to look sexy and sultry for Dash.
Little Blade squirmed in her arms as she struggled to hold on to him and manage the key card. Not that she needed it, seeing that her door was halfway open.
“Let me help,” Dash offered, reaching for Little Blade.
“You’ve already been enough help, thank you very much.”
“Hey, what did I do?”
She hesitated, knowing he was right. Dash didn’t deserve to have her frustration taken on out him, especially when he’d basically saved her from having to ask a stranger to return her underwear. “You didn’t do anything.”
His eyes revealed the first sign of sympathy.
“Apparently, in my rush to get back to sing I didn’t close the door all the way. It’s my fault.” While that was true, she did feel he was partially responsible. She refused to meet his eyes. “However, you aren’t blameless.”
“How’s that?”
It was probably a mistake to admit this. “I wanted to show you my sexy side.”
He grinned and rubbed his hand down the side of his face. “You don’t need to work hard at that, Ash. I find you plenty attractive already.”
Her gaze shot up and a warm feeling chased away some of the embarrassment. “You do?”
“Surprisingly so.”
“Surprisingly?” How was it the man could compliment and insult her in the same breath?
“Given the fact you tried my patience to the nth degree most of the day, yes, surprisingly.”
“I tried
your
patience?” She found that pretty cheeky, all things considered.
“You do. Plus, I find you distracting.” He moved closer so that her back was against the wall.
“Oh?” It was hard to speak with him standing so close, especially when his gaze was focused on her lips. As he brought his face closer she held her breath in anticipation. He didn’t disappoint her. Tilting his head to one side, he pressed his mouth to hers. Wrapping his hand around the back of her neck, he edged her even closer. His mouth was warm and pliable; he tasted slightly of beer, but his lengthy and exploratory kiss was what intoxicated her. A sigh rattled through him as he reluctantly dragged his mouth from hers.
Ashley kept her eyes closed as Little Blade squirmed in her arms.
“Good night, Ash.”
“Night,” she returned, and nearly stumbled as she stepped through the doorway. As soon as she was in the room, Ashley set Little Blade on the floor. From the mess of clothes on the floor it was clear Little Blade had had a fun time rooting through her suitcase. Unwilling to leave Dash just yet, she turned back to thank him again.
He noticed she’d peeked her head out. “I want to get an early start in the morning.”
“Okay.”
He frowned and glared at her as if he expected her to argue or make an unreasonable demand.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing. It’s just that I get worried when you’re overly accommodating.”
For him to say that was insulting. “Why would you kiss me one minute and then glare at me the next?”
“Maybe because I find myself liking you far too much.”
She enjoyed the sound of that. “Is that a bad thing?”
“It could be.”
“How’s that?” she pressed.
“Well, for one thing, you’re living in California and I’m likely to get this job in Seattle. I’ve done long-distance relationships before and they don’t work.”
At least she knew where she stood. And he’d told her before that a relationship wasn’t high on his priority list. Still, she’d hoped maybe that had been starting to change. “I’ve got enough on my plate as it is,” she added, so he’d know she wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship with him, either. “I’ve got to get through
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