need to confirm what I know in my gut.”
“Please stop it, Ashton.” Shaky fingers ran up and down her arms, searching for warmth. He was staring at her stomach again.
“What?”
His heated glaze glided slowly across her breasts and then to her stomach, causing her nipples to tighten.
“You’re still wearing the belly ring. It could be dangerous
for the baby,” he said.
“Please.”
He caressed her stomach. She flinched at the unexpected
sensation.
“Did I hurt you?”
“No.”
“Why did you jump?”
She shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting you to touch me.”
“We have made love.”
“That was different.”
Again, silence, he had a habit of doing that and she hated
it. It made her uncomfortable. If he had something to say, she wished he would
just say it.
“Why do you do that?” she asked.
“Do what?”
“Go silent in the midst of a conversation.”
For a long time, he didn’t respond. “I have to get back to Dallas.”
“Then I suggest you go.”
“Not without you.
“I’m not going.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Let’s get one thing straight. You don’t command and I obey.
Don’t push me. If you do, I’ll push back.”
“I’m not pushing you, Nicole.”
“Yes, you are. The sad part is that you don’t even realize when you do it. It’s so much a part of your nature. You’re a bully.”
“Damn, woman, you’re going to be the death of me. What do you want?”
“Go home and leave me alone.”
“I can’t do that.”
“You’re crowding me. You’re like a bulldozer. You don’t know
when to stop.” She screamed. “Ashton, I need to think and I can’t do that with
you around.”
“You’ve had more than enough time to think.”
“You’re not listening.”
“Yes, I am.” He took her hand. “Why don’t we get some lunch?
I’m starving.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not hungry.”
“Well, I am. I passed a little café on the way to your house.”
She tried to pull her hand from his but he held firmed and pulled her closer. She stumbled and fell into his chest. She gasped and grabbed his arms for support. The air between them shifted. Heat slithered down her spine. And suddenly it grew difficult to breathe. Memories of the unbidden night they shared surfaced and flooded her mind. His eyes devoured her lips.
She cleared her throat and moved out of his arms. “You said you were hungry and I think I could do with a light lunch.”
He growled. “Now all of a sudden you’re hungry.”
She didn’t want food but if they stayed at the house,
they would definitely end up in bed. It was something she wasn’t ready for.
Besides, it wouldn’t solve their problems.
His lips tilted. “Are you sure it’s food you want?”
She turned away, confused by her need for him. “I need to change.”
“I like what you have on.”
She sucked her teeth. “You would. I’ll be only a moment.”
Moving down the hall to the bedroom, she felt his eyes on her back, but she
refused to turn around. She quietly closed the door behind her, leaned against
it, and exhaled. Whew. She was in big trouble.
When she returned to the living room, Ashton stood at the
window but turned upon her approach.
“I’m ready,” she said.
She’d changed into a red sleeveless cotton blouse that covered the entire stomach. A modest khaki skirt now replaced the hip-hugging shorts. Ashton scanned what she was wearing.
He opened the door, and whispered in her ear as she passed. “Changing your clothes can’t hide what I know is beneath them. You think you are off the hook but don’t get too comfortable. You’re running toward the finish line and I’ll be there waiting for you when you cross. ” His lips lightly grazed her ear. “Then the heat we share will explode. You can count it.”
Chapter Eight
At the little Mexican café he requested an outside table. It
had a wonderful view overlooking the ocean. The tall bleached blonde hostess
who sat them at their table couldn’t
“Please stop it, Ashton.” Shaky fingers ran up and down her arms, searching for warmth. He was staring at her stomach again.
“What?”
His heated glaze glided slowly across her breasts and then to her stomach, causing her nipples to tighten.
“You’re still wearing the belly ring. It could be dangerous
for the baby,” he said.
“Please.”
He caressed her stomach. She flinched at the unexpected
sensation.
“Did I hurt you?”
“No.”
“Why did you jump?”
She shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting you to touch me.”
“We have made love.”
“That was different.”
Again, silence, he had a habit of doing that and she hated
it. It made her uncomfortable. If he had something to say, she wished he would
just say it.
“Why do you do that?” she asked.
“Do what?”
“Go silent in the midst of a conversation.”
For a long time, he didn’t respond. “I have to get back to Dallas.”
“Then I suggest you go.”
“Not without you.
“I’m not going.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Let’s get one thing straight. You don’t command and I obey.
Don’t push me. If you do, I’ll push back.”
“I’m not pushing you, Nicole.”
“Yes, you are. The sad part is that you don’t even realize when you do it. It’s so much a part of your nature. You’re a bully.”
“Damn, woman, you’re going to be the death of me. What do you want?”
“Go home and leave me alone.”
“I can’t do that.”
“You’re crowding me. You’re like a bulldozer. You don’t know
when to stop.” She screamed. “Ashton, I need to think and I can’t do that with
you around.”
“You’ve had more than enough time to think.”
“You’re not listening.”
“Yes, I am.” He took her hand. “Why don’t we get some lunch?
I’m starving.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not hungry.”
“Well, I am. I passed a little café on the way to your house.”
She tried to pull her hand from his but he held firmed and pulled her closer. She stumbled and fell into his chest. She gasped and grabbed his arms for support. The air between them shifted. Heat slithered down her spine. And suddenly it grew difficult to breathe. Memories of the unbidden night they shared surfaced and flooded her mind. His eyes devoured her lips.
She cleared her throat and moved out of his arms. “You said you were hungry and I think I could do with a light lunch.”
He growled. “Now all of a sudden you’re hungry.”
She didn’t want food but if they stayed at the house,
they would definitely end up in bed. It was something she wasn’t ready for.
Besides, it wouldn’t solve their problems.
His lips tilted. “Are you sure it’s food you want?”
She turned away, confused by her need for him. “I need to change.”
“I like what you have on.”
She sucked her teeth. “You would. I’ll be only a moment.”
Moving down the hall to the bedroom, she felt his eyes on her back, but she
refused to turn around. She quietly closed the door behind her, leaned against
it, and exhaled. Whew. She was in big trouble.
When she returned to the living room, Ashton stood at the
window but turned upon her approach.
“I’m ready,” she said.
She’d changed into a red sleeveless cotton blouse that covered the entire stomach. A modest khaki skirt now replaced the hip-hugging shorts. Ashton scanned what she was wearing.
He opened the door, and whispered in her ear as she passed. “Changing your clothes can’t hide what I know is beneath them. You think you are off the hook but don’t get too comfortable. You’re running toward the finish line and I’ll be there waiting for you when you cross. ” His lips lightly grazed her ear. “Then the heat we share will explode. You can count it.”
Chapter Eight
At the little Mexican café he requested an outside table. It
had a wonderful view overlooking the ocean. The tall bleached blonde hostess
who sat them at their table couldn’t
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