jealous.”
He whispered against her cheek, “Yes, you were.” Ashton gave her a gentle kiss, then deepened it and released her mouth. “I liked it.”
“I was not jealous. ”
Again he kissed her. With a will of its own, her body settled into the intimate embrace. Not realizing it, she barreled against his chest. His arms immediately wrapped around her. She sighed in contentment.
The feel of his arousal caused an ache that swelled with
heat. She wanted him.
“Let’s go. We need to be around a lot of people.” His tone guttural and intimate, sent warmth through her entire body. “I’m taking you on a tour of San Francisco.”
“A tour?”
He winked at her. “You’ll love it.”
###
He parked the rented Mercedes at an ocean lookout and they got out. Although the area wasn’t crowded, there were quite a few people enjoying the afternoon sun. Vendors were selling food and drink. She and Ashton walked the little path to the ocean in peaceful silence. She enjoyed the quietness and it gave her an opportunity to think and observe him.
After a while, they stopped at one of the vendor’s stand.
“Would you like something?”
“Water.”
Ashton paid the vendor and found a bench for them to sit.. He stretched out his long legs, lifted his face to the sun, and sighed.
He seemed relaxed, which surprised Nicole. She would’ve never thought this was his type of environment. Ashton was a business mogul who was always on the move. But here he was with her acting as if taking a stroll and sitting on a bench along the ocean was routine when it came to him relaxing.. As usual he looked good. He was dressed in fitted, straight leg, black jeans, and a crisp white shirt, that hung outside of his jeans. The cuffs of the shirt was turned exposing the light spray of dark fine hair on his arms. The only jewelry was a bold, gold Rolex watch on his wrist. To complete the look, his sockless feet were housed inside a pair of Italian loafers. For a Texan, he seldom wore boots.
Although, the picture he presented was casual and successful,
no one would’ve guessed that he was on Forbes Magazine list of billionaires.
The only thing that may have given him away was the Armani jacket that lay
discarded on the back seat of the car.
He drained the last of his water in few gulps and tossed the empty container into a trash can nearby. She did the same and then tilted her face to the sun enjoying the heated rays on her face.
Eyes closed, she said, “You need to go home, Ashton.”
“Come with me.”
She sighed. “Why must you continue this? Don’t you see we have nothing in common? It’s not going to work.”
“I disagree.”
“We argue too much.”
“We don’t argue. We
debate. I know you’re passionate about foster care for children, so am I.”
Surprised, Nicole stared at him. “Really?”
“That surprises you?”
“Yes, it does. You don’t
seem the type to be an activist.”
“I’m not. But when I’m passionate about something, I do what I can to make the situation better. Plenty may disagree, but I do have a heart.”
“My best friend,
Danielle Evans, is a product of the foster care system. She’s told horror
stories of things that can happen within the system. She was one of the lucky
ones to get adopted, but the percentage of children who don’t is high.”
“Brody was lucky also. He was left on the doorstep of an orphanage at five days old but adopted within a couple of weeks.”
“I knew he was adopted but I didn’t know how he came to be so. Is that what drives you to be a contributor?”
“Knowing he was
discarded like garbage with only a note can have a pretty profound effect on a
person.”
“I know. Brody’s lucky to have you as his friend.”
“Brody and I have been
friends since we were kids. We’re brothers. I would do anything for him.”
Surprised at how much he’d revealed, she wondered if anyone really knew Ashton Campbell. He was basically a loner with only one
He whispered against her cheek, “Yes, you were.” Ashton gave her a gentle kiss, then deepened it and released her mouth. “I liked it.”
“I was not jealous. ”
Again he kissed her. With a will of its own, her body settled into the intimate embrace. Not realizing it, she barreled against his chest. His arms immediately wrapped around her. She sighed in contentment.
The feel of his arousal caused an ache that swelled with
heat. She wanted him.
“Let’s go. We need to be around a lot of people.” His tone guttural and intimate, sent warmth through her entire body. “I’m taking you on a tour of San Francisco.”
“A tour?”
He winked at her. “You’ll love it.”
###
He parked the rented Mercedes at an ocean lookout and they got out. Although the area wasn’t crowded, there were quite a few people enjoying the afternoon sun. Vendors were selling food and drink. She and Ashton walked the little path to the ocean in peaceful silence. She enjoyed the quietness and it gave her an opportunity to think and observe him.
After a while, they stopped at one of the vendor’s stand.
“Would you like something?”
“Water.”
Ashton paid the vendor and found a bench for them to sit.. He stretched out his long legs, lifted his face to the sun, and sighed.
He seemed relaxed, which surprised Nicole. She would’ve never thought this was his type of environment. Ashton was a business mogul who was always on the move. But here he was with her acting as if taking a stroll and sitting on a bench along the ocean was routine when it came to him relaxing.. As usual he looked good. He was dressed in fitted, straight leg, black jeans, and a crisp white shirt, that hung outside of his jeans. The cuffs of the shirt was turned exposing the light spray of dark fine hair on his arms. The only jewelry was a bold, gold Rolex watch on his wrist. To complete the look, his sockless feet were housed inside a pair of Italian loafers. For a Texan, he seldom wore boots.
Although, the picture he presented was casual and successful,
no one would’ve guessed that he was on Forbes Magazine list of billionaires.
The only thing that may have given him away was the Armani jacket that lay
discarded on the back seat of the car.
He drained the last of his water in few gulps and tossed the empty container into a trash can nearby. She did the same and then tilted her face to the sun enjoying the heated rays on her face.
Eyes closed, she said, “You need to go home, Ashton.”
“Come with me.”
She sighed. “Why must you continue this? Don’t you see we have nothing in common? It’s not going to work.”
“I disagree.”
“We argue too much.”
“We don’t argue. We
debate. I know you’re passionate about foster care for children, so am I.”
Surprised, Nicole stared at him. “Really?”
“That surprises you?”
“Yes, it does. You don’t
seem the type to be an activist.”
“I’m not. But when I’m passionate about something, I do what I can to make the situation better. Plenty may disagree, but I do have a heart.”
“My best friend,
Danielle Evans, is a product of the foster care system. She’s told horror
stories of things that can happen within the system. She was one of the lucky
ones to get adopted, but the percentage of children who don’t is high.”
“Brody was lucky also. He was left on the doorstep of an orphanage at five days old but adopted within a couple of weeks.”
“I knew he was adopted but I didn’t know how he came to be so. Is that what drives you to be a contributor?”
“Knowing he was
discarded like garbage with only a note can have a pretty profound effect on a
person.”
“I know. Brody’s lucky to have you as his friend.”
“Brody and I have been
friends since we were kids. We’re brothers. I would do anything for him.”
Surprised at how much he’d revealed, she wondered if anyone really knew Ashton Campbell. He was basically a loner with only one
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