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“I know.”
“This should be a great time for me and it’s not. I should be celebrating, and I can’t.”
He felt completely conflicted and helpless all at the same time.
“Tell me what you need, Ashlynn. I know I can’t go in and help with the investigation, but…tell me what I can do to make you feel better.”
She was quiet for a minute before she tilted her head back again and looked at him. “You’re here and we have the entire night and all day tomorrow together. I know you’re tired, but…maybe we can go inside and…you know…fool around a little before we order dinner? I missed you last night and…”
He didn’t let her finish.
He was kissing her—devouring her—because he’d missed her too. But more than anything, he was frustrated and angry at the situation and needed to just shut the world out for a little while just like she did.
Lifting her into his arms, he carried her into his bedroom. Once she was on the bed, he stood and peeled his shirt off and smiled sexily down at her. “Take your clothes off, Ash,” he said gruffly and smiled even wider when she did.
It was hard to say who stripped faster; all he knew was it was practically in the blink of an eye that he was joining her on the bed and kissing her again. Her warm, silky limbs wrapped around him as she pressed closer and he loved the feel of her skin against his. It was both calming and a complete turn on.
Her hands went right to his hair as she forced him to look at her. “Take me, Reid. Take me now. Hard.”
“Sweetheart, that was already the plan,” he murmured before kissing her again.
It was hard and fast and he could feel all the anger and need in her that mirrored his own. Sex wasn’t the solution for what was going on in their lives, but it sure as hell worked as a great distraction.
And right now, that was all he could ask for.
Chapter Nine
“Here. We had leftover croissants so I thought I’d bring them home to share with you.”
Ashlynn looked up at Billie as if she were crazy. “Um…leftover croissants? How could there be leftover croissants?”
“I don’t know,” her sister said with a shrug. “It was a little slow today and I didn’t want them to go bad.”
Still, she was having a hard time wrapping her head around this. “What is wrong with the people in this town? Don’t they know a good thing when it’s right in front of them? It’s like they’re all croissanting wrong!”
Billie just stared at her blandly. “Do you want a damn croissant or not?”
Swiping the box from her hands, Ashlynn sat down and flipped the top open. “Right, like I was going to say no to these.” Then she paused. “Did you ever try doing the chocolate ones like we talked about?”
“You know, I totally forgot about that. I’ve been so busy now that the shop is finally doing well.”
“I’m so happy for Jade. I know things got off to a rough start for her, but I’m glad the town is rallying behind her.” She paused. “Do you think it will be like that for me? For us, I mean, with the salon?”
Her sister’s back was to her, but Ashlynn could tell that she tensed up for a moment before turning around.
Slowly, Billie pulled out a chair and sat down and it was almost like getting called into the principal’s office.
“Okay, I really didn’t want to have this conversation, but…” She reached out and took both of Ashlynn’s hands in hers. “I need to know why Becky is accusing you of starting this fire.”
“Are you freaking serious right now?” Yanking her hands free, she stood up and paced away from the table. “How can you sit here and even ask me something like that?”
“The bigger question is why you refuse to answer the question. Why are you getting angry with me? All I’m trying to do is understand the situation, Ash, and I have to tell you, if you respond this way when the cops or the fire inspector comes and talks to you, you’re pretty much screwed.” Crossing her arm, Billie sat there as cool as a cucumber.
With a loud huff of frustration, she sat back down. “Why has Becky done most of the things she’s done, huh? No one knows! Why did she give Sandy the prime booth? Why did she always refuse to invest in updated equipment and furniture?” She shook her head. “Lavish Locks was in serious need of a rehab, but because it was the only salon in town, she never wanted to do it—even though we all used to tell her that it would be worth the investment.”
“I just think it’s odd and a bit extreme for her to accuse you like this. And I’m worried about moving ahead with our plans until we get this settled.”
And then it was beyond quiet because she realized what Billie was trying not to say.
