Page 25 of Keeping Her Secrets

He started piling food on the counter, and she grinned. “Salad?” she asked as she stepped closer to stand beside him.

“Just because I’m a man doesn’t mean I don’t eat salad. I just eat manly ones.”

Mustique rolled her eyes. “Manly salad? Isn’t that an oxymoron?”

When he swatted her ass, she jumped and let out a squeal.

Ash pulled her to him and held her body flush against his. She could feel the evidence of his desire for her pressed against her belly. “Are you sassing me?” he asked his voice low and sexy, making her panties wet.

“No, sir.” Her reply made him groan, and she squirmed against him.

His hands smoothed down her sides, and he gripped the globes of her ass hard, squeezing as he bent his head into her neck and feathered light kisses over her pulse. “You want me, I can feel it.” His growl made her blood thrum with heat. Everything in her wanted to surrender to him, to let him give her the pleasure she knew he could. As she fought with her indecision, he released her. “You’re not ready, and I can wait.” Ash gave her a gentle push toward the doorway. “Go; I’m getting my salad on.” He instantly lightened the moment, seeming to sense she needed it, and she hated what she was doing this to a man she was coming to care for.

Asher Thompson had Dom written all over him, and she wondered what it would be like to be with him in a Dominant/submissive way. Although, at this point, she would take him any way she could get him. She just felt this thing between them was big, and she and Ash needed honesty. Could she give herself to him while hiding a secret like Leonie from him, especially when he was risking his life and his job to help? Sooner or later, she would have to decide if she was going to stop and let Ash catch her or keep running and stay alone.

As she slipped into the hot scented water of the bath, she pondered her life. She was the cold, deadly one at Zenobi, known for her vicious information extraction techniques and her skills with a knife. She always kept her friends on the outside, never showing them her true self, scared she would get hurt if she did.

Once you’d been hurt by someone you deeply loved, you never got over it—at least she hadn’t. Was it time to take the leap and see what happened? She wasn’t sure, but what she did know was that if she didn’t take it with Ash, she would never take it.

Allowing her mind to empty, she let the big stuff go and relived the feel of Ash’s mouth on hers, the almost kiss, and his hands on her ass, squeezing almost painfully but not hurting her. He’d said he could wait, but could she?

He wouldn’t touch her again unless she asked, putting the decision in her hands, giving her the choice, as if he understood she needed it. She was tired of fighting herself and him. Maybe she should give in and have sex with him but still keep her secret, but she knew she’d regret that. She gave it some more thought. Perhaps she was overcomplicating things, making all this fuss about her future when they may not even be compatible in bed. He could be useless. She snorted at her own stupidity. A man like Ash couldn’t kiss as he did and be a lousy lover. No, she had a feeling he would be beyond good and into the realms of fucking heroic.

Mind made up, she stood and wrapped a towel around her body. This was it—she was going to ask Ash to fuck her and take her away from all the confusion and pain and just clear her mind with great sex. Then she would decide on her future and if they had one.