chapter 12

Ash looked down at her, his expression much softer

now.

“Because my brothers are interfering assholes.”

She tried to keep up with him as he pulled her

through the club, but his long strides were no match for

hers, causing her to trip over her feet. Before she hit the

ground, she was swooped up into the air bridal style by Ash,

making her giggle.

“You’ve got to stop saving me,” she said.

He smirked, “Then stop falling, little girl.”

Yeah, that was unlikely. Four lemon drop shots and

numerous lemon drop martinis… not going to happen. And

considering the way she felt in Ash’s arms, maybe falling

wasn’t so bad.

Instead of fighting him, Kylie wrapped her arms

around Ash’s neck and held on as he carried her outside,

not setting her down until they were by his car. Holy moly,

his car was a pristine classic muscle car, and somehow, it fit

Ash’s image perfectly.

She wondered how many women had ridden in the

car when he’d offered to drive them home. In high school,

Ash had seemed to have a new girlfriend all the time, so as

an adult, she could only imagine. Only… she didn’t want to

imagine. She didn’t want to know. Because right now, he

was acting as though she was the only woman on the

planet, and it felt really nice.

“In you go,” he said, holding the door open for her.

Kylie climbed into the car, and before she could reach

for the seatbelt, Ash was looming over her as he pulled the

belt over her body and clicked it into place. His face was so

close to hers that she thought he was going to kiss her. And

she wanted that. She wanted it bad. His scent was enough

to make her feel drunk. Although, that could have also been

the drinks she had. But the man smelled edible, and she

would bet that he tasted as good as he smelled. After a few seconds of him staring into her eyes with his mouth only

inches from hers, he pulled away and closed the door.

Damn.

“What’s your address?” he asked when he climbed

into the car.

“Why?”

Ash gave her an incredulous look, and she didn’t

know why. She was just trying to catch her breath from the

intoxicating moment they’d just shared with his lips so close

to hers, and he was asking her for her address.

“Because I’m driving you home, so unless you’d like

me to take you home with me, I need your address.”

Oh duh.

Geez, Kylie, way to be an airhead.

She rattled off the address to her apartment and then

sat back in the seat and closed her eyes. Ash started the

car, and a strong vibration from the powerful motor

practically had her humming with pleasure.

Probably a bad idea to start grinding on the

passenger seat to try to get some relief from the arousal

that the man next to her had caused. Even though he said

he wasn’t going to sleep with her, that didn’t mean she

wouldn’t be fantasizing about this night for the rest of her

life.

“What are you thinking about, short stuff?”

Cracking one eye open to look at him, Kylie wondered

how he knew she wasn’t sleeping. Ash reached over, rested

his large warm hand on her thigh, and glanced over at her

for just a second before returning his eyes to the road. If

only he would inch that hand a little higher.

“I was just thinking about high school. And that this

night has been weird.”

He nodded, “Yeah, tonight has been weird for sure.

And whoever the fuck stood you up is a dipshit and doesn’t

deserve you. Was it a first date?”

Why did he care?

“Yes.”

His thumb moved back and forth along her thigh, and

she found it soothing. He wasn’t trying to feel her up, he

was just touching her to touch her.

“Where’d you meet this idiot?”

Turning her head to really look at him, Kylie noticed

that he was clenching his jaw and had a scowl on his face.

“I met him online. What does it matter? He didn’t

show.”

Whipping his head toward her, his hand tightened

around her thigh, and he glared at her before turning his

attention back to the road.

“Jesus, Kylie! Online? And you came to meet him

alone? He could be a serial killer for all you know.”

Glaring at Ash, Kylie pushed his hand off her thigh. He

made a disgruntled noise, and to her disappointment, he

didn’t put it back on her leg. Instead, he gripped the

steering wheel with both hands.

“So could you! I’m not completely stupid. I googled

the guy. He’s a freaking accountant. I’m pretty sure he’s not

a serial killer.”

Ash braked and brought the car to a complete stop in

the middle of the empty neighborhood road and turned to

her.

“Little girl, you do not meet men from the internet

alone. It isn’t safe. I don’t give a shit if it’s the fucking

president of the United States that you met online, you

don’t go alone. Ever. Are. We. Clear?” he growled.

Shit. Ash had gone from hot, playful, easy-going

Daddy vibe to protective, bossy, jerkface in the flip of a hat.

And it was both infuriating and arousing all in one.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Kylie sat back in

the seat and looked straight ahead.

“Take me home, Ash.”

He muttered something under his breath about her

needing a keeper and a damn hard spanking as he got the car moving again toward her apartment.

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