Seduction (Club Destiny 3)

“Why are we doing this, Alex?” She really wanted to know.

The kiss they shared last night was as unexpected as it was riveting. Having him show up at her house unannounced, spend two hours running with her, had been overwhelming, to say the least. And now, here they were attempting to converse over dinner when it was clear the only thing going on between them was a little chemistry.

Ok, a lot of chemistry.

Instead of answering, Alex surprised her by pushing back his chair and taking his plate to the kitchen. Feeling like she had brought the black cloud over their attempt at a date, she followed behind him, scooping up her dishes as well.

Depositing them alongside his on the counter, Ashleigh stopped to look at him. Watching as he pulled a long neck bottle from the refrigerator, she waited.

And waited.

Instead of talking to her, he apparently decided to ignore her altogether. Proven when he opened the beer then continued out onto the back porch leaving her staring after him.

Figuring he needed a little space, and she wasn’t opposed to the idea either, not to mention she wasn’t sure what to do next, Ashleigh busied herself with cleaning the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher.

That didn’t take as long as she hoped and she found herself fidgeting as she looked from the back door then back to the wall. What the hell was she supposed to do now?

If she was smart, she would grab her purse and walk out the door, leaving Alex to his temper tantrum. She should pretend this never happened and do her level best to forget what it felt like to kiss Alex McDermott. Forget how sexy the man looked in running shorts and a tight t-shirt. And forget that, for most of her adult life, she had lusted after this man.

Since that wasn’t likely to happen, she did what her heart warned her not to do. She turned on her heel and stormed out onto the back porch.

Chapter Eight

“Thank you for dinner.” Ashleigh stated as the door clicked shut behind her.

She fully intended to tell him goodbye and then be on her merry way, but a sliver of hope surged up from somewhere deep inside when Alex turned and shot a glance her way. He didn’t look happy, and that tiny spark was doused the moment he turned his back on her again.

“Alrighty then.” She muttered before inserting some steel into her spine and standing up straight. “I guess I’ll be seeing ya.” With that Ashleigh turned to go.

“Wait.” Alex’s voice broke the silence and had Ashleigh stopping in her tracks.

She had one hand on the door knob, ready to haul ass and pretend this night never happened – pretend the entire day had never happened. Instead, she stood there, anticipating what he would say next. To her dismay, he didn’t continue, and with a suddenly heavy heart, she knew there was nothing left to say.

They had given it a shot, Alex even more so. After years and years of the chase, apparently the next step wasn’t all that he thought it would be. She turned the knob and took one step inside before she was abruptly pulled backward, Alex’s solid body colliding with her back, his arms wrapping around her.

In that one instance, all thought was erased from her mind as she allowed Alex to turn her in his arms, pulling her against him and all of the pent up frustration burst free when his mouth collided with hers.

Lips, firm and soft, melded with hers, and she let herself get lost in his kiss. Wrapping her arms around him, everything she had ever held back came barreling forth in a rush, leaving her breathless and aching for this man.

Sliding her hands into the hair at his nape, she let the silky, cool strands caress her fingertips. When he backed her against the rough stone of the house, his erection pressing intimately against her lower belly, Ashleigh thought of nothing more than having him the way she almost had him so many years ago.

When he cupped her face in a gentle, tender gesture, Ashleigh fought to maintain control. The heat she could handle. The inferno erupting between them was familiar, expected, but the way he touched her, held her close, was more than she expected. More than she wanted. When he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers, Ashleigh tried to breathe normally.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, his breath warm against her cheek.

“For what?” She didn’t want apologies, she wanted to go home and forget this night ever happened.

“For making this awkward.”

“Well, I think it’s safe to say it’s not your fault.”

“In a way, it was.” Alex pulled away, taking her hand in his and walking toward the steps that led down into the yard. When he stopped and sat, she had no choice but to follow suit.

“I’ve waited a long time for this, Ash.”

Ashleigh sat motionless; her hand enveloped in his much larger, much warmer one. The deep rumble of his voice was like warm honey sliding over her skin and the remnants of his kiss had her lips tingling.