26. Ashton
Chapter 26
Ashton
It’s official. I’m completely and utterly addicted to Kendall—and our in-the-air quickie has only made it worse.
“So…” she says once we put our clothes back on and recline in the super-comfortable chairs. “Did you join the Mile High Club for the first time today, or?—”
“Today. You?”
“Same. That is, assuming you’re telling the truth.”
I cover her hand with mine. “Why would I lie?”
She bites her lip. “To make yourself sound less promiscuous?”
I blow out a breath. “Are we back to that nonsense?”
She shrugs. “I still find it difficult to believe that you had three years of abstinence. Especially with temptations like Megan floating around you at all times.”
Fuck. I pull my hand away. “You should trust me.”
Isn’t that the cornerstone of a serious relationship? Because that’s where I feel we’re headed—and to my surprise, I’m not freaked out at all. The opposite, actually.
“You’re just suspiciously good at sex,” she continues.
“Thanks?” I arch an eyebrow. “So are you.”
She rolls her eyes. “By that, I mean the kind of good that takes dedicated practice.”
Huh. “When I was in business school, I didn’t have time to ride a bike,” I point out. “But once I got back on one, the skills came back instantly.” Coincidentally, it helped that the bike I got on was a Pinarello masterpiece with outstanding aerodynamic design, lightweight construction, and curvy wheels that?—
“I want to believe you,” she says but doesn’t sound convinced.
I don’t know what else to say, but I’m not too concerned. Trust is earned, which means once we’re together long enough, it will come naturally. I hope.
“Okay, changing the topic,” she says. “I spoke to my brother, and he’d be happy to talk to you about AI.”
“Thanks. That’s great.” I like it that she was talking about me when we weren’t together, and to her family on top of that.
She wrinkles her nose. “Don’t thank me yet. There’s a catch.”
“Oh?”
“He wants to talk to you during his birthday party.”
“Right, so… what’s the catch?”
She snorts. “My whole family will be there.”
“And?” I get that we haven’t been together that long, but given how I’ve been feeling about us, meeting her family doesn’t seem too crazy.
Which, of course, is crazy—and probably karma at work for making fun of Marcus when things seemed to go too fast between him and Emma.
“Hey, if you don’t see a problem, it’s all good,” Kendall says.
“Can I bring a guest?” I ask.
“Sure. Who?”
“My CTO. In case the conversation gets too technical for me.”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll let Cameron know.”
“When is the event?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
“Oh, shit. I need to let my CTO know.”
Pulling out my phone, I call Jordan, but she doesn’t pick up.
Ah. Right. She told me she was going hiking.
I write her a text, explaining the situation.
When I called Jordan from the boat and told her what happened, she begged to meet my girlfriend as soon as humanly possible, so bringing her to this birthday party will kill two birds.
“That should be that,” I say as I tuck away my phone. “And now we’ve got plans for the day after tomorrow.”
“Seems like it.”
“What about before that?” I ask. “What do you plan on doing?”
She sighs. “Working on VersaWear, nonstop.”
I’m disappointed but completely understand. “What about at night?”
Her eyes widen. “Are you inviting yourself over?”
“That, or you can come visit me and Sir Ems.”
She purses her lips. “Is this a date or a booty call?”
“A date.”
“But it sounds like a booty call.”
“What if I cook us dinner?” I suggest.
She grins. “Throw in a massage, and you’ve got yourself a date.”
I promise her that massage, and we chat about nothing in particular until we land and then share a car that drops her off first.
Jumping out of the car, I open the door for Kendall and ask if I can help her get her suitcase to her apartment.
“Sure.” She brushes her fingers over my hand as she hands me the suitcase.
“Wait for me,” I tell the driver.
“How long?” he asks.
“A while,” Kendall and I say in unison.
“I’ll make it worth your while,” I add.
The driver nods, and Kendall and I grin at each other the whole way to her door. Predictably, she invites me inside.
“Where do you want the suitcase?” I ask as I watch her take off her sneakers.
“Can you tuck it under the sofa?” She takes her socks off—exposing the bare feet of which I’ve been such a fan, especially after that foot job.
I deal with the suitcase, and when I come back, I could swear I see her hide a plastic bag inside a nearby hamper—a bag containing her socks.
Huh. Did I imagine that, or is she that much of a clean freak? If so, the island must’ve been more difficult for her than she let on.
“Would you like a tour?” she asks.
I nod, and she leads me into her living room, where a vintage tuba—or rather, sousaphone—is displayed as a centerpiece, surrounded by fashionable modern furniture.
“No TV?” I ask, looking around.
“Haven’t had time for it.”
“And no animals?” I ask, though the pristine pink velvet couch is a dead giveaway.
She shrugs. “Does my former boss count?”
“Sure. But he’s not your problem anymore.” I glance at her bare feet. “Where is your bedroom?”
She leads me into a room with a bed covered by chic monochrome bedding. It sits on top a cozy rug. Next to one of the pillows is a plushie in the shape of a penguin.
“That’s Oswald,” Kendall says, having followed my gaze.
“Is his last name Cobblepot?”
It must be the right thing to say because she kisses me, and we pull off each other’s clothes with a desperation that shouldn’t be there considering what happened so recently on the plane. Then again, the two of us are like baking soda and vinegar: put us together, and the fizzy chemistry becomes unstoppable.
“Lie down and spread your legs for me,” I say hoarsely when we pull apart from the kiss. “I want to savor you.”
She complies, her hazel eyes heavy-lidded.
I taste her with relish, and it’s like coming home. Speaking of coming, I do not stop my ministrations until she comes three times for me, and then and only then do I enter her, moving slowly, thoughtfully, making eye contact the whole time.
Fuck me.
Something about this moment is different.
More sensual.
More mindful.
It’s like with every thrust, we’re becoming one. A whole that is better than the sum of its parts.
“I’m going to come,” Kendall gasps, her pupils widening.
She bucks against me, and I instinctively speed up until I can’t hold back anymore and I erupt into her, feeling her release all over me.
“You have to go, right?” she asks after we both recover enough to carry on a semi-coherent conversation.
“Sadly, yes. Randy has already done me a huge favor looking after Sir Ems beyond our original agreement. I promised I’d relieve him tonight.”
She pouts prettily. “I seem to sleep better when you’re around.”
Has she forgotten how little we actually slept when we shared a bed? Then again, when I did sleep, it was pretty deep, especially considering how hot it was on the island.
“I could stay over tomorrow if you’d be okay with me bringing my dog.”
She looks uncertain. “Will he make a mess?”
I shake my head. “He’s a good boy. He hasn’t made a mess since he was seven months old—which is the equivalent of a twelve-year-old kid. And before you ask, he didn’t inherit such good behavior from me. I was a devil way beyond that age.” Especially if you listen to my parents.
She chuckles. “You were a devil? Past tense?”
“That sounds like my cue to leave.” I very reluctantly get up and get dressed—and when I catch her watching me, her expression is difficult to read.
Once I’m dressed, she puts on a robe and walks me to the door, which is where I kiss her goodbye before trudging to the car that’s still waiting for me.
“Where to?” the driver asks.
I tell him, and we get going. A few minutes into the trip, my sister calls.
“Hey,” she says, her voice sounding odd. “Sorry I couldn’t take your call. I was on the stupid hike.”
Stupid? She loves hiking. “Is everything okay?”
“No,” she says.
I grip the phone tighter. “What happened?”
She blows out a breath. “I just got home from the doctor. A tick attached itself to my shoulder, so I had to get it removed.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah. I wore long sleeves and boots. The asshole managed to get me anyway.”
“But the doctor removed it?”
“Yeah. They’re going to test it for Lyme disease.”
“Fucking fucker.” I never would’ve thought I’d want to do violent things to a tick, but here we are. “Please take some time off. And don’t worry about that dinner I texted you about. I’ll?—”
“Yeah, right,” she says, sounding like her usual self. “Your new girlfriend will be there. A whole army of ticks couldn’t keep me away.”
“I mean it,” I say firmly. “I’m ordering you to take it easy.”
“And I will. But I’m not skipping that dinner. No way.”
“Fine.” When it comes to my little sister, I know which fights are worth it and which aren’t. “Let me know as soon as the tests come through.”
“Sure. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go get some sleep.”
“Of course. Talk to you tomorrow.”
I hang up and start typing a query in my phone’s search engine. My vet prescribed Sir Ems a pill that prevents tick bites. Should I have provided my sister with something similar?
Turns out, no. Such things only exist for dogs.
When I step into my apartment, Sir Ems greets me with such excited tail wagging you’d think it’s been a decade since I left.
“I’ve missed you too,” I tell him as I pet him and scratch behind his ears. “Next time, I’m taking you with me. You would’ve helped in case I really did end up having to hunt for survival.”
Randy looks curious at this, so I tell him—but really Sir Ems—about what happened in detail, skipping only the intimate parts pertaining to Kendall.
“Glad you made it out safe,” Randy says. “I’m going to go. Call me if you need my help again.”
“Thanks.” I pay the man, adding a huge tip on top of what I owe.
“Want to go for a walk before we head to bed?” I ask Sir Ems.
He gives me a look that speaks volumes, and in a British accent on top of that. “For a human—even of the Yank variety—you ask the daftest questions. As a dog, the day I refuse a walk is the day you can be sure that evil squirrels have succeeded in poisoning my brain.”