Chapter 18 #2
Vince cocks his head. “You and Mason… always in competition.” He tsks , giving my body another suggestive once over.
I climb on behind Ash as he revs the engine like a threatening growl.
We watch the group of guys part in a somewhat reluctant pace, then take off.
The tension in Ash’s muscles never lessens. Even at the stoplight, his upper body remains flexed through and through. Vince’s words must’ve triggered a nerve. Are he and Mason really that competitive?
I hug my arms tighter around his chest. I want him to know that I’m here. Not just on the bike with him, but also for emotional support. I care. And I’m not bothered by what the prick said.
Before the light turns green again, I feel his sigh, and all at once, his tension loosens, like a weight falling off.
His gloved fingers give my hand a quick squeeze, then return to the throttle to accelerate, but I know, in this brief moment, something that doesn’t need words passed between us.
I lean into his body on the bike, my legs spread around his, the engine roaring between my thighs. Each time we ride, I get more confident. My curves are very familiar with his contours by now, and it’s not awkward to touch him so intimately. I no longer find the closeness daunting. I revel in it.
And I trust him.
Even when he takes us on an obscure path through the woods.
Ash decelerates to weave through the trees until they open to a jaw-dropping view of a lake, completely hidden away by the dense forest vegetation.
A gasp leaves my lungs as the moonlight glitters across the black glass surface. “Holy shit!”
I catch Ash’s pleased chuckle before he cuts the engine and silence takes over. Not even a breeze whispers through the leaves.
I scan the shore. The lake isn’t very big, and yet I can’t make out a single house in the distance. There’s no one but us for miles. I’m guessing it’s a natural feature, not man-made.
I dismount and take the helmet off. “How in the world did you find this place?”
It seems the perfect dumping ground for a body , I muse to myself.
There’s not even a boat dock that suggests anyone visits this spot.
Ever. The path we took was tough on the bike—more manageable with a car, I guess—but weeds and brush going up to the water are thigh-high.
They tickle my legs up to the hem of my skirt.
Kind of idyllic, though.
“Mace and I used to go hiking in this area,” Ash says, removing his gloves, his helmet sitting on his lap. “Even camped out here on warmer nights. Anything was better than being at home.”
His voice grows somber, and I look back over my shoulder at him. This place must hold some pleasant memories for him then.
Is that why he brought me here? To add happy memories?
I stroll back to him still straddling the seat of that fierce machine, my fingertips weaving through the tall weeds. I’m glad I’m wearing combat boots and not heels.
The glitter of moonlight reflects in his eyes, making him look utterly irresistible even before he catches on to the extra sway in my step. Those dimples deepen with his roguish grin, and a heatwave rushes me.
I reach for the bottom of my sweatshirt, pulling it off and tossing it into the grass without much care.
Ash does the same with the helmet on his lap, and I hear it land with a soft thump before I swing my leg over the bike’s middle, facing him.
His boots are firmly planted on the ground, keeping us steady when I link my arms around his neck and scoot my ass closer, legs dangling on either side of him. My skirt fans out without restricting my movements.
Strong hands clasp the back of my knees to jerk me toward him that last bit, and then his hungry kiss crashes down on me .
“This outfit’s been driving me crazy all night,” he rasps, his mouth slanted over mine.
His tongue explores me. His arms coil around my waist to lift me onto his lap, and I follow his cue, wrapping myself around him with growing need.
Ash’s kiss is smooth. It’s deep and bold.
Straddling him, I rock against the enlarged bulge at his fly, my fingers running through his longer hair on top, tugging at the root.
“You got me so fucking hard, baby,” he groans, his hands kneading my ass encouragingly while I roll my hips to grind down harder.
Teeth graze my bottom lip, nipping and tugging with erotic greed that feeds into me. I feel the charge tingling under my skin.
Ash’s hands slide under my top. He relinquishes his claim on my mouth to plant feverish kisses along my throat with more sucking and biting while stroking me.
I tip my head back, eyes closed. His touch is everywhere.
“Lean back,” his panting voice urges.
A jolt rocks through me. “Aren’t we going to tip over?”
“I got it,” he assures me.
My hands unlink from his neck, and Ash lays me out on the gas tank. I can still feel him hard against me with the angle of my hips, my legs draped over his thighs as he keeps the bike steady.
Grinding the thick ridge of his shaft into the already soaked material of my underwear, he pushes my top up to expose my breasts.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful, Em. ”
The breeze tweaks my hardened tips, and with the way the moonlight carves his features, I see the strained expression on his face matching the rough edge in his tone.
“Touch yourself for me.” The bike rocks as he shifts to undo his jeans and shove them down. “Let me watch you.”
I don’t even hesitate at his demand. Both of my hands dip under my skirt, one pushing the cotton aside to tease my clit and the other sliding two fingers along my wet seam.
My eyes roll up at the sensation. I’ve touched myself so many times before, but with him watching me, everything is heightened.
I refocus my sight on Ash, a fist wrapped around his hard cock.
The silver piercing glints with the faint light from above the lake, and a slick bead sits ready at the tip.
There’s no sly grin curling the corner of his mouth. He appears too fixated to be gloating. Left hand on my hip, he stands tall over me, stroking himself as his eyes rivet to my movements.
I arch off the gas tank, spasming under the pleasure. I’m so close. My leg muscles jitter.
“Fuck! That’s it. Come for me, baby girl.”
I hear him speeding up, the wet sound filling my ears, and right when I’m about to come, he rips my hand away, replacing it with his thumb as he thrusts his fully enlarged cock into me.
I splinter apart on impact. He impales me with every inch he has at his disposal, and I can’t stop my descent. My body contorts on the bike. My muscles twitch. I take his ruthless pounding as my walls squeeze his throbbing length until Ash rears back from his own release.
“Fuck!” he bellows into the night.
Then he collapses down on me, his face buried in my neck. “That was so hot.”
A laugh bursts from my chest. I’ve never felt so high on sex.
Ash presses a kiss to the side of my throat. His hair tickles me, and a light sheen of sweat coats his neck as I run my nails along his nape.
“I hate that I have to take you home,” he groans resentfully. “ Your home, I mean. I’d love to take you back to my place. But, you know…”
Yeah, but his place isn’t just his place. It’s their place.
“You got work tomorrow?” I can’t remember if he said the shop is open on weekends.
Ash pulls out. “ I do.” He lifts off and straightens, his eyes finding mine. “We’re open half-day on Saturdays, which Mason and I alternate since Isaac doesn’t need both of us.”
“Isaac’s your boss?” I ask as we both tuck our clothes back into place.
“Yeah. He owns the shop. Built it from the ground up.”
“And Sundays?” I prod.
The lightness in Ash’s demeanor returns with a hopeful grin. “Closed.” Then his hands slide under me to pull me up.
I’m grateful for the boost. My abs are sore like I did 1000 crunches.
His arms slide around, holding me too him as he kisses me again, slow, and deep, but with the initial hunger sated for now .
I still love every second of it.
And if he didn’t have to get up early, I’d invite him to stay the night.
Ash watches me from the curb as I walk up to the apartment building, fishing my keys out of my hoodie’s pocket even though I don’t know why I bother with it. He told me that apparently the main door doesn’t latch properly, which is how he’d gotten in when he came to pick me up.
My eyes drop to the lock as I find the door slightly ajar, the mechanism not catching, and when I pull it open, I notice tool marks. The damage was deliberate.
Dammit!
I make a mental note to call the super in the morning, but the chances of me reaching anyone and getting it repaired over the weekend are slim to fucking none.
I won’t be able to sleep, knowing there’s a strangler on the loose.
Both victims had dark hair and were close enough in age to me. I fit his pattern.
On the danger of sounding like a total girl, I admit I would’ve really liked to have Ash stay the night.
The fading roar of his bike tells me he’s gone shortly after I let the door fall back on its busted latch and start stalking down the dark hallway toward my apartment.
I switch keys. Sliding the right one into the lock, I twist it and step into the secondary void beyond. It’s not until I turn around and shut the door that the presence of a large mass registers behind me.