12. The Cost of Temptation
Chapter 12
The Cost of Temptation
Ori
H ow the hell am I not supposed to read into that statement? The man is a walking contradiction. He doesn’t want me, but he’ll be damned if anyone else has me.
Make it make sense.
I need space. When I’m this close to Ash, my head gets fuzzy and don’t even get me started on the feelings coursing through the rest of my body.
But when I try to pull away, his grip only tightens, his fingers unyielding as his lips once again dip to my ear. “Where are you running off to, Little One? I’m nowhere near ready to let you go.”
He opens a button on my coat and slips his hand beneath the woolen fabric. My breath hitches as his fingers dip under my sweater to trace slow, deliberate lines across my stomach, sending a wave of warmth that curls low in my core.
I bite back a gasp as my body arches involuntarily into his touch, craving more even as I struggle to resist his advances. “Ash?—”
“I need this. I need you.” His mouth grazes the sensitive skin beneath my ear, his beard delivering a delicious tickle that shoots another surge of sparks through me. “Back to your bodyguard services. Think I can make alternate payment arrangements?”
“I’m open to negotiations.” My words are a husky whisper, evidence of his effect on me.
“Lucky for me, I possess insider information.”
“On what?”
“On you.” He brushes his nose along my jaw before nipping at my earlobe, the sensation sending a jolt of electricity through me.
I duck my head, desperate to keep my wits about me. “That tickles.”
“That’s the idea.” Another chuckle rumbles from his chest, reverberating through me. Ash is savoring every second of undoing me.
Seems he doesn’t mind an audience. Come to think of it, neither do I, at least not where Asher Hammond is concerned, and I’m sure as hell not telling him to stop. At this point, every word is a struggle against the illicit battle he’s waging.
Although his movements hide beneath the fabric of my coat, one look at my face will tell people all they need to know about our current activity. Thank God for the dim lighting and dark velvet drapes.
Ash continues his covert exploration as he slides his hand beneath the waist of my pants, tracing along the edge of my g-string. Then he dips lower, dancing his fingers across my clit as his talented digits beckon me out to play. “Fuck, Oriana Thorne, the feel of you. You are pure temptation.”
Will I have sex here in the far corner of the tent? At this moment, it’s a definite option. I’ll deal with any public relations nightmare another day.
Right now, my body is driven by nothing but desire.
“Want to go inside?” Ash murmurs, his voice a low growl in my ear.
Before I can respond in the affirmative and drag him to our basement hideaway, someone clears their throat next to us, cutting off our stolen moment.
Glancing to my left, I spy Braden, a knowing smile quirking the corners of his mouth. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to steal my brother.”
I expect Ash to release me immediately, now that his brother—and the rest of the patrons in the tent—are fully aware of our ministrations.
But I’m wrong. Ash cocks a brow at Braden, but his hand remains splayed against my abdomen. “I’m a little busy. What do you need?”
Braden shakes his head with a laugh. “I can see that, but we’re about to pick the raffle winner, and since you’re the artist laying the ink, that job falls to you.”
Then he turns and walks away, no doubt enjoying a silent snicker for catching us with our pants almost down—again.
Ash drops his head to my shoulder with a grunt. “Perfect timing, as always.”
“Duty calls.”
He slips his hand from beneath my coat, and my skin immediately misses the warmth of his caress. “I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”
I spin around and offer a cheeky smile as I catch Ash adjusting himself. Glad to know I have some effect on the man. “Don’t go too far. A bodyguard is always on duty.”
He glances down at me, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Thought you said I couldn’t afford you?”
I trace the rim of my wine glass and shrug. “Eh, we’ll work out a payment schedule. I’m certain you can come up with something to satisfy my demands.”
“Satisfying your demands might become my full-time job,” he says, his voice a low rumble as he slides a finger along my jaw.
“Worse ways to go.”
Ash chortles, running a hand along the back of his neck. “Damn straight.”
Do I want to delay the end of our flirtation? Of course, but I see Braden out of the corner of my eye, jerking his chin toward the waiting crowd at the far end of the tent.
I give Ash a playful shove. “Go on. I’m heading down the street to grab some food.”
Ash gestures behind him. “The guys are ordering pizza. You’re welcome to a slice.”
There’s something about his current demeanor that is so endearing. Even if he plays the part of the big, tough heartbreaker, I can tell he’s reluctant to leave my side.
Maybe it’s because he was guaranteed a quick fuck in the basement. Or maybe, just maybe, he likes me, too. Even if he won’t admit that fact.
“I heard there is a champagne and chocolate set up outside the wine bar, and I’m dying to taste some chocolate right now. ”
Ash averts his gaze, barking out a laugh. “Dying, huh?”
“Absolutely desperate. My mouth is watering already.” I drag my tongue along my lower lip and release a low moan.
“Fucking hell,” Ash mutters, grabbing at his jeans to adjust himself once more. “You don’t play fair.”
Biting my lip, I hold his gaze. He may have to leave, but I’m ensuring I remain at the forefront of his thoughts. “Where’s the fun in that? Now scoot. Go pick your lucky winner.”
My gaze follows Ash as he saunters across the tent, ready to choose the lucky recipient of his custom-made body art. If the gods are kind, it’ll be a burly man who wins the prize.
Turns out, the gods are sadistic assholes. I grit my teeth as Ash selects the winner from the glass bowl—a striking woman with inky black hair, a wisp of a waist and the biggest tits I’ve seen outside of the porn industry.
Mina sidles over, a mischievous gleam in her eye. “Having fun?”
“Not at the moment,” I grumble, shooting a side-eye toward Ash and the dark-haired beauty captivating his attention.
“Not now. Before.”
“It was fine,” I lie, determined to downplay my stolen moments with Sparkwood’s resident heartthrob. “Why?”
Mina shakes her head, releasing an aggravated grunt. “Fine? What a load of garbage. I saw you two canoodling.”
Despite my internal angst, I chuckle and down my last sip of wine. “That is a bald-faced lie. I never canoodle. For your information, I’m Ash’s new bodyguard.”
“Is that what you two are calling it?”
“What would you call it? ”
“Totally fucking hot for one another.” She wags her finger under my nose. “Don’t deny it. Everyone in this tent saw what happened between you two.”
“Great, I’ll likely have a hit out on me by the end of the festival.” I brush imaginary lint from my coat, trying my damnedest to put my emotions back to rights. “Maybe he did it to get a rise out of them. Stoke their jealousy. Stranger things have happened.”
Mina rolls her eyes. “Or maybe Ash did it to send a message.”
“What message is that?”
“Back off, because he’s off the market.”
Now I’ve heard everything. Yes, the romantic idealist in me yearns for that to be the case, but the realistic side of my nature warns me it’s highly unlikely. Does Ash like me? Probably. Thinks I’m great in the sack? I’m leaning toward yes. Willing to part with his player persona for me? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
“Trust me, not even close. I’ve been hired for my extraordinary sparring skills. End of story.”
I hug myself as the brisk chill sweeps in from the tent entrance. Funny how I didn’t feel the cold in Ash’s arms. But it’s back to reality.
At least for the present.
“Obviously. What other reason could he have?” Mina motions toward the store. “Ready to head out for a bit? Check out the rest of the festival?”
“Absolutely. Want to join me for some champagne and chocolate at the wine bar?”
Mina’s eyes light up like a kid at, well, Christmas. “Definitely.”
I cast one final glance toward Ash before ducking out of the tent, but he’s too involved with Ms. Porn USA to notice me.
Yet another reason keeping my distance is the smart move. There is no way I can share a man with a bevy of other women—that’s just not in my DNA.
But with Asher Hammond, that’s my only option.