Chapter Three
Carla pressed her palms against her desk, her fingers wrapping around the edge, waiting for Ashley to explain, and Carla didn’t even know what she wanted to hear.
What she did know, was that listening to Ashley was better than kissing her. But if Ashley didn’t start talking soon, Carla didn’t trust herself not to grab a fistful of her shirt and kiss her again.
“I should have told you that night,” Ashley said. “But I knew it would ruin any chance I might have had with you. Not that I thought I had much of one, but still… I couldn’t sabotage myself like that. I know it was wrong. I know I should have been honest. But I never thought I’d be sitting beside you at a bar, and I just couldn’t do it.”
Carla raked her hand through her hair. How had they even gotten here? She should have told Ashley to leave as soon as she’d come back up here.
“And honestly,” Ashley continued. “I’m glad that I didn’t tell you.”
Carla scoffed.
“I’m serious.”
Carla shook her head, unable to even put her thoughts into words. This whole situation was a disaster.
“Have you thought about me at all in the last seven weeks?” Ashley asked, and thankfully Carla hadn’t been looking directly at Ashley, because Carla knew her poker face was shit.
Carla’s eyes were on the couch to her right, unable to bring herself to lie, but Ashley’s warm fingertips were on Carla’s cheek and then her chin, tilting her gaze back up to Ashley’s.
“Because I haven’t stopped thinking about you,” Ashley said. “About that night.”
Carla could feel her willpower fading. Ashley was so close, her lips just inches away, and Carla swallowed as she shifted on the desk. It was supposed to be an attempt to put a little space between them, but what actually happened was that Carla’s legs had moved apart enough for Ashley to step between them.
And Carla couldn’t resist her any longer. Carla’s eyes fluttered shut as she reached up to cup Ashley’s cheek, bringing their lips together in a desperate kiss.
Carla’s hand left the desk and held onto Ashley’s hip, a low moan escaping her own lips when Ashley’s tongue grazed hers. Carla lost herself in the kiss, giving into weeks of pent-up desire.
Ashley’s hand lowered to her neck, her thumb stroking along Carla’s jaw before her hand slid into Carla’s hair, their breathing heavy, their hands wandering.
But when Ashley tugged Carla’s blouse out of her pants, her hands hot against Carla’s stomach, she finally snapped out it.
Carla reluctantly put her hand on Ashley’s shoulder as she broke the kiss, keeping some space between them before she let her hand fall.
Ashley’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes searching Carla’s, almost as if she knew this was coming, that Carla would want to stop before they got carried away. And this should have stopped as soon as Ashley had come back here.
Carla squeezed past Ashley, sliding off the desk and taking a deep breath, trying to get her heart rate under control.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Ashley said, turning to look at her from where she stood in front of Carla’s desk.
Carla bit her lip to hide her smile. Ashley was persistent if nothing else. “I think you already know the answer.”
Carla went over to the door, her hand wrapping around the handle, and Ashley pursed her lips, before giving her a slight nod, almost admitting defeat.
Ashley came towards her, and Carla sucked in a breath, half wishing that Ashley would back her up against the door and kiss her again, but Ashley stood in front of her, probably waiting for Carla to open the door.
“So, that’s it?” Ashley asked. There was no anger in her voice. No frustration. It was just a simple question, one that Carla found herself unable to answer.
Carla knew what she was supposed to say, that yes, this was in fact it, but she couldn’t get the words out.
What if she’d overreacted? If Ashley was right and this wasn’t technically against the rules, why shouldn’t she act on this?
And instead of saying what she was supposed to, Carla surprised herself, saying the thought out loud as soon as it popped into her head.
“Come by my place later,” Carla said. She could hear the huskiness in her own voice, but she couldn’t let Ashley leave without knowing whether or not she would ever see her again.
In her head, Carla reasoned that they could at the very least talk later, something she didn’t feel entirely comfortable doing here, where someone might knock on her door and overhear their conversation.
But deep down, Carla knew what would happen if Ashley did come over to hers later, and Ashley did too judging by the satisfied smirk on those gorgeous lips.
“Okay,” Ashley said, that half-smile turning into a grin. “I’ll see you later then.”
Carla held her breath in anticipation as Ashley stepped closer, thinking that she’d get one more kiss before Ashley left, but Ashley’s lips grazed her cheek, and Carla opened the door for her, already thinking ahead to what would happen tonight.