“I had a great day,” Ash said.
“Me too.”
“Even though we drank?”
“Well, we didn’t drink until the show.”
“I remember. I had a headache half the day.”
I laughed. “Poor baby.”
He laughed with me. “No, I mean it. This was nice. It was exactly what I needed. Just a day off to not think about anything.”
“I’m glad.”
Ash set his empty wine glass down on the coffee table, stood, and offered me his hand. “Can I have this dance?”
I sipped my wine. “You’re serious? My apartment is too small.”
He took my hand and pulled me to my feet. “Then, I’ll have to hold you close.”
He set my drink on the table and took my arms in his, and the waltz came back to us as if we’d never lost it. I remembered the exact weight of his arms, as we’d done this dance in front of hundreds of people at my debutante ball. It felt like so much more now. Nothing official about how far we were supposed to be separated, and he pulled me in close enough that our chests were nearly touching. When I looked up at him, I could have stood on tiptoe and met his lips.
I felt dizzy with the alcohol and his nearness as we moved to Sinatra. Everything fell away. The world belonged to us in that moment.
The song came to a crescendo. Ash spun me in a circle once, drew me into his arms, and then dipped me. I laughed softly as my head nearly touched the sofa. My apartment really was tiny. But it didn’t matter because I was in Ash’s arms. And he held me as if I was precious. And I wanted everything with this man. Everything.
Ash looked at me as if seeing me for the first time. He pulled me back to my feet. The music was still playing, but we weren’t moving. He tilted my head up to look at him.
“Please,” I whispered as our bodies touched. The alcohol made me bold enough to ask for what I wanted.
“Amelia,” he groaned.
Then, his lips crashed down onto mine. This was nothing like our first kiss, which had been slow and sensual and built up in my mind as the best kiss of my entire life. But I’d been just eighteen then, and this was something utterly different. This was ecstasy.
Our lips moved together, saying all the things I’d wanted to say for years. Saying everything with that one kiss. That I was his. Utterly and completely. And I didn’t care what happened, but I wanted this tonight. I wanted him. I’d always wanted him.
His other arm snaked around my waist and dragged me hard against him. Our bodies crushed together until there was barely room to breathe.
At the first sweep of his tongue, a moan escaped me. He smiled against my mouth, clearly enjoying how much I was enjoying him. And then he delved in, caressing my tongue with his. Shivers ran down my body and need pulsed through me.
“Oh,” I said as he nipped at my bottom lip.
His hand ran down my side, feeling his way over the curve of my waist before pushing back up until he found my breast. I was still in the skimpy black dress I’d worn to the show. I’d skipped a bra, and he must have noticed. Because he growled deep in the back of his throat as his hand cupped my breast. His fingers flicked against my nipple, making me shudder against him.
He released my mouth, working his way to my ear and then down the column of my throat. I tilted back to give him better access as I gripped on to the front of his button-up. He reached my collarbone, pushed my strap off of my shoulder, and kissed across it.
“Mia, Mia, Mia,” he purred against my skin.
“Yes,” I gasped.
His hands moved to my ass, and then, suddenly, he was hoisting me into the air. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he started to walk out of the living room. He toed the door open. He’d slept in here the first night he was here, but he hadn’t been back inside since.
He dropped me onto the bed, covering my body with his and returning those beautiful lips to mine. I hadn’t released him with my legs, and I could feel exactly what our kissing had done to him as well.
I reached a hand between us and brushed against his dick. He groaned deep in the back of his throat as he pushed himself into my hand.
“Amelia,” he groaned.
I gripped him tighter through his pants. Fuck, I wanted him out of these pants. My hands moved to his belt, yanking it free. I popped the button and dragged the zipper down. Then, I pushed my hand into his boxers and slid my hand around the hard length of him.