“You painted us having sex?” Ashton said, still staring at the portrait. His gaze traced around every one of the soft curves on her body that she’d painted.
“That’s exactly what it is. Just another one of those things I had to get out of my head so I could work on more important things.”
He turned, his eyes searching hers. “Is this in your head often?”
More than she cared to admit. She’d been imagining it for years. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Sex is—”
“Sex between us...” he interrupted.
“It’s normal and healthy to imagine us having sex. You were my first love. You’re my brother’s best friend. You spent a lot of time at my house. We kissed and fooled around on more than one occasion. We were a thing. Well, sort of.” She huffed. “It’s typical my thoughts would stray and imagine us in that situation.”
He glanced back at the canvas. “But you painted it. You painted us.”
“I had to get it out of my head.” She nodded, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. His cologne was tantalizing her. His smile and the danger of being caught spurred on her desires. Images flashed of him taking her right there against the wall and making those images turn into real memories.
“It’s hot down here. Can we go upstairs?” she said, fanning her face, trying to hide the heat that claimed her cheeks.
“And is it out of your head?” he asked, resting his hand on her arm, stopping her retreat.
His gentle touch was something she could never forget. It brought back memories of the times she’d almost gotten him to give in. Times he’d walked away and not taken things further. He’d chosen his friendship with her brother over giving in to both their needs and claiming the relationship that held so much promise.
She had to remember that. He was only here as a favor to her brother. He hadn’t even bothered to track her down before now.
“You only make an occasional appearance in my dreams. Kind of like real life.” She turned and jogged up the stairs, not caring anymore if he was going to follow her.
She needed space to breathe, away from his intoxicating scent and the close proximity of his body.
Her face was flushed with humiliation and anger at herself. She moved to the front door and pulled it open, letting in the cool breeze. Damn him for showing up and damn her body for recognizing the pull between them.
“Let’s talk about this, Stella. Shut the door.” The low rumble of his voice switched her girly parts into overdrive.
She didn’t turn around, and she didn’t shut the door. “It’s fine, Ashton. There’s nothing to talk about. I got over you a long time ago.”
She felt him behind her, his hot breath against her ear as his fingers rested at her hip.
There was a momentary pause as if he’d been debating what to say when he finally whispered, “You’re making yourself a target.”
He pulled her back inside and shut the door, locking it behind her before turning her to face him. She stepped around him to walk past, and he stopped her with his hand in hers and spun her back around to face him.
The need in his eyes matched hers. “The history we share isn’t something that I can forget. Stella, you have no idea how hard it was to leave.”
“We aren’t kids anymore, Ashton. Why are you still denying what this is between us? Are you still worried about what other people might think?”
His gaze dropped to her lips. His face softened before he leaned his head against hers. “I was never worried about what other people might think, Stella, and you have no idea how hard it was seeing you again after all these years. From the moment you opened the damn door, it took everything I had not to pull you into my arms and kiss you again.”
She rested her hand behind his neck and started the kiss they both desired.
He stiffened and cupped her face like he was having an internal fight, as if deciding whether to pull her closer or push her away.
She took that away from him, too, when she pressed her body into his hard chest. She was a grown woman, unafraid to take what she wanted, even if the situation and timing wasn’t ideal.
He pulled her tighter. His hand slid up into her hair and tilted her head, deepening the kiss and swallowing her moan.
She slid her hands beneath his shirt up over the hard planes of his abs, wishing neither of them had barriers between them. Her body thrummed to life under his touch, under his kiss. Damn, she wanted more. She wanted him.
He broke the kiss and stared at her with a lust-filled haze. “Your case first and then we’ll sort out the rest.”
She nodded. He didn’t have to finish his sentence. The sizzling intensity between them was about to boil over, and this time, there was no one around to turn down the heat.
