Stay With Me Read online

  “She has?” Ash looks at me, that unreadable expression he often wears on his face.

  “Just about what we’ve done for the wedding and all that,” I cut in quickly, feeling my face heat up. “And that we’ve known each other for a long time.”

  “Ah.” Ash nods. “I was worried that my reputation preceded me.”

  “Your reputation?” I sputter. “Oh please, Ash. Zara’s been my best friend since our freshman year of college, so she’s seen me at my worst and beyond. You’re hardly the worst person I’ve ever crossed paths with.”

  “You sure about that?” he fires back, his voice even but his eyes twinkling with good humor. “She doesn’t know about how many times I fought you for the front seat of Ben’s car. I was a savage.”

  “Okay, true—you were a front-seat-hogging asshole back then. I’m surprised Ben didn’t force us both to sit in the back seat to make us stop whining.” I have a sudden memory attack of wishing I could make out in the back seat of a car with Ash, since teenage me thought that was hot stuff. Adult me’s mind goes right to the logistics of finding a car big enough for us to fuck in.

  I must have looked embarrassed or horny or both because Zara glances over my shoulder, her face way too animated for her to actually be making eye contact with anyone. Should I thank her, or make plans to smother her in her sleep?

  “I think I see someone I met at a conference last month,” she breaks the silence, sliding past me. “I’ll catch up with you later, yeah?”

  “Yeah,” I say weakly. “See you.”

  “Let’s swim,” Ash says once Zara is out of earshot.

  “Swim, or float?” I point out the huge floaties. “I say float.”

  “Maybe I’ll just watch you float while I swim around,” he says, putting emphasis on watch. I’m glad he’s not wearing sunglasses at the moment so I can soak in the intensity of his green eyes.

  “Fine. As long as you don’t push me off of it.” I go to get a float shaped like a duck, peeling off my button-down shirt and tossing it on a chair.

  I know I look good, but I didn’t think I’d make his mouth drop open for a moment. He realizes that he’s gawking at me and pulls himself back to the calm and collected guy he always is.

  He can play it cool all he wants, but I’ll remember that look for a long time. It’s sending warm vibes down between my thighs and blowing a big hole in my self-control. It’s as if my brain threw away any and all reasons to not hook up with Ash again in the trash, then turned on the incinerator to high.

  I toss my duck float into the water and slip into the shallow end. I watch Ash peel off his t-shirt, slowly and deliberately. Now it’s my turn to gawk. His shoulders are so broad that his body’s taper down to his waist is actual perfection. I’m not the only one who stares.

  Ash hops in after me and holds my float still while I scramble on. I roll onto my stomach and slide my sunglasses on, propping myself up on my elbows just a bit. He pushes the float into deeper water, so his gaze is right in line with my breasts. I raise an eyebrow, and he gives me a devilish grin.

  “You want to go to the far end of the pool?” he asks, nodding at my cleavage. We slowly rotate as he pushes us into deeper water, so I’m facing away from most of the party. People probably can’t see Ash over the float.

  We don’t speak to each other for a few moments, just letting the music and the sounds of the party wash over us. Things have kicked up quite a few notches, and people are standing around the tables, sipping drinks and laughing. Ben and Daisy are probably flitting from group to group. But none of that matters, since Ash is playing with the ends of my hair, looking at me like he did when I first took off my swim cover-up.

  This is so, so bad.

  First of all, even though we’re facing away from the party, the party is still there. Someone could see us. But Ben is the only one who would be bothered by that—no one else really knows of our history. And second, should we even do this? I know what he wants—bachelorhood from now until forever—and that isn’t what I want. But at the same time… my body is craving Ash.

  “Briony,” Ash whispers, his voice low and commanding. My eyes snap to his. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Whether or not we should do anything,” I mumble.

  “Mm.” He slides his fingers into my hair further, like he did the first time we hooked up. “I’d like to. And at least part of you wants to.”

  “And you’re doing the hair thing you did to me last time.” I glance at his mouth as his tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip.

  “I am.” His grip tightens a tiny bit. “Y’know, I love your hair, holding it like this. Do you want me to wrap it around my fist as I fuck you from behind, baby? Because that’s what I’ve been wanting to do since I saw you today.”

  I nearly whimper, sliding my thighs against each other to ease the ache. I nod instead, which makes Ash smile brilliantly. God, he is beyond gorgeous when he smiles like that. It spreads across his whole face and makes his eyes light up like pure joy is beaming from inside of him.

  He kisses me, slowly but with fire behind it, tugging on my hair just hard enough to make me stand at attention. I’ve never had a guy be rough with me before, and never thought it would be my thing, but every tug makes my nipples harden a little more.

  “Do you want to go somewhere?” he asks, his green eyes locked with mine. That look is always what gets me—the desire and pressing need on his face is a rush.

  “Yes,” I say without hesitation. The man has hardly touched, me and I’m rapidly getting wetter.

  “Do you have a key to a room?” Ash asks. I nod again, telling him the number. “Go up to your room. Wait for me on the bed and keep your swimsuit on. I’ll be there soon, so don’t play with yourself. You’re all mine for the afternoon.”

  He kisses me firmly and pushes me to the edge of the pool so I can hop out of the water without getting soaked again. My legs are trembling like I’m a foal just learning to walk, which makes walking alongside the pool feel just as risky as what I’m about to do. There are enough people at the party now that I can leave without anyone really noticing, but I still feel like I have a big arrow above my head that reads ‘Briony’s going to get laid!’

  I snag my key card from my tote bag and head down to the room Daisy and I used. The bed is untouched since Daisy only arrived earlier today. I kick off my sandals and pace, checking myself out in the mirror and fluffing my hair. I want him desperately. I didn’t think that his instructions to not play with myself would be a problem, but I’m quickly falling apart. I need to get off before I explode. So, I gently rub myself over my swimsuit, sucking in a gentle breath. When will he get there? What if it’s another twenty minutes?

  After what feels like a century, there’s a knock on the door. I rush over and open it, finding Ash with that same grin on his face. Without saying a word, he steps in and shuts the door behind him, throwing the bolt lock on. I step back instinctively as he walks forward until I bump into the bed.

  “Please,” I whisper, putting my hand on his chest.

  He cups the back of my neck and brings his lips down to mine. The kiss is hungry and desperate like he needs me to keep himself alive. I try to lean back and pull him on top of me, but there’s no way I can move him. It’s like trying to push a boulder.

  “Mm, none of that, sweetheart,” he says, cupping my face and resting his forehead against mine. “When I said you were mine for the afternoon, I meant it. Give yourself to me, and I’ll make it well worth your time.”

  “But…” My mind pulls in two directions—anxiety and anticipation. He’s not going to do anything crazy, right? I know he would never hurt me, but what if he’s into something extreme?

  “You can always say ‘red’ if anything gets to be too much,” he continues as if he’s read my mind, pushing me backward on the bed. “I’ll stop right away. I won’t tie you up or spank you or anything but having a safe word no matter what is helpful. At least in my experience.”
r />   “Okay,” I say, a flutter in my stomach. “I trust you.”

  He smiles again, a little softness behind his eyes, and straddles my body. His large frame looms over mine like a storm cloud, electricity crackling between us. I squirm, putting my arms around his neck and kissing him, greedily opening my thighs so he can be closer to me. He keeps his distance so I can’t grind against his crotch, pushing down each shoulder strap of my swimsuit, so my breasts are exposed. My nipples are already hard, so the chill of the room doesn’t make any difference.

  “Goddamn,” he murmurs, pressing my breasts together and burying his face in them. He gives each nipple a brief kiss before he moves on, down the deep V of the neckline of my suit, making me whine. “Don’t worry—I’ll come back to those. Trust me; I can’t resist.”

  Instead of peeling off my suit, he pushes my knees back and apart, moving my hands around to hold my thighs, so I’m spread open to him. I feel myself flush, realizing that with the lights on, he sees everything. The thought is both a little embarrassing and arousing.

  “Stay just like that,” he says, pressing a kiss over the crotch of my swimsuit and inhaling. The warm of his breath makes me jerk my hips forward. “I only got a taste of you last time, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I’ve jerked off to those memories more times than I can count.”

  “Ash,” I say breathily, wishing he would just do it already. His words are going to kill me if he keeps delaying this. “Please.”

  He pulls aside the crotch of the suit and studies my sex, satisfaction warming his voice. “Your pussy looks delicious. So pink and wet for me.”

  Finally, finally, he runs his tongue up and down my slit, making me shudder, and spreads me open even further with his fingers. Every motion of his lips sends a new overwhelming rush of pleasure straight into me. It’s all I can do to keep my sanity. Despite everything, I try not to move. Unsuccessfully.

  He takes his sweet time tasting every part of me, from my clit to my ass, like he wants to fucking torture me. I let go of my legs and thread my fingers through his hair, pressing him to me so he’ll stop playing around.

  “Briony.” Ash sits back, his voice low. “Didn’t I tell you to stay just as I’d placed you? And that I would take care of everything?”

  “Yes, you did.” My nipples throb at the power and authority in his voice. I melt, like butter on a pan.

  “And what did you just do?” He slides off the bed, grabbing me by the ankles with one huge hand and sliding me, so my legs are hanging off the bed.

  “I didn’t do what you asked.”

  “Exactly.” He rolls me over onto my stomach like I weigh nothing and props me up on my knees, spreading them apart. He pushes me face-down onto the bed and positions my hands on either side of my head. “Now stay absolutely still, and I’ll give you what you need.”

  Even though I want to push my pussy back into his face, I don’t move a muscle voluntarily. I shake with anticipation.

  He dives into me face-first, starting from my clit and working his way around my entrance, making me moan into the comforter. He licks and sucks and kisses me in just the right spots, keeping me from ever having time to breathe. I feel my entire body tingling with pleasure and desire and need. I clench the blankets so I won’t move, my chest heaving with every breath. God, where did he learn to eat pussy like this?

  He dips one thick finger inside of me without warning; my muscles clamping down hard. His fingers are so much thicker than mine, and it’s been a while since anything has been up there. He makes a little sound of pleasure in the back of his throat as he works me, the pleasure almost too much to stand. It rises and rises until Ash suddenly moves back, right before I come.

  “What the fuck?” I gasp, lying down on my hip.

  “I don’t want you to come yet.”

  He grins and stands up, tugging his t-shirt off again, followed by his swim trunks. My eyes widen when I see his erection, so much so that I barely take in his beautiful torso. His cock is proportionate to the rest of him, which means that I’m slightly terrified of that going inside of me. It’s both long and thick, arching up toward the left of his bellybutton.

  “You look worried,” he notes, smiling.

  I force myself to look up at his chest, which makes me feel a little less worried and more aroused. He’s built perfectly, like someone did the math to create the most symmetrical and good-looking human being possible. Even his chest hair is just the right thickness.

  “I haven’t had sex in a while,” I say bluntly. “Your cock is… a lot.”

  “A lot, eh?” He grabs my ass, giving me a smack and pushing me back onto my stomach. I love the sting. “But you want it, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” I moan as he slips two fingers inside of me, his thumb flicking across my clit. I bury my face into the sheets until I get the strength to prop myself up on my elbows. I turn to look back at him.

  “Say it—tell me how much you want my cock, baby,” he says, grasping himself at the base and pumping with his free hand.

  “I want your cock so badly,” I whisper, my face and neck flushing pink as he brings me higher and higher with his hands. “Please give me your… ”

  I don’t even get to finish my sentence, because a bright light explodes somewhere in my head and my orgasm crashes down over me. He watches my face as I come, the pleasure on his face making it all the more satisfying. He keeps playing with me as I ride the waves, shuddering and whimpering.

  “I love hearing dirty words coming out of that pretty mouth of yours.” He leans over and kisses my hip. “Do you happen to have a condom on you?”

  “No, I fell out of the habit of carrying them,” I gasp, still out of breath from the earth-shattering orgasm he just gave me. I prop myself up on one elbow. “But I’m clean, and I’m on birth control.”

  Ash nods slowly. “I’m clean, too. You’re sure you want to go without it?”

  I glance at his cock, which is gently bobbing from the beating of his heart, and gulp. I’ve never not used a condom. But this is Ash, and it only takes a second for me to nod. “I’m sure.”

  I get up on my knees and pull off my swimsuit slowly, grinning like I want to give him a show. His jaw drops again, and I swear his eyes pop out of his head like a cartoon character. The sight of his utter shock is enough to make me want him even more.

  Without a word, he crawls back on the bed and softly pushes me down with his own body, until I’m on my side with my hip cocked up a little bit. He slides into me slowly, his eyes locked with mine. It doesn’t hurt, but his girth makes it a little uncomfortable. Once he bases out, he pauses, letting me adjust. I feel deliciously full, which makes my clit throb without even being touched.

  He starts moving, thrusting steadily. It’s been way, way too long. I almost forgot how good sex feels—my whole body is alive and tingling; my senses overwhelmed with Ash. His natural smell mixed with the cologne he’s wearing, the size of his body over mine, his gaze burning into mine.

  He peppers my neck with kisses as we shift positions, face to face. He puts my legs together and holds them over one of his shoulders, making me arch off the bed. I didn’t even know I had the sweet spots that he’s hitting. With every thrust, I feel explosions traveling up every nerve ending in my body.

  “Shit, you feel so fucking good. I don’t know how much longer I can last,” he says, burying his face in my neck. He sounds raw and vulnerable, which I’ve never heard from him before. It tugs at my heart.

  He flips me over onto my stomach before I can protest and slides into me again, wrapping my hair around his fist with one hand and grabbing the flesh of my ass in the other. Somehow, he gets himself even deeper into me, and the feeling is incredible. I’m still recovering from my first orgasm but already I feel the pressure building within me once again.

  He doesn’t even have to say anything—I know he loves my ass from the way he lets out a grunt of pleasure with every squeeze. He pulls my hair so he can kiss me, grindi
ng up against me. The kiss is sloppy and heated but feels so damn good that I don’t care.

  With another few thrusts, he sends me over the edge again, clawing at the mattress and moaning so loudly that I surprise myself. My legs are trembling. I’ve never had an orgasm this good before.

  That sends him over the edge a minute or two later, pounding into me before cursing under his breath and groaning like a weight was just lifted off his shoulders. He doesn’t pull out right away—instead he balances over me on his elbows, his chest heaving, a sheen of sweat making our bodies slide against each other.

  The only sound left is our heavy breathing.

  “Fuck.” He laughs, sounding exhausted. A lazy smile spreads across his face.

  “Seriously.” I squeeze his shoulder, feeling sated, finally.

  “Hold on a second.” He pulls out and darts to the bathroom. “Let’s clean you up.”

  I don’t realize why until I feel his cum on my inner thighs. It’s a new sensation, but I like it, in a weird way. It’s like he’s claimed me.

  I lay back into the pillows, sighing. I don’t want to think about any of that—being someone’s girlfriend—at least at that moment. I just want to pretend that things can be normal without all of our baggage.

  Chapter Ten

  Ash

  I feel like my bones have left my body, satiated beyond what I ever thought possible. If I hadn’t forced myself to get up and get a cloth to clean Briony up, I probably would have merged with the mattress. Briony seems to feel the same way because she’s resting with her head on my shoulder, my arm around her. We’re not cuddling, per se, since she isn’t turned toward me, but it still feels nice to have her close.

  I hesitate to say anything in life is ‘the best,’ whether it’s a movie or city, but that sex was the best I’ve had in a long, long time. Maybe it’s because I hadn’t gotten any in a while but stopping myself from coming almost immediately was torturous. Briony felt good in all of my senses—her soft skin, her taste, her breathy moans, and her lush little body. She looks even better naked than I thought was possible.