Chapter Twenty
“Truth or dare?” Sophie spun around to face Ashton. He was leaning against the door watching her under his dark lashes that the dim light caused to shadow across his cheeks.
“Truth,” he answered confidently.
Sophie let her purse slide off her arm and land on the floor. She let out a breath before she spoke. “Why did you hate me so much?” It was the question she’d wanted to know from their first encounter when he had pulled her hair and left her heartbroken. She had fallen into his beautiful blue eyes when she first saw them looking at her and placed his mark on her heart.
“I never hated you.”
Sophie choked off her breath in disbelief. “Do you seriously expect me to believe that? After all that you did to me.”
Ashton pushed off from the wall. “Do you want to know what I fucking hate? I hate the fact that when I first met you I fucking panicked because I had everything figured out. I had everything where I fucking wanted it. I had more girls than I could have possibly wanted begging me to pay attention to them. Then you walk into the class with your pretty dress and worn out red shoes. You were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I couldn’t fucking breathe sitting behind you, wanting desperately for you to turn around so I could see your eyes because they were amazing. I had never wanted anything so bad in my whole entire life and I wasn’t ready for it.”
Ashton closed his eyes tightly and took a deep calming breath. “It wasn’t me who pulled your hair, it was shithead Collin, but I couldn’t say anything. It was the first time in my life I didn’t know what to say. I knew I was in fucking trouble when I looked up and saw Lucinda watching me when I was practically crawling over my seat to get closer to you. I knew she was going to rip you apart. I could see her evil intentions brewing so I did the only thing I thought would make her back off. I let her think I hated you…I let you think I hated you too because I knew I couldn’t have you and it pissed me off.” Ashton ran the back of his fingers tenderly along Sophie’s cheek.
“You were the only one that believed it. Soon I welcomed your hatred because it’s all I deserved from you. It became our only interaction, my only way of getting close to you. I tried to keep Lucinda off your case but it would only make it worse on you. You seemed so content with hating me and it was all I could do not to kiss you every time you were close. You were all I could think about. You were all I wanted and I couldn’t have you.” Ashton stopped talking and looked at her. He seemed vulnerable standing before her with his words in the air. It was the first time she had seen his cockiness stripped away and he let her see what was inside of him. He ran his hand though his wavy blonde hair. He was too beautiful to be real as he poured out his feelings. The shock of his words stilled her body. She didn’t know how to process what he was saying.
“Do you how many blueberry turnovers I’ve eaten since I kissed you that day?” His words were soft and raw. “I just don’t know how to stop this cycle.”
“Me either. I don’t know how to let my guard down around you. I’m scared of getting hurt.” Sophie shook her head slowly, and a tear fell down her cheek. Ashton brushed it away. He looked at her with his endless blue eyes, so much feeling stirred within them. “Truth or dare?” he whispered.
“Truth,” she said softly. The word felt strange in her mouth as she tried to sort through the storm of emotions that raged through her.
“Who did you give your heart to?” There was fear in his eyes as he looked at her. She realized that he was just as afraid of getting hurt as her and still he opened up, making himself susceptible to the pain.
“You,” she whispered. “I have only ever wanted you.”
Sophie ran her fingers down his chest, making sure he was really standing here in front of her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She slid her arms around his neck as he lifted her off the ground, her legs wrapping around his narrow waist. He held her like she was weightless and she loved the fit of their bodies. She loved how he felt against her, all of her soft flesh molded against his hard body, and it made her yearn for more of him. Desire flourished within her and she wanted to taste him.
Sophie sucked on his full bottom lip and his reaction was primal and urgent, demanding more. She pulled away and looked up at his expression that now reflected his lust and desire.
“This thing that we’re doing, whatever it is…maybe we should stop. I work for your grandmother. What if it ends badly?” she whispered against his ear.
“Can we stop?” he said breathlessly, his voice heavy with longing.
“Yes. No. Maybe. I don’t know.”
“What if I told you that I don’t want to stop…that I can’t stop?” He kissed along the sensitized skin of her neck.
“I’m scared,” she admitted, looking back at him with the same intensity.
“I am too, but I can’t stay away from you, I can’t stop thinking about you. Just the thought of never touching you again…I need you…I want you…I—”
Sophie broke off his words as she kissed his lips. He growled into her mouth. Holding onto her he moved them into her apartment.
Sophie felt the softness of her bed against her back as he laid her down. Leaning over her he trailed kisses down her neck and chest to the reveal of cleavage she had teased him with. His hand skimmed up her thigh and under the fabric of her dress, squeezing her flesh.
“Wait.” Sophie pushed him up so she could look at his face. His hair looked tousled from her fingers and his incredible lips were swollen from their kiss.
“You owe me a strip dance.” Sophie’s playful smile pulled her lips. Ashton’s grin made his eyes light up as he pushed off the bed. “I get to pick the song,” Sophie declared as she grabbed for her iPod. She scrolled through her list and laughed as she selected “Sexy and I Know It” by LMFAO.
Ashton arched his brow as he recognized the song that started playing. As Sophie watched him start to move to the beat of the music she wondered if there was anything Ashton could not do well. He was so in control of his body, moved so confidently. Sophie laughed as he carried on with her. He was familiar with the song and knew exactly how to utilize it. He pulled his shirt off over his head and Sophie took in his strong, gorgeous body. When he flexed his muscles, Sophie’s mouth watered. Ashton pulled his belt from his pants and kicked them off.
A gasp escaped her as Ashton jumped on the bed. “You stopped laughing.” He nipped her ear as he leaned in over her. “I love the sound of your laugh.”
“I don’t feel like laughing anymore.” She was surprised how serious her tone sounded.
“What do you feel like then?” He looked down at her hungrily.
“I feel like…” Sophie reached down and grabbed the hem of her dress and wiggled it up her body, pulling it over her head.
“I don’t feel like laughing either.” He took in her body beneath him, raking her with his gaze. “I feel like kissing you.”
“Then kiss me.”
Ashton pressed his lips against hers. “I also feel like taking off this.” Ashton slipped his finger under the strap of Sophie’s bra.
“Then take it off.”
Ashton unclasped her bra and threw it off the bed. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered between his kisses. His hands explored her body, raining kisses over her skin and leaving a trail of burning need. “And I want to take these off.” He ran his fingers down the curve of her hip and cupped his hand over her bottom as he grabbed the fabric of her underwear.
“Then take them off.” Her voice was now harsh with desire as her hands memorized the lines of his shoulders and the solid curve of his back. The feel of his powerful body over her made her feel a pleasure like no other. The feel of his naked flesh upon hers made the whole world fade away and left her intoxicated with pure bliss.
The realization that there was nothing between their bodies, skin on skin, made Sophie’s head reel with longing. Ashton’s desire pressed against her soft flesh and she arched her body off the bed to meet his. Her body hummed with pleasure but her mind was clear. She wanted and needed this with a fierceness she couldn’t even begin to understand.