“My lady’s in the shower.” Hostility radiated from his voice. “Is there something I can help you with?” He threatened him without actually saying the words.
“No.” Tony’s voice came out submissive. “I’ll try later.”
“No,” Ash snapped. “Don’t try later. Don’t call her. Period.” He hung up and tossed the phone aside. “Fucking jackass.”
I was in too much shock to care about Ash’s rudeness. “What does he want?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. “He pictured me fucking you and realized he misses it. There is no other explanation.”
“Why would he propose to someone if that were true?”
“Because he realized you were an amazing catch after he saw me treat you like a queen. That guy has a lot of fucking nerve. If he thinks he’s going to get you back, he has another thing coming.”
I still couldn’t believe it.
“If he bothers you, let me know. If he comes by your apartment, I’ll run over here and break his hand so he can’t call or knock on your door again.”
I knew he was being serous. “I doubt he’ll do any of those things.”
“He’d be stupid if he did.”
I sat on the edge of the bed and processed everything that happened.
Ash stared at me, his eyes practically coals.
I knew something was on his mind but he didn’t want to spit it out. “What?”
“Promise me something.”
“Okay.” I’d promise him anything for no reason at all.
“Don’t ever take him back. I mean it.” Ash was bossy and stubborn but he never told me what to do before. Now he was actually commanding me to follow an order. It wasn’t like him.
“What makes you think I would?”
“It’s natural to feel a little happy when your ex admits he misses you. But don’t fall for it. He didn’t treat you right the first time. And he won’t do it a second time.”
I didn’t have feelings for him anyway. The only guy I ever thought about was right in front of me, cynical and beautiful at the same time. He was the man in my bed almost every night, and he was the person I confessed all my secrets to. As scary as it sounded, I hated picturing my life without Ash. “I won’t.”
“Promise me.”
“Why is this so important to you?” My voice came out as a whisper. Deep in my heart, I hoped he would say what I secretly wanted to hear. I wanted him to admit there was something between us, something meaningful. My deepest thoughts were coming to the surface every day we spent together.
“You deserve the best. He isn’t it.”
It was a sweet thing to say, but not exactly what I was fishing for. “Thank you…”
“So, you promise me?” He held my hand. “You’re the coolest chick I’ve ever met. You need to be with someone that’s just as amazing. I hate seeing gorgeous chicks with whatever guys. It’s a pet peeve of mine.”
Ash was amazing—more amazing than I was. “Yes.”
He released a sigh and relaxed. “Good. I can sleep tonight.”
Would he be jealous if I got back together with Tony? Would he be jealous if I were with anyone? I knew I would be jealous if he were with someone else. After I found out he went on a date, I was wounded. But when he left her just to take care of me, the jealousy went away.
I moved into his chest and lay on top of him. My hand rested on his flat stomach, and Ash immediately moved his fingers through my hair. I wasn’t sure what this was, but I loved it and never wanted it to end.
***
My workweek was boring—a snooze fest.
Whenever I was at the office or with a client, Ash was on my mind. I wondered what he was doing. Was he inking at that very moment? And if he was, what was he inking? Was he thinking about me? Were we thinking of each other at the same time?
I preferred the weekends because I saw him a lot more. He usually came over Friday after work and stayed throughout the whole weekend. Even when I left to escort a client, he stayed in my apartment until I returned.
It was like having a boyfriend.
“Can you toss me a paperclip?” Shelly asked.
I couldn’t get him out of my head. His fingers brushed through my hair in just the right way. He made me laugh without even trying. His lips were always so tasty.