RUSH (Montgomery Men #1) - C.A. Harms Page 0,36

head up on his hand as he watched me closely.

“My cousin actually asked me to move here with her.” I once again looked away and toyed with the stem of my wineglass just before lifting it to distract myself and taking a sip. “But after I got here and got settled, she told me she’d met a guy and decided to move to New Jersey to be with him.”

Ashton chuckled, and for dramatic effect I looked over at him and rolled my eyes. “Yeah.”

“How kind of her,” he said before he too took a sip of his wine.

“I decided at that point that I might as well stay. I’d already landed a job, found a place to live, so why not give New York a shot? And to be honest, I just didn’t have it in me to move again.” I shrugged.

“Not that I’m not extremely thankful you made that choice, but don’t your parents miss you?” I looked up and found him eyeing me skeptically.

I had to play this right.

“My father is wrapped up in his job. He works long hours, and most nights he brings his work home with him. My mother is so engrossed in her daily life that she doesn’t truly have the time to miss me either. We talk, but having some distance between us is actually better for us. They can be a little overbearing at times.” I hoped I was convincing enough.

“Pressures of marriage and grandchildren?” he said with a smirk.

If only that were the worst of the things that kept me hidden here. “Yeah, I know they just want to see me happy, but they can be so pushy at times.”

“My mother is insane when it comes to those things.” He chuckled. “She’s always pushing me and my brothers to settle down. It is actually one of the reasons my brothers don’t visit my parents more often.”

“You have two brothers?” I asked, grateful for a way to change the subject.

“Knoxville and Beckett,” he replied, and I could see the love in his eyes. It was one more thing that made me feel as if this man was a figment of my imagination. He was almost too perfect. “Both are younger than me. Knox is a private investigator and has his own firm here in the city. He works a lot with the police department on cases and has become quite successful. Beckett is a detective and is the youngest of the three of us.”

“Three boys, your poor mother,” I said with a smile.

“She’s surrounded by four men who each strive to be leaders.” He smirked. “But she loves us even though we all drive her to drink.” He chuckled when I looked at him in question. I knew he was teasing about the drinking part.

“No wonder she strives for each of you to get married and shower her with grandbabies.” I nudged him in the side. “The poor woman is just looking for a way to break up all the testosterone she’s swimming in.”

Ashton placed his wineglass on the table just behind the couch, took my hand, and settled it beside his on my thigh. As he turned to face me, he hooked me around the waist and pulled me onto his lap. As I straddled him, my T-shirt rose, exposing my lace panties. “I like this,” he confessed. “Having you here, talking about our lives and those we love. I haven’t felt this at ease here, ever.”

“It does feel like we’ve been doing this far longer than a few days,” I whispered. “It’s been a long time since I felt this at peace too.”

“I’m glad it’s me you feel that with,” he said, hooking the back of my neck and pulling me closer.

“Me too,” I replied just before his lips touched mine and the conversation we had been so wrapped up in only moments ago was over.

ASHTON

“SOMEONE SEEMS EXCEPTIONALLY HAPPY TODAY.” Lex eyed me knowingly as I passed his desk on Monday morning. I didn’t even give him a second glance, only continued past him as if I hadn’t heard his comment. He was fishing for information I wouldn’t give him about my time with the very sexy Kiera. Her long list of hidden sexual talents and comforting sweetness would remain mine alone.

“So use me for the information you need and then toss me aside, why don’t you,” he complained dramatically as he followed me into my office. “I see how it is.” He flopped down in the chair opposite my