“And I like your ‘fuck you’ sass. Like I said, we’re survivors, and that makes us tough as hell.”
The tip of her tongue flicked out across her top lip as she held his gaze. “I have a confession to make—I like your gruff, no-bullshit toughness, softened by a sexy as hell smile.”
Smokey’s dark look was so intense, it took her breath away. Suddenly, he turned her chair around and yanked her against him. Burying a hand in her hair, he pulled hard, jerking her head back, then smashed his mouth against hers. The force of the kiss stunned her. Wrapping her arms around him, she held him close, the kiss stealing all reason from her. It consumed her, shutting off the volume of Whitney’s words and pushing the warning flags to the farthest corners of her mind. At that moment, she didn’t want caution, didn’t want to analyze a thing, and she sure as hell didn’t want to stop kissing him.
He broke away, running his tongue down the side of her neck.
“We should get out of here,” she whispered.
Putting his hands on either side of her face, he pressed his lips to her forehead, nose, and cheeks. “You do something to me, darlin’,” he rasped, affection warming his eyes.
As his words embraced her, Ashley’s cheeks flushed, sending shivers throughout her body.
Smokey shoved his chair back and stood up, then helped her to her feet. Throwing a few bills onto the table, he grabbed her hand and led her out into the sunlight.
17
Smokey woke to the low ring of his phone. Groggy from sleep, he squinted at the lit screen before placing the cell to his ear.
“What’s up?” he croaked, pushing up to lean against the headboard.
“Banger wants you to go with us to Cottonwood this afternoon to kick some Rising Order ass,” Klutch said.
“What time are we heading out?”
“Around three, but we’re meeting at two to go over the plans.”
“I’ll be there.”
Ending the call, he set the phone down on the nightstand and watched the morning rays filter through the slats of the blinds. It was so quiet, he could hear Ashley’s steady breathing. A smile crept across his face as he turned and looked at her. The soft golden sheen of sunlight fell across her, making her features even softer in sleep. Reaching out, he stroked her black hair, remembering how silky it felt against his body the night before.
The covers had fallen down around her waist, showing the smooth curve of her tits and rosy nipples. His dick twitched, and his breathing deepened. She’s fuckin’ beautiful.
Smokey never expected to be in Ashley’s bed that weekend, doing the one thing he swore he’d never do since starting his company. He crossed the line. He could tell himself that what had happened between them was just sex, but he’d be lying, because Ashley was more than a weekend fuck. The pleasure and joy he’d experienced with her went beyond sex. Rubbing his hand against his face, he leaned back. I took her to Willy’s. Not once had he ever let a woman into his personal life. Fucking chicks had been for fun, but with Ashley, it was different.
Smokey looked back at her. “What the fuck have you done to me, woman?” he muttered under his breath.
“How long have you been up?”
He ran a finger down the side of her face. “Just for a bit. I got a call.”
“And?”
“I have something to do.”
He could see the disappointment in her eyes. “So we’re not going to Crystal Lake today?”
A sigh slid past his lips. “No, but I’ll take you another time.”
“I’d like that. Are you working today?”
“Yeah.”
“Is it the strip mall site?”
“No. No more questions, okay?”
Her eyes widened. “Is it something to do with the club?” she asked in a hushed tone.
He chuckled. “Woman, I just said no more questions.”
She giggled. “I can’t help it—I’m nosey. When are you leaving?”
“Around one.” Positioning himself on his side, he pulled her into his arms, wanting to feel the warmth of her skin against his. “I want you real bad, darlin’.”
“I want you too, but I have to go to the bathroom.”
He ran the tip of his nose along hers. “Hurry back.”
She rolled away from him, and then padded off toward the bathroom. Smokey couldn’t help but admire her perfect ass, and the sensual way her hips swayed as she walked away from him. He quickly sat up and reached for his phone to check for any texts from