When There Is Nothing Left But Love

I’d barely reached the hallway when Ashton lifted me from behind and dumped me onto the bed.

I landed in a clumsy heap on the bed. Glaring at him, I shouted, “Ashton! Are you sick or something?”

“Yes,” he replied seriously as he tossed his towel aside. He rasped seductively, “I’m lovesick.”

I…

I tried to be modest and look away from his body. “Ashton, there are dressing gowns in the hotel. You should put one on!”

He seemed to ignore my words as he crawled onto the bed toward me. He asked huskily, “What are you hiding from? Are you scared of something?”

I was tongue-tied as the scent of his shower gel hit me. I started inching backward slowly. “Ashton, what are you trying to do?”

He began closing in on me, and I felt unsettled by his stare. “You should know what I’m planning to do.”

He’d said this lightly, though I couldn’t miss the emphasis he’d placed on the last word in his answer.

I’d run out of space to back into. I looked at him and swallowed my saliva involuntarily. “Don’t come so near to me. It’s late, and I should really get going.”

This position was far too sensual for my liking. I was finding it hard to breathe.

He seemed to enjoy the atmosphere immensely. He didn’t make a move and gave me a piercing stare. “Going back? Where to?”

He moved his lips closer to me as he spoke.

I was so taut that I almost forgot to breathe. Acting on instinct, I closed my eyes.

wiggle around and escape as I sensed his

didn’t know what to do. So I froze and let him have his

took his time, placing featherlight kisses along

he’s doing

I luxuriated

incoherently, beginning to fall under his spell. He suddenly stopped just as I was anticipating his

his

as red as a tomato at

out

lying if I said I didn’t expect what

piercing rays of the August sunshine through the window. I was shocked when I saw the

you still

the bed. When he saw that I was awake, he

wouldn’t

getting over my surprise and

“Are you hungry?”

lips and pulled away from him. “I should leave!”

down on the bed.

just treat last night as a drunken one-night

our separate ways?” His warm tone had disappeared as he interrupted my words. “Scarlett, did you really think I was going to let you

just want to make a life of my own. Ashton, you’re really good to me, but I will always be living in your

you mean that? Is my existence

nodded woodenly. “Yes, it is disturbing my life. I want to live alone and not become entangled with you like this. Why can’t