Ash whimpered, a sound that pierced Carmen.
She wants me . It hadn’t been in much doubt, not really, but Ash had held back, seemingly content with just the kisses they’d shared up until now. To hear her so obviously affected by Carmen’s attempt to ramp things up boosted her confidence tenfold.
Ash ran her hands down from Carmen’s hair to her shoulders and then to her hips. She deepened the kiss, her tongue pushing into Carmen’s mouth, her hands firm on Carmen as she pulled.
Carmen surged against her, her blood singing with the desire to get close, then closer still. Their breasts pressed together, and Carmen gasped. The soft, pliant flesh moulding to hers was more arousing than she would ever have imagined. She slid her arms around Ash’s back and increased the contact; the additional pressure against her nipples sent wonderful sensations straight to her clit.
Ash slid her hands lower and cupped Carmen’s behind, and it was as if someone had turned on a furnace somewhere in the room.
Finally, Ash broke their kiss. “God, Carmen.” Her breathing was laboured, her eyes glassy. “You’re… Fuck.” She groaned, then claimed Carmen’s mouth once more and caressed Carmen’s ass in slow, gentle circles.
Carmen moved her hips, seeking a firmer contact.
Ash obliged, grasping at her through the material of her dress, kneading her.
Carmen moaned once more, desperate for Ash to take this further, knowing she was more than ready for that now. She silently willed Ash to move under the dress but realised she’d have to ask. Ash wouldn’t presume anything. Not just yet.
She lifted her head and gazed down at Ash. “I want you to—”
The doorbell rang.
They both jumped.
“Wait.” Carmen held on to Ash a little more tightly. “They must have the wrong house. They’ll go away in a min—”
The doorbell rang again. “Sorry, it’s us,” Tamsyn called, presumably through the letterbox. “I forgot my jacket.”
“Shit.” Carmen pressed her forehead to Ash’s and groaned. “I suppose I’d better answer it.”
Ash chuckled. “Yeah, something tells me she won’t leave until you do.”
Carmen eased off Ash’s lap, straightened her dress, and walked to the hallway. She took a deep breath before she opened the door.
Tamsyn stood on her doorstep, grinning sheepishly.
“Tam, I am seriously going to kill you.” Carmen glared at her.
“What? What did I—?” Tamsyn’s gaze swept over Carmen. “Ohhhh. Sorry.” Her smirk was evil.
“Never mind.” Carmen rolled her eyes. “Did you say you’d left your jacket behind?”
“Yes, I think I left it just here in the hallway cupboard.”
Carmen motioned her into the house. At the end of her path, the taxi waited on the side of the road, Maggie leaning from the window. Carmen threw her a wave and received a beaming smile in response.
“Got it!” Tamsyn trotted past her to the open door. “Sorry again for interrupting. Please, carry on.” She winked. “See you next week!”
Carmen tutted and shut the door behind her without a word.
Tamsyn’s laughter carried through the wood between them.
When Carmen returned to the living room, Ash was tapping furiously on her phone. She shot Carmen a rueful look. “Sorry, it’s Sophie. Having a little crisis over her next date with Keisha.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I kind of think I ought to call her, rather than texting, but…”
Carmen sat beside her. “It’s fine. I understand.” She pulled Ash into her arms. “I’m sorry for the interruption.”
“Hey, not your fault. I’m sorry too. I feel a little torn between priorities right now.”
Carmen kissed her but didn’t linger, not wanting to restoke the fire when there would be no outlet for its flames. “It’s fine. And don’t worry; we are going to get back to what we were doing sometime very soon.” She threw Ash her sultriest smile and revelled in the heat that smouldered in Ash’s eyes.
“You’ll get no argument from me for that.” Ash kissed Carmen rather thoroughly. Then she pulled away and sighed. “Okay, I’m going to go, and I’ll talk to my niece on the way to the Tube station.”
“Want me to call you a cab?”
Ash stood. “No, it’s fine. You know I like to walk.”
“I do.” Carmen kissed her once more. “Call me when you’re home maybe?”
Ash’s face lit up. “You’re on.”
Carmen showed her to the door, and they kissed again before Ash stepped out into the night.
“Thanks for a fantastic evening.” Ash gazed down at her. “It was… You were wonderful.”
“So were you.” Carmen placed yet one more kiss on her lips. Ugh, it is so hard to say goodbye! She watched as Ash walked down the path, noting the way her jeans clung to her legs and backside, remembering how it felt to hold that body in her arms. Her temperature rocketed once more. Jesus, how am I supposed to get to sleep now?
Chapter 39
Carmen should have been tired and resentful of the early start, but she was neither. And she couldn’t seem to stop smiling. It had been a spectacularly good couple of weeks. Well, apart from not being able to see Ash much, of course. However now, after a full week apart due to clashing work commitments, Ash was beside her, driving them the last few miles to their hotel for the weekend of Tamsyn and Maggie’s wedding.
“Are you going to stop grinning at all today?” Ash looked across at her as they waited at a traffic light.
“No, I don’t think so.” Carmen leaned across and kissed her cheek. “Sorry, you’ll just have to get used to it.”
“I can do that. It’s brilliant. And I don’t know what’s better—the fact that you’ve cleared the last of the old clients from your books or that you’ve got a chance to sign Stefan Ward.”
“I know! He thoroughly deserved that BAFTA last year, but I never
