Her hand came up and touched my face first, something I’d almost got used to. She brushed her fingers down my neck slowly as if approaching a wild animal for the first time. Perhaps in some ways, that’s exactly what was happening. If she went too fast, I might bolt.
As her fingers brushed over my chest, I tensed, expecting the worst. I wasn’t going to say it was exactly comfortable for me. The images blurred in front of my eyes but I shoved them back and concentrated on her. On Ash.
“Are you okay?”
Her words pierced through the silence. That soft voice so full of worry and concern. Her hand splayed out over my chest, right above where my heart was thumping so hard I thought it might fucking explode out.
“I’m trying to be.”
“Should I stop?”
I shook my head. Stopping would destroy all the progress we’d made. I didn’t want to take any more steps backwards. She and I needed to go forwards. Leaning on one hand, I used the other to run my fingers over the tops of her breasts not covered by lace. Touching her soothed me. Made her hand on my chest bearable. Her hand which ran lower, touching my stomach. She stopped when she reached fabric, then she moved her hand around my hip and slowly ran her fingers up my back. I breathed through it, each touch lessening my panic. Lessening my aversion, at least to her anyway.
“I want to kiss you,” I admitted when her hand rested on my shoulder.
“Then kiss me.”
I leant down and captured her mouth, loving the way she was so pliant. How she opened for me, letting me carve out a place for myself in her mouth.
“Little star,” I groaned against her lips when her fingers tightened around my shoulder.
The need for her pounded in my veins. My cock dug hard into my jeans, wanting to be encased in her heat. I knew when I fucked Ash, it would be sweet ecstasy. I was so eager to feel her, I pried her legs open and settled myself between them. Our chests brushed together, only igniting the flame burning hot between us. Her leg curled around mine, but even that didn’t make me want to run. No, I wanted to be much closer to Ash. To feel her everywhere.
“I want you,” I ground out as I kissed down her jaw. “I need to be in you.” I cupped her breast, adoring the feel of it in my hand. “I want to fuck you so hard.” My thumb traced a line around her nipple. “I want you to scream for me.”
“Ror,” she whimpered.
Her other hand closed around my back, holding me to her.
“Do you want that, little star? Do you want me?”
I don’t know why I needed her reassurance. I knew she did, but a part of me was still trying to work out why.
“I want you so much. You make me so wet… fuck, you feel so good.”
This wasn’t supposed to be about sex. The pressure was off, but somehow, it made me want her more. Made me desperate for it. I ground into her, groaning at the friction between us. I knew I needed to stop. Knew I wasn’t ready for it. I hadn’t prepared myself for what would happen between us.
A knock at the door startled both of us. I pulled back, panting a little and found Ash breathing heavily too.
“Rory? Is Ash in there with you?” came Quinn’s voice.
And even though I knew we shouldn’t have got carried away, I was also more than a little irritated to be interrupted.
Fuck.
Chapter 6
I’d looked all over the house for Ash when I’d finished up with Xav and Eric. We weren’t any closer to finding a solution for what to do about Julian, but they had committed to help me devise a new plan to tackle our Russo problem. I still hadn’t gone through everything Ash had given us with all the drama stemming from her mother. I honestly wished Isabella hadn’t become such a fucking sticking point. If I’d not needed her help to abduct Ash, I would’ve never entertained the idea of having anything to do with her. Now she was just a thorn in our sides.
When I couldn’t find Rory or Ash downstairs, I’d come up here and found her bedroom empty. So reaching his door and finding it ajar made me a little suspicious. Rory didn’t like other people being in his room. He just about tolerated me in there.
I heard footsteps followed by the door being pulled open to reveal a shirtless Rory looking a little flushed. My eyes narrowed. He didn’t look like he’d got dressed in a hurry. I couldn’t help wondering what the two of them were doing.
“She’s here,” he said quietly.
I put a hand out.
“Can I see her then?”
He seemed to hesitate. I frowned.
“It’s not like I haven’t seen everything before, Rory. Just open the fucking door.”
He did ask I asked, stepping back as the door swung open fully to reveal Ash on his bed, also shirtless but still dressed in the bra she’d put on earlier. When she saw me, she hopped off it and walked over, her expression cautious.
“Do I even want to know what you two were doing?”
“Not fucking,” Rory muttered.
I could see that. They were both still mostly dressed.
“I was helping Ror deal with the human contact thing.”
It took me a second to register what she meant.
“Oh… that’s… well, good.” And definitely not what I came here to discuss.
Actually, it was better than good. It meant Rory was letting Ash in. Allowing her to help him overcome his issues.
“I was going to come talk to you, but I didn’t want to interrupt you, Xav and Eric. I spoke to Viktor.”
I kept my eyes
