“I’m in,” I said. “Thank you so much for doing this for me.”
She waved a hand. “Nothing to thank me for. It’ll be fun working together and getting to know each other some more. We need to be there at eight thirty tomorrow morning. Fair warning, Patrick hates tardiness. He’s got super strict rules about it, among other things. Trust is his number one issue, so make sure you never break it.”
“Got it,” I said, and Maya smiled. “Oh, before I forget, Ash mentioned you have some Benadryl? I think some of the dust or something in here is getting to me. Look.” I pulled up the sleeve of my shirt to reveal a cluster of itchy red dots.
“Sorry, I used it up weeks ago,” Maya said. “I forgot to get some more.”
“Are you sure?” Ash said. “I could’ve sworn there was a bottle in the bathroom the other day, and I saw a receipt from the pharmacy.”
Maya looked at him and frowned. “Must’ve been an old one. Or maybe you’re remembering something from Brookmount?”
“Maybe,” Ash said, his face a mixture of frustration and confusion. I hated seeing him this way, struggling to connect the pieces of his mind. It wasn’t fair, and I didn’t know how to help other than reassure him I used to buy Benadryl all the time, and Maya was right, it probably was a memory from something he’d seen months before.
“I’ll get some on the way to the restaurant tomorrow,” I said. “There’s a pharmacy close to the motel.”
“About that,” Maya said, looking at Ash. “Have you asked her yet?” When he gave a slight shake of his head she laughed. “Oh, for God’s sake.”
“Asked me what?” I said.
Maya sighed. “Do it now or I will.”
Ash grinned and he held up his hands in surrender. “Fine. I—”
“We,” Maya corrected him.
“Right, right. Ahem. Lily, we were wondering if you’d like to move into the house.”
“Wh-what?” I said. “Move in here?”
“All right, you kids,” Maya said before Ash could reply. “I’m going to make a start on dinner, so I’ll leave you two to discuss logistics, but when you come to the house, Lily, I expect your answer to be yes.” She headed for the door with a decided spring in her step, and gave me a wink before disappearing out of the door. After she’d gone, Ash put his arms around me and I sank against his chest, pulling him closer.
“Are you sure about this?” I said. “Me taking a job with Maya and moving into the house. I don’t want to put pressure on you and it sounds like it might extend my stay.”
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” he whispered. “We have the spare room—”
“The spare room?” I grinned, running my hands up his arms. “That doesn’t sound like fun.” I cupped his face with my hands and kissed him. When his fingers slid under my T-shirt, gliding across my back, I reciprocated. His embrace was harder now, hungrier, igniting the passion I’d stuffed away since I’d found him, and I responded, urging him to keep going. As his body reacted to mine, I pressed myself against him, before remembering the promise I’d made to myself about taking things slowly. I made myself pull away.
“I don’t want—”
“Me?” he said softly, a sly smile on his lips.
“No, I mean, yes, but I want you to want me... Oh, shit, I’m a Marvin Gaye song.”
I kissed him again. His lips slid over my neck, making me arch my back as a delectable shiver traveled the full length of my spine. In one swift movement I pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his flat stomach and the hair on his chest, which tapered into a sexy thin trail and disappeared into the top of his jeans. I’d imagined our first time together again in bed as romantic, gentle and tame, but as I fumbled to loosen his belt that was no longer what I wanted. What I wanted—needed—was for him to be inside me, as fast and deep and reckless as possible.
There was no time or need for foreplay. We were both ready. I clung to him as he pushed me against the workbench, cried out as he slid inside. His mouth and hands found my breasts, and when his fingers slipped between my legs it didn’t take long for me to reach the point of no return. When he whispered my name, the way he said the single word made me pull him deeper still, dig my nails into his back, and propelled me over the edge, taking him with me.
Afterward, as I peered over his shoulder, our breath ragged and our hearts pounding, a slight movement by the garage door caught my eye. I blinked three times, unsure of what I was seeing, but when I looked again, she was still there. Maya. She stood in the doorway, her
