“Why would you spend money at a hotel when I’ve got a spare room?”
Me staying with Josh? That would be like giving me a flute of gasoline and putting it onto a simmering fire. We had a fiery relationship, that seemed to always simmer just below the surface, and it was only a matter of time before it was ignited. He frustrated me to tears, but he was also the one guy that wouldn’t leave my thoughts alone.
I stared at him, wondering if he understood my blatant reluctance. By the shift in his brow, as if he was silently saying “so,” I knew he had no clue.
“I don’t want to impose,” I replied, giving the most pathetic excuse in the world.
“Impose?” His lip quirked, and I knew he was getting ready to question every response I gave.
“You know, when you have all your hookups turning up, I don’t want to be a cock block.”
“You are so considerate of my cock’s needs, Ashy. No hookups will be turning up at my apartment. My apartment is a hookup-free zone.”
Ky laughed at his brother’s way with words, and Eden rolled her eyes while trying to halt the smile begging to show.
“So what’s your excuse now?” Josh smirked, arrogance beaming off him at the thought that he had won this argument.
“What happens if I want to have people over?” I asked, knowing I had to bring out the big guns. My brow quirked at the idea of what I was suggesting. His jaw ticked. It made me aware that my subtle notion was thoroughly understood, and that he was now thinking of me bringing men to his apartment. Not that I had any desire to actually do it.
Through gritted teeth, he replied, “We will cross that path if and when we come to it.”
Damn him to hell. I had nothing. What more could I really say? I grabbed my wine glass and finished the rest of my red, while glaring at him over the rim.
“You’re helping me pack then.”
“I knew you couldn’t say no to me, Ashy.” He shot a shit-eating grin at me, then went back to his pasta.
“Whatever.”
A week passed, and Josh was still firm on the idea that I would be staying in his spare room while the work was being done on my apartment. He even went as far as cancelling my booking at the hotel. We had a fight about that too, but he just told me to stop being stubborn, and that he would hardly be at his apartment anyway.
Seven A.M. came way too soon. My week with Josh started today, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been thinking about it constantly over the past seven days. The unnerving feeling in my stomach when I thought about it wasn’t welcome. Don’t get me wrong, Josh and I were close, super close. He had the cockiness that did stupid things to my lady parts, and he had those damn back dimples that would taunt me when we went to the beach. He was a walking, talking, breathing, annoyance to my libido, and that was where the problem lay.
With a groan, I tugged back the comforter, threw my legs over the edge of the bed, and headed to the kitchen. I had an hour before the builder arrived, and I needed to eat and shower beforehand. As of this morning, I was officially no longer working with Alessandra, and the founder of a blog that still didn’t have a name. It was exhilarating, yet frightening, and I had plans to get a start today. The thought alone brought a smile to my face.
The front door burst open as I was standing in the kitchen eating a bowl of Lucky Charms, and Josh strutted in wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt that clung to his chest.
“Morning, Roomie,” he said, slightly breathless, before pulling open my fridge and grabbing a bottle of water.
“What are you wearing?” I stammered as I gave him the once over . . . actually, it was about the third over.
“I just went for a run,” he stated like it was the most obvious answer in the world. “I should be the one asking what you’re wearing.”
I looked down at myself. “Panties and a cami. I just got out of bed, give me a break.”
His tongue darted out and licked his lips, as his eyes roamed freely over my almost-naked body. “I’d have gotten you to move in years ago if I knew you’d be wearing that.”
“I’ll be sure to pack my onesie, because this body is going to be covered.” I laughed and nudged his shoulder as I walked through the kitchen and into the living room, as the sound of an incoming text message sounded. I spun around to look at the couch and grab my phone, and realized Josh had followed me in.
His eyes fell to my naked thighs and lingered over my hips, before gliding up my stomach, and landing on my boobs, which were straining against my camisole.
“Eyes up here, Joshua.”
A heated promise hit his eyes when they finally found mine. “You have a body that makes men want to sin.”
My breathing stammered, and heat flushed through my body. I was a confident woman. I knew my curves had served me well in the past, but having Josh make a comment like that and give me the look of complete worship made me feel more like a woman than any other man had before.
“He is a fucking idiot for messing around on you.”
He rubbed his hand over his face, and I couldn’t tear my eyes from him. The atmosphere had turned electric, and I needed to grab control. “I should go pack.”
“Here’s a key. I’m not sure what time I’ll be home tonight.” He placed a silver key in my palm and headed to the door. Just as he was about to step into the hall, he turned back and gave my body one more glance. “I’m really looking forward to having you around.”
Suddenly, my body was switched on once again, and chaos ran wild throughout me. Something told me that the unknown I was about to step into would be something I could never predict.
Three hours later, my bedroom was in chaos, and I was quickly gaining a headache from the builder banging away in my main bathroom. After Josh left me in a mass of confusing butterflies, I quickly showered, checked emails, and began the arduous task of packing. My suitcase lay open with dresses, jeans, and lingerie exploding out of it and covering my bed. I sashayed around my bedroom as I listened to Ellie Goulding, waving one of my scarves behind me. Usually, I could feel Josh in the room, but now I was oblivious. I froze when I caught him leaning against my bedroom door, watching me closely with his arms folded over his chest.
“You really need to learn to knock.” I threw the scarf back onto my bed.
“And where is the fun in that.” He stepped into my bedroom, and his gaze went straight to my walk-in closet. “I had an idea for your blog name.”
My interest piqued as I waited for him to continue. I took a seat on the edge of the bed and couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. Josh disappeared into my closet and returned a few seconds later, holding my strapless bandeaux red dress in one hand, and my strappy, black, very-expensive heels in the other.
“I want you to wear this and these,” he said, dropping the heels and dress in my suitcase. I looked between him and my suitcase, confused.
“One of my favorite things about you is your randomness, but this is taking it to a whole new level.” I laughed.
“You’ll be wearing this when we celebrate the launch of Ashlyn’s Closet.” He smiled and walked out of my bedroom, leaving me completely speechless and overwhelmed.
“Ashlyn’s Closet,” I whispered to myself. “It’s perfect.”
THE CONTENTS OF EDEN’S eager text message had been playing on my mind all day. Eden was known for her excitement, but there was something about this one that was crazy excited, even by her standards.
Joshy, we are going out for dinner and drinks tonight. Meet us downstairs at seven. Don’t be late. I have a massive surprise for you!!!!!