Downstairs is only open to your brother from now on.
I’m infatuated and falling head over heels for your brother.
“Ash, what’s going on?” Ky pushed, and I met finally his eyes.
“I’ve been with Josh.”
There. I said it. Suddenly, relief fired through me, and I began to relax. Last night everything shifted within me. I saw Josh for everything he was. What I wanted was reignited. Lachlan hadn’t destroyed me, and I wouldn’t allow him that power. The look that flashed through Josh’s eyes when Lachlan spat his hurtful taunt about being second choice had made me sick. Josh was never second choice, but knowing that thought had sliced through him caused me to step up. I couldn’t let him think that. He was always number one, but I had been too scared to tell him. My stupid fears made the man that ruined me for all other men question where he stood with me.
“I know, Ash. You stayed at his apartment, so of course you were with him,” he replied with a non-understanding smile.
I looked inquisitively at my best friend. Shit, he had no clue what I was talking about.
“I’m seeing him, Ky,” I said with emphasis to make it clearer, rather than coming straight out and telling him that I was sleeping with his brother.
I watched in fascination as he attempted to understand what I just said. Suddenly realization and shock flashed over his face. “You two are fucking?” he bellowed, causing me to jump.
My eyes shot wide at his declaration. “Jesus! Would you lower your voice? I don’t need England to hear about my sex life.” Ahh, London, I guess now you will only be a vacation spot.
“So, you are? Shit,” he said, rubbing his hands over his face. “Since when? And why am I only hearing about this now?”
Okay, his reaction was not what I expected. This was going better than planned.
“After deciding I didn’t want anything to do with men, I did what any woman wanting to abstain from men shouldn’t do; I moved in with Josh. Then I started randomly making out with your brother, amongst other things, and while I assumed it would be casual, your brother got the great idea to make me fall for him, and he achieved it.”
“He is a stubborn prick, you had no chance.” He laughed, and I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Women have no chance when a Crawford Brother gets you in his sight.”
“Very true.” His eyes softened, which would have been caused by Eden flashing through his thoughts. He shifted back in his chair and commenced staring at me.
Awkwardness flooded in, and I couldn’t hold his stare, so I looked everywhere but him.
“Are you happy?”
My eyes flew back to his, and a reassuring mix of concern and hope gazed back at me. It was a simple question, but the question that could be the hardest to answer.
For the first time in a long time, I could answer honestly and without hesitation. “Yes. Very.”
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. If it’s my brother that gives you that, then I’ll be standing in your corner, but you’ve got to understand, if either of you fuck it up, I am in a shitty position. So please make my life easier, don’t fuck it up,” he said with a sincere smile.
“I was expecting you to completely lose your shit,” I admitted. It was true, I thought I’d come in here and face the wrath of Ky.
“I know Josh has a very colorful history.”
“Are you talking about that tag teaming you two did.”
He sighed loudly and glared. “Do you have to always bring that up?”
“Hey!” I put my hands up in surrender. “If you double bang a girl, it’s going to be brought up.”
“You are banned from giving any form of speech at the wedding.” He snickered and shook his head. “As I was saying, his history is colorful, and he has done some crazy shit, but he is a good man and I know he wouldn’t fuck up anything with you. I’ve had a sneaky suspicion he has wanted to make you his for a while.”
I smiled, and I knew my facade was fading. Ky leaned forward, resting his chin on his interlocked hands, and narrowed his gaze. I knew I should have sent him an email, because I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in now. I always got nervous under his stare, and today was no different. I felt myself losing control.
“I’m afraid Lachlan isn’t done with me. Even after the other night and his attack on Josh, I don’t think we have seen the last of him. He keeps texting, and I don’t think he got the point.”
“You should move back in with Josh for a while.”
“Ky, I am not being forced out of my apartment by a crazy ass ex-boyfriend. Josh has put in new locks, which I keep locked all the time, and only Josh and I have keys.”
Suddenly the worried expression that had covered his face disappeared, and was replaced with a smile I didn’t understand. “That’s damn cute.”
“Seriously? What is cute about that?” I gasped.
“You gave Josh a key,” he replied with a smirk.
“You have got to be kidding me. That’s all you got out of that conversation?”
His face went serious again. “I’ll speak to Dad and Douglas, and see what we can do about a restraining order. Have you spoken to Austin?”
“Josh called and informed him of what had been going on, but I’m not exactly sure what he knows. And before you say it, yes, I know it’s cute that Josh called Austin,” I said with a smile. It was definitely cute, because I fucked him like my life depended on it.
“Hey, I’ve got those reports to go through before we head to L.A.”
Josh halted as soon as he stepped into Ky’s office and found me, then he looked suspiciously between Ky and me. My eyes roamed eagerly over his body, which was covered with black slacks and a powder-blue shirt. God, he wore slacks better than anyone else.
Smiling at Ky, I pushed away from the desk. Then I grabbed my phone, shoved it in my pocket, and turned my attention entirely to Josh.
“I’m just leaving, but will I see you later?” I asked hopefully.
His face stilled and his eyes flashed quickly to Ky before falling back to mine. “I’ll call you when I finish work,” he said softly.
I placed both palms on his chest, and he stiffened under my touch, while his eyes locked onto me in question. Lightly, I brushed his lips with mine, and he sucked in a deep breath as what I was doing hit him. I was kissing him in front of Ky, without any reluctance or secrecy.
“I’ll meet you in your office,” I whispered, before stepping through the door.
The sense of freedom I felt was overwhelming, and I floated all the way to Josh’s office. I had barely closed his office door, when it reopened, and I was greeted with Josh’s deviant eyes raking over my body. I knew that look. I loved that look. It meant I was about to get kissed or fucked within an inch of my life. My body immediately shot to life. I dropped my bag onto the couch and crossed the office to reach him.
“You kissed me,” he murmured as his hands shot out and pulled me against his body.
“I did.”
“In front of Ky.”
“Yep.”
“Christ, Ashy.”
His lips crashed into mine, fiercely stealing any remnants of air from my lungs. I lost all sense of control as the thought of kissing this man took hold. My hands threaded around his shoulder, and my fingers sliced through the hair on the back of his neck, gripping it tightly the way I knew he liked. He lifted my leg and wrapped around his hip, as he started grinding his growing erection into my desperate and pleading heat. Before his tongue plunged into my mouth, he said my name in barely a whisper, which sent a shiver of pleasure cascading down my spine. The moment his tongue collided with mine, I felt myself grow wet. His tongue played with mine like a perfect symphony: brutal, honest, and with force. This kiss was about ownership, about pride, and about recognition, and I fucking loved it. I was panting against our joined mouths, and every breath I took, he stole with a sweep of his tongue. Someone could walk into his office at any moment, but that was all forgotten as his tongue continued its assault on my mouth.