Page 123 of Ruthless Intent

“There was no sneaking. You were talking, and didn’t hear me.”

“Po-tay-toh, po-tah-toh.” She waves a hand, and refills her glass. “Anyway, he crept up on me, and then invited me to dinner … to talk things out.”

Sondra points at the wedding ring in clear view on one of the fingers clutching the stem of the glass. “And how did you go from that to that?”

Ashley’s smile is brittle. She takes another sip from her glass.

“Oh, that’s the best story of all.” She turns her head, blue eyes hard as she looks at me. “Why don’t you tell that one, darling?”

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

ASHLEY

I toss a smile in Zain’s direction. A smile that falters when one eyebrow arches above dark eyes.

“I’m sure you’d prefer to tell the story.” His voice reminds me of a purr, low and throaty. Like that of a big cat. A lion … or a panther. Probably a panther. All dark aggression and big teeth prowling through the darkness, hunting his prey.

I shiver.

I’ve felt those teeth.

My eyes drop to his mouth, and my tongue licks over my bottom lip. I can still feel his mouth on mine.

The wine is messing with my head. I haven’t had any sleep, and I’ve barely eaten all day. I’m already lightheaded. Drinking the wine was a mistake. That’s the only reason I’m looking at his mouth, and imagining him kissing me again.

“Ashley?” My name on his lips startles me out of my thoughts. “Are you going to share the story, or shall I?”

“Oh, I insist you tell it.” I bury my nose into my glass.

“Are you sure?”

I ignore the warning. “One hundred percent. Never been more sure of anything in my life.” Even I can hear the slight slur to my words.

“Alright then.”

I focus on the plate of food in front of me. It smells delicious. I’m just not sure if I could keep it down if I ate it. My nerves are on high alert. I’m aware of every move Zain makes beside me. Of every breath he takes. Of the way he has one hand draped casually across my chair. Of the way his fingers keep brushing over the back of my neck.

I feel like my skin isn’t my own. I want to crawl out of it and hide. I want to make my excuses and leave. I want to pretend the scene in the bathroom didn’t happen.

I want him to kiss me again.

“Well, let’s see,” Zain says after a moment. “We went for dinner on Sunday night, then met for breakfast on Monday.” He gives a gentle tug on my braid and I nearly fall off the chair with the way I jump. “By the time we left the diner, I knew she was the one. There was no way I could let her walk away. I convinced her to take a risk and jump into the unknown with me.”

The fingers on my neck stop stroking. I stop breathing.

“We went to the county clerk’s office, and got a license. Then I took her back to her place, and arranged to pick her up later that evening. I surprised her that night with an intimate wedding at my house.”

His hand moves, fingers tracing a path around my lips, and then he presses one against my jaw and forces me to look at him.

“And then what happened, Ashley?”

I stare at him, but don’t reply.

His eyes have me trapped.

If I tell the truth, he’ll deny it and I’ll sound crazy. If I make something up, it’ll tighten the noose around my throat, and bind me tighter to him.

“I …” I force a smile to my lips. “I don’t think anyone needs to hear about what happened once we said our vows, do you?”

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