Page 38 of The First Spark

“Braden, give me a minute, okay?”

Too late.

“Why? What are you doing?”

Glancing up, I watch the bemused expression crossing Braden’s face when he spies us together.

Talk about being caught with our pants down. Or inthis case, scattered all over the floor. Hey, we had priorities, and laundry wasn’t one of them.

“Never mind. I see you two … are busy. Good morning, Oriana.”

“Morning, Braden.” Holy hell, my face is on fire. “We’ll be right up.”

“Take your time.” Braden’s smirk widens, earning glares from Ash and me. “I’ll let Mina know you’re okay. She came into Black Lotus this morning, panicking because the window display wasn’t finished. When she realized your truck was still in the lot, she went into full on meltdown mode.”

Crap, the window display. Looks like I’m pulling a double today. “Let her know where I am.”

“No problem.”

Braden is halfway up the stairs when Ash calls out to his brother. “Braden, no need to tell Mina or anyone elseallthe details, okay? Use some discretion, please.”

I don’t know why, but Ash’s demand for secrecy sits as comfortably as my ass on a bed of porcupine quills. Pushing myself to sitting, I snatch my shirt, pulling it over my head.

Ash, meanwhile, rolls onto his back, scrubbing his face with his hands. “So much for a morning fix. Unless you want to make your customers wait a few extra minutes.”

Oh no, you don’t get an encore now, Mr. Hammond.

“You wanted to keep this situation discreet, Ash, and I’m hardly a quiet lover.” I wrap my hair into a makeshift bun, certain I look like I’ve survived a hurricane, but desperate to get upstairs and away from … whatever this was.

One-night stand, Ori. That’s the term you’re looking for.

Why does that knowledge even bother me? Must be theleftover glow from several orgasms. Ash is a fantastic lover, just like all his women claim, so of course I’m going to want more than one helping.

But, if Ash’s reputation with women is to be believed, the man doesn't have a taste for leftovers.

I am now a leftover.

Yuck.

“Hey, get back here. You don’t have to fly upstairs. They know we’re okay, so there’s no need to run away from me.” Ash grips my upper arm, but I shirk his grasp and tug on my pants in a frenzied bid to escape.

“I have a business to run, as do you—a business with customers who don’t appreciate waiting, especially when the delay is because of the owners being caught sans clothing.”

He stands in all his naked glory, and I do my bestnotto ogle his muscled physique. I fail in said quest. Sue me. He’s beautiful, and he knows it.

Ash closes the small distance between us, hoisting my now dressed form into his arms. “I didn’t mean to offend you, Ori. You’re not some secret I want to hide away, but I believe my private life should be just that—private. Who I spend my time with, and how we pass that time, isn’t anyone’s business but ours.”

Damn, but he’s good. Seems Asher has damage control on lockdown.

The worst part? I don’t want him to know how disappointed I am that our time is over. I don’t want to bethatwoman—fawning all over this tattooed god.

He has enough of those women, and I have my pride.

Forcing a smile, I steal a kiss, pulling back before Ash has a chance to lock me into another embrace. “I agree.The last thing either of us needs is anyone giving us crap about last night.”

“You’re not mad?” His look is questioning, trying to gauge if my reaction is real or a thin veneer to protect hurt feelings.

“Not at all. Just craving caffeine.”

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