Page 33 of Ashes of the Past
We’re toe-to-toe now, her chest rising and falling with each angry breath. I can feel the heat radiating off her, see the fire in her eyes, and it’s doing something to me I can’t explain. Before I can stop myself, I reach out and cup her face, my thumb brushing against her cheek.
“Jack,” she starts, her voice barely a whisper, but I don’t let her finish. I lean in, capturing her lips with mine.
The kiss is hard and demanding, a clash of frustration and something deeper I’ve been trying to ignore. She stiffens for a moment, then melts against me, her hands gripping the front of my shirt. I slide my arms around her waist, pulling her closer, and for a few seconds, the world falls away.
Her lips part beneath mine, and I feel her surrender to the heat that flares between us. The taste of her is intoxicating, a heady mix of desire and longing. I deepen the kiss, pouring all my pent-up emotions into it, losing myself in the sensation of her soft curves pressed against me.
It’s been a long time since I’ve kissed a woman and felt this much passion and need.
Desire pulses through me as our lips move in a fiery dance of need and longing. I can feel her heart racing against my chest. This intoxicating scent of vanilla wraps around me, and I can’t get enough of her.
Her fingers tangle in my hair, pulling me impossibly closer, and I let out a low growl of desire. It’s as if a dam has burst between us, releasing all the pent-up emotions we’ve been suppressing for so long.
I can feel the bulge in my pants grow. I move her so that her back is against the stall. Her hips buck forward until they’re pressed against my hard shaft. My pelvis grinds toward her, achingly slow.
I’m about to rip through these jeans to get to her.Fuck, I want to bury myself inside her right now.
Her hand moves downward until it is cupping my erection. She moans, her tongue tangling with mine as I reach down to cup her perfect butt cheeks in my hand.
There’s a loud thud, like the barn door is opening, and she immediately pushes me away from her. We’re both breathless.
I search her eyes for any sign of regret. But all I see is raw passion and a hunger that matches my own.
“I…I need to go,” she whispers breathlessly before she ducks under me and scurries out of the stall quickly.
I’m left there staring after her as Nick walks into the barn.
His eyes flicker toward me, curiosity written all over his face. He smirks and then nods a good morning.
“Hey, Jack, saw you heading into the barn. I’ll ride to check the pasture with you. Do you need help with the horses?”
I nod, desperate to distract myself from the events that have just unfolded. “Sure thing, Nick. Let’s get to work.”
As we work side by side, I can’t stop thinking about her. The way her lips felt beneath mine, the warmth of her body pressed against me… It’s been so long since I’ve felt this kind of connection with someone. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a woman on my brain.
None of that matters, though, because I’m not getting involved with any woman ever again. It doesn’t matter how she makes me feel or how good she kisses.
No woman will ever put me through any kind of pain ever again.
Chapter Thirteen
Brynn
The next morning, the cool air clings to my skin as I walk down the dirt path back to my dad’s house. The sun hasn’t fully risen yet, but the faint streaks of orange and pink in the sky tell me it won’t be long. My boots crunch against the gravel, the sound steady and rhythmic, but my thoughts are anything but.
Not doing the morning checks is weird, it was nice to sleep in a bit, though.
How did I let him kiss me again?
Why do I turn into a pile of goo when that man looks me in the eye or touches me?
It’s been a full day, and I can still feel his mouth on mine, the heat of him pressing against me, the way his hands gripped my waist like he couldn’t bear to let go. My fingers twitch at the memory, and I curl them into fists, trying to ground myself.
What the hell was that?
I’ve been kissed before—plenty of times—but not like that. Not like he was staking a claim like he was daring me to push him away even though he knew I wouldn’t.
Grrrr, I want to turn around and go right back in there and slap him across the face.
