The atmosphere in the dining room grew heated. The lights overhead were swaying, but no, it wasn’t the lights. It was her body shaking.
Briar wrapped her arms around Ashton’s neck, her legs mped around his lean, powerful waist. Her clothes were a wrinkled mess, but thankfully, they were still on, and nothing was exposed.
But even though she was fully clothed, it did nothing to lessen the provocative intimacy of their embrace.
Panting, she looked at Ashton, his eyes bloodshot. She pressed her swollen, kiss–bruised lips together, then turned her head and bit down on his bobbing Adam’s apple to vent her frustration.
A deep, sexy groan from Ashton rumbled in her ear. “Ugh… Honey, if you keep teasing me like this, I really won’t be able to hold back.”
Briar ground her teeth, satisfied to hear Ashton’s strained groans. “Do you really think it looks like nothing happened, with us like this?”
Except for the final step, that scoundrel had done everything–both what he should and shouldn’t have. He hadn’t missed a single beat.
Her clothes were still on, but his hands were too nimble. The thin fabric was no match for his wandering fingers, which moved up and down, front and back,pletely unstoppable.
With his handsome face so close, if Ashton hadn’t maintained hisst shred of sanity during their hour–long intimacy, he would have devoured herpletely, leaving nothing behind.
“I wanted to go all the way, too, but you know that if I took you tonight, your uncles would never let me hear the end of it tomorrow.” Ashton kissed the girl in his arms, not daring to look for too long at her misty eyes.
He really hoped that his proposal tomorrow would win the approval of Briar’s uncles. If he had to keep looking but not touching, he was afraid he would eventually burst from the frustration.
Briar giggled. “To think the great Mr. Wade would be afraid of someone settling a score with him!”
With a helpless sigh, Ashton stood up straight. He carried Briar to the living room sofa with one hand supporting her bottom and gently set her down. “They’re not just anyone,” he said. “They’re your family.”
Briar was speechless.
Briar reached out, pulled his head closer, and leaned in to kiss his lips. “Ashton, you’re so good to me.”
Ashton wasn’t about to miss the kiss she offered. He caught her shy, retreating tongue with his own and kissed her passionately. “You’re my girl. Who else would I be good to, if not you?”
“So, what’s your n to persuade my uncles tomorrow? I’m telling you now, if they don’t agree, I won’t ept your proposal, and we’ll have to put off getting married.” Briar was deliberately making things difficult for
him.
Ashton rested his hands behind his head and rxed. “Don’t worry, I’ll persuade them tomorrow. You just get
12:55 <b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>20 </b>
ready to be my fiancée.”
Briar was nomittal; they would find out tomorrow.
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“It’s gettingte. Let’s go upstairs to bed,” she said, reaching for Ashton. “My legs are weak. Carry me upstairs.”
Ashton pulled her into his arms and effortlessly carried her upstairs. Without any direction from Briar, he pushed open a door and carried her directly into the bathroom.
Briar asked curiously, “How did you know this was my bedroom?”
Ashton said nonchntly, “When I was upstairs earlier, I surveyed theyout out of habit…”
Briar sat on the edge of the bathtub, her hands braced on both sides and one foot already in. Hearing his words, she turned her head. Under the bright bathroom lights, the casual look in her eyes turned into a yful smile. “Alright. What else did
you
find?”
Ashton bent down to run a bath for Briar, expertly adding a few drops of her favorite essential oil. “I didn’t notice much, just the spots in your room where you’ve stashed guns and ammunition.”
Briar narrowed her eyes.
Ashton ruffled Briar’s hair. “Don’t be so tense. You’re friends with a mercenary like Ian, so what’s the big deal about owning a few guns?”
What was more, he had seen Briar’s legal gun permit.
Given her years of being hunted, it would be strange if she didn’t have a gun hidden in her home.
Briar snorted, looking down to unbutton her clothes while shooing him away. “I’m going to take a shower. Aren’t you leaving?”
Ashton smiled as he walked out of the bathroom. “I’ll be right outside. Call me if you need anything.”
Briar was speechless.
Even if something happened while she was showering, she couldn’t possibly call for him.
Half an hourter, Briar emerged from the bathroom with her hair still wet and saw Ashton sitting on the bay window, reading a book in its originalnguage.
The bedroom was warm and cozy, and Ashton had also lit some calming incense.
Hearing the bathroom door open, Ashton turned to look. Seeing that Briar hade out without even drying her hair, he got up, found a hairdryer in the bathroom, pulled her to the edge of the bed, and began to dry
her hair.
He stood looking down while she sat looking up. The atmosphere was warm and lovely. Ashton gently and carefully dried Briar’s hair, then lifted her to the middle of the bed. “Honey, why are you staring at me like
that?”
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Seeing Ashton’s attitude, Briar knew he was going to make her lull him to sleep again tonight. She flopped onto the bed. “Seeing how attentive you are, I can only imagine how happy I’ll be in the future.”
Ashton chuckled. “Why wait for the future? I can make you happy right now…”
“No, I refuse.” Briar cut him off, pulling the nket over her head. “I’m sleepy. For now, I don’t want to experience happiness.”
Ashton had no choice but to wrap his arms around her, nket and all, and lie down as well.
The air conditioner was set a little high, and both of them were exhausted from the day. Soon, the bedroom was filled with the soft rhythm of their breathing.
Ashton no longer found it as difficult to fall asleep as he used to, but his internal clock woke him at the same time every day.
When he opened his eyes, Briar was still asleep, her head pillowed on his arm. From his angle, he could only see half of her face, but he could clearly make out her long, curled eyshes, fair skin, and slightly parted red lips.
Her hair was fanned out across his arm and the side of her neck. It was soft, just like the gentle, peaceful look on her sleeping face.
Her thin lips, which had been red and swollen from his kisses the night before, were now soft and smooth again. Ashton lowered his head and leaned in, kissing her slightly parted lips.
“Mmm?” The morning kiss woke Briar from her sleep. She opened her drowsy, misty eyes and blinked. “Ashton, is it morning already?”
Ashton pulled her into his arms, showing no embarrassment for waking her up. “Yeah, it’s still early. Want to sleep a little longer?”
Briar grabbed her phone to check the time and shook her head. “I’m not going back to sleep. It’s about time for me to get up anyway.”
With that, Briar slipped out of Ashton’s embrace and sat up against the headboard, hugging the nket as she tried to wake up.
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<b>12:55 </b><b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>20