Page 67 of Down & Dirty: Rage

Or maybe he just had to pretend none of that was true and nothing had changed between them.

Nothing at all.

Chapter Thirteen

Before she leftAsh’s apartment and after she rebraided her own hair, she had taken the time to undo his messed up braids and fix them so it didn’t look like he was wearing a fuzzy crown.

While he usually had one of the strippers keep them neat, Lyric had wanted any excuse to continue to touch him. To extend that intimate connection.

Since she trusted him with her hair, it was no surprise when he trusted her with his. The mutual trust they shared was valuable. She hoped after what they had just done, nothing would change.

She was aware it had been a risk to ask Ash to be her first. But it had been a risk she’d been willing to take.

She was related to the males that she trusted just as much as him, so it wasn’t like she had a large selection to choose from.

Even if she did…

No, she couldn’t imagine getting naked and having sex with anyone else.

Ash had always been the man for her. Even if he never knew that.

She only hoped that the experience hadn’t turned him off and away from ever wanting to do it again. She could learn a lot from him and she was a very willing student.

However, all that time spent at his apartment meant she’d been late getting to the shop. She apologized profusely to her first client of the day and would end up working through lunch—maybe even dinner—to get caught up.

She rolled her hips in her chair as she drew a custom piece for her next appointment.

Ash had been right. She was already feeling a bit sore. A soak in a hot bath would be perfect.

Only, that wouldn’t happen anytime soon.

But besides feeling a bit of discomfort, she didn’t feel any different. Maybe losing her virginity wasn’t as big of a deal as she originally thought.

A snapping of fingers in front of her face had her jerking her head back and glancing at Carl.

“What are you dreaming about?”

Nothing she’d share with him. She pulled in a breath and pushed the memory of what happened in Ashton’s bed from her mind. She needed to concentrate on what was in front of her, not what was behind her.

“A customer asked me to design a unique piece for him.”

“Damn.”

“So, I’ve been trying to come up with something.” And failing since she was distracted and daydreaming more about a naked Ash than concentrating on work.

The bell jingling above the shop door had her only male employee snarling, “Oh look. Here comes the redhead.”

She didn’t have to see the newest arrival to know the “redhead” was Avery. Carl didn’t like her because Lyric’s closest club sister was loud and boisterous.

On a good day.

Carl should count his lucky stars he hadn’t seen her on a bad day yet.

The fieriness of redheads was true. Don’t cross her or her sister, Lexi, unless you wanted a sharp tongue lashing. And possibly something thrown at you.

Avery had damn good aim and would use whatever was within reach to hurl at the deserving person.

Their club brothers were pros at ducking and dodging. Sometimes they got her riled up over nothing simply to watch her temper flare. While they considered it entertaining, Lyric thought it was a dick move, and if they got beaned in the head with an unknown flying object, they deserved the bruises and more.