Page 52 of Hiding In the Dark (The Righteous 4)
Kes placed his lips against the jumping pulse in her neck, and for a moment, she forgot where they were. “You’re so sexy. I don’t know if I can wait to get you to your apartment to get you naked, but then it would ruin my plans to fuck you up against your window so everyone can see.”
Ashley’s mouth fell open. “You wouldn’t?”
Kes grinned wide as he lifted his head from her neck, the teasing glint in his eyes that always made her think of the bird he was named after evident. “No, I wasn’t serious. But Doll, if you asked me to, I’d fuck you on this sidewalk right now. In fact, there is literally no place I wouldn’t do it and nothing I wouldn’t do. Except add someone else. I would rip any other guy’s dick off his body if it came anywhere near you.”
She lifted an eyebrow at him. “I bet you’d be fine with another girl, though?” The words were bitter in her mouth. She never wanted someone else to touch him.
He paused, giving the idea obvious consideration, and the heat that was already burning inside her body was dangerously close to shifting to an angry shade of green. “In theory, it sounds like fun, but honestly, all I want is you. So, the answer is no. I wouldn’t want another girl involved. If any girl would do, I wouldn’t have spent the last fifteen years pining over the one in front of me.”
Butterflies took flight in her stomach as she searched his face for any sign of a lie. “You really mean that, don’t you?”
Kes’s hands left twin trails of searing heat as they moved around her hips around until he cupped her ass. He drew her into his body, and she could feel the hard length of him pressing into the front of her. All she wanted was to jump on that way-too-sexy body and ride him into the ground. Her hands twitched, and she had to order herself not to grab for the front of his jeans. If she started that, there was no doubt in her mind Kes would finish it. Former church or not, fucking on the stairs like a pair of rabbits with the statue of Jesus on the lawn wasn’t her cup of tea.
“Yes, Ashley, I mean it. You’re all I ever need.”
Rising up on her tiptoes, she grabbed his face. He was still too tall for her to reach, and Kes gave her a panty-melting smirk before he dropped his head down to meet hers. The world and its problems melted away. The feel of his soft lips and firm hands made for the perfect combination to lose herself. She never wanted the moment to end. She wanted to stand right there on the steps until the sands of time took them both. It would’ve sounded ridiculous to anyone else, completely unbelievable and exaggerated, but for the first time since he was forced to leave, she felt whole. Like she was finally able to breathe after being reunited with the other half of her soul.
Kes broke the kiss, and they stood there panting as they continued to hold one another as if the other could disappear any second.
“Come on, I have a surprise waiting for you at your home, and if I kiss you too much longer, I’m going to do something wildly inappropriate.”
“Maybe I want you to,” Ashley said and smiled as Kes groaned, his eyes flaring with the same passion she was feeling.
The sound of voices reached them a moment before the large wooden door pushed open.
“Good night, Charlie,” Dennis’s voice called out. It gave them just enough time for Kes to release her face and slip his hand into hers as he stepped off to the side. “Oh!” Dennis’s eyes went wide, his mouth falling open as his eyes flicked from Kes to her and then down at their hands.
“Dennis, this is Kes. He’s….” Ashely paused, looking up at the man beside her.
“It’s alright. I don’t need an explanation.” He smiled and waved as he practically jogged away. “Have a good night, Ashley. You deserve it,” he called out as he reached the sidewalk.
Her face flushed again but for a different reason this time. “You think he knows that we were…you know?”
“Oh, he definitely knows you were all over me like a horny teenager,” Kes teased and bumped her shoulder, making her laugh. “It’s just as well. You are way too tempting. I need to get you home.”
Twenty minutes later, they were walking into her apartment, and she stopped dead in her tracks. Christmas music filled the apartment. The smell of something like cinnamon and other holiday spices was making her mouth drool.
She turned to look up at Kes. “What’s going on?”
The corner of his lip curled up. “You have to come and see. The key you gave me was quite useful.” He grinned widely, his whole face lighting up.
“Hmm,” she said, a little nervous to see what he’d done.
As he gave her hand a tug, she followed him the short distance to her living room, and her mouth fell to the floor. Everything was decorated. Little white lights glittered from every corner, and a Christmas tree that was so tall the star on top was touching the ceiling next to the windows with an array of red and gold decorations sparkling from every limb. Large poinsettias sat in every available space, along with green garlands. There was so much holiday sparkle that her eyes could barely take in everything.
“Oh my god, Kes.” She covered her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Do you like it?”
She turned around to look up at Kes, who seemed nervous for the first time since she’d met him. “Like it? I freaking love it. This is stunning. It’s perfect.” She looked over her shoulder, not wanting to take her eyes off the beautiful sight. “How did you get all this done?”
“I kind of had help. I hope you don’t mind?” Kes cleared his throat. “Zumi, you can come out now.”
The dark-haired girl stepped out of the kitchen, and Ashley barked out a laugh as she took in Zumi. She was coated from head to toe in flour. Zumi was wearing her ‘Viva Las Vegas’ apron, which was way too large for her small frame. The sheepish expression was too adorable for Ashley to even contemplate being upset.
“I’m sorry. I spilled the flour and was trying to get it cleaned up before you guys got back,” Zumi said, looking down at her hands as she wrung them together.
“That’s okay. A little spilled flour never hurt anyone,” Ashley said, smiling. “Whatever you made, it smells wonderful.”
