Ash to Steele Read online

“You know where the mop is. I suggest you grab it and clean up your mess before I kick your ass.” Jess points inside, “And don’t forget to take out your trash!”

  She smiles at a response I can’t hear and shakes her head, her long blonde hair bouncing as she walks, the jet black tips at the bottom of her natural blonde locks starkly standing out against her snug white short-sleeve shirt. Jess looks great in anything; she’s model-type beautiful from the second she wakes up until the time she goes to bed. It’s annoyingly unfair, but I love her. She may look like a princess, but she’s as fierce as a cornered tiger, and just as lethal if she doesn’t like you; luckily, she loves me, too.

  “Insatiable bastard,” Jess’ lips curve into a knowing smile with her words, and I slip my arm through hers, thankful to be close to someone I know.

  “What’s going on?” I ask, confused and curious by my recent best friend’s reaction to whatever just happened.

  “Oh, just Breck slummin’ in the supply room. He knows better than to bang his whores in my place.”

  Her strong words are in discordance with her soft voice, and I glance over my shoulder to see a pretty brunette walk out of the room, smoothing her dress before flashing her sated smile and leaning in close to a tall, broad shouldered man who steps out next to her. She whispers something in his ear, and he takes a casual step backwards. My eyes seem to disconnect from my mind as they slowly drink in long legs covered in a dark material that I don’t recognize but can tell is expensive and looks amazing on the fine masculine specimen sporting them. Where the hell did that thought come from?

  I vaguely feel my feet moving forward as I continue to glance over my shoulder at a lean waist in a thin gray dress shirt that shows just enough to prove he has toned muscles beneath. My breath hitches when the man turns around. Dusty brown hair is tussled into sexy, disheveled perfection. Strong, masculine features frame his tan face; a firm jaw is speckled with dark stubble that makes him look recklessly handsome instead of in need of a shave. Something about his presence is imposing, demanding my attention. His eyes scan the room before he slowly blinks, then lands his gaze on mine. The need to turn away hits me, but I can’t. I’m frozen. Paralyzed. My pulse quickens and I can’t breathe when he walks towards us. Jess pulls on my arm when my body stops. I want to follow, but my entire body is rioting against my brain at the moment. Move!

  Finally, my treacherous dexterity finds reason and I turn away, but not before witnessing the most captivating steel blue eyes bore straight through me. This strange tingling sensation takes over, sending an electric current sizzling through my body, causing me to feel shockingly energized.

  “C’mon, Emma, there’s going to be another fight if I don’t get to the bar and provide these heathens with their liquid tolerance, and I don’t feel like patching Jason up after another brawl tonight.”

  Shaking my head to clear the buzzing that is turning my brain into mush, I blindly follow Jess until we reach the bar. The seat is welcoming as I sink into it, trying not to think of what just happened.

  Jess puts a glass of water in front of me before giving me a quizzical look, “You alright?”

  Distractedly, I take a sip. “Yeah,” I respond, not exactly sure I’m telling her the truth. Before I have the chance to question my integrity any further, I feel him behind me. I’m fully aware that I don’t know how I know it’s him; I just do, then he touches my arm.

  “That’s Jess’ dress, but you are definitely not her.”

  His voice is better than I imagined, powerful, sure, smooth, and so flippin’ sexy, as it does terrifyingly enticing things to me. Despite my best intention not to, I blush.

  Plopping down next to me, he orders a beer before glancing my way, giving the dress another look, “It doesn’t suit you.”

  I spin towards him. Bad choice. His mouth is flush to my face, and I’m struck motionless again as I watch how the smooth skin of his neck moves when he swallows. His lips curve when I try to rip my gaze away from them. His scent, that’s what does me in; it’s an intoxicating mixture of a clean summer breeze, a hauntingly elusive spice, and pure masculinity. The thought of burying my nose between the soft spot of his neck and his chiseled chest and inhaling until I can place that decadent aroma alarms me. I’ve never reacted to any man like this; I’m not liking it at all! Well, maybe just a little. His earlier words reclaim my sanity and I scowl, “You were not in my thoughts when I put it on, so your comment, which was rather rude, by the way, means nothing to me.”

  The way he tilts his head back slightly when he laughs affects me more than I want. “That’s only because you hadn’t met me yet.” His voice is cocky, pissing me off.

  Rolling my eyes, I give him my best disinterested glance. The eyes staring back at me are the most amazing I’ve ever seen, so bright, but distant, guarded. Their exact color alludes me. They search me, so I search back. My gaze penetrates his, matching his intensity, and I see a flash of admiration before his gaze turns harsh. Inhaling sharply at the sudden anger in them, my gaze falls.

  “I have no desire to meet you,” I snap, fairly sure I’m not lying. Cringing at how my voice is a little shaky from the strength behind what I saw, I’m pissed off even more.

  No response is given, providing me with a shot of relief as I take a long, slow breath. Assuming he took the hint and left, I hope that he did and didn’t at the same time, but I refuse to look.

  Jess steps in front of me, a worried expression on her face as she glances at me, then next to me, and I get a sinking feeling, realizing he’s still there.

  “I think I hurt your friend’s feelings, Jess,” he scoffs.

  A heavy, strong warmth seeps into my lower back. His touch mesmerizes and infuriates me. Spinning in my chair, I break the connection. The anger is gone when I force myself to look at him again, and he smiles, his eyes crinkling at the sides with the genuine action.

  “I wasn’t suggesting that you don’t look good in her dress. You do. Amazing, actually.” The steel blue darkens, turning carnal.

  I feel breathless, slightly lightheaded, imagining what he’s thinking.

  “You just look lost. Fake. Like you’re pretending.”

  Apparently his thoughts are nowhere close to mine. I want to yell at him, but his words weren’t accusatory, just matter of fact. He’s right, and that causes me to really want him to go away now.

  “Leave her alone, Breck.” Jess shoots him a scathing glare, making me want to hug her.

  Ignoring Jess, he flashes a titillating smile, not attempting to hide his intentions. “What’s your name?”

  I’m seriously tempted to give him the finger, but my southern upbringing wins. “Emma.”

  His anger returns, appearing stronger than before, spilling into his words after he takes a long swig of his beer before glaring at me, “The preacher’s daughter?”

  Stiffly nodding, I’m at a loss of saying or doing anything else.

  Just as quickly as it came, the anger vanishes and he leans close to me. His breath is soft, mesmerizing, as it warms my lips, “You don’t like me?”

  I shake my head in confirmation.

  “That’s a wise decision.”

  His lips are so close to mine, if I hiccupped, our mouths would collide. I swallow hard when his fingers find a strand of my hair and he slowly wraps the chestnut lock around them. “But, you want me.” It wasn’t a question.

  “Leave her the hell alone, Breck!” Jess yells, the warning evident in her voice.

  It’s obvious something’s happening that I don’t understand, more going on than just what’s being said, but I don’t seem to have privileged knowledge.

  Sliding my hair through his fingers, his eyes never leave mine. I see the soft rise and fall of his chest as his breath continues to warm my lips, “I will be inside of you, Emma, doing all sorts of forbidden things that you have never even heard of, and you will be the one begging me to….you just don’t know it yet.”

  The shock of his words slam into me.
I open my mouth to shoot back an angry rebuttal, to quench his arrogant attitude, but no words come out. Slapping his hand away, my hair falls back against my shoulder.

  A soft chuckle tumbles from his mouth as he leans closer, brushing his lips against my ear, sending shivers spiraling through me. His touch burns as his fingers skim down my arm, then, the warmth is gone, leaving me cold, rattled.

  My cheeks flame, and I stare, trembling, with my mouth gaped open, before I have sense enough to snap it shut. As I try to come up with something to say to get him to leave, he slowly steps backwards, giving me one last look of undiluted anger before walking away.

  My breathing is erratic as I again try to process what just happened, but, within seconds, his attention is focused on a beautiful redhead who stops him, giggling when she leans in too close and her breasts rub against his arm. Disgust joins my conflicting emotions. His arrogance and sheer inappropriateness makes me furious, but it’s the small stab of jealousy that makes me want to smack myself.

  “Just ignore him. He can be such an asshole,” Jess encourages, her eyes searching me cautiously.

  Relief that he’s gone comforts and refreshes me with the knowledge that I am still sane, despite my momentary lapse. The unwelcome new sensations overtaking my body aren’t so quick to reassure me.

  Jess takes my water, giving me a disapproving look. “Now, that’s enough of that bland shit. You need something stronger.”

  Handing me one of her mystery drinks, I take a small sip first, having learned my lesson about her creations the day I met her, which was a mere two days after I moved to Boston. I’m her taste tester. She believes that my virgin palette, as she calls it, provides better judgment; she seems to pay no attention that my palette is no longer a virgin. All of her ‘experiments’ are delicious, but this fruity concoction is one of the best I’ve tasted. I still sip slowly, knowing she’s heavier on the alcohol than the flavor.

  As I take my next sip, Jess nudges me and nods at the man I’m leaning heavily towards disliking at the moment, “He’s really not so bad, once you get to know him.”

  “You just called him a butt.”

  Smirking at my watered down version of her terminology, she laughs, “No. I said that he can be an asshole. Don’t let him fool you, he’s the one acting.” She nudges me again, giving a sympathetic smile.

  “Like I said before, I have no desire to get to know him. Besides, looks like too many have already known him.” I loathe myself for stealing another glance his way, my jaw dropping slightly when the redhead slides her hand down his chest, to his waist, before graciously stepping in front of him as her hand goes even lower. I want to look away, but the fiery expression in Breck’s eyes seizes me, holding me prisoner, and now I know that I dislike him.

  The heat of his penetrating gaze flames my cheeks as he looks over the wanton woman’s shoulder, staring straight at me while he grabs her hand, slowly moving it away from coveted territory.

  “If you want to go with me, then there will be no exchanging of numbers, no second trysts, and no looking each other up,” he tells her nonchalantly.

  I watch in complete astonishment as he flashes her a cocky, panty-dropping smile while his eyes remain locked on mine.

  “If you want a great night, one that I promise you will remember for a long, long time, then those are the rules. Take ‘em or leave ‘em.” His voice is cold, detached, but, somehow, the room is suddenly too warm.

  “Your place or mine?” the debased redhead replies quickly.

  “Huh uh, neutral setting, and you follow me.” His words sicken me, but it’s his eyes that burn me like the second circle of hell.

  “I’m ready when you are.” With a flick of her hair over her perfectly tanned shoulder, his new conquest is overly eager.

  “And there goes another one,” Jason, Jess’ boyfriend and co-owner of the Dark Hole, states, shaking his head in a mixture of awe, amusement, and jealousy. “How does he get them to do that?”

  Jess leans her elbows on the counter, a reminiscent smile on her lips, “It’s all about the confidence, and Breck’s drenched in it.”

  My attention quickly reverts to Jess.

  Giving a wink, she places her finger over her lips, nodding her head towards Jason.

  Before I have a chance to pull her aside for interrogation, a finger taps my shoulder.

  “Do you want to dance?” A brown-haired, green-eyed hunk who appears to be fresh out of college flashes a flirtatious smile, causing me to blush again.

  “Go!” Jess pushes, flashing a wide grin and raising her eyebrow appreciatively at the hot stranger next to me.

  Too many emotions are rioting inside of me, making me unsure of doing anything other than being a permanent fixture on my current seat at the bar for the remainder of the night.

  Holding up her indigo tipped finger, she hoists herself on the bar top and slides across. “Give me a sec with my girl here,” she coos to the man still holding his hand out for me to take.

  “Um, sure, okay,” he responds, recoiling his hand while his eyes roam over the rarely exposed peek of flesh at the top of my chest before quickly relocating to the tight jean covered backside of Jess, proving that men are so infuriatingly predictable.

  “Honey,” Jess grabs my shoulders, giving me her best exasperated glare when she plunks down in front of me, “you have turned down a number of chances to hook up since I’ve met you. This guy is a tasty morsel of decadence! If you turn him down, I’m going to hurt you.”

  “I don’t want to hook up with anyone, Jess,” I pout.

  “Fine, don’t hook up then; just dance. Have fun. Forget about Justin for one night. I swear, for someone you didn’t love, you sure pine over the boy like you did.” Her hazel eyes lock on mine, not giving me any room to opt out.

  “I don’t pine over him, Jess!” I reply a little too defensively, “I just feel bad.” I do. It’s crazy and I know it, but I still feel like I’m cheating if I go out on a date.

  “If you dance with this one, I’ll stop calling you a nun,” she proposes in her sing-song voice, flashing a wide smile and cocking her eyebrow.

  “You swear?”

  Dashing her finger quickly back and forth across her chest, she holds it up and kisses it, “On my honor.”

  “Deal,” I laugh, relieved to leave that nickname behind.

  She grabs my hands and does a little happy jump, causing every man within visual distance to be ecstatic from the exuberant dance making her breasts bounce provocatively in their snug covering. “Fantastic! Now, get out there and shake that cute ass until you can’t dance anymore.”

  The grin on the expectant man matches Jess’, and I inwardly groan. Giving a polite smile, I take his hand, “I’m Emma.”

  “Anton.”

  “He’s hot and he’s French!” Jess squeals, wiggling her brows as she shoves me towards him.

  Anton wraps his hand around my waist, sliding it to my lower back and pulling me towards him, already staking claim.

  Jess licks her lips, giving a salacious wink.

  Behave, I mouth to her as I’m led to the middle of the dance floor.

  “Hell no! You know what they say about well-behaved women!” she calls after me, sliding back over the counter.

  Yeah, apparently they call us nuns.

  “What part of the south are you from, Emma?” Anton asks, slipping his hand a little lower as he pulls me flush to his body.

  Taking a step back, I give a shy smile, “South Carolina.”

  “Sexy accent for a sexy lady,” he smiles coyly, his fingertips now dangerously close to being intimately familiar.

  Reaching back, I raise his hand a couple of inches, “Thank you.” Guilt seeps in at my lukewarm reply but I shrug it away, too tired of dealing with pushy men tonight.

  “I’ve been watching and waiting for you to direct that sweet smile my way since you walked in.”

  Repressing the desire to roll my eyes at the false assumption that it’s a prer
equisite for men to use cheesy pickup lines at bars, my gaze shifts towards the door, wishing I could just go home. I find Breck staring at me while the redhead wraps her jacket around her shoulders. My pulse quickens. Something in his eyes unnerves me, filling me with dread and sending a pulsating jolt of excitement that sears me straight to the bone.

  “You should come to my place when the bar closes.”

  I vaguely hear Anton making his not so smooth move, but my attention is still diverted to the enigma standing on the threshold. Carnal thoughts wage with futile attempts to break the vexing connection enslaving my failing senses. Heat simmers through my veins to places low in my belly and my lips part in resentful shock from the intensity of emotions raging inside of me. His gaze is full of hate, punishing even, and chills spill down my spine. Need to know why he affects me this way conquers all my internal alarms blaring for me to just stay away.

  The redhead follows his gaze and the warning in her eyes is clear. Disregarding the seething look, I pull away from Anton. Breck’s lips curve slightly as his eyes gleam dominantly, daring, showing his intentions to play. Standing my ground, I refuse to break the silent challenge. I don’t understand the rules, or the game, but there’s no way in hell I’m going to lose. The music stops; people push their way through the crowd towards the bar, but neither of us moves. Anton is calling me. I ignore him. Flashes of light ignite the room in angry hues as the band begins the next song. Breck’s date pulls on his arm, and it’s me who smiles this time.

  Several accosting seconds tick by before he gives me a slight nod, admitting his defeat, but it’s the toxic mix of admiration and animosity in his eyes that strips me of air, making my knees weak. With one last look, he’s gone, but I know whatever this is that he’s started is far from over. Slowly, the tension gripping me begins to ease. Dread and desire hit me like a sledgehammer. I don’t want to play his game. Good or bad, I don’t want to feel anything for him…not him. Shaking my head, I blame Jess’ drink. Feeling discombobulated and foreign in my own skin, I breathe a rushed apology to Anton and walk shakily to the bar.

  “That was quick. What happened to Pierre?” Jess asks, her voice strained for having to yell over the band.