Dare to Surrender (20 page)

“That’s okay, too.”

He kissed her neck, her collarbone, and the bit of cleavage the stretchy dress revealed. She held his head in her hands as
he sank to his knees before her, until he was eye-level with her sex.

He pulled her panties down her hips and legs and tossed them aside. Absently, she noted it was the first time she’d ever seen
him refrain from putting an item in its proper place.

He was looking at her. “So beautiful,” he murmured, and then he kissed her clit, softly at first before darting his tongue
out to swirl around the swollen flesh.

“Oh, yes, Ash…”

He pulled away to blow softly on her wet clit, and she moaned. He brought his lips to her again, sliding his tongue along
her slick folds, tasting, licking, sucking….

He drew her clit into his mouth, at the same time plunging two fingers into her. Her thighs trembled around his head, and
she held him to her, bowing her back as a shudder ripped through her, and she came with his face buried deep in her pussy.

He stood. “Stay just like that.”

“Mmm,” she murmured, too spent to move.

She heard him at the sink, washing his hands and then the now-familiar clicking of his camera. She experienced a moment of
hesitation, but it was over in a second. Whatever he did, whatever he turned into art, it came out beautiful. She was beginning
to trust him.

And, yes. If she looked closely at the feelings coursing through her as he clicked away, she had to admit she loved the way
he saw her, and, even better, she loved the fact that she was beginning to see herself that way, too.

For the first time since he’d started taking photographs of women, Ash wondered if he’d be able to truly capture his subject’s
beauty. Because now, as he climbed onto a chair to take a shot of Joy, he saw something in her he couldn’t quite express through
film.

Because you like this one.

A lot.

With a start, Ash realized he was developing feelings for Joy, feelings he would rather not think about.

He didn’t need this.

The very things he adored about her were the very things he didn’t want in a relationship. Hell, he didn’t need—or want—a
relationship at all.

And with Joy? She couldn’t even remember to charge her cell phone or fold her laundry. Her place was a wreck (a detail that
generally brought Ash’s facial tic to the surface), and her car looked like someone had been living out of it.

But as he viewed her now through his camera lens, something in his heart softened. Her red hair was a wild mess, her eyes
were heavy-lidded, satiated. Her dress was hiked around her waist, ending just at the tops of her thighs. She had a whimsical,
satisfied smile on her face, and he couldn’t stop the pure male pride that surged through him.

He’d put that smile on her face.

He could still taste her on his lips, and his cock strained against his jeans. As he circled her, snapping shots, he couldn’t
stop the images from invading his mind of what he wanted to do to her, the ways he wanted to fuck her.

His balls drew up, and his cock was hard as he zoomed his camera lens to take a close-up of her face. With her petite nose,
her mouth that curved up slightly on both sides, and smoky hazel eyes, she was breathtaking.

Suddenly he needed to feel those lips on his. Stepping forward, he kissed her and she sighed against his mouth. “Beautiful
girl, I need to see you. All of you.” Opening her legs, he took her hand and placed her palm on her sex. “Do you ever touch
yourself, Joy?”

She paused and then nodded.

“Do you think of me?”

“Yes, and your… your art.”

“Show me what you do. Show me how you pleasure yourself.” He kissed her again, and after a minute he felt her arm shift as
she began to move her hand between them.

“Yes, that’s a good girl.” He opened her thighs wider, exposing her fully to his gaze. He was so hard, but watching her was
exquisite torture. He could not look away.

With one hand, she spread her glistening lips open, and with her other hand she leisurely ran her fingers from her entrance
to her clit and back again.

Her eyes sparkled, glossy and hazel, as she watched him. Her movements became faster, and he saw the muscles of her legs tense,
saw her toes flex as she stroked herself faster, thrust two fingers deep inside her pussy. “Oh, fuck, Ash…”

“Does it feel good, sweetheart?”

“Yes, it feels so good… Ah!”

“You like me watching you?” His cock was throbbing with a need to drive into her. She was so gorgeous…. It took every ounce
of restraint he had in him to stay where he was. And he had to capture her like this; raising the lens to his eye, he began
shooting her.

It seemed to turn her on even more. She moaned again and opened her legs so wide her knees touched either side of the counter.
Head thrown back, she bucked against her hand, using her fingers to pull her clit.

“I’m going to come, Ash…”

“Yes, baby. Come now, for me.”

She went still, crying out one last time, and he clicked the shutter, catching her moment of ecstasy on film.

She slumped on the counter, looking exhausted. He put his camera in its case and then lifted her in his arms.

“You… ,” she murmured against his neck. “I still want to feel you. In me.”

“That’s convenient because if I don’t bury myself in you within minutes, I’m going to fucking explode.”

In the bedroom, he stood her on her feet and lifted her dress over her head. He tossed it aside and watched as she did the
same with her bra.

Then she was bare before him.

His breath hitched. “You’re…” He saw vulnerability flash through her eyes, and he was there in an instant, cupping her face
in his palm. She seemed so small next to his long limbs. “Stunning.”

She bit her lip in a tiny smile. “If you say so.”

“I know so.” He kissed her, only stopping when he felt her body go slack in his arms. He leaned her back onto the bed until
she lay before him.

She watched as he undressed, kicking off his boots, jeans, and T-shirt. When he was naked, her eyes fell on his cock and she
licked her lips as he rolled on a condom.

“Turn over,” he instructed.

Without hesitation, she flipped onto her stomach, raising her ass in invitation.

“Goddamn, Joy…” He climbed onto the bed behind her, spreading her ass cheeks to gaze at her pussy. It was all an invitation
for pleasure: her pink lips, her entrance.

He took his cock in his hands and slid between her slick folds, using the tip of his erection to stroke her, gliding his throbbing
flesh along hers, from her clit to her anus and back again, stroking until he felt her pussy swell around him, until he felt
her slickness coating him.

“Fuck me, Ash!”

“Yes.” He thrust inside her, pausing for a moment to feel her clench around him. “Yes, Joy… My God, you feel good.”

He saw her hands clench at the sheets, saw her shoulders tremble. He pulled out and plunged in again and again, until they
both went down flat and he was lying on top of her. She felt her hips moving beneath him, back and forth between his cock
and the mattress.

“Ah… yes… ,” she cried. “Ash, I…”

Pulling her hair to the side, he leaned down to kiss the nape of her neck as he continued to ride her, driving her deeper
and deeper into the bed.

“Bite…”

A fresh wave of lust washed over him at her words, and he bent to her shoulder and tasted her salty flesh. He brushed her
skin with his teeth and then bit her softly on the shoulder.

“Oh, yes!”

He reached under her body to find her pussy, wet and damp as he cupped her. She responded by spreading her legs wider, sinking
into his hand and moaning loudly.

He bit her shoulder again, and she cried out one final time, her inner muscles clenching and spasming around his cock. She’d
thrust her ass back against him, and when he came, he was buried in her deep, so deep….

After he’d caught his breath and disposed of the condom, he immediately crawled back into bed and lay on his side. He pulled
Joy against him and tucked her ass against his pelvis. He had to admit they fit so damn good like this—like two puzzle pieces.

He gave himself an inward shake. What was he thinking?

Joy wiggled her sweet ass against him, and his cock stirred. He should go. But she felt so damn good next to him. He buried
his face in her hair, inhaling the vanilla scent. And there it was again, that feeling of… nothing. He wasn’t antsy or thinking
of where to go next. For once, his mind was still.

This wasn’t how he thought it would be. He didn’t need any more commitments, and even if he did, he wanted someone who was
organized, responsible, and dependable. And neat.

Or so he’d thought.

But he could trust her. Tugging her closer, he kissed her neck, and she rewarded him with one of those soft sighs that made
his pulse speed up a notch.

He’d never believed a man like him could ever be happy settling with one woman forever. Giving up fieldwork forever. But as
Joy’s breathing turned into the steady, even pattern of sleep, he experienced a strange yearning to be with her. For once
the ever-dreaded notion of
settling down
was appealing.

And it scared the shit out of him.

T
he door opened, and Joy looked up. Customers! Smiling, she allowed the couple to peruse the collection on their own—she didn’t
want to seem pushy. Youngish and hip-looking, they actually looked like potential clients. Real ones!

After a few minutes, Joy stood and approached them. “Can I tell you about any piece in particular?” she asked, clasping her
hands behind her back.

The woman, a blonde with a bag loudly declaring the designer’s expensive logo, turned to her. “Do you have any Kinkade?”

She had beautiful, original pieces on the walls, but no one seemed interested. She smiled tightly. “The Kinkade gallery is
just up the street on the right.”

They thanked her and left.

Sinking back into her chair, Joy began scribbling on a scrap of paper.
Damn, fuck, shit…
She surrounded this tirade in bows before tearing it up and tossing the shreds into the garbage.

Now, with the gallery empty again, her thoughts turned once more to the upcoming opening. Two weeks until the gallery had
its reception for
Ash Hunter: Sex in Your City,
and Joy still didn’t have the sculpture back. Chewing on her fifth antacid tablet that day, she stared around the empty room,
pondering what to do.

Tell him!

He’ll kill me!

You deserve it!

She dropped her head into her palms, swallowing down the last of the sickly sweet tablet. It didn’t seem to matter how many
of the things she popped, she couldn’t get rid of the nerves burning a hole in her stomach. She was sure she was getting an
ulcer.

Every day she waited for the UPS delivery person to bring her the package so she could sneak back into the museum and replace
the sculpture. Her plan was simple. She had friends who worked there; all she had to do was make up a reason to be allowed
inside the secure doors, and she’d replace the sculpture where’d she found it. It was a good plan.

If only she had the sculpture to return. The deliveryman had just brought some packages, but there was nothing for her other
than some brochures she’d ordered for the upcoming exhibit.

You are so fucked.

Her cell phone rang, and she flipped it open. “Erica, hey.”

“Don’t sound so happy to hear from me.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just having…” She chuckled and it sounded a bit frenzied. “One of those days.”

“I wanted to know if you’re up for Monday night cocktails or if you’re busy.”

Joy blinked. Erica’s tone actually suggested she wouldn’t kill her if Joy flaked.

“I’m definitely coming,” Joy said. This week’s Sunday brunch with Grandmother had been even more stressful than usual, because
Joy had made the mistake of wearing one of her new outfits (apparently a girl with Joy’s
skin tone
should never wear cobalt blue), she was stressing more than ever over the sculpture, and Ash hadn’t called since Saturday.

“Count me in. I could definitely use some inebriation.”

“You can tell me all about it at Mario’s.”

“Can’t wait,” Joy said, popping another Tums.

“I don’t know,” Joy muttered later that night at the bar. She swallowed deeply from her margarita glass. “I thought things
were going okay, but I haven’t heard from him in two days.”

Scott raised a brow. “Have you called him?”

“No,” Joy muttered.

“Why not?” Kate asked incredulously. “You’ve been sleeping together. You have every right to call!”

“I know,” Joy said. “I just don’t want to bother him.” The truth was she could barely stand to look at him or hear his voice
knowing she was deceiving him.

She wished she had just come out and told him right away; if she had, things probably wouldn’t be so bad now. But she’d waited
so long, and the more she got to know Ash, the more she couldn’t bear to let him down.

Unless that sculpture was delivered while she still had time to replace it, she was going to have to tell him everything.
But time was running out all too quickly.

Joy frowned. “Why do we always spend so much time talking about my love life, anyway?”

Scott laughed. “Honey, it’s because your love life is such a train wreck! It’s like… reality TV, right before our very eyes.”
He waved his hand as if producing a magical television before them.

“It’s not a train wreck.”
It was sooo a train wreck.
“Very often,” she added weakly.

Erica, who’d been strangely silent during all this, looked into the depths of her drink. “Do you like this guy?”

Just the thought of Ash made her hot. All over. “Yeah. I really do.”

“He better not hurt you; that’s all I can say.”
Or I’ll kill him.
The words hung in the air, mainly because, after Cartwright, Erica had repeated that phrase about a million times.