Filed to story: Swallow Me Whole (Sadie & Ashton) Book Free
You couldn’t handle me.
One look into his eyes steals my breath. The curve of his lips steals rational thought. The firm set of his jaw steals my will. Against my better judgement—against the warning staccato beat of my heart—I hurtle from everything that’s safe and familiar and boring.
“You call the shots. Got it.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah, I get it, Ash.”
“Okay then. It’s settled.”
“So…” I despise the way my cheeks flush under his scrutiny. “Where do we go from here?”
He takes my chin between two gentle fingers, his thumb stroking my jaw. His touch sparks something inside me—an ember longing to blaze. It takes everything I have not to let my eyes drift shut and just feel. A small sigh escapes my lips.
“We go where I take us.”
Now I do close my eyes. This is too much. Things are shifting too fast. I’m still the same girl I’ve always been, only now I want to drop to my knees and tear at his zipper. And I want him to teach me how.
A long stretch of silence passes. Or maybe it’s short and just feels like minutes instead of seconds.
“Look at me,” he says, the softness of his voice lifting my lids. “If you want to pleasure a man, the first thing you need to learn is how to pleasure yourself. Do you touch yourself?”
I jerk back, alarmed by such an intrusive question.
He won’t let me retreat. “Eyes up here, Sadie,” he commands, and that’s when I realize I’m staring at his strong jawline. “Answer me.”
Holy shit, this side of him both scares and thrills me. What sort of avalanche did I set in motion last night in my drunken stupor?
“I…sometimes.”
“Have you ever gotten yourself off in front of a guy?”
He’s so matter-of-fact with these questions, we might as well be discussing the ways one could prepare dinner.
“No.” I try to shake my head, but his hold on my chin won’t allow it.
He seems to consider that for a second. “I want you to get up, shower, and dress. Lying around in bed until noon isn’t going to help your hangover.” He finally lets go of me and stands. Parting my lips, I allow a tiny breath of relief to escape. But then he tugs on the blanket. With lightning quick movements, I grab hold at the last second, refusing to let go.
“I’m not dressed.”
“We’re gonna have to go over some ground rules, beginning with your modesty.” He steps back and lets go of the blanket before gesturing at me with a sweeping hand. “You’re gonna be naked in front of me soon enough, so a T-shirt and panties is nothing. Get up. Now.”
“You’re so bossy.” My words might have sass, but I can’t hide the quiver behind them. I’ve never heard him speak quite like that before—with commanding presence. With authority.
Over me.
He is utterly confident that I’ll bend to his will simply because he gave the order.
Who is this guy? I can’t reconcile the version of Ashton standing before me with the guy I grew up with. He’s a fucking master chameleon.
“Bossy doesn’t begin to describe me. Now get your cute ass out of bed before I spank it.”
I climb off the mattress, exposing my half-naked body to his heated perusal. But I can’t stop from folding my trembling arms over my chest. Too much adrenaline is rushing through me. Too much want.
“Is this what you mean by calling the shots?”
He nods with a frown. “Don’t be ashamed of your body.” He gestures at my rigid posture. “Lower your arms.”
Slowly, I let them dangle at my sides, hating how naked I feel standing in front of him, vulnerable and exposed to the core, despite my T-shirt covering my panties.
“Do you have a problem with me being in charge?”
“I…” My gaze lowers to his feet. “I don’t know. All of this is happening so fast.”
I’m dreaming. None of this makes sense. How did Ashton and I end up in my bedroom like this? In this situation?
“Do you trust me, Sawyer?”
He’s the only one who’s ever called me that.
“Of course I do.”
“Then I don’t see a problem. We’ll go over some ground rules so we’re both comfortable with this. But in the meantime, I want you to shower and get some food in your stomach.” His lips curve into a grin, and that suggestive smile of his warms me all the way to my toes. “Do you have plans tonight?”
“No.”
“You do now. Come by my place at seven.”
Sadie
By the time I shower and dress, it’s past noon, and my headache has settled into a dull annoyance. Normally, wasting the morning away would bother me more, but after last night and this morning’s visit from Ashton, I can’t bring myself to care. Maybe I’m off kilter from everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours, not to mention the hangover, so when an unexpected knock sounds on my door, I’m not taken aback.
Maybe part of me even realizes who it is before I pull the door open.
He’s standing there holding my picnic basket, face a picture of regret. “I found this last night outside my office.”
“Uh-huh.” Raising a brow, I cross my arms over my chest.
He narrows his eyes, forehead wrinkling. “Did you leave it?”
“Yep.”
Raking a hand through his blond hair, he lets out a sigh. “Can I come in, Sadie?”
“Nope.”
“Are you only talking to me in one-word sentences now?”
“I don’t know. I guess that depends on how long you’ve been fucking your assistant behind my back.”