He slid down her body then to his knees beside the bed. Then he licked her, oblivious of their shared fluids dripping from her body and she trembled at the exquisite pleasure of his tongue dragging over her sensitive clit. She arched, her body sensitized and quivering at the edge of another orgasm. Then she felt it. A surge of pleasure from deep inside her rising, shuddering through her body, then blasting through her in a heated wave of blissful sensations. She clung to him as she seemed to shatter into a million pieces.

*   *   *

Ashley sipped her coffee as she stared at the Sunday crossword puzzle. Adam had spent all day Saturday with her … and Saturday night. He had taken her fast and hard against the wall, then later made tender, passionate love to her in bed. She smiled at the memory. Then they’d gone for a run this morning and he’d headed home.

She had all day Sunday to get a few chores done, then just relax and forget about everything stressful until she returned to work tomorrow.

Then she’d have to continue working on her article. The one Dare had been helping her with.

Unsettling feelings stirred inside her at thoughts of Dare. She sipped her steaming coffee again. She had started a relationship with Adam now. One she knew she’d be happy in. He was perfect for her.

Why then did thoughts of Dare still make her ache inside? She’d always known there was no future there. Even though she’d kidded herself for a while that maybe it could happen.

But that hope had been shattered by him. He’d never wanted any more from her than a few weeks of fucking. She was probably just an amusing distraction, but then she’d become inconvenient when Helen had shown up.

Bitter, spiteful Helen.

She was his ex-stepdaughter, and clearly he still thought of her as family and his responsibility.

Which was commendable, she had to admit.

Her buzzer sounded and she hopped up, wondering if it was Adam. Maybe he hadn’t been able to get enough of her and had come back to spend the afternoon. She grinned broadly. She was definitely up for some afternoon delight.

“Yes?” she said into the speaker.

“A delivery for Ms. Cane.”

A delivery? “I’m sorry, I’m not expecting anything,” she answered.

“Hey, lady, I have flowers here for you. Long-stemmed red roses.”

Adam had sent her flowers? She pushed the button, a smile spreading across her face.

She waited impatiently for the knock on the door. He seemed to take forever to arrive, but finally, as she peered out the peephole, she saw the man carrying a large arrangement of huge red roses in a tall vase, surrounded by cellophane. She pulled open the door and took the flowers from him.

“Oh, wait, I need to grab my purse.”