“Asked me what?” I said.

Maya sighed. “Do it now or I will.”

Ash grinned and he held up his hands in surrender. “Fine. I—”

“We,” Maya corrected him.

“Right, right. Ahem. Lily, we were wondering if you’d like to move into the house.”

“Wh-what?” I said. “Move in here?”

“All right, you kids,” Maya said before Ash could reply. “I’m going to make a start on dinner, so I’ll leave you two to discuss logistics, but when you come to the house, Lily, I expect your answer to be yes.” She headed for the door with a decided spring in her step, and gave me a wink before disappearing out of the door. After she’d gone, Ash put his arms around me and I sank against his chest, pulling him closer.

“Are you sure about this?” I said. “Me taking a job with Maya and moving into the house. I don’t want to put pressure on you and it sounds like it might extend my stay.”

“I think it’s an excellent idea,” he whispered. “We have the spare room—”

“The spare room?” I grinned, running my hands up his arms. “That doesn’t sound like fun.” I cupped his face with my hands and kissed him. When his fingers slid under my T-shirt, gliding across my back, I reciprocated. His embrace was harder now, hungrier, igniting the passion I’d stuffed away since I’d found him, and I responded, urging him to keep going. As his body reacted to mine, I pressed myself against him, before remembering the promise I’d made to myself about taking things slowly. I made myself pull away.

“I don’t want—”

“Me?” he said softly, a sly smile on his lips.

“No, I mean, yes, but I want you to want me... Oh, shit, I’m a Marvin Gaye song.”

I kissed him again. His lips slid over my neck, making me arch my back as a delectable shiver traveled the full length of my spine. In one swift movement I pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his flat stomach and the hair on his chest, which tapered into a sexy thin trail and disappeared into the top of his jeans. I’d imagined our first time together again in bed as romantic, gentle and tame, but as I fumbled to loosen his belt that was no longer what I wanted. What I wanted—needed—was for him to be inside me, as fast and deep and reckless as possible.