“She didn’t sleep in here. Her shit was down the hall.”

“AHHHHHH!” I scream, coming out of my skin, spinning to find Dillon wearing a pair of loose sleep pants while standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes on me. “You scared the crap out of me!” I snap, holding my hand to my chest.

“You scared the shit out of me when I couldn’t find you,” he snaps right back. “What the hell are you doing hiding in here?”

“Huh?” I play dumb then look around like I just realized where I was.

“Jesus, you are a total fucking nut. C’mere.” He holds out his hand, and my eyes drop to it like it’s a snake that will strike me at any moment.

“I’m not a nut,” I defend, even though I may be, but only because he is making me one.

“C’mere.”

“I’m right here.”

“Yes, but I want you right here.” He points to the ground at his feet and raises a brow.

“Why?”

“Because I do.”

“That’s not a good reason.” I shake my head, and his eyes close briefly like he’s annoyed then open and pin me in place, narrowing. Lunging forward, he catches my waist and pulls me into him.

“You’re so annoying,” I grumble, watching him smile. “What did you want to tell me that you couldn’t say with me standing over there?”

“She never stayed in here. We didn’t share a room or a bed.”

Snorting, I lean my head back, looking at the ceiling, wondering how stupid he thinks I am, and he gives me a squeeze, pulling my gaze back to him.

“I’m serious.”

“Yeah, I bet,” I huff, trying to pull away.

“You were my first.” My body freezes, and I wonder if I heard him right.

“What?”

“You were my first,” he repeats, and I swear he’s saying he was a virgin. I want to laugh, but the look in his eyes says he isn’t joking. Then I remember our first time, and every time since then, and I wonder how much porn he’s watched, because moves like the ones he has had to come from somewhere.

“I see that you don’t believe me,” he mutters, and I shake my head, trying to process his words and exactly what they mean.

“No, actually, I’m just wondering exactly how much porn you’ve watched,” I say, and he gives me a sexy grin then takes a step forward, pressing me into the island in the center of the closet, then lifts me up to sit on top of it.

“Haven’t watched any porn, baby.” His words vibrate against my ear that he nips, causing my knees to go weak as he uses his hips to spread them open.

“Are you sure?”

“Didn’t want to go to hell.” I hear the smile in his voice, and I move my hands up to wrap around his shoulders then lean back so I can see his face. “It was you.” His fingers trail down my cheek gently. “I knew it was you. At times, it pissed me off that it was you, but that doesn’t change the fact it’s been only you since the moment we met.”

“Dillon.” I feel my face soften, and my body presses closer to his.

“I’m no saint. I’ve had my fair share of close calls, but no one ever felt right.” He holds my face in his palms and kisses me softly… so softly I feel that kiss score through every cell in my body. “Until you.”

Tears sting my nose, and I drop my forehead to his shoulder and try to get myself under control as his fingers slide back through my hair to wrap around my scalp. His words are not the words of love I so desperately want to hear from him, but they are words that make me hopeful.

“You didn’t even like me,” I whisper into his skin, and his fingers tense against my scalp.

“You’re wrong,” his lips whisper back against the top of my head, and I squeeze my eyes closed, wondering what the hell is happening and when I will wake up from this crazy, impossible dream… or if I ever want to.

Chapter 5

Ashlyn

“Your mom and dad get home today,” Dillon reminds me as he leans against the counter opposite me with a cup of coffee in his hands. His broad chest and abs visible for me to drool over.

“I know.” I don’t need his reminder. I’ve talked to both my parents a few times since they’ve been gone, and neither of them has brought up my relationship with Dillon. I’m worried. My dad isn’t someone who beats around the bush, so to speak. So I have no idea what to expect from him when he gets back into town.

“I know you’re worried.”

“I am,” I agree, thinking that’s the understatement of the century.

Turning, he drops his coffee behind him to the granite then moves to where I’m standing, wrapping his hands around my waist and lifting me up to sit on the counter I was just leaning against. “I won’t hide our marriage from anyone else.”

“Dillon,” I sigh, wishing he understood where I’m coming from. “It’s not as easy as just telling them we got married.”

His hands rest against my thighs and his fingers begin to rub circles there. “I know, but we are married.”

“My parents are going to have concerns, valid concerns.” I rest my hands on his shoulders and lean into him. “We didn’t date. We jumped right into being married and basically living together.”

“There is no ‘basically’ about it. We are living together, and will be until the day we die,” he growls, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes at him. He’s so damn hardheaded.