Groan.
“Ashley Mercedes Roe.” I bang this time. “Open up.”
The door flies open. “Seriously? You’re going to go allBad Boyson me?” She crosses her arms, dressed adorably in sweatpants and a ruffled tank top.
I take my first real breath in weeks. Fuck, I missed her.
“I’ll handcuff you to the bed if I have to.”
“That may have been an option when you were Eli Dexter Livingston.”
“Officer Kirschner can act out that role so much better.” I step into her room without an invitation. I’m not leaving. Not until she forgives me. And I wasn’t kidding about handcuffing her to the bed either.
“Eli,” she protests, but I ignore her, slamming the door behind me.
“I’m not leaving, Ash. We need to work this out. Here, now, right this second. I’m going crazy without you.”
Ash sags a bit, and a tiny seed of hope sprouts. Maybe she’s going a little crazy without me, too.
“I don’t know who you are, Eli.”
“Yes, you do.” I seize her arms with both hands. “No one knows me better. The only thing that’s different is my occupation and my last name. Everything else is true. Everything.” I shake her lightly. I want to get through to her.
“You lied to me—”
“Because I had to. I wanted to tell you so many times. I didn’t want it to go as far as it did without you knowing the truth, but I couldn’t help myself. I can’t help myself when it comes to you. In a short time you’ve become everything.”
Her bold blue eyes widen. Trust me, I can’t believe what I’m saying either, but it’s the truth. She’s the gravity to my world.
“I feel stupid. I didn’t know. I fell in love—”
“With someone who doesn’t deserve you, but wants you more than anything else on earth.” I take the liberty of finishing her sentence.
“I want you, too.” That sounded painful to admit. Her ego is bruised, badly.
“So let’s start over. Right here, right now. I’ll do anything for one more chance.” I pin her against the wall, desperately. She’s so close to giving in I can almost taste it.
“How long have you been a cop?”
“Six years.”
“When is your real birthday?”
“December 11th.”
“How quickly can you get these clothes off?” She tugs at one of my shirt buttons.
“Twenty-six seconds.”
“Clock’s ticking.” Ash looks up at me with a provocative expression. If she could sprout devil horns, I think she would.
I rip my clothes off in record time. Then tear hers off as well. I’d say it’s a new record for me.
“Baby.” I lift her off the ground and pin her naked body against the wall. Skin to skin is spiritual. Magical, magnetic, mythical.
“I need you.” I press my pelvis against hers. “Tell me you need me, too.”
“More than I want to admit.” Ash clasps her hands to my face and kisses me like I’m the air she needs to breathe.