stow away her purse.
Again, Quinton tipped up her chin. “Tell me what’s troubling you.” Then he’d resolve it and get her focused on him instead of other things.
She crossed her arms over her chest, cocked out one hip, and eyed him up and down. “All right, fine. First and foremost on my mind is the wedding.”
The wedding? Denial lumped in his guts. But a quick glance at her finger showed no engagement ring. He scowled at her for nearly stopping his heart.
“Yeah, my sentiments exactly.” She wrinkled her nose. “But you should try it wearing pink taffeta.” She turned, opened the padlock with deft movements, swung open the squeaky metal door, and shoved her purse onto the top shelf inside the locker. “Let me tell you, humiliation takes on new meaning.” She slammed the locker shut with a little more force than necessary.
“Hold up.” Quinton put a hand to her shoulder and turned her to face him. “You’re not getting married?”
“No way.” And with annoyance, “Where’d you get a dumb idea like that?”
Relief sank into him. “So who’s the lucky bride?”
“My best friend.”
“And she’s getting married when?”
Her head dropped back against the locker with a clatter. “In a couple of days. And I’ve got all this crap to remember—”
“Crap?”
“Yeah, you know. Like how to do that idiotic walk on the rice paper, and to move her train out from behind her when she turns to go back down the aisle.” She closed her eyes and huffed. “And to not say crap in front of the minister.”
“Such a predicament,” he teased.
“Yeah, well, for me it is.” She screwed up her face. “I have a tendency to speak first and think later.”
Without really considering all the repercussions, Quinton said, “This is where I can come in handy.” Then he felt like cursing. He detested weddings almost as much as funerals. Still, he had the entire weekend free and if it’d get him that much closer to her…“As your escort, I’ll assist you in minding your manners.”
Ashley’s eyes snapped open again. “Ho, no.” She shook her head. “I’ll pass, thank-you-very-much.”
“Why?” He sidled closer, getting used to the idea. “Come on, Ashley. You know you don’t want to do this alone. I’ll make excellent backup.”
“What makes you think I don’t already have a date?”
Something cold, mean, and dark settled into his stomach. His humor fled in the face of jealousy. “Do you?”
She scoffed at his stern expression. “Don’t go all caveman on me. My personal business is no concern of yours.”
True—but at that moment it didn’t seem to matter. “If you’re dating someone else, why did you kiss me?”
“You kissed me.”
“And you kissed me back.”
“Let’s don’t split hairs.” She grinned. “Besides, it doesn’t matter because I’m not dating anyone else.”
“You’re sure?” He didn’t entirely trust her attitude or her quick tongue.
“Well, I know I’m busy, but I think I’d notice a guy accompanying me around town.”
After several seconds of contemplation he decided to believe her. The last thing he wanted was another contender in the picture, muddying things up. “So you planned to go to the wedding alone?”
“Unheard of, I know, but that’s the way I roll. I’m the solo queen.”
“I’m glad I don’t have competition.”
“Yeah, well, I could have a date if I wanted one.”
The blustering of her pride had him smiling again. “That I don’t doubt for a single second. After all, I just offered, right?” Ashley might be deliberately abrasive, but that didn’t conceal her innate sensuality. It was a little earthy. Maybe even gritty. But it was there. Any man with eyes would see it. “So why don’t you?”
She threw up her hands. “You really should pay attention. Like I said, I’m busy. Why should I waste my time on a guy who’d probably only get under my skin, then walk away?”
Interesting revelation. He pointed out the obvious. “I’m not walking away.”
“Not yet.” And though she tried to hide it, he glimpsed her vulnerability again. “But that’s because you haven’t gotten what you want, yet.”
“Sex?”
“Bingo.” And then, “Don’t try to deny it.”
The way she challenged him, her chin raised, her eyes narrowed, was both amusing and endearing. “We’ve already established that I want to make love to you. I’m a man. You’re a very attractive woman.”
“You’re shoveling it on a little thick, aren’t you?”
“You don’t think you’re attractive?” This had to qualify as one of the strangest conversations he’d ever had.
Again she rolled her eyes. “Why are we even talking about this?” She caught him by the collar. “My looks have nothing to do with it. It’s because I’m not falling at your feet that you think you’re interested.”
“Ah, so that’s what it is.”
“Yeah. I figure a guy with your face, bod, and money probably has women chasing him all the time.”
Deadpan, he said, “It can be so bothersome.”
“You’re used to having your pick of the babes. But here I am, a small-town Podunk, giving you the old heave-ho.”
“I’m confident I can change your mind on that.” Most of what she said now sounded like bluster, as if she felt she had to give lip service to her refusal before giving in.
“If I slept with you,” she insisted, “you’d be over me like that.” A snap of her fingers punctuated her statement.
As seriously as he could, Quinton suggested, “Let’s test this theory.” Her cheek was soft beneath the brush of his fingertips. “Make love with me today, right now, and I’ll prove to you that I won’t lose interest. I’ll still escort you to the wedding.”
Her lips twitched. “You want me to do the horizontal mambo here in the basement? Up against the lockers?”
“You have no idea how much.” Gently he cupped her chin—and tried to win her over. “But Ashley, if you want to wait, I’ll wait. I’m happy to spend time getting to know you better. You can trust me.”
Her
