rose in her throat.
Needing a moment to gather her thoughts, Haley sipped her water.
“Have you ever been to the Rooftop Bar?” he asked her. “It’s the most popular restaurant-lounge in the city, and everything on the menu is exquisite.”
You’re exquisite, she thought, staring at his lips, wishing they were pressed hard against hers. “No, not yet. I’ve heard about it, but I haven’t had an opportunity to check it out.”
“I’ll pick you up on Friday night at seven o’clock,” he said with a broad grin, his tone matter-of-fact. “Wear comfortable shoes. We’re going to be doing a lot of dancing.”
“Ashton, I’m sorry, but I have other plans tomorrow night.”
The smile slid off his face. “Do you have a date?”
“Yeah, a date at the Miami Soup Kitchen. Fun times!” Haley laughed. “I volunteer twice a week, and if I’m not there to make my seafood gumbo the regulars will complain.”
“Need some help?”
“But you don’t cook.”
“Yeah,” Ashton conceded. “But I can chop vegetables with the best of them.”
“Then we’d love to have you.”
“Great. I look forward to seeing you again on Friday night.”
“Wear comfortable shoes,” she teased, gesturing under the table at his designer sandals. “Those aren’t going to cut it. You’re going to be on your feet all night, so runners are your best bet.”
“Got it,” Ashton said. “How did you get involved with the soup kitchen?”
Heat warmed her skin. Normally, Haley wasn’t afraid to share her story, but she didn’t want Ashton to judge her, and had second thoughts about opening up to him about her childhood. “Despite my parents both working two jobs, there was never enough food at home, so we’d eat at local soup kitchens a few times a week,” she explained. “I started volunteering when I was in high school, and now I’m there so much it’s like my second home.”
A sympathetic expression covered his face, and Haley wished she’d kept her big mouth shut. Wished she’d lied. She didn’t want Ashton’s pity; she’d made it, built a life she was proud of. Thanks to Aunt Penny, she was an inner-city success story, and she’d never, ever forget where she came from.
“Please give my regards to Ms. Edith,” she said, resting her utensils on her empty plate. “Dinner was amazing, especially her peach cobbler.”
Ashton stood, came around the table and helped Haley out of her chair. “I’m glad you liked it. Next time you come over I’ll see to it that she makes another one.”
Next time? Her mouth watered, and her heart danced inside her chest.
“This was nice, Ashton. Thank you for a lovely evening—”
“You can’t leave. I haven’t given you a tour of the estate yet. It’s not to be missed.”
“Okay, one short tour, but then I have to go. It’s way past my bedtime.”
“If you’re tired you can stay here. I have eight bedrooms and a huge guest cottage.”
“I bet you say that to all the charity CEOs you have over for dinner.”
Winking, he slid an arm around her waist. “No, beautiful, just you.”
Ashton wondered what Haley was thinking, wished he could read her mind and dissect her thoughts. Desire simmered below the surface, filling the air with its intoxicating fragrance. Stunning, with impeccable manners and a wicked sense of humor, Haley was hard to resist. All Ashton could think about was kissing her, ravishing her mouth with his. He found her delightful, genuine and sweet, and he didn’t want her to leave. To prolong their time together, Ashton walked slowly along the winding pathway, stopping to point out the exotic fish in the man-made lake, the guest cottage and the outdoor basketball court.
“Next time you come over bring your workout gear. We’ll play a game of one-on-one.”
“Just say when.” Haley grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll take it easy on you.”
“I’ve been playing basketball since I was in diapers. You don’t stand a chance.”
“Ha, ha, ha,” she quipped, her tone full of sarcasm. “You’re hilarious! We’ll see who gets the last laugh when I cream you on your own court!”
Ashton cracked up. Haley looked pleased with herself, as if she’d hit a three-point shot from half-court, and the jovial expression on her face made her eyes twinkle.
“I don’t care how good you think your game is, Haley. You’re going down.”
“Your mama!”
Tossing his head back, Ashton erupted in laughter. He’d dated women from all walks of life, who always said and did the right thing, but he found her personality refreshing. Haley told it like it was, and their verbal sparring was a turn-on, putting him in a playful mood.
“This is a huge house for one person.” Haley stared up at him, shielding her eyes from the setting sun with her hands. Hands he wished were on his body, stroking his—
“Do you live with your parents?”
“Hell no!” Ashton said, shivering at the thought. “They live next door.”
As they strolled around the property, every other word out of Haley’s mouth was “Wow,” “Incredible,” or “Awesome.” She listened as he talked about the mansion and asked him numerous questions. How many years did it take to build the estate? Did he have live-in staff? Did he entertain regularly? It amused him to see her reaction to his house, to hear her shriek when something shocked her—like the size of his home gym—and Ashton wondered if Haley was vocal in the bedroom, too.
“This room is bigger than my entire condo,” she said, glancing around the space, her eyes wide with wonder. “I’d kill to have a home gym like this.”
The air-conditioned room was filled with state-of-the-art exercise equipment. Autographed posters of famous athletes hung on the vibrant blue walls, and the walk-in fridge at the rear of the room was stocked with healthy snacks and cold drinks. It was Ashton’s favorite room in the house, and whenever he had a bad day or argued with his dad, he’d head straight to the gym and exercise until he was in a better frame of mind.
“I feel like I’m in a museum. I’m going to need a map to find my way out of here!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll escort you to your car when you’re ready to go.”
Frowning, Haley pointed at the red floor mat in front of the window. “You do yoga?”
“Of course.” Ashton
