"You can't sway my decision on whether or not to send you out," he warned her softly. "And if you open this door, I'm not going to be the one to close it. I'm not good enough to walk away."
"I want you to remember what it's like not to be so alone," she whispered. "If I have to walk through this door, I will."
"You know I'll only ever hurt you, Ash."
Her heart flipped over in her breast. "Yeah. I know."
"Is it worth it?"
"You mean, are you worth it?" she retorted. "Yeah. You are. You always have been."
"You're a fool, Ash. You leap before you look every time. You have no idea how deep I'll take you."
Her breath caught. Ashley hesitated, knowing instinctively he wasn't talking about a single kiss. She wanted to tell herself she'd sleep with him for even the smallest chance to save Brandon. But it was the voice whispering quietly in her thoughts that made her pause, the one telling her she'd sleep with Jonny no matter what or who was at stake. Not for his benefit or Brandon's or anyone else's but because, from the first moment they met again, she'd been forced to acknowledge that the feelings that once held her captive had never really died.
"I'm ready to jump," she whispered.
Jonny captured her lips with his and slid his arm around her. She rested against him, marveling at his flavor and the heated strength of his body against hers. Her arms went around his neck while his other hand gripped her bottom and pulled her hard against his hips. Her belly lit on fire and raced throughout her until she was fevered, aching, hungry for him. Jonny's hands slid up her shirt, and she jerked when she felt the heat of his broad palms against her bare skin.
"Last chance," he whispered, pulling away from the kiss.
"No, it's your last chance," she shot back.
Jonny chuckled. "I missed you."
Ashley pushed back to see his face clearly. "You mean it."
"Yeah," he said with an uncomfortable smile.
"Seven hundred and fourteen women and you missed me," she said and arched an eyebrow at him. "There's only been one for me."
"Someone I need to kill?"
"No, idiot. Just you."
Jonny's smiled faded. "But we never ..."
"Shut up and kiss me," she ordered, face flushing.
Jonny obeyed and skated his palms up her torso to lift her shirt over her head. He tossed it and she gripped his shirt with trembling hands.
"Just …" She pulled back. "Just so we're both uh … clear …"
"Yeah, I know," he said. "I remember what we did and didn't do. I know what that means."