That still didn’t explain where Leyton was.

Sliding his hands down into her silky shorts, he cupped her bare mound, easing his middle finger between her soft folds. “I watched you,” he admitted. “Watched Leyton fucking you in the kitchen.”

“And?”

“Fucking beautiful.”

“Jase,” she whispered, widening her stance as she grabbed his biceps, holding on tightly.

“I wanted to join you, wanted to be part of that.”

To his surprise, Ashlynn pulled away. “I’m not sure that’s gonna happen again.”

Jase’s forehead creased, unable to disguise his confusion. “Why’s that?”

“Leyton wants more from me than I can give.” Ashlynn headed across the room and flipped on the lamp beside her bed. “He wants me to love him.”

Jase knew better than to broach this subject with her. Anytime he thought she was remotely close to showing her true feelings, Ashlynn had a habit of closing herself off. Whether that was because she truly didn’t want to care about him or she simply didn’t understand what those feelings meant, he hadn’t yet determined. But he’d been with her long enough to know that pursuing that conversation would only end up with him alone in his bed.

Clearly something had happened between them. Whether it was during or after, he didn’t know, but something had changed in her. He just wasn’t sure what.

“He’ll come around,” he told her instead, following her around to her side of the bed.

“I doubt that,” she said. She forced a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes, which told Jase she was about to change the subject entirely.

And he knew exactly which direction she was headed.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

It was only a matter of time.

Ashlynn couldn’t get Leyton’s words out of her head. She’d been going over their conversation since she’d left him in the kitchen, trying to figure out why he would want to pursue something that she wasn’t capable of giving, even when she’d told him as much.

That… That was more than sex, Ash.

He’d taken her completely by surprise, diminished the glow from the amazing orgasms he’d given her with those few words.

Do you have a problem with sex, Leyton?

No. I don’t. But I told you earlier, when it comes to you, it won’t just be sex. And it damn sure wasn’t.

Get over yourself, Leyton. An orgasm is an orgasm. There’s not a whole helluva a lot to it.

He hadn’t been happy with her retort, but she hadn’t stuck around to talk about it, either. After wrapping her robe firmly around herself, she’d made a beeline for her bedroom, hoping to find Jase but coming into an empty room instead. Not wanting to have another run-in with Leyton, she’d opted for a shower.

She still couldn’t believe Leyton had told her that he loved her earlier. Those words still played in her head even though she’d tried to erase them.

Are you tryin’ to tell me you love me? Don’t be naïve, Leyton.

I do love you.

Even if that were true, she knew she couldn’t love him back. She didn’t love anyone. Well, no one other than her brothers and sister. And yes, possibly her mother. But that was different. They were family. She was obligated to love them. That was the unwritten code, right?

But Leyton? Or Jase?

She didn’t think she was capable of love. She didn’t even know what it meant.

And when she had sex with someone, it damn sure didn’t mean she loved them. People used sex as a weapon, as a way to hurt one another. How in the world could anyone confuse sex with love? Love wasn’t supposed to hurt. Not like that.

“Ashlynn,” Jase whispered as he stepped closer, his big body pressing up against hers.

He was so big, so warm, so … safe. Being in his arms was the closest thing to safe she’d ever felt. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, wouldn’t want something she wasn’t willing to give.

Do you love Jase?

Why does that matter?

He loves you.

He does not. You don’t know him well enough to determine that.

I think I know him pretty damn well.

Because he let you fuck him? You think that you know him?

I’ve seen the way he looks at you.

So? And that changes anything?

Ashlynn didn’t think Jase loved her, and she had no idea why Leyton would believe such a thing. The sex between them was phenomenal, sure. But that was all it was. Sex.

Pleasure.

Intense, gratifying pleasure.

Reaching for the button on his jeans, Ashlynn peered up into Jase’s crystal-blue eyes, wondering if she could see what Leyton saw. As she freed him from the confining denim, she noticed the way his eyes closed briefly, his lips parted ever so slightly.

Pleasure. That was all it was.

Taking a step back, Ashlynn went to her knees before him. While he toed off his boots and forced his jeans down his legs, she ran her hands over his thighs, enjoying the crisp hair that scraped her palms. She continued to watch him, mesmerized by the way he watched her right back.

When she took the head of his cock in her mouth, he groaned, but he didn’t reach for her. Little did he know, but she liked when he was forceful with her. Although he freely gave her what she needed, Ashlynn knew there were times when he held himself back, allowing her to have control.

Unlike Leyton.

Touch me, Ashlynn. I won’t tell you again.

Why’re you doin’ this?

Because I know it’s easier for you if you’re in control. I know what you’ve been through, understand that you want to be the one holding the reins. But, little girl, that’s not how this works.

It did last night.

I hadn’t made up my mind what I wanted last night, so I let you lead.

But now you know?

Now I know. And I want you to touch me.

Why?

Because this is what you get. Scars and all.

Jase wasn’t like Leyton in that regard. Ashlynn got the feeling Leyton couldn’t give up that control, the same control she craved. Jase appeased her, gave her what she needed, let her maintain that control even when she knew he wanted to take it from her.

So why couldn’t she stop thinking about Leyton? Why, if Jase gave her everything she needed, did she still want Leyton to be there with them?

As she sucked Jase’s thick cock into her mouth, she thought back to the morning she’d stumbled upon Leyton and Jase… As she’d told Jase, it had been so beautiful to watch. A battle of wills had taken place right before her eyes, and in the end, they’d both come out on top, both gotten what they’d wanted. Ashlynn wished she could be that flexible. Wished she could lay it all on the line the way Leyton had.

Contrary to popular belief, control isn’t somethin’ I’m willin’ to give up.

So does that mean instead of begging for my cock, you’re gonna order me to give it to you?

It means I’m gonna fuck your ass, and you’re gonna beg me to let you come.

If you’re man enough to take it.

I’m definitely man enough. Are you?

I guess we’ll find out.

Ashlynn had watched the interaction between the two of them, watched the way Leyton had taken what he wanted from Jase while giving a part of himself in return. It had been a little strange at the time. Not only had it been about sex, but she’d sensed that something else had been taking place there in that room with them. Emotions had been running high, more so than she’d expected.

Was that how it was with her and Jase?

“Ash. God, baby,” Jase groaned, his hand caressing her head but not gripping her.

She continued to control the encounter, her hand clutching the steely length of his cock while her lips wrapped around the swollen head. She wondered whether or not Jase was thinking about Leyton right then.