Sophie broke off his words as she kissed his lips. He growled into her mouth. Holding onto her he moved them into her apartment.

Sophie felt the softness of her bed against her back as he laid her down. Leaning over her he trailed kisses down her neck and chest to the reveal of cleavage she had teased him with. His hand skimmed up her thigh and under the fabric of her dress, squeezing her flesh.

“Wait.” Sophie pushed him up so she could look at his face. His hair looked tousled from her fingers and his incredible lips were swollen from their kiss.

“You owe me a strip dance.” Sophie’s playful smile pulled her lips. Ashton’s grin made his eyes light up as he pushed off the bed. “I get to pick the song,” Sophie declared as she grabbed for her iPod. She scrolled through her list and laughed as she selected “Sexy and I Know It” by LMFAO.

Ashton arched his brow as he recognized the song that started playing. As Sophie watched him start to move to the beat of the music she wondered if there was anything Ashton could not do well. He was so in control of his body, moved so confidently. Sophie laughed as he carried on with her. He was familiar with the song and knew exactly how to utilize it. He pulled his shirt off over his head and Sophie took in his strong, gorgeous body. When he flexed his muscles, Sophie’s mouth watered. Ashton pulled his belt from his pants and kicked them off.

A gasp escaped her as Ashton jumped on the bed. “You stopped laughing.” He nipped her ear as he leaned in over her. “I love the sound of your laugh.”

“I don’t feel like laughing anymore.” She was surprised how serious her tone sounded.

“What do you feel like then?” He looked down at her hungrily.

“I feel like…” Sophie reached down and grabbed the hem of her dress and wiggled it up her body, pulling it over her head.

“I don’t feel like laughing either.” He took in her body beneath him, raking her with his gaze. “I feel like kissing you.”

“Then kiss me.”

Ashton pressed his lips against hers. “I also feel like taking off this.” Ashton slipped his finger under the strap of Sophie’s bra.

“Then take it off.”

Ashton unclasped her bra and threw it off the bed. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered between his kisses. His hands explored her body, raining kisses over her skin and leaving a trail of burning need. “And I want to take these off.” He ran his fingers down the curve of her hip and cupped his hand over her bottom as he grabbed the fabric of her underwear.

“Then take them off.” Her voice was now harsh with desire as her hands memorized the lines of his shoulders and the solid curve of his back. The feel of his powerful body over her made her feel a pleasure like no other. The feel of his naked flesh upon hers made the whole world fade away and left her intoxicated with pure bliss.

The realization that there was nothing between their bodies, skin on skin, made Sophie’s head reel with longing. Ashton’s desire pressed against her soft flesh and she arched her body off the bed to meet his. Her body hummed with pleasure but her mind was clear. She wanted and needed this with a fierceness she couldn’t even begin to understand.

“I want you more than I ever wanted anything,” Ashton said against her lips.

“I want you too, I want this…I want you inside me,” Sophie panted in response.

Ashton tensed over her, his muscles hardened under her touch and his mouth claimed hers with a new vigor. “Are you sure?” He pulled away and looked into her eyes. Sophie looked at his handsome features, his strong jawline, full lips, perfectly straight nose, and endless blue eyes and she realized he was the only one she ever wanted to be with. His were the only lips she wanted to kiss. She reached up and ran her fingers along his cheek and traced his bottom lip.

“I have never been more sure of anything,” she whispered before she pulled him against her to kiss him, to taste him. To breathe in his scent and feel everything that is him upon her. His song was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard and she wanted to play it forever, to live in this moment always.

Ashton took care with her body as he slowly built her pleasure, his lips grazing her flesh, his tongue pulling warmth from her core as she reacted to his touch. He explored her like he was discovering her secrets. Sophie soon writhed for release from the frenzy of desire that took over her. Sounds of her bliss slipped freely from her lips, in turn causing Ashton’s own excitement to build. When Ashton pressed against Sophie’s slick heat as he entered her, Sophie gasped from the sensation of feeling too full as she stretched around him.

“Are you all right?” He stilled, noticing her discomfort as he pushed slowly into her core. The heat of his breath tickled the sensitized skin of her neck.

“Yes…don’t stop…” she panted.

Ashton leaned down and took Sophie’s nipple in his mouth. The sensation made her melt around him, allowing his presence inside her to turn into another sensation. Pleasure erupted inside her as if the discomfort was pulled away, exposing the building of pure bliss. A primal need took over as she thrust her hips against his. His growls of pleasure encouraged her as they both brought each other toward release.

Ashton opened her eyes to sensations that left her soaring, a feeling that lingered as she leaned against his chest. Her fingers lazily traced the deep grooves of his stomach. He had been so gentle with her. The moment couldn’t have been more perfect and she would never forget giving herself to Ashton. “Wow…if I had known what I was missing…” Sophie smiled against his chest, surrounded by his scent and his heat as he held her close.

Ashton chuckled. “Yeah, me too.” Sophie raised her head from his chest and looked up at his face. “It’s different with you,” he explained.

“Good different?” Sophie asked, biting her lip nervously.

“Yes, good different.” He kissed the top of her head. “Very good different…incredible.”

“When did you get this?” Sophie read the words of his tattoo: ‘Life is what you make it’, as she traced the letters wrapping around the side of his chest.

“When my grandfather died.” Ashton’s voice was low when he spoke.

“Margaret told me about him. He sounds like he was such a wonderful man.” Sophie smiled thoughtfully.

“He was. He used to say it a lot. It reminds me of him.”

Sophie sat up and slid her leg over his waist, straddling him. His smile was beautiful and his eyes were shining with emotion. She wanted to paint him like this, capture this moment on a canvas for her to always be able to gaze upon. Ashton ran his hands over her breasts and down her stomach. “You’re perfect.” He whispered.

Sophie’s eyes widened when she felt him harden beneath her. The sound of the door opening caused them both to still.

“Mel.” Sophie breathed against his neck. Ashton wrapped his arms around her and pulled the blanket over their heads.

“Hey, Ashton,” Mel called.

“Hey, Mel,” Ashton returned with a chuckle.

“I’m glad you guys finally did it. The sexual tension between you two was unreal.”

“Mel!” Sophie gasped from under the blanket.

“What? It’s true and you know it.”

Ashton’s laughter ruptured from his chest and Sophie loved the sound and feel of it as he lay under her. Her whole life Sophie tried to believe that she didn’t need love but Ashton had always made her doubt it from the first moment she met him. She could no longer deny that it had any hold on her. She had been swept up in the frenzy of emotions Ashton caused in her. She was in love with him. She wanted to listen to his song forever, remember all the words, and set her life to the beat.

***

When Sophie opened her eyes the next morning she found herself alone in her bed. She sat up holding the sheets over her chest, Ashton was gone. She slid out of bed, retrieved a night shirt, and pulled it over her head. She walked into the living room separated only by a partial wall, allowing a couple of minimal archways to separate the apartment into designated rooms. Mel was still asleep on the sofa. She looked so innocent, not at all like the firecracker she was when she was awake. Sophie couldn’t help the ache that twisted her insides. Ashton had left her without saying goodbye. She picked up her phone, hoping he left a message explaining his departure. There was nothing.