Sweet Obsession (Nights Series #4)(22)

“You little shit!” Catherine barked. “Don’t you dare speak to me like that!”

The dial tone suddenly sounded.

Ash blinked and stared at the cell. “Well, that ended faster than I thought it would.”

He looked up.

Luke was gazing at him with a wide-eyed expression. Ash gasped when Luke suddenly grabbed his face and kissed him.

“You’re a genius!” Luke said fiercely.

He took the phone, tapped the touch screen, and pulled up another number.

Ash studied him, bemused, as the line rang.

“Where are you?” John Peace barked when it connected. “I have the president of Keele Industries on the other line, and she’s—”

“Good morning to you too, sunshine,” Luke interrupted with a grin. “I’m in bed. With Ash.”

Ash blushed as silence resonated across the connection.

John sighed. “I said, talk to him, not fuck him,” he muttered. “Anyway, it looks like congratulations are in order. I hope the kid can walk.”

“John,” Luke said, stifling a chuckle while Ash’s ears flamed.

“Yeah?”

“You’re on speaker.”

There was a brief pause.

“Good morning, Ash,” John said, unperturbed.

Ash groaned and covered his face with his free hand.

“’Morning, John,” he mumbled.

“Guess who just phoned?” Luke said to John.

Ash didn’t bother hiding his puzzlement at the triumphant expression in Luke’s golden eyes.

“Really?” John said sarcastically. “You want me to play a guessing game? You’re the CEO of Rutherford Industries. I’ve got, like, a gazillion people on your contacts list.”

“Well, one of them probably spilled my private number to Catherine Bernardino,” Luke responded drily.

“She called you?” John snapped. “What did she say?” He swore. “Did that bitch threaten you again?”

Luke smiled.

“It wasn’t so much what she said but rather who she said it to. Remember Clause One B of the contract I showed you on Monday? The one the Bernardinos signed five years ago?”

John’s sharp inhale traveled down the line.

“You mean about the permanent injunction order?” he said excitedly. “The one that states they are not allowed to communicate with Ash by any means or get within a mile of him?”

“Yup, that one.” Luke leaned in and dropped a loving kiss on Ash’s forehead. “Ash grabbed my phone off me. Catherine spoke to him. It was only a few words, but I believe my lawyers will ride with that. Phone them and get them to file a petition for contempt. The PI firm in San Francisco should be closing in on the Bernardinos’ whereabouts by now. Oh, and, John? I’m taking the day off. Tell Lana Keele something came up and I’ll ring her tomorrow.”

Ash’s pulse raced when Luke ended the call.

“You mean, this could all be over soon?” he breathed.

Luke placed the cell on the nightstand and tugged Ash against his chest as he lay back down on the bed.

“Yup. And all because you lost your temper.” He dropped another kiss on the tip of Ash’s nose. “Which, let me tell you, is very arousing. I’m kinda hard right now.”

Ash flushed when he registered Luke’s stiffening length against his hip.

“You sex fiend.”

Luke grinned. His smile faltered a moment later.

“Ash, about Stanford. I’m sorry I acted like an ass.” He grimaced. “I was just worried about you, so if you wanna go—”

Ash rose and pressed his mouth to Luke’s, checking his words. Luke groaned and kissed him hotly, his tongue probing Ash’s lips until the latter moaned and let him in. Ash wrenched his mouth from Luke’s breathless seconds later.

“I can’t believe you’d even suggest that.” Ash stared down at Luke. “I can earn an architectural design degree anywhere, Luke. This is where I want to be. With you. Right here.”

Luke’s eyes brightened to molten gold, the emotion in the amber depths causing Ash’s breath to catch all over again.

“Are you sure?” Luke said thickly.

Ash swallowed, emotion clogging his throat. He pressed a kiss over Luke’s heart and rested his head against his chest, the steady drumming beneath his ear a balm that soothed his soul.

“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.” Ash took a ragged breath. “Don’t send me away again, Luke. I couldn’t bear it if you—”

He gasped when Luke suddenly flipped him onto his back.

“I’m never letting you go,” Luke growled. He kissed Ash passionately. “You’d better be prepared, Ash Colby.”

Ash nodded. He moaned as Luke dropped hot kisses down his neck and across his chest.

“Luke, maybe we should, you know, get up and have breakfast,” Ash managed to say in a strangled voice as Luke’s clever lips found his left nipple.

“My breakfast is right here,” Luke muttered.

He dipped his head and kissed the stirring head of Ash’s cock.

Ash flushed. This beast. I can’t believe he’s—Oh fuck!

THE END