Free Forbidden Steps: A Stepbrother Romance by Bianca Sommerland Page B

want to share you.”
    “But Steph…”
    “Loves the idea. She’s been trying to be subtle, probably worked better with you than it has with me.” Colin sighed. “Are you freaked out yet?”
    Ashley shook her head. Her cheeks were flushed; he could see it in the moonlight that glowed through the window, spreading out over her dark hair and pale skin. She licked her lips and opened her mouth to speak.
    Colin couldn’t wait any longer. Pushing up so both his knees were braced against the seat he placed his hands at either side of her face, bent down and kissed her. Ashley made a light sound in the back of her throat and put her hands on his cheeks, then slid them back into his hair.
    Time lost all meaning as Colin continued to kiss her, at some point changing positions so that he could hold her in his lap again while he explored her mouth with his tongue, stealing her ability, and will, to breath. He sucked at her bottom lip one last time before he stopped and wrapped his arms around her, his big muscles relaxed as he held her head against his chest.
    For a while, they both sat in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Colin pressed his palm to her cheek and arched her head back to look at her. “Say something.”
    Ashley bit her lip. “I’ve been wanting you to do that for a long time.”
    “And you didn’t tell me because…?”
    A grin on her face, Ashley ducked her head and let her hair fall over her cheek. “There was no way I could tell you I had a crush on you.”
    It was so ridiculously obvious. Ashley couldn’t have known if he’d have been okay with it.
    But there was one last thing he needed to know. “For how long?”
    Her voice was so low Colin almost didn’t hear her. “Since before I started dating Bobby. Going out with him was the only way I knew how to be close to you.”
    Colin had to grit his teeth to keep from cursing. If only he had known…but that wasn’t true. If Steph hadn’t seduced him, if none of it had happened, he never would have considered a relationship with either of them.
    Even so, it was hard not to wish it hadn’t. Much as he loved being with Steph, much as he wanted to be with Ashley, he would trade it all to give her back the years she’d lost.
    Since that wasn’t possible, all he could do was appreciate the good that had come of it. “Let’s go back to the hotel. That is, unless you’ve changed your mind about going to the hospital.”
    Ashley shook her head, sat back and wrapped her arms around herself. “No. I’ll go in the morning to get some blood tests, but other than that I want to forget any of it ever happened. And I want you to forget it too.”
    Colin wasn’t sure he could, but he wouldn’t press the issue now. He let Ashley go so she could climb back into her own seat.
    After they drove for a bit in another bout of silence, Ashley turned to him. “When we get back do you think…” She paused and took a deep breath. “Do you think you could come back to my room?”
    It was hard not to smile. Colin had been hoping she’d ask. “Yeah. I’ll come back to your room.”
    Ashley fidgeted with her seatbelt. “Are you gonna tell Steph?”
    Jaw set in a hard line, Colin shook his head. “No. Not yet. Whatever happens will be between us for now.” He glanced over at her. “I hope you don’t mind, I just don’t want Steph getting the satisfaction of thinking her little schemes worked.”
    “So just us for now?” she waited for Colin’s nod and then smiled. “Good. I like that.”
    Chuckling Colin reached over and patted her thigh. She jumped and bit her lip. Colin grinned. “I thought you would.”
    All the way back to the hotel, Colin’s thoughts were locked on how Ashley was reacting to him. She seemed nervous, but eager. He was happy to see there was no bitterness, and was sure the chance to be alone with him had a lot to do with it.
    Knowing Ashley as well as he did, he had a pretty good idea of how badly her jealousy had