And he wanted to return the favor to her as they ended the God-smack cover they were playing. He went over to the lead singer of the band, Angel Santiago, who had long brown hair and a cocky grin, and whispered to him.
Angel shook his head, laughing. "For you, man, anything." Angel went to the others while Ash adjusted the mike in front of him to accommodate his height.
An instant later, Ash cringed as a spotlight was turned straight on him. He'd never craved this kind of attention and every part of him wanted to run for cover.
But Tory had a stupid fantasy and the part of him that she'd unknowingly touched wanted to give it to her.
His throat dry from embarrassment and fear, he met her gaze. "This is for Soteria." He went into the opening strands of Nickel-back's "Savin' Me." The moment he did, he wanted to die as he realized how badly he'd just screwed up—in public. The club was filled with people and animals in human form who knew who and what he was. Beings who would be dying to know who Soteria was and why he'd dedicate a song to her when he never did such a thing.
More than that, he'd most likely angered Tory by linking her name to his. Damn it. He knew better. No one wanted to be seen with him. Ever.
When was he going to learn that one basic fact? Decent people only wanted to interact with him in private. He was an embarrassment. A freak.
But it was too late now. All he could do was see this through and hope she didn't publicly bitch-slap him for the affront when it was over.
I'm such an idiot.
Tory couldn't breathe as she heard Ash sing. He had the most amazing voice. Low and deep, it sent shivers over her.
Good gods of Olympus . . .
She'd never heard this song before but the lyrics were beautiful . . .
Heaven's gates won't open up for me.
With these broken wings I'm fallin'
And all I see is you.
Those lyrics brought tears to her eyes. All her life, she'd had a fantasy about a great-looking guy in a band singing to her. She knew how stupid it was, but to be here right now having Ash of all men sing to her.
It was surreal and it was wonderful. Most of all, it made her want to cry.
And when the song ended, the spotlight was turned off. Ash set his guitar on the stand by the drum set and jumped down from the stage.
"We'll be taking a twenty-minute break," the lead singer said.
Tory barely heard him as Ash approached her slowly and for the first time she saw hesitancy in his powerful gait. Unsure, he stopped in front of her.
Ash cringed, dreading her reaction. "I'm sorry if I—" He was going to say embarrassed you, but before he could get the rest of the sentence out, she pulled the sunglasses off his face and grabbed him into the fiercest kiss he'd ever known.
Everything around him receded as her lips set fire to his entire body. It wasn't demanding or painful. It was a kiss of commitment. Of caring.
One that made him growl with need as she cupped his face with her hands, then trailed them down his body to hold him so close to her that his head spun with disbelief.
And in that moment, all he wanted was to be inside her. To have her hold him like this while there was nothing between them. Just bare skin to bare skin.
Tory couldn't breathe as she tasted Acheron. His body was so incredibly hard. She doubted there was a single molecule not muscled and ripped. Except for his lips. They were as soft as a whisper and tasted of raw masculine power.
"Damn Ash, get a room."
Ash tensed at the sound of Dev's voice as the bear walked past him. But he was still incredulous that Tory had grabbed him like this in public. No woman had ever done that before. He'd always been relegated to the shadows—to places where no one could see them together.
The fact that she'd kissed him openly . . .
It was heaven.
Biting her lip, Tory pulled back to see his face mottled with red. Whether from anger, exertion or embarrassment she couldn't tell for sure. "I'm sorry. I hope I didn't offend you."
Ash shook his head as he laid his hand to her cheek. Pulling her against him, he buried his face in her hair and inhaled the sweetness of her scent. It was a scent he wanted to bathe in until it coated every inch of his flesh and branded him as hers.
Tory closed her eyes at the tightest embrace she'd ever had. She hugged him back and just held him while people walked around them. She'd never really been one for public displays of affection, yet with him it was different.
Nothing seemed to matter except being with him right here and right now.
Ash squeezed his eyes shut as raw emotions tore through him. Let her go. Shove her away. It was the sanest thing to do. The safest thing to do.
But he couldn't. He'd lived his entire life for other people, trying to please them and failing with every attempt. First it'd been his human father, then his uncle. The clients he'd taken.
And then Artemis.
He'd never been good enough to earn their love. Never good enough for them to make him feel the way Tory did. To her he was neither whore nor god. Neither property nor a source of shame.
He was just a man.
And that man wanted to make love to her.