Author's Note: While I'm getting Gareth's story ready, I've got a bonus story for you featuring Ashe and Riley! Hope you enjoy it!

Riley should just really walk away now and never look back.

She should have known that this was such a bad idea, but she also didn't want to look like a coward and back out at the last minute. She was shy enough as it was, and she was tired of being called that by everyone, especially the media who had labeled her 'Ashe Hunter's so-so looking media-shy girlfriend,' among other words they used to say that she wasn't as hot as his latest co-star, the gorgeous Selma Largo, recently named one of the Ten Most Beautiful Women in Hollywood.

Riley was used to the labels—so-so, plain, simple, cute but nothing to write home about. Most times it hurt but she said nothing. She knew photographers often snapped her picture at the Library Cafe when she was working, even though she wasn't making espressos anymore but managing operations. Sometimes the patrons did so, too, the fans who'd come in to check her out and see what was so great about her that Ashe Hunter was dating her.

Was she pregnant? One of the forums asked. Is that why he's stuck with her?

Ashe always told her to ignore them all, and not to read the forums or the articles. People will always need something to talk about and right now, it's me and whom I'm openly dating. It's also part and parcel of PR.

So is this your PR's idea to throw me to the wolves?

No, that would be Reign Studios PR doing damage control. Some people are saying that you're my beard and that I'm really gay, he said her on their latest video chat, just before he was about to get on the plane bound for Sydney and then to New York. Riley wasn't sure whether she should laugh at that one or if it was actually worse than her being called so-so, so she didn't.

That's just human nature to find something to talk about, Ashe continued. I'm open about our relationship, Riley. Everyone knows who I'm seeing. If it rocks their boat that I'm gay, then so be it. But if they're saying that I'm dating someone who's so-so, then they need to have their eyes checked. There's nothing so-so about you, Riley Eames.

Even Riley had to admit, Ashe always knew what to say to make her feel better.

After four months of filming in the Australian outback, he wasn't scheduled to arrive until tomorrow morning. But instead of being at home getting everything ready for his arrival—maybe a homemade breakfast, for surely he'd be tired from all the jet lag, not to mention, the filming itself—here she was in some swanky members-only hotel standing in front of a door marked 402, biting her lower lip nervously. Why Lady Chantilly picked a hotel that she and Ashe were members of as the venue for her last lesson, Riley would never know, and as she stood in front of the door marked 402, she couldn't help but feel like a high-priced hooker.

What had possessed her to go to someone for sex lessons in the first place, lessons she could have learned on her own or with Ashe? Since being with him, she'd already learned so much, though Riley had to admit that she was still shy at times, which seemed to turn him on even more.

Still, she had wanted to surprise him this time, and so she had requested lessons. But what new lessons could she possibly learn about making love or, as Lady Chantilly said, satisfy all of his inner desires? How could someone who didn't know Ashe personally know what his inner desires were? Did all men's desires come in one size? Were there other ways that she had yet to know about going down on him? Different positions even? Though given their last foray into the Kama Sutra days before he left for Australia, that last position had made her laugh so hard she strained a muscle and couldn't walk straight for days.

Riley took a deep breath. It was now or never, this last lesson on sensuality which, according to Lady Chantilly, was the basis of all relationships, even with oneself. As Riley lifted the door knocker, her phone vibrated and she jumped, startled. She took it out of her coat pocket and nervously glanced at the display, sighing with relief when she read the sender's name. Lady Chantilly.

Riley made a face as she typed her response.

Riley sighed. Why on earth were they texting when she could be inside the room right now and going about the lesson?

Riley paused, her cheeks burning. Should she text her answer, that he was huge? She did admit that embarrassing fact to Lady Chantilly, that she'd like to learn how to – how was it called – deep throat him. Everyone knew Ashe was well-endowed, so well-endowed she couldn't take him all the way though she would want to, to surprise him. But then, what if this text exchange was going to be leaked to some media outfit and then publicized?

Her phone vibrated with a new message.

Riley took a deep breath again, glancing at the hallway behind her, the elevator doors mercifully closed. What if there was a hotel camera filming her right now, wondering what was taking her so long to knock on the door?

Then she remembered all the money she'd paid to have the lessons from Lady Chantilly herself, the sex expert to the 'mommies of Manhattan' – the ones who hosted elaborate get-togethers like those leggings parties, only instead of colorful leggings, they talked about, fondled and practiced on sex toys.

They also got together for classes on the hows of seducing a man, making him beg for more, and fulfilling his innermost desires. They even had one called The Back Door though Riley didn't ask about that one.

But Riley did feel ridiculous texting all this information to someone who was just on the other side of the door. Why didn't she just open the door right now?

The elevator doors at the end of the hall whispered open and Riley's heart thundered inside her chest. She knocked on the door, her head down and praying that Lady Chantilly would open it quickly. Shit, what if it was someone she knew? She tried the door knob, turned it but it didn't open. Was Lady Chantilly even inside the suite?

Footsteps echoed in the hallway, almost drowned out by the beating of her heart, the hammering of her pulse between her temples. What on earth made her think that this would be a great idea, that final lesson before Lady Chantilly would then say, you now know how to satisfy your man?

"I'm supposed to meet someone at Suite 402," said a deep voice that sent shivers down Riley's spine. "Would that be you by chance?"

Riley looked up, running her tongue across her dry lips. He took her breath away, gorgeous in a leather jacket over a dark shirt and tight jeans, his dark hair slightly ruffled from travel. She inhaled the scent of his cologne, notes of patchouli and citrus making her nostrils flare.

"Ashe, I thought you were arriving tomorrow," she stammered.

"I'm here now." Ashe's eyes narrowed, his expression playful. "Why? Were you expecting someone else?"

She frowned. "Well, I don't know. I was supposed to meet Lady–"

"-Chantilly, yes," Ashe continued though she couldn't look up at him, her gaze directed at his shoes. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment even though the only thing she wanted right now was to be in his arms. "She told me that you've been taking lessons and that this was the last one. She normally doesn't divulge her clients' identities, but since part of her work is with couples, she considered me part of the curriculum."

"Curriculum?" Riley looked up to face him, his deep blue eyes drawing her in. "My last lesson is with you?"

"Unless you're expecting someone else, yes," Ashe said quietly, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand and Riley shivered, his touch sending the butterflies inside her belly aflutter. Even her knees felt weak. "I know it's been four months since we've been together, and I won't hold it against you. All those phone calls and video chats can't possibly make up for the real thing."

She frowned. Did he think she was cheating on him? "But I'm not expecting anyone else!"

"Good," he said as Riley took a step towards him, bringing her arms around his waist and deeply inhaling the masculine scent of him. She could tell that right now as Ashe held her, he was all about restraint, as if he was trying to figure out why they were both at some dimly lit hallway in a hotel in the meatpacking district when they could be home.

"I've missed you, Ashe," Riley whispered against his chest, "and this is all so awkward. I didn't expect you to know what I was doing, or...or that Lady Chantilly was giving me lessons. Not that I was even a good student, not even passable. I think she got tired of me giggling all the time with each lesson she tried to teach me, but I really just wanted to be good enough for you in everything, especially in bed–"

"But you are more than good enough for me, Riley – even perfect," Ashe said, kissing the top of her head and breathing in the scent of her hair. "Never think you're not enough for me, just because you think you can't do the things you believe other women can and therefore you should be able to in order to please me. It's not all about what happens between the sheets, you know."

"Well, true. But it does matter."

He pulled away and tilted her chin up with his index finger so she was looking up at him. "Do you want to hear a confession, petal?"

She nodded, loving the way his natural Yorkshire accent managed to slip out with the last word he spoke.

"Naive, shy, funny, smart, adventurous and beautiful... you're all that and so much more," Ashe murmured. "And you make me the happiest man in the world just by being yourself, just the way you are."

"Really? Even if I'm not half as gorgeous as your costar?"

Ashe chuckled. "So is this what the lessons are all about? Because of my costar?"

"She's been called one of the most gorgeous women in the world, Ashe, and you've got love scenes with her. Steamy sex scenes," she said, her voice lowering. "I heard you're naked."

"While in a room full of crew members and an intimacy coordinator, yes,"

"It doesn't change the fact that you're both naked."

"So? She may be the most gorgeous woman in the world but she's not the most gorgeous woman in the world to me. You are," he said, his gaze drifting lower down her coat, open now to reveal the lace teddy she wore underneath. "Has it really been that long that you've forgotten just how crazy I am about you?"

She bit her lower lip. Well, it had been four months and even with all their video calls and sexy texts, he was still on the other side of the world. "Maybe..."

"Then I suppose it's time I should remind you." Ashe pushed the collar of her coat aside with his hand, tracing his finger down the side of her neck to her left breast and circling an erect nipple beneath her lace bra. The platinum barbel clip glistened in the light of the hallway. She heard his breath hitch, see his nostrils flare. "I'm afraid if we don't get inside that room soon, lesson or no lesson, I might just take you right here."

Ashe tugged at the nipple clip through the lace and Riley gasped. "Ashe!"

"I haven't even kissed you yet, and you know when I do that, whatever happens next, it won't matter where we are."

"But I don't have the keycard–"

"But I do. It came with the... curriculum." Ashe held up a hotel keycard from his jacket pocket and with a wave of his hand, the door beeped and he pushed it open.

Within seconds, they were inside the suite and Ashe closed the door and leaned her against it.

"Now where were we?" he asked as he cupped her chin and tilted her face up to face him.

As she gazed up at him, Riley felt like she'd just graduated from Lady Chantilly's course with honors. She loved the feel of Ashe's erection rub against her, hard and hot against her hands as she stroked him through his jeans.

"Right here." She bit her lower lip and with one flick of her fingers along the only button that kept her coat closed, she unbuttoned it and in one movement, allowed the coat to slip off her shoulders.

It had taken her almost an hour to get herself in the corset with its intricate ties that she could barely reach behind her. She'd almost been tempted to call one of her friends to lace her in it like she saw in the movies, with the other woman's foot against her back and pulling the ties tightly. But there had been no need for that, thank goodness, though she had to admit, it was tight enough.

The corset pushed up Riley's breasts, cradling them so the her hard nipples were in full display, the platinum nipple clips Ashe had given her glistening in the low light of the hotel room. Ashe drew in a deep intake of breath before pushing her hair off her shoulders, baring her even more to him.

"Care to show me the things you've learned, petal?"

"Oh, I will," Riley whispered, unbuttoning his jeans without taking her eyes off him. She felt bold wearing her custom-made corset, one of Lady Chantilly's own creations that emphasized Riley's breasts and slim waist, following the curve of her hips to end just above her hip bone. The only other things she wore other than her knee high stockings and high heels were a pair of lace panties, completing her look and making her feel so...so in charge.

It felt exhilarating to see Ashe want her after such a long time apart, his blue eyes dark and intense as he gazed at her. But then why wouldn't he? a part of her asked.

Doubt filled her and for a brief second, Riley's fingers wavered. Visions of Ashe's leading ladies flashed before her eyes, all of them perfect and amazing and-

Ashe kissed her then, yanking her back to the present where it was only him and her in the room and there was no past nor a future just yet – just the now. Riley pulled his coat off his shoulders, not caring if it was Zegna or Ford, or wrinkled by the time they were done. She almost ripped the buttons off his shirt and the t-shirt he wore underneath as well – all this while kissing him right back, both of them fumbling towards the bed.

By the time she got him backed up against the edge of the bed, Ashe had stepped out of his jeans and his boxer briefs and slipped off his boots and his socks. He hadn't even bothered tying the laces, like he always did whenever he traveled. Riley pushed him down onto the covers, straddling his hips as she bent down to kiss his lips, her mouth trailing down his jaw and down his neck. He hadn't shaved in days and the stubble scratched her smooth skin, but she loved it. Ashe gathered her blonde hair in his hands as Riley continued to trail kisses down his torso, loving the feel of his taut muscles responding to her touch, his six-pack abs – gosh, his abs were so tight and so hard and so amazing.

She looked up at him, surprised. He was tanned, too, after months in the desert but she hadn't expected the bulk.

"Oh my, Ashe, you've really bulked up," Riley said, her fingers tracing the defined muscles of his belly, even the veins that led down between his legs.

"We can talk about that later," Ashe murmured in a low voice that rumbled from deep within his chest, his hands still gripping her hair and guiding Riley lower. "For now, I want you to show me the things you've learned. Lady Chantilly said something about a dil – oh!"

Her lips teased him first, silencing him as Riley swirled her tongue along the head of his cock before she made her way down to the base and slowly back up again. Ashe groaned as she nudged his thighs wider, positioning herself between his legs. His grip on her hair tightened as she continued, all the lessons she'd learned on that silly dildo now applied to perfection. Though she hadn't admitted it to Lady Chantilly, Riley did spend a few hours practicing each maneuver, each trick in the book till her jaw ached.

Not that Riley cared for perfection – not when she had Ashe moaning with her touch, her hands, her mouth. There was more that she had learned, of course, though that would have to come much later. For now, she relished the sight of his body responding to her touch and her intimate kisses, wondering how much longer he could hold off as he throbbed in her mouth.

She also wanted out of her corset for no matter how amazing she looked in it, it was a bitch to move in, much less contort in various positions as she purposely avoided Ashe's attempts to position her body to his advantage. But Riley didn't want to give him that satisfaction for he'd leave her senseless if she did. While 69 was a happy number most days, tonight was Riley's show, and she was in charge. She even giggled at the torment he was going through, her eyes taunting him to come right then.

That, however, had been a mistake. For no one, not even Riley Eames, could taunt Ashe Hunter without paying the price. He sat up, grabbed hold of her waist and before Riley could get away, Ashe flipped her down onto her belly on the bed. As he held her down with one hand, he pulled her lace panties off her with the other, tossing it onto the floor. Riley moaned as he nudged her knees apart with his knee, before positioning himself between her legs.

God, how she loved it when he did that – take over the way he did.