Talon (Ashes & Embers 4)

A small gasp of surprise comes out of her, and a seductive little grin graces her lips. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I've had orgasms before."

"Not from me." I rub my nose along hers, feeling her breath against my face. "And that's gonna change right now, Mrs. Valentine."

I cup the back of her head with one hand and press my mouth to hers, licking her lips while slowly dragging my other hand up the inside of her leg beneath the water to finally brush my fingers gently across her lower lips. I silently curse the water for not letting me feel her wetness.

Her mouth opens to mine and I delve my tongue inside, tasting the heat of her breath and catching the sweet moan she lets out when I push my finger into her warmth. Her thighs part and her hand comes up out of the water to caress my cheek as I let my hand own her, my thumb rubbing her pulsing clit while I slip my fingers in and out of her. My cock throbs like mad in my shorts, begging to get into her. Holy fuck, is she tight. Three years of no sex is very, very good.

Her thighs squeeze my hand and she grasps the side of my neck, her breath panting against my mouth, and I know she's there already. I really want to drag this out, tease her and make her crazy, but that seems cruel right now when she's writhing her hot little core all over my hand and devouring my lips. I like horny little Asia. A lot.

I want to pull her out of the tub and take her right here on the floor, putting an end to this madness, but I'm hell-bent on sticking to my promise to her, even if my dick hates me.

Her walls clench and drench around my swirling fingers up inside her, while the rest of her body arches up, pressing against me, her muscles tightening and quivering. I kiss her softly as she recovers from the first of many sexual escapades I have planned for her now that the doors have been opened, so to speak.

"Who's my girl?" I whisper against her ear, moving my hand up to caress her stomach.

"Me," she answers breathlessly.

"That's right."

My girl. The last thing I thought I would ever want, and now, all I could ever want.

Chapter 21

Asia

Standing slowly, he grabs my towel off the rack and lays it over the edge of the tub for me, all the while smiling that adorable, yet dangerously sexy grin.

"I'll let you finish your bath now."

Wordlessly, I watch his muscular form leave the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

I take a deep breath and exhale. Oh my God. I wasn't expecting that at all. The way he stalks me like a tiger to kiss and touch me is so incredibly sensual. I had no idea men could be that way, but every time he does it, I want to just roll over on my back and purr like a kitten and let him do whatever he wants.

Pulling the plug in the tub, I watch the pink water swirl and disappear as I put on a T-shirt and panties, still feeling the after-wooziness of his touch. The last time I had an orgasm is a very, very distant non-memorable memory, but I definitely do not remember it feeling as amazing as what he just made me feel.

I can't help but smile, my heart doing a flip-flop, when I go out into our bedroom and find him lying on the bed with Pixie planted directly on his bare chest, staring into his eyes.

"She's starting to love you," I comment, getting under the sheets next to him.

He rubs her tiny head affectionately into his palm. "She's much easier to win over than her mother."

Lying on my stomach, I lean up on my elbows to look at him. "I'm not sure about that," I tease. "It seems you have magic fingers."

He turns his head to smile playfully at me. "I have a few other magical body parts if you're interested. Just sayin'."

I press my smiling lips against his shoulder. "I'm sure you do."

Gently picking up the cat and placing her at the foot of the bed, he turns on his side and props himself up on his elbow, his face just a couple of inches from mine, a few strands of his hair falling over his eyes.

"I was thinking…" He moves his hand slowly back and forth across my lower back. "Maybe we should just let things happen."

"What do you mean?"

"Instead of waiting for all these feelings to happen before you're ready to have sex, maybe we should just live in the moment and let it happen. If the other feelings surface, great. Love doesn't always have to come first. Maybe for us, that's going to happen last. We're doing everything else ass-backwards."

"Oh…" I can barely see his eyes in the darkness of the room, but I know him well enough to tell by the soft, deep tone of his voice and the gentle caress of his hand on my back that he's serious, which is rare for him. I only wish his words didn't make my heart hurt so much, especially when what he's saying is sincere. They just aren't the words I wanted to hear. That's my fault, though, and not his. I can't expect him to feel something just because I was hoping he would, to fulfill the little dream in my own head and heart. He has his own dreams and wants, and falling in love with me probably isn't one of them.

His hand moves higher up my back, beneath my T-shirt, the warmth of his touch comforting but also electrifying. "You get what I'm saying, right?"

"Yes, I do." The tiny waver in my voice betrays my attempts to sound happy and okay with it. Just five minutes ago, I was in orgasmic bliss with him, melting into his hand, reveling in the passion of his kisses and touch, stupidly thinking his touch meant much more than it did. Now it feels like it all went down the drain with my pink cotton candy water.

He lifts his hand out from under my shirt and combs his fingers through my long hair. "Aze?" he questions. "Why are you upset?"

"I'm not," I lie.

My body tingles as his fingers lightly brush over my scalp. "You are; don't say you're not. I can tell."

"I'm fine. Really."

"Well, it's not like you're in love with me or anything, either. We're supposed to go on our honeymoon soon, and since I only plan on getting married once, it would be nice to enjoy it. Don't you agree?"

Not in love with me, either.

That's all I can hear, echoing in my head. My poor heart, already falling cautiously in love, opens a ripped parachute and prepares for a messy, horrific landing.

"Of course I want to enjoy it," I force out, wondering if he plans to be married without love. To just be friends and have sex, which, I guess, isn't the worse thing in the world. I just had hoped for more. I wanted the love of a lifetime. I wanted to be holding his hand when we're old and gray and still see the man who stole my heart and makes forever seem like not long enough to share with him.

I roll over and turn toward the wall instead of hugging his chest like we've been sleeping lately, and his sigh permeates the quiet room.

/> "I thought what happened earlier was good. Why are you distancing yourself from me?"

"I'm not. I'm just going to sleep."

"You didn't like it?"

I close my eyes and count backward from five. "Of course I liked it."

His muscular arm comes around me and pulls my back against his chest, molding his body to mine, and of course, I can feel every hard inch of him.

"What is it about you that I can't get enough of?" he whispers, burying his face in my hair. "I don't know if it's because you always smell and feel so good, or what."

Or maybe you do love me, you idiot.

Does he just not know what love feels like? Of course, that would be my luck. Give me this crazy sexy guy I didn't want to begin with, get me to fall in love with him, only to find out that he doesn't know how to tell if he's in love or not.

"Aze?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can you make real cupcakes? Like ones I can eat?"

"Are you seriously talking about food right now?"

"Yeah. Smelling those soapy ones got me craving cupcakes now. I could ask Gram to make me some if you don't want to."

How can I even stay mad him when he's asking for cupcakes? "No. I'll make you cupcakes tomorrow if you go to sleep."

"Deal." He presses his foot against mine, his signature "I'm closing my eyes now" move.

Totally oblivious to my heartache, he asks for cupcakes. This could only happen to me.

* * *

"Asia, how are things going now?" Dr. Hollister questions from the laptop screen. "Happy two-month anniversary!"

"Thank you…" I didn't realize this week was two months already. I've stopped counting days and now just live in each moment we share. How ironic, just like the words he inscribed on my wedding band:

no beginning, no end, just now

"How are you two doing?" she repeats.

I shrug a little and play with my earring. "We're doing okay."

"That sounds less than enthusiastic. Tell me what's happening, and let's see what we can sort out."