"I want you," I said, unsure how to tell him exactly what I wanted.
"Where?" he breathed, pulling my earlobe into his mouth making me buck beneath him.
"There," I said, lifting my hips for emphasis.
"Here?" he nudged, moving my legs farther apart so he could settle fully against me.
"Yes," I moaned as he slid inside me.
"God, you feel so fucking good," he said, straining as he moved slowly in me.
Unable to take the torture anymore, I raised my hips, taking him fully. My fingers raked hard against his back, pulling him against me. He lost all self-control as our bodies moved together. His lips found mine through labored breathing, and I could feel the wave building as he called out my name.
"Oh, Ashton, fuck," he called, moving faster and faster. My body felt like it would explode until we reached the climax, finishing together.
I felt completely spent with all my limbs like jelly. "Holy crap, is it always like that?" I asked as he rested heavily on top of me.
"It's never been like that," he answered, propping himself on an elbow.
"Really? You're not just trying to make me feel good?"
"Really," he answered, dropping a light kiss on my lips before rising off me and heading for my bathroom.
A few minutes later, Nathan returned and switched off the light before climbing into bed. I tucked myself under his arm, sighing with satisfaction as he stroked my hair. I flushed slightly, remembering how I had responded so completely to his touch. I had been unprepared for how consuming making love was and how everything else of importance melted away. All I could focus on now was how badly I wanted him to keep touching me.
Chapter 16: The Pledge
Nathan
"Sleep," I said, when she shifted her hips in my direction.
"Not likely," she breathed.
"You're exhausted. You'll be asleep before you know it. Just relax," I coaxed.
She shifted again and I tightened my hold on her.
"I'm not all that tired. We could if you wanted," she whispered in the dark. I might have taken her up on it if not for the stifled yawn I heard from her.
"Sweetheart, when we go again, I want you to be completely alert. Now, go to sleep," I encouraged.
I thought she was going to argue more, but she relaxed against me. "Thank you for an unforgettable night," she said.
I chuckled. "Anytime. Thank you for being you."
"Mmm-hmm," she said as sleep dragged her under.
A moment later, her body fell completely relaxed in my arms, letting me know she was out. I was still filled with a little too much adrenaline to sleep. Of course, it wasn't much of a hardship to hold her slender body in my arms, and I didn't mind being awake for it. She was equally beautiful in her sleep and by far the most engaging woman I had ever been with, making all others pale in comparison. Her quick wit and honesty on most issues pulled me in, making me want to learn everything about her. I couldn't help wishing she would trust me enough to confide her secrets. Her lies about never having a serious relationship had bothered me more than I had expected. I knew my response had confused her as I had fought to control my anger. The fact that she felt she had to lie made me want to hunt my employer down and beat him to a bloody pulp. What had he done to her to make her want to run away? I lay there for what felt like hours pondering several scenarios through my head, trying to make sense of why she was hiding the truth. Finally, my own exhaustion got the better of me, and I gave up trying to solve the mystery for the night. My last coherent thought before I succumbed to sleep was that it would be a cold day in hell before I allowed anyone to hurt her again.
Chapter 17: The next day
Ashton
I woke the next morning to the sound of my front door opening. Seeing I was alone, I sprang from my bed like someone had set off a firecracker. Everything we did last night was great, but hanging out in my birthday suit in broad daylight was a whole other issue. I hurried to throw on a pair of yoga pants and cream-colored t-shirt when Nathan walked in. As per usual, hurrying never worked out in my favor, as evidenced by my head stuck halfway through one of the sleeves of the shirt and my inside-out and backward yoga pants.
"New fashion statement?" he asked, holding a bag from the bakery in his hand.
I glared at him through the opening of my t-shirt sleeve as I tried in vain to pull the hem of the shirt down to cover my exposed chest.