Asher (Ashes & Embers 6)

Our journey gave us a special bond, a chemistry, a feeling of comfort. As good as Ember and I were before her memories came back, I knew I’d always be missing that special connection we had. A part of my heart felt alone—missing—knowing my soulmate only remembered bits and pieces of me.

Everything we went through over the past year and a half—all the crazy struggles and ups and downs—made us stronger than ever. It wasn’t until I realized that our love wasn’t perfect, that I understood how perfect it could be.

“What are you thinking about?” she asks, sitting cross-legged on the bed, holding her favorite blue ceramic crock full of ice cream. “You’ve got that look on your face.”

“I’m thinking about how lucky we are.”

She licks her spoon, and the sight of her tongue swooping over it makes my cock stir. “I’m the lucky one,” she says. “I’m married to the most loving, romantic, devoted, beautiful man in the world, who waited eight years for me to wake up. Without any idea if I ever would. Then he spent another year and a half getting me to fall in love with him when I had no clue who I even was.”

I flash her a grin. The one she could never resist. “And your point?”

“I’m the luckiest woman in the damn universe. But you kinda got a raw deal, honey. It’s not fair, what you went through.” Her eyes fill with tears, and she leans over to put her dish on the nightstand. “I hate that you were alone for so long.”

“Hey.” I touch her chin and coax her to look at me. “First, I didn’t get a raw deal. I love you. I’d do anything for you. End of story. Second? I was never alone. I could feel you with me every minute. And I had our friends and family. That’s all I needed.”

A lot of her memories and feelings are still trying to find their right place. Her emotional attachments have also returned, and that’s opened up some floodgates for her that she has to work through.

That we have to work through.

It’s all good, though. I don’t mind reassuring her whenever, or however, she needs it. She does the same for me.

A soft smile plays along her lips. “I love you, Valentine,” she whispers, running her hand up my bare arm, squeezing my bicep. “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

“I always knew you’d look hot as hell as you got older. But damn, you look good, Ash.”

Smirking, I pull her onto my lap. “You callin’ me old?”

“Never.” She wraps her arms and legs around me and runs her hands through the back of my hair. “I just can’t stop looking at you.”

Her eyes dance on mine, all sparkly and flirty.

“I know the feeling.” Cupping her face in my hands, I kiss her long and hard, loving how she gasps for breath and digs her nails into my shoulders the deeper I kiss her.

We slowly undress each other as we kiss, and when we’re finally naked and pressed against each other, hard and soft, warm and cool, she breaks our kiss and looks into my eyes. She slides her hands from my shoulders up to caress my face. Her breath is deliciously ragged, her eyes glazed with want.

“I want you,” she breathes.

“You got me, baby.”

I let her push me down on my back, and she slithers over me, kissing here, licking there, dragging her soft hair over my skin as she makes her way down the length of my body.

I suck in a breath when she wraps her hands around my stiff cock and stares up at me with a sexy smile before lowering her head down. Warm lips encircle me, slowly engulfing my length. Air leaves my lungs. Her tongue swirls, fingers stroking perfectly. She knows exactly what I love. My head falls back against the pillow in ecstasy. I fist my hands in her hair as she sucks me deeper into the warm haven of her mouth, whispering to her how fucking amazing it feels. Waves of euphoria ripple through me, and I have to fight the urge to pull her up, get on top of her, and ravish every inch of her. I’m wild to hear her scream my name.

I force myself to wait, understanding she needs to reclaim everything she feels she missed and lost—and that includes me.

I cup her face in my palms as she makes love to my cock with her mouth and hands. Her lips pursed tightly, sliding up and down my length while she gently squeezes my throbbing balls. She hums with pleasure, the vibration of her throat almost sending me over the edge.

When I can’t take anymore, I slip my cock from the heavenly suction of her mouth and pull her up onto me. Our mouths meet, kissing wildly, as I roll her over onto her back. Moans of pleasure escape her throat when I pin her arms above her head, clasping our hands together, and slowly drive myself into her. She lifts her legs and wraps her taut thighs around my waist, locking us together.