From Ashes (From Ashes 1)

Her only answer was to hitch her knees up onto my hips and wrap her hands around my neck.

I pulled back slightly and pushed back in the inch I’d just given up a few times to ready her. The fourth time I pulled back farther before filling her with my entire length in one swift, but as gentle as possible, thrust. Cassidy’s mouth and eyes clamped shut as her forehead pressed into my neck and her hold on me tightened. A whimper escaped her, and there was no doubt in my damn mind that it was a bad one. I didn’t move until she lay back against the pillow, and when I saw her face I about died. Her eyes were bright and a few tears were on her cheeks and spilling down into her hair. The pain in her face was evident, as was the love she had for me.

“Cassidy—” I whispered as I slowly started to pull out.

When she realized what I was doing, her eyes went wide and she dug her heels into my lower back as she shook her head. “No, Gage, don’t.”

“I’m hurting you.”

“It’s okay, I’m fine.” Her voice shook slightly and my jaw clenched. “You’ll crush me if you stop now. I want this with you so bad, don’t stop this. I love you.”

Pressing my lips to hers, I slowly inched my way back in and cringed when another muffled cry left her chest. “I love you too, darlin’.”

I kept everything slow and easy for a few minutes, listening intently to every sound she made and watching every expression cross her face. Her head dropped back first, then another couple minutes after that her body completely relaxed and her sounds started turning into breathy moans. I picked up the pace slightly and later, when she dug her nails into my back and her thighs tightened around me as she came for the second time, I pulled all the way out and slammed back into her. And God, that erotic moan that sounded in my ear almost pushed me over the edge. She started matching me thrust for thrust and soon her moans turned into pleas to go faster, harder, and I was more than happy to give my girl what she wanted. Right before I gave myself over to her, I felt her tightening around me for the third time. God, she was so freakin’ responsive! I ground my teeth and held off until she came undone once again; her name ripped from my throat as I came crashing down with her. My arms gave out and I rolled us so she lay on top of me as our breathing slowed and returned to normal.

Cassidy’s eyes started growing heavy, so I kept her in my arms as I rolled off the bed and walked her into my bathroom. I set her on her feet, turned on the shower, and walked toward the trash to discard the condom when I stopped dead. Oh. Shit.

“Gage? Are you okay?” She ran to my side and looked down to where my gaze was and covered her mouth as her cheeks got red. “Oh God, that’s really embarrassing.”

I looked at her and looked back down, realizing what she was seeing. Her innocence was on me, and I knew it was on her as well, which was why I’d brought us in here. But that’s not what stopped me. I hooked one arm around her and brought her face up to look at me. “Cassidy, you were a virgin, that’s nothing to be embarrassed about. But, darlin’—I didn’t wear a condom.”

She still looked mortified but shook her head and dismissed my words with a wave of her hand. “I know, I’m on the pill to regulate my cycle. It’s okay.”

Hearing that relieved me, but I still couldn’t believe it hadn’t once crossed my mind during. I’d never once forgotten to wear a condom; it was always my first thought as well as my last when it came to other women. But I guess I should have known I wouldn’t be able to think of anything but what was happening when I was with Cassidy. Now that I knew she was on the pill, I was actually excited as I realized I didn’t want anything to be between us ever. “Cassidy, look at me. You just gave me something incredibly special; I’m going to cherish that, and tonight, forever. Tonight was perfect, don’t be embarrassed about it, okay?”

She nodded and smiled when I kissed her quickly.

CASSIDY

MY HEART WAS swelling as Gage once again took care of me in his shower. This time was vastly different from the first, but it somehow made me fall in love with him even more. His hands were tender as they washed my hair and my body. And as I did the same for him, he continued to pull me into his arms and press light kisses to my lips and whisper in my ear everything from sweet nothings, to his love, to how he wanted to have his dirty way with me again.

Experiencing all of that with Gage was more than I could have ever hoped for or imagined. He was right, tonight was perfect. It had hurt way worse than I was expecting, but he’d been so gentle with me until I was ready for more, and then the more had been earth-shattering and yet still so full of passion that I didn’t want it to ever end.

When we were dried off, he led me back into his room and pulled me onto the bed before bringing me into his arms and curling his body around mine. It reminded me of that night on the ranch and I relaxed into his chest, knowing that this time, Tyler wouldn’t be around to ruin us the next day.

“Do you ever think about that night?” he asked as he pulled my arm up and ran his thumb over my tattoo. Apparently our curling up in each other’s arms hadn’t reminded only me of the ranch.

“All the time. Until tonight, that was the best night of my life,” I answered softly, and looked at the cluster of stars with him. “I had finally acknowledged that you would never be in my life the way I wanted you to be. But you had turned my life completely upside down, and I knew I’d never be the same, just as I knew I’d never find anyone like you. I didn’t want to ever forget you or that night together. Knowing the constellation was special to you too, and having found out on that night together, I decided I wanted that to be my reminder of you.”

Gage kissed the top of my head. “I’ve been wondering since the first time I saw it if that night had anything to do with it. And, Cassidy?”

“Hmm?”

“You won’t ever have to worry about forgetting me. I’m not going anywhere.”

I thought about his moving out without a word. “Promise?”

“I promise.” His arm tightened around my waist and my eyes drifted shut.

GAGE WOKE ME up early the next morning with soft kisses to my neck and I rolled over to face him, trying to ignore the deep ache that radiated between my legs and low in my stomach. An involuntary groan left my lips and he looked up at me, worried.

“Are you feeling okay?”

“Honestly, I feel amazing.” And I really did. Waking up in his arms knowing everything was finally okay made me feel better than amazing. “A little sore, but it’s a good sore.”

“I’m sorry for hurting you,” he said against my neck, and I felt his erection against my stomach.

Funny that when that happened with Tyler, even if we were fully clothed, I hated it. Now, lying here naked with Gage, I couldn’t think of a better way to wake up. “I’m not; I wouldn’t mind if you did it again either.”

His lips froze and he lifted his head so his dark green eyes were searching mine, “Cassidy, I don’t—”

From his expression, I knew he thought he’d be hurting me again, but I cut him off and faked hurt. “Oh . . . I understand, I’ll just go get ready . . .” I trailed off and laughed when he rolled me back underneath him and pressed his mouth onto mine.

“You are seriously mistaken if you think I don’t want you.” He ground his hips against mine and separated my legs with his knee. “Sorry, darlin’, but you’re gonna be late for work today.”

I groaned in both pleasure and slight pain when he pushed into me. “I’m sure I’ll get over it.”

Chapter Twelve

GAGE

I HONESTLY THOUGHT nothing could bring me down from the mood I was in. Cassidy and I spent every spare moment together, and while our times together in bed . . . and the shower . . . and the couch . . . and the kitchen table . . . hell, all our times together were amazing, I loved just spending time with her too. It was better than before; now that neither of us was trying to hide our feelings for the other, we were able to talk freely about everything. Every night I fell asleep with her in my arms and woke the same. It had almost been a week since the wedding, and like I said, I thought nothing could bring me down. But then I saw Tyler at school.

“Son of a bitch . . . this isn’t gonna end well.”

“Sorry, what?” I glanced over at Ethan, then followed his stare over to see Tyler stalking toward us. “Crap, he knows.”

“Were you gonna tell me?” he demanded when he reached us.

I blew out a deep breath to relax myself; I really didn’t want to do this on campus of all places. “Tell you what, exactly?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Gage. You’re sleeping with Cassi.”

I kept my mouth shut, letting my silence answer for me.

“I can’t believe this!”

“Ty, come on, man. Let’s talk about this somewhere else.”

He let out a frustrated laugh and ran a hand roughly through his hair. “My own cousin is fucking my girlfriend!”

My eyes narrowed and I spoke through clenched teeth. “First off, she ain’t your anything. Second, we know what you were doing. We know you played both of us.”

Tyler’s eyes widened momentarily.

“Yeah, we told each other everything. Every damn thing you told us. And I gotta say, cousin,” I sneered, “that’s a really fuckin’ shitty thing to do. You’re gonna pull the family card with me? You knew how I felt about her and you were so threatened by that because she felt the same that you had to tell me she was your girlfriend? That she was blowing you when you knew, you knew we’d just spent the night together? You had to tell her that I couldn’t stand her and later that I thought of her like a sister? Ty, man, you were like a brother to me. And you repeatedly screwed both me and Cassidy over.”

“I told you she was mine and you wouldn’t back off!”

“Once again, you hurt Cassidy. Do you know how much I hate you for everything you’ve put her through over the years?” I stepped closer so our chests were touching and lowered my voice so it was practically a growl. “You let her get beat. You almost let her die by their hands. You broke her heart over and over again because she found someone she wanted to be with. And when you weren’t getting any, you broke her heart another way by breaking whatever fucked-up bond the two of y’all had by bringing home another girl . . . forcing her to leave . . . and almost letting her die again.” I backed up a step when his body started vibrating. I wasn’t finished with him yet, but I wasn’t about to get in a fistfight with him out in public. “I never understood why she needed you in her life, and it pissed me off more than I could ever care to explain. But I don’t have to worry about it now; she finally sees you, Ty. So, I guess I can thank you for that at least. I’ll never have to watch her run to you again. Thank God.”