Angel of Ash (13 page)

Asher nodded. “Do not feel ashamed at your feelings, my Angel, it is understandable,” he admitted, his voice stilling at her beauty, he’d never seen one as beautiful as her before, it still struck him, nearly robbing his senses blind, even two days in her presence.

Angel nodded, remembering there kisses and then remembering the hurtful words he said to her later. Would he turn upon her like he did, before, it might be worth finding out, if he kissed her again, such as he did before, her body longed for the kisses he’d given her, already aching and missing what he freely gave. And perhaps, here in England, so far away, she would give in to the dictates of her life in America. Perhaps here, she would have her love affair, with Asher, remembering that upon sleeping, his eyes had eased her into the darkness.

But what would one such as he, do with her, she was innocent, the first kiss she had ever been given had been by him. Would he even want her? She wished so, she decided right then, she would not regret her time here, she would be with Asher, she would live for the days here, because once home again, once back in America, she would become the staid proper female, once again and she would keep these months here in London pressed to her heart forevermore.

“
Asher,” she said quietly, free with her heart, her lips, her emotions, undeceiving, wanting him so badly it was a physical ache within her. “Please, don’t leave,” she said, blushing but still meeting his eyes.

“
You do not know what you ask,” Asher returned, staring at her with hungry eyes.

But, oh, she did, she did not want to be left alone, not ever again, not when he was here, for her, with her. “Yes, I do, please,” she said, reaching out with one hand to touch his cheek, his lips, stilling there, hesitantly caressing the soft skin. “I do.”

And Asher could stand it no longer, he moaned, moving her hand away from his lips and clasping it tightly in his, bringing his lips to hers, pulling her up slightly where she wrapped her arms around his neck, knowingly, pressing her tightly to him, to her aching breasts, knowing he could ease the pain which her body was unearthing. “Don’t leave me,” she said as his lips moved away from hers, pressing into the soft skin of her neck.

The blankets dropped around her lap as she sat up, and Asher could feel the thin linen shift and beneath that her full breasts. His hands trembled at the bounty before him, as he cupped their fullness, moaning. But he had to know, because after this minute there would be no turning back. “Now is your chance,” he said. “To stop me, Angel, because after this moment, I’ll be with you, inside of you,” he whispered, staring into her desire filled eyes.

“
Don’t go, please, don’t go,” she repeated, wrapping her arms around his strong neck.

“
Never,” he promised, kissing her again, drugging her with his power, Asher was well adapt at the powers of seduction, but why did it feel as with her, that none of it mattered. Why, with her hesitant hands caressing his neck, his shoulders and arms did he feel as if he was the unschooled one, unused to the touch of another? He shook at her gentle caress, plundering the softness of her mouth, the trace of her teeth and her warm tongue, forgetting his promises to himself as he drowned in her.

His clothing against his body became unbearable; he needed to feel her hands against his chest, passion overtaking him. “My clothes unbutton my shirt,” he whispered against her mouth, before once again claiming it.

She did so, trembling fingers unbuttoning his lawn shirt, until she touched bare, hard and warm skin. So different from hers, she gasped in his mouth, eyes closed, running her hands along the hardness of his chest, the muscles of his hard stomach before bringing her hands once more to his shoulders, holding on as if for dear life.

Didn’t this man know how much of her he had already, how she had lost all leave of her sensibilities as he caressed her back, cupping her face in his hands so that her mouth fit perfectly against his.

And she remembered her mother’s words spoken so long ago, when she was but a child and had not understood them:
If you find him, the perfect one, do not let him go, my daughter, do not be afraid of what others shall say, do not be afraid of what you feel. Fight for him, never let him go, do not be weak like me, Angel, don’t. If you find your love never let him go or you will regret it for the rest of your days.

The words made tears slip from her eyes, as she lifted her head, Asher’s lips upon her neck as she shut her eyes tightly. She knew with every fiber of her being, down to her very soul, that no man existed for her except the one before her for the rest of her days. She felt whole, complete and stable like a ship which had battled weather storm after storm until finally, battered, she’d made her way home. Here, with him.

He kissed her tears away, unable to speak, to ask what deep thing troubled her so much, but he cared and could not will his care away as he wiped the remaining tears away, her beauty and sweetness and fire calling him as no other woman ever had. And so, he loved her with his hands, a newness in them, at discovering her body, while he throbbed, trying valiantly to control his raging emotions.

He couldn’t rightly recall how his clothing fell away, or hers either, as their bodies were now naked, pressed chest to chest, legs intertwined as she fit against him so perfectly, when he reverently kissed her breasts, suckling them, she writhed beneath him in mounting passion.

There was nothing more important at this moment than her body, aflame with want, with need, as her legs opened and the hard, hot and long length of him settled between her, causing her to groan in rising passion, but this could not be, so much pleasure she had never thought possible, as he brought one hand between their bodies, the other still upon her breast, caressing her softly, before one finger pushed in slightly.

Her tightness, her heat was unbelievable as he caressed her, once she had opened up enough he joined his second finger with his first, a small hope beginning in his heart at how tight she was, pressing in slightly, until he felt what his cynical heart thought should never have been, her hymen, when something twisted deep inside him.

He would be her first, she would belong to him and no other man, and he’d see it so. The thoughts gentled his raging fervor but he could not stop, could not do the gentlemanly thing and walk away from her, it would kill him, if he did. He opened her legs, bending them so he could settle more fully between them, lifting himself above her he studied her face, her eyes fluttering open to meet his, the gray darkened to black by the dimness in the room and her passion. “Asher,” she whispered, thrusting her hips against his in growing need. She knew at that moment what she was made for, what she had been waiting for, what had kept her up many so nights, yearning for something, someone she could not see, nor name. “Please,” she cried out and he did so, smoothly, before a sharp pain made her grit her teeth even though she did not still her thrusting hips.

“
Ah,” she cried, when he laid fully inside her, stretching her as she had never been stretched before, the very length, width and heat of him unbelievably fitting inside her, muscles stretching and contracting around him.

He stilled, holding her hips tightly so that she would not thrust, which she fought against. “No…no,” he gritted out, the words causing him untold agony. “It will hurt more, if you keep moving, be still for now and accustom your body to my body.” He managed to say, meeting her eyes that watched his, listening to his words. When he saw the pain ebb from her eyes, he smiled, wickedly, laughing softly. “Now feel.” He commanded, pushing inside her as she lifted her hips, matching his pace, pulling out, he pushed back in again, watching the play of passion upon her features, her eyes closing tightly, her mouth opened, gasps of pleasure erupting from her beautiful lips.

He claimed her mouth as he claimed her body, thrusting in and out of her silken depths, feeling untold pleasure overtake all of his senses, as he found pace, matched passion, soared.

He opened his eyes, lifting his face to watch hers, seeing her mounting passion, he knew it would be close, for her, and did not know if he could hold off and so brought one hand between their bodies, finding her pleasure, caressing it, tweaking it as her hips slammed one last time and she let out a soundless scream, while her muscles tightened like a vise around his still pumping flesh and he thought he’d die from the pleasure.

He must have, moments later, awakening from her body, still inside her, heavily upon her, her eyes were still closed, they’d enjoyed, la petite mour, the small death which came heavily upon lovers after ecstasy such as they’d shared. He groaned, pulling out of her flesh which didn’t want to let him go and he struggled slightly, knowing she would be utterly sore tomorrow and feeling no small amount of male pride. Finally, out of her body, he lay beside her, watching as her eyelashes finally fluttered open long minutes later, her face turned towards his.

“
Asher?” She asked questioningly. She had never felt such pleasure in her life, had not imagined such pleasure existed and already she wanted a replay but did not think she could possible survive. It would be worth it to see. She laughed because she could not think of anything else to do, turning into his arms which opened for her, wrapping her own arms around him. “Tell me, you enjoyed it as much as I, Asher I’d never thought such a thing was possible,” she admitted, pulling back slightly to meet his eyes which were warm upon hers.

She kissed him, smiling, settling back into his arms.

“
You have a part of me, forever, Angel,” Asher said, and the words should have sent him running, far from her, but he didn’t. There was nothing inside of him that had the strength to leave her side.

She nodded at his words, knowing the truth he spoke. And she fell asleep.

He watched her sleep, allowing her respite in his arms before, finally and regretfully he pulled away from her, she frowned in her sleep, but he caressed her back, her shoulder before she once again settled into sleep. Sitting upon the edge of the bed, he shook his head, reality at all that had just occurred finally hitting him full throttle in the chest.

He’d known, from the first moment he’d seen her, Asher would make her his. It had stuck with him, since she’d walked down the plank of the ship, that somehow, after all those months of waiting it had been for her and no one else. But the thought didn’t bring him as surprising horror as he’d first thought. No, of course not, he’d make her his, his mistress, he could see no other way. What a beauty, how passionate she was, he should have known from how she had reacted to his kisses. Smiling and feeling vastly pleased with himself, he dressed, before bending over and kissing her once more upon the shoulder, one last touch of her hair and he quietly made his way to his room, the servants would be stirring soon.

Angel awoke, sore, cold and alone, her hands instantly reaching for Asher, whom she had fallen asleep next to. Yet where he had lain was simply cold space and shivering she drew the covers more fully over her body, staring out the window and judging the day to be early afternoon, she had slept well and now felt refreshed, even though still sore.

She knew it to be for the best he had left and wondered what he was about now, the thought made her fly into action as she hurriedly stood up, placing her shift upon her before her eyes met the wide splatters of blood upon the sheet which had been beneath her.

Her cheeks were as aflame as the blood she viewed and hurriedly she pulled the sheet off, hiding it in one of her empty trunks and locking it, promising herself she would wash it, herself in the room and replace it before the servants knew what she was about. And the sheet made her think of the incredible night she had spent in Asher’s arms and so she smiled to herself, pulling the bed chord while putting on a dressing gown, asking the maid who answered if bath water could be sent up. The maid instead, told her she had her own private bathing room, through the dressing room, and Angel hurriedly exclaimed, following the maid who drew the bath for her, other maids arriving, warming her towels and applying fragrant flowers and oils into the deep tub.

She thanked them profusely and told them that she would not need any help dressing or even cleaning her room, they stared in shock but obeyed her orders, as she locked the door behind them, taking the soiled sheet out of her trunk and bringing it with her to the bathing room. The sheet and her clothing her left on the floor as she eased into the hot water, which almost instantly soothed her sore muscles.

Once again, her thoughts were upon Asher, wandering, picturing him in her mind’s eye and her body awakened at thoughts of him. She blushed, fiercely, but could not wait to see him.

After her bath, she washed the sheets out, the blood refusing to come out, she’d have to tell the maids she had started her monthly and rinsed out the sheet, leaving it in a ball at the door, an opposite door than the one she had been brought through was opened and Asher, stood, staring at her a towel in his hands.

It was he, who first spoke, as she stood, hair in a high upsweep with tendrils framing her face, the heat from the bathing room making it dewy, her golden skin flushed. He’d never seen such a beautiful picture. “I did not know we shared bathing rooms, usually, when another occupant is in here, the door is kept locked.” He began, before smiling widely, the possibilities at what he had just unearthed running through his mind. “How was your bath?”

Angel nodded, abruptly, unable to find herself speak.

“
Are you still sore?” He asked.