CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Brenna arrived back at her apartment after having brunch with her parents. She hadn’t expected to be home until later in the afternoon, but she was grateful. She now had time to do her laundry and tidy up her place before she went to work tonight.
She sighed. She loved her work, but for a few weeks each year, it was a real drag.
Her phone rang.
“Hey, Darren,” she answered, wishing she didn’t get so nervous and hopeful every time he called.
“Hey, Bren. Are you busy? Could you come around to Mum’s right now?”
“Why?” she asked in alarm.
“It’s not a medical emergency, so don’t worry.”
She breathed a little easier. “I am a little busy right now. Can we make it some other day?”
“Unfortunately not. It’s important, Bren.”
“What’s it about?”
“I can’t tell you until you get here.”
“But your mum’s okay?” she asked suspiciously.
“Yes. But can you please get here as soon as you can?”
“Darren, you’re making me nervous. Why?”
“Trust me on this, Bren. Please.”
“The last time I trusted your judgement on something, we got into all sorts of trouble,” she reminded him.
“Well, this is part of fixing that.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
Darren exhaled loudly. “Can you make it or not, Bren?”
She rolled her eyes. She was sufficiently intrigued to drop everything and go. “It better be important, Darren.”
“It is,” he promised.
*****
Brenna turned into Patty’s street, in time to see a small car pull up on Patty’s driveway. Then she saw Darren walk out of the house, smiling widely at the female driver.
She grinned. That must be Monica, Darren’s new girlfriend. Why didn’t Darren just tell her that he wanted to introduce Monica to her? Didn’t he think she’d come?
She parked in front of the house and walked up to meet the couple.
“Hi, Bren,” Darren said, placing an arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders.
“Hi!” she answered, giving the other woman a warm smile.
“This is Monica. I’ve told you about her,” Darren said. “Mon, this is Brenna. I’ve also told you about her.”
“Hi, Monica. I’m very pleased to meet you,” she said. “I hope you know what you’re getting into with this man,” she added with a big wink.
“Now, now, Bren,” Darren said.
“I hope so, too,” Monica said with a shy chuckle. “So far, he’s already managed to shock me several times with the secrets he’s been keeping from me.”
“Hey, they’re not secrets anymore,” Darren said, kissing Monica’s forehead.
Brenna felt a burst of jealousy—not from Darren being with someone else, but from seeing the two clearly at peace with past ‘secrets’. She could only hope that she and Ash could sort out their issues. She missed him so.
“Go on in, Bren. We’re having a party, after all,” Darren said.
“We are? Who else is coming?”
“You’ll see.”
Brenna walked in, her jaw dropping at the sight before her. Ash was there, sharing a laugh with Patty.
“Brenna!” Patty cried. “Hello, dear. I’m having a wonderful time here with your boyfriend.” Then Patty gasped in delight, looking past her. “Hello! You must be Monica!”
Brenna didn’t hear the rest of the chatter that went on around her. All her senses focused only on the man walking towards her.
“Hi,” Ash said, stopping inches from her.
“Hi. What are you doing here?” she asked, her breathing shallow.
“Believe it or not, I thought your fake engagement party was still on.”
“What?” she asked with an incredulous laugh.
“Well, neither you nor Amanda—nor any of the others—found it fit to inform me it was cancelled.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, looking at him with disbelieving eyes. “But... even if it were still on, I can’t believe you’ve turned up.”
Ash smiled apologetically, running a knuckle on her cheek. “I wanted to show you that I do trust you and that I support what you and Darren are doing for Patty. I’ve been such an idiot, Bren. I’m so, so sorry.”
“It’s over now,” she said softly.
A look of pure shock, then absolute pain appeared on Ash’s face. “No,” he whispered.
“That’s not what I mean!” she cried, reading his misapprehension. “I meant Darren and I don’t have to pretend anymore.”
Ash sighed deeply, closing his eyes.
“Why do you have to assume it’s always bad news, Ash?” she asked with censure in her tone.
Ash looked at her, his eyes brimming with emotion. “I love you so much, Brenna. I’ve loved you for so long. All those years that you didn’t notice my feelings dug me deeper and deeper into a pit of silent despair. When we finally got together, you dragged me out of that pit and took me to the stratosphere. But I’m afraid a fall from that elevation would just about kill me. My instinct is to bring myself down to a much lower expectation—a much lower height—where I could still survive a fall, even if I end up severely bruised and battered.”
“Oh, Ash.” She cupped his face as tears escaped her eyes. “I love you, too. Please don’t be afraid to fly high with me. I promise I’ll hold on to you so tight and never let go that you’ll probably start complaining I’m too clingy.”
Ash chuckled through his tears. “Somehow I can’t imagine myself complaining about that. I don’t think you could ever be too clingy for my liking, Brenna Ward.”
“I hope that’s true, Doctor Payne,” she said curling her arms around his neck and lifting her lips to meet his.
She didn’t know how long they’d been kissing. She simply got lost in the moment. But something hard poking on her belly brought her back to the room. She broke the kiss and looked around.
“They went to the back of the house,” Ash murmured, kissing her neck.
“We still can’t make out here, and you’re getting hard,” she whispered urgently.
Ash pulled her closer to him, groaning softly. “I missed you so much, baby.”
“Me, too,” she breathed.
“Maybe we should encourage them to get this impromptu party going so we could go home soon? I’m dying to make love to you.”
“Great idea. Let’s see if we can get away early,” she said, her body attuned to his. “Then can we go to my place first? I want to pack a few things,” she added with a grin.
“Speaking of packing,” Ash said, appearing to suddenly remember something. “How come you avoided staying overnight with me for the last month?”
“Sally’s daughter Jane recently moved to my building, same floor. She’d know if I didn’t go home, or if I’d invited you there. I was trying to avoid more complications, since she thought Darren and I were engaged.”
“Ah. And there I was thinking you were starting to distance yourself from me.”
“That was my fault. I’m sorry.”
“We have a lot of making up to do,” he said with wicked grin.
“Can’t wait.”
*****
Brenna took an overnight bag from her closet, then walked over to Ash, snaking her arms around his waist. She was glad that one of her work colleagues didn’t mind covering for her at the conference tonight. It meant she and Ash could spend the rest of the day together. She lifted her face to his for a kiss, and he obliged. But he only gave her a peck, not a thorough one she’d been angling for.
“Finish your packing first,” Ash said, pulling away.
“But I want you now,” she said sultrily, running her fingers on his chest and down to his belly.
Ash captured her wayward hand. “I don’t want you to get distracted so you only bring a few clothes with you. When you eventually run out of things to wear, you’ll say you have to go home and leave me lonely and cold in my big bed.”
She chuckled, kissing him. “That won’t happen again.”
“Why don’t you fill up a big suitcase rather than a small one?” Ash asked.
“Eager for me to move in, are you?” she said, grinning at him like a loon.
“Me? Nah. Just a suggestion,” he said.
“Oh. Okay. I was actually thinking of organising it soon.”
“Really?” Ash asked, letting his excitement show. “When?”
She shrugged. “Seeing that we’re not in a hurry...”
“You’re such a tease,” Ash said, curving an arm around her and giving her a loud, wet smooch.
She clung to him, deepening the kiss.
“You’re packing, Bren,” he said against her lips, but his hands raked her hair to hold her in place.
She let out a little moan, tightened her arms around his neck and wrapped a leg around him.
“If this is the clingy Brenna that awaits me, I’m definitely not complaining,” he murmured.
“Can you handle a demanding Brenna?”
Ash chuckled. “No sweat.”
“Good,” she purred. “Because I demand that you undress me.”
“Ah, since I don’t want you getting mad at me again, I better do as I’m told,” Ash said, lifting her shirt off her.
She raised her arms to aid him, moisture quickly pooling between her legs. The way she was feeling, she’d soon be demanding more of him than just stripping her of her clothes.
Ash disposed of her bra, then his fingers moved to the button of her jeans. Slowly, way too slowly, Ash unzipped her jeans and pushed them down her legs, leaving her with just her undies on.
“Lie on the bed, sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear.
Eagerly, she did as she was told. She looked at him as he stared at her, his eyes devouring her body as if it was the first time he’d seen her naked. Well, semi-naked, because she still had her panties on. She was tempted to take them off herself, but it was much more fun when Ash did it.
Ash leaned down and started kissing her legs. She parted them for him, her breathing becoming soft gasps as Ash made his way to the apex.
“I better get rid of this, before I get told off for not completing the job,” he murmured, pulling her last piece of clothing down her legs. Then he reared on top of her. “Now what?” he asked, a naughty smile appearing on his face.
She grinned, biting her bottom lip. “Take your clothes off.”
“Gladly,” he said, disposing of his garments in record time.
Ahh, she’d missed his hot body, especially the hardness that pointed at her. To her surprise, she wanted him inside her immediately. What was it about Ash that got her soaking in seconds? But it would be a shame to make this so quick.
“Stand by the side of the bed,” she instructed, then scooted in position in front of him. She wrapped her hand around his length, tasting the dew that had formed at the tip, before sliding it in her mouth.
Ash groaned. “I’m loving this game,” he said, running his fingers through her hair as her head bobbed up and down.
With her free hand, she caressed his balls as she continued suck and tug him. Before long, Ash stepped back, gently pushing her head away.
“Hey, I didn’t hear me say we can stop,” she said.
Ash reached for her nipples with both hands, flicking them with his thumbs. “I thought you might want to demand something else.”
Ahh. He was right. “Lick them with your tongue?” she asked shyly.
Ash chuckled. “That doesn’t sound like a demand.” But he did anyway.
She lay down in bed, taking her with him, his mouth still latched on to a bud. “Ash.” Her voice carried the intense need she had for him.
“Anything else, sweetheart?” he asked between licks.
“I want you,” she gasped, bucking her hips to tell him exactly where else she wanted attention.
But Ash didn’t stop kissing her breasts. Instead, he placed his hand between her legs. He dipped a finger in her, then pulled it out to spread her juices onto her c-lit.
She moaned—a lusty cry she wouldn’t have been able to stifle even if she wanted to. His tongue laving her nipples and his fingers playing with her pu-ssy were driving her arousal to fever pitch. It was so damn good, and she was so close, when Ash stopped abruptly.
“Honey, don’t stop,” she pleaded, squirming with need.
“I’ll give this to you instead, baby,” Ash said, inserting his cock inside her.
Ohhh.
“Good?” Ash asked, grunting as he thrust inside her.
“Yes... oh, yes.... Faster, please,” she cried.
Ash groaned. “Anything you want, Brenna. Anything you want.” He drove into her, pushing to the hilt, then pulling out just to drive into her again, over and over.
The sounds of their connecting bodies mixing with their cries of pleasure added to the magical force that pushed her further and further up. Once again, Ash was taking her to heights of pleasure she’d never thought possible. And she was almost at the crest.
Her body tensed, her breath coming out in faster, louder gasps.
“Yes, baby, come for me,” Ash panted through gritted teeth, his face a picture of single-minded concentration as he lunged into her.
“Oh God,” she breathed, before she cried out loud, her body trembling uncontrollably as an intense orgasm washed over her.
“fu-ck... Bren...” Ash gasped, bucking into her with abandon before exploding and filling her with his come.
*
“Can you demand that again when we get home?” Ash asked as he pulled out of her.
“I’m home. I’ll give you a few minutes to recover, then I’ll demand it again,” she teased.
Ash wrapped his arm and leg around her. “I mean my place. Since you’re moving in with me, that’s home for you now, too. But I won’t complain if you want another one in a minute.”
“A minute?” she asked with a giggle. She was more than glad Ash was insatiable. When it came to him, she was too.
Ash rolled his eyes. “Fine. Thirty seconds then.”
She shifted on her side to fully face him. “There’s something I really, really demand when I move in to your house.”
“What?” Ash asked, smiling at her with obvious love in his eyes.
“I want to go through the remaining boxes in your garage. Even though we take ages sorting through each and every single item we find, it’s so much fun. It’s like going down memory lane. I actually think I’ll be sad when we run out of boxes to open.”
Ash held her tighter. “There’s one big reason why I refused to go through them before.”
“What?”
“When we find a particular item, you’ll know,” he said mysteriously.
“Ooh, now I’m intrigued. What item?”
Ash shook his head. “Find it, and you’ll know.”
She pouted. “Tell me,” she demanded, too curious to wait.
Ash grinned. “And spoil your fun? No.”
“Please?” she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.
He simply shook his head again, covering her mouth with his. Soon, her interest went to where his wandering hand was going to touch her next.
Ah, well. There would be plenty of time to uncover the mystery of the hidden item.