by J. L. Perry
I bet Elijah doesn’t make her come that hard.
Fucking imposter.
Slowly retracting my fingers, I bring them to my mouth. There’s red hot desire burning in her eyes as she watches my every move.
“Delicious,” I growl as I lick her from my skin. She tastes as sweet as I knew she would.
When I remove my fingers, she cups my face in her hands, ravishing my mouth once more. It takes every ounce of strength I have not to lift her into my arms and carry her into her bedroom, so I can finish what I’ve started.
But I can’t do that.
Not tonight.
Pulling out of the kiss, I rest my head against hers. I’m trying to be the good guy here. I need to keep the promise I made her. I told her she can trust me, and she can.
“Je veux m’enfouir au plus profond de toi, ma douce Em, et te baiser jusqu’à ce que tu cries mon nom,” I whisper. Which simply translates to I want to bury myself deep inside you, my sweet Em, and fuck you until you scream my name.
She smiles, despite not knowing what I have said.
One day soon I’m going to do just that. And I can’t fucking wait.
Stepping back, I wrap her dress around her body, retying it at the side. After placing a chaste kiss on her temple, I turn and leave. A man only has so much self-control, and I know I’ve reached mine.
Chapter Eighteen
EMMA
I slide down the wall into a sedated bundle of goo the moment Ashton walks out the door. That was by far the most intense orgasm I’ve ever experienced. Who knew it could be this good?
I didn’t want him to leave. I want another one of those, and another, and anything else he wanted to give me. All my inhibitions take flight where Ashton’s concerned. I’m shocked he turned and walked out, but I’m too buzzed right now to be bothered by it.
Minutes pass before I finally find my legs. As I go to stand, my phone rings. I crawl across the floor where I threw my clutch, frantically digging inside. ‘My ridiculously hot friend,’ flashes on the screen, and a smile bursts onto my face.
“Did you forget something, Mr. B.?”
“Yes, to say goodbye.”
“You’re sweet.”
“That’s me,” he says. “The absolute sweetest, quite delicious, actually.”
Yes, you are.
“Is that so?”
“True story.”
“You have a big head, you know that, Barclay?”
“I know, it’s huge. It is straining against my pants as we speak.”
“Very funny,” I say, laughing.
“Em, can I see you tomorrow?”
“You want to see me again?”
“Yes!”
I want to see you too.
“I have to work at the shelter.”
“What time?”
“I’m scheduled from six to noon.”
“Can we meet for lunch? That’s if you want to, of course. No pressure.”
“I’d like that.”
“Okay, it’s a date,” he says.
“No date. Just two friends sharing a meal,” I say, throwing his own words back at him.
“Right, friends. Friends that hold hands, kiss, and occasionally give each other orgasms.”
“Hmm… yes, I suppose. But I’m yet to return the favor.”
“I beg to differ. I can still smell you on my fingers, sweet-thing. As soon as I get home, I’m going to come hard and fast to your scent.” My mouth gasps open at his admission. “Are you still there, Em?”
“Umm… ah-huh.”
He chuckles as I wander into the bathroom. “I bet your cheeks are a pretty shade of pink right now.”
My eyes dart up to the mirror. He’s right, they are.
“So, it’s okay for you to pleasure yourself, but not me? That’s a little unfair, don’t you think? Am I going to have to run over your hand with Kitty?”
I hear him laugh through the phone. “I’m more than happy to give you all my orgasms, just say the word.”
Word.
I clear my throat.
“You know what else I’m going to do when I get home, Em?”
“What?”
“Dream of cupcakes with tiny sprinkles on them.”
The grin on my face is outrageously huge now.
“Good night, Ashton.”
“Night, Em. Dream of me.”
You can count on it.
As I spit the toothpaste out of my mouth, there’s a knock on the door. Quickly rinsing, I wipe my face with a towel and exit the bathroom. I note the time on the microwave as I pass through the main room. It’s only five thirty in the morning, way too early for visitors.
Making sure the safety latch is still in place, I open the door. “Ashton,” I say when I see his handsome face smiling back at me through the crack. “Is everything okay?”
I hate how happy I feel seeing him standing there.
“I didn’t want you walking to your car alone in the dark, so I’m here to escort you. I brought coffee, too,” he adds proudly, holding up the tray in his hand.
Sighing, I unlock the door. I’ve never experienced anyone like him before, he’s so swoony and thoughtful. Well, he is when he’s not being so bossy. He’s making it hard for me to resist him.
“You didn’t have to come all this way to walk me to my car.”
“No big deal,” he says, playing it down, but it’s a big deal to me. If he lives anywhere near Grayson, that’s a half-hour drive. “I couldn’t sleep anyway, all I could think about was damn cupcakes.”
I laugh. “You have issues, you know that?”
“I do, big ones. It’s this girl I met. She’s messing with my head, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop thinking about her.”
“Really?” I ask as my heart starts to thump in my chest. Is he talking about me? “Anyone I know?”
“Possibly. She’s beautiful… so goddamn beautiful. Inside and out. And her legs… Christ, they go on for days.”
“She sounds very… umm… tall. I mean legs that go on for days. That’s long.”
Ashton chuckles. “Her legs are stunning, and she’s actually the perfect height for me.”
“If you say so.”
“You know what else?
“What?” I ask.
“She’s caring, smart, too, and so incredibly sweet.”
“Sweet, hey?”
“Yeah, she tastes like cupcakes and jelly donuts.”
“She sounds yummy.”
“She is, she’s delicious.”
How he can keep a straight face is beyond me.
As much as I’d like to continue with this conversation, I have to finish getting ready. I’m worried about Duke, he wasn’t himself yesterday when I stopped by to see him, so I’m eager to see how he’s doing this morning.
Stepping back, I allow Ashton to enter. He’s freshly showered and smells so good. As he passes, his arm slides around my waist, drawing me in for a kiss.
“Mmm, minty,” he says when he pulls back and gives me a panty-melting smile.
He’s so damn sexy.
“Good morning,” I say.
“Morning, sunshine.” He takes one of the coffees out of the tray, handing it to me. “Since its Sunday, and Sinful-Saturday is over, I refrained from getting you a double pump caramel macchiato with extra whip and whole milk, opting for a black coffee with no sugar instead.” I arch my eyebrow. How in the hell did he even remember what I ordered yesterday morning? “What? I’m observant.”
I shake my head. “Are you trying to woo me, Barclay?”
“Am I trying to what you?”
“Woo me?”
“Is woo even a word?”
“Of course, it is.”
He smirks. “I’m not sure what it means, but there’s a lot of things I’d like to do to you, Em.”
My thighs clench together as I try to act unaffected by the innuendo laced through his words.
“I have to finish getting ready.” I hear
him chuckle as I rush to my bedroom.
“Don’t forget to pack a bikini. We’re going swimming after lunch.”
I poke my head out, peering at him down the short hallway. “What if I don’t want to go swimming?”
“Stop arguing, woman, and just pack one.”
Ugh! I should pack the one piece I have just to spite him—Carla calls it my grandma bathing suit—but instead, I grab the skimpiest bikini I own.
“You okay?” Ashton asks on our drive to the shelter. He said he was going to escort me to my car, but as soon as we got downstairs, he insisted on driving me the entire way saying it was easier since I’d be meeting him for lunch anyway.
He has a point, but still.
“I’m okay,” I answer. “Just a little anxious about seeing Duke. He was off yesterday, so I’m concerned about him.”
“Off?”
“Yeah, he wouldn’t eat… he loves his food, and when I took him for a walk, he was sluggish. I ended up carrying him most of the way.”
“He’s old, right?”
“Yeah, seventeen. That’s like…” I pause for a moment doing the calculations in my head, “… a hundred and nineteen in human years.”
“Fuck, if I were a hundred and nineteen, I’d be feeling sluggish, too.”
“I guess,” I say, releasing a small laugh. “I just worry about him. It upsets me to think he’ll more than likely live out his final years in the shelter. Life’s been pretty shitty for him since he lost his person.”
“His person?”
“Yeah. The old lady who owned him. His only family. She died… hence, why he’s now with us.”
“Oh, I see.”
“She knew she didn’t have long, so she set up a trust for Duke. She bequeathed her estate to the shelter on the condition he be cared for until the end. She wants his ashes to be scattered with hers when his time comes.”
“Right.”
“It’s quite sweet, actually. Duke obviously meant a lot to her. I was there the day they brought him in. He was terrified. His eyes were bugging out of his head with fright, and his little body was trembling. He’d never been around other animals before. He must’ve been so confused being ripped away from everything he knew. I cried myself to sleep that night. I couldn’t get the image of his frightened eyes out of my head or his tiny body cowering in the corner of his kennel. I decided that night I’d be his new person. Not in the way he was familiar with, of course. I would’ve brought him home with me that day if I could’ve. I prayed someone would come into the shelter and adopt him, but nobody wants an old dog, especially not one that doesn’t have a lot of time left. My worst fear is he dies in that place. The shelter’s great, don’t get me wrong, they do a fantastic job there, but it’s not a real home, not like the one he’s used to.”
“Someone may come along.”
I shrug. I think too much time has passed for that to happen.
“Did you know animals can suffer from depression?”
“I’ve never really given it much thought.”
“Duke has it, but with a lot of love, time, and patience, I’m slowly bringing him out of it. We have a special bond.”
He’s like my doggy kindred spirit. I know all too well what depression feels like.
It sucks.
Ashton reaches across the center console, wrapping his hand in mine. “You have a kind heart, Em. Don’t ever change.” I look over at him and smile. “And for your sake, I hope yesterday was just an off day for him.”
“Me, too.” But I’ve spent enough time with him over the past few months to know that’s probably not the case.
Ashton offers to come inside with me when we reach the shelter, but I decline. After leaning across the seats and placing a soft kiss on my cheek, he told me he’d be back at noon to collect me. The car stayed idling at the curb until I was safely inside.
Flipping on the lights, the sounds of the dogs barking fill the room. I walk around the front counter sliding my bag into the bottom drawer before pushing through the door that leads to the animals. My stomach churns. I greet each one as I pass, heading toward Duke’s kennel first.
I need to make sure my little man is okay before I get stuck in my duties for the day. As I near, the first thing I notice is that his sweet little face isn’t pressed against the wired door eagerly awaiting my arrival. My movements freeze as I try to prepare myself for what I might find.
I wish I’d let Ashton come inside now.
“Duke, baby, Momma’s here,” I say, taking a tentative step forward. I know I’m not his real momma, but I’m his adoptive one. Well, in my heart, I am. I love him fiercely like a mother would her child.
I release the breath I’m holding when I hear a whimper. I rush forward, relieved he’s alive but still knowing things are far from okay.
I gasp, and tears sting my eyes when I bend, peering inside his enclosure. He’s lying on his side in the far back corner, panting. There’s a small puddle of vomit close by. The fact he doesn’t come to me speaks volumes.
“Oh, baby,” I whisper, unlocking the door and crawling inside. My heart is beating out of my chest as I reach for him. Duke is limp in my arms as I cradle him to my chest, climbing back out. I dip my face, placing a kiss on the top of his head. “I’ve got you, everything is going to be okay.”
I’m not sure I believe my own words, but I try to comfort him nevertheless.
Hurrying back into the reception area, I take a seat behind the desk. He’s small enough for me to hold in one arm.
I open the bottom drawer and dig in my bag for my cell phone before scanning the list of contacts taped to the desk. I dial Mark’s number. He’s a local vet who volunteers time to the shelter when needed.
“Hello.” His voice sounds groggy, and I feel bad for waking him, but this is an emergency.
“Hi, Mark, it’s Emma from the shelter. I’m sorry to be calling you so early.”
“Oh, hi, Em. I didn’t recognize the number, but I can’t say waking up to the sound of your lovely voice is a bad thing.”
I roll my eyes. He’s a horrible flirt. “I’m calling from my cell.”
“Ah, so you’re finally letting me have your number?”
Ugh! Why didn’t I use the landline to call him?
“Duke’s not well. He’s been off his food since yesterday, he’s lethargic, and overnight he vomited. Do you think you could stop by sometime this morning and examine him?”
“For you, anything.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“Hang tight, I’ll be there within the hour.”
I end the call.
“Doctor Mark will be here soon. Hang in there, little guy.” I lay him across my lap, running my hand over his short fur to comfort him. My eyes blink rapidly in an attempt to will my tears away, but it’s no use. I’m scared. Call me selfish, but I don’t want to lose him.
I send Aubrey a quick text. She’s probably still asleep, but she’d want to know what’s going on.
Chapter Nineteen
ASHTON
Chance: Mate, you busy?
Ashton: Not really, why?
Chance: I think you better come by the shelter.
His reply has my heart rate accelerating.
Ashton: Why? Is Emma okay?
Chance: She’s fine, upset, but okay. Just come.
Fuck, Duke.
Ashton: On my way.
Five minutes later, I burst through the front door. I swear I broke every speeding rule on the drive over here.
“Where is she?” I ask when Chance’s eyes rise to meet mine.
He flicks his head to the left. “She’s back there in the examination room with the vet… Dr. Douchebag.”
Dr. Douchebag? Surely that’s not his real name.
“And Duke?”
“Poor little guy. He’s pretty sick.”
I place my hands on the counter, leaning into it as I release the breath I’ve been holding. I thought I was coming here to console a distraught
Emma.
“Thank fuck, I thought he died,” I confess.
“Morbid much.”
“What was with the text, then?”
“He’s trying to cut your grass.”
“Who Duke? What grass?”
Chance chuckles. “No, Dr. Douchebag… he’s cutting your grass by moving in on your girl. I thought you’d want to know.”
“What do you mean… moving in?”
Chance rolls his eyes as if I’ve just asked him a stupid question. “He likes her… the vet… Dr. Douchebag. He’s been chasing her for a while now. He wants to take Duke home with him, and he wants Emma there, too.”
“Like fuck, she’s going to his place.”
“My thoughts exactly. This guy is smooth, man. The ladies are like putty in his hands. Even Aubrey thinks he’s wonderful.” Chance rolls his eyes again. “He’s not. I can see straight through him. He’s a grade-A creeper. In the beginning, I didn’t mind him, but the more I got to see what he’s like, the more I couldn’t stand him. He’s asked me about Emma before.”
“What do you mean?”
“He asked if she had a boyfriend.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I said she didn’t. But that was before I knew about you. You should see how he looks at her when she’s not paying attention.”
“How?”
“Like she’s his last meal. He practically fucks her with his eyes. If I ever catch him looking at my Aubrey like that, I’ll kill him.”
That makes two of us.
“You need to stop him from taking the dog?” My words come out panicked.
I don’t want her around that guy, but I can’t keep her away from the dog either. It would break her heart.
“You’ll need to adopt him then.”
“The dog?”
“No, Dr. Douchebag…” Chance raises an eyebrow. “Of course, the fucking dog. I doubt it will be a long-term arrangement. He doesn’t have a lot of time left.”
“I can’t adopt him.”