by Aja Cole
“I’ve got a way you can appreciate my efforts, later.” His eyes blaze and I shake my head, surreptitiously squeezing my thighs together.
“Get to playing, sir. No distractions.”
He lowers his head, strumming the strings lightly with a devious smirk on his tempting lips.
When he would play for me before, I had to make sure I kept my feelings to myself. But this time, I can admire all I want. I can let my thoughts show on my face and I can finally be free to not hide anything.
Ash’s hot factor ratchets up to what should be impossible levels when he plays. It’s unfair, really.
He has the appeal of an athlete, that determined confidence and fire to win, and he has the passionate and sensitive soul of an artist. You can see it in his every movement when he touches that guitar. He strokes the strings like a lover would, testing, revering. The roughness from the gridiron is nowhere to be found.
But all of it is Asher.
And he wonders why I didn’t think he would want to be with me. Next to Asher, I always felt like that typical, basic girl next door.
Literally. Like I was nothing exciting.
But I’m realizing slowly that he thinks I’m enough. He treats me like I’m enough, and I have to start treating myself that way, too.
I’ve accomplished a lot on my own, too. Sure, I’m not as talented in multiple things like he is—photography and design are firmly my wheelhouses—but that’s okay.
I mean something on my own, too. And together, we’re even better.
He starts strumming in earnest, and I try to pick up the melody and match it, but I can’t tell yet.
Until he starts singing, his voice that honey gravel timbre that I remember. It’s not perfect or the smoothest, but that’s what makes it so raw and real.
It’s amazing how you knock me off my feet
Every time you come around me,
I get weak
Leave it to Asher to play Joe’s “I Wanna Know.” When we first started hanging out, I wrongfully assumed that because he was a white boy, he didn’t know much R&B.
He quickly proved me wrong.
Nobody ever made me feel this way, ah, no
You kiss my lips and then you take my breath away, so
I get up from the couch and move to his feet, sitting there and resting my hand lightly on his leg.
It’s one of my favorite songs, and a suggestive one, too.
I wanna know what turns you on
I’d like to know…so I can be all that and more
I’d like to know what makes you cry
So I can be the one to always make you smile
In my head, I ad lib the background singers, but not out loud because I’m a terrible singer.
He holds my gaze with his as he sings and moves to the bridge of the song.
Tell me what I gotta do to please you
Baby anything you say I’ll do
Cause I only wanna make you happy
From the bottom of my heart it’s true
He’s wearing shorts and I move to my knees in front of his spread legs, resting my butt back on my heels and trailing my hands up the inside of his calves.
His playing falters, but he picks up again, the chords coming alive under his touch, just like my body.
I move my hands into the wide legs of his basketball shorts, softly gliding my hands over the inside of his strong thighs.
When I reach where the guitar body is resting over his lap, I stop, raising my eyes to his. Wordlessly, he stops any pretense at playing and sets the instrument aside, a flush rising up his neck.
“Watching you play, hearing you, it’s always turned me on,” I murmur, moving closer and removing my hands from his shorts only to hone in on his rising cock.
He groans, the sound tortured. “I never knew.”
The breathable material does nothing to contain it, and I help things along by pulling his waistband down. He helps me by tugging them off his hips and leaving them around his thighs. It’s good enough for me.
I coax his cock to its full thickness, trailing my hands over it and pumping it. Feeling him grow in my hands makes me wet, but this isn’t about me.
He’s on my menu, tonight.
I lick my lips, anticipating the first taste of him.
“That hungry look in your eyes is going to kill me,” he rasps, his strong jawline clenched, nose flaring.
“Oops, I’ll close them.” I do as promised and close my eyes as I dive in, opening my mouth over his cock and feeling his rough exhale.
The clean, musky smell of his skin fills my senses and I suck his cock like he’s a full course meal and I’m starving. I don’t think about what I’m doing, I just do. I pull back and sweep my lips back and forth over the head, savoring the taste of his heated flesh and caressing every vein and ridge with my tongue.
Ash’s breathing is hard above me and I relish in knowing what I’m doing to him, for him. Every time I hear a deep moan or a quiet curse, every time I feel his hand clench on my hair, every time I feel his hips roll beneath my tongue, it sends a little more pride through me.
“You’re so good, baby,” he sighs, raking my hair back from my face. “So fucking good, Nova.”
I look up at him through my lashes when I lift my mouth from him. His grey eyes are piercing, full of heat.
I want to feel him inside me.
Pulling back with one last regretful lick, I brush a kiss over the tip of his cock and keep stroking it with my hand.
“Condoms?”
“Top drawer.”
“Don’t move.” I grab a few from the box in his nightstand and the lube for good measure, because I’d rather be safe than sorry tomorrow and have to postpone more sex.
Taking it from the packaging myself, I roll it onto him while he looks on with gritted teeth. Poor baby.
I’m about to give him some relief though.
Standing, I strip my shirt over my head and toss it. I unhook my bra and let it drop from my breasts, pushing my shorts and panties down over my hips and kicking them away.
Not looking away from his almost desperate eyes, I put lube on my fingers and reach down, spreading myself and making myself ready for him. It doesn’t take much, because I’m hot and bothered already. I feel like I’ve spiked a fever all over, and he’s my medicine.
“Fuck me.” He closes his eyes, hand squeezing his cock and jerking it in short strokes.
“No, you fuck me.” I turn around and lean over the arm of the couch, offering myself to him. I hear his breath hiss out behind me and then I feel him behind me, powerful legs against mine as he strokes his cock against my nether lips, teasing me. “Asher.”
“Shhhh,” he soothes, running his hands over my ass. “You’ve had your fun.” He rakes his nails over my skin and I shiver, wiggling my ass and hoping to entice him to give me what I want.
When his thumb strokes lightly over previously uncharted territory, I drop my head to the couch cushions, breath stuttering.
“If I didn’t want to fuck you so badly, I’d tongue your ass.”
I lift up on the balls of my feet, moaning low. His words just make it worse, so much worse. I need him to do something, or I’m going to burst into flames. He pushes into me painstakingly, one large hand firmly gripping my ass, and I moan through every inch sinking inside.
“That’s right baby, let me hear what I do to you.” He pulls out on a slow drag and thrusts forward, touching every inch of my pussy with his thickness. And he keeps going, stealing my words and leaving me to communicate with only sounds and needy movements.
Deep and precise is the name of this game. With slow retreats and deep pushes that seat him fully inside me, I’m going mad because it’s not enough. I dig my fingers into the cushions, swinging my hips and attempting to gain more traction, but I can’t.
I don’t know where the hell he pulled all this patience from, but it’s clearly just to drive me crazy.
“Ask for what you want.” He
strokes a hand down my spine and tangles it lightly in my hair. He doesn’t pull or control, and he doesn’t need to. I’m at his mercy completely.
“Harder, I want harder. Faster.” I raise up on my arms, twisting my head to look at him. “I don’t want you to make love to me.”
That slow, devious smile grows on his face and fire lights his eyes. He yanks me gently up to him so I’m standing, and presses a hungry kiss to my lips, tongue dipping into my mouth with devastating intent.
He guides my left knee up onto the arm of the couch, his other hand gliding down my abdomen and splaying over my clit. He leans close to my ear, licking at it and tugging with his teeth.
His hard cock slips just inside my walls and I bite my lip in reaction, leaning back against his muscular body.
“Everything we do is making love.” He brushes his nose along my skin, pushing deeper inside me. “Even when we fuck.”
Punctuating his words, he slams his length into my pussy and I arch my back, gasping his name.
Then he proceeds to master my body with every hard stroke, fingers digging into my hips while I rub my clit to his fast-paced rhythm, my eyes closed to the ruthless pleasure. When one of his arms is banded under my breasts, holding me to him as my orgasm crashes into me and his teeth sink into my skin, that old adage slides through my mind.
Ask and you shall receive.
25
Nova
I wrap the thick white robe around my body and start to tie the belt just as Riley comes into the locker room.
“I love it when my friends treat me to spa days.” She starts to strip, not a self-conscious bone in her body. Fire and light, that’s Riley.
“Gemma, meet my college friend Riley. Riley, meet my bartender friend Gemma.”
“Ooh, a bartender, I love those.” Once Riley has her robe on and her red hair pulled up in a loose topknot, she puts out a hand to Gemma, who’s putting a band on the end of her dark braid.
“Nice to meet you, Riley. I’ll have to make you my signature drink one day.” Gemma smiles, blue eyes friendly.
“I am all for alcohol, girl. We’re going to be great friends.” Riley slides her green eyes to me, suspicion in them. “I’ve only been back in town for a day and I haven’t talked to Asher yet, so you better have some good news.”
“Can I just have a girls’ day and unwind without being poked about my love life?” I stuff my things into a locker so I can hide my smile.
“I guess,” Riley huffs, and Gemma sits on the bench, crossing her legs.
“What about that catch from the bar?”
“You went out with someone?” I can’t help my laughter at the scandalized tone in Riley’s voice.
“It was nothing. We didn’t even kiss, it went nowhere.” Hopefully, they never have to meet him and Gemma won’t have to question why he’s still around since I’ve said nothing happened.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow is when I confront my parents. My mom claimed they had a last minute business meeting and had to reschedule before, but tomorrow is happening no matter what.
I know Ash is getting more nervous every day that I’m not holed up somewhere, and I owe it to him to do this quickly so we can leave.
Tara is in Brazil on a shoot, or else I’d be worried about her since she was pictured in those photos too.
It’s hard to try to act normally when I’ve got this black cloud over my head about the secrets my family has been hiding, but I don’t know what’s going to happen or how long I’ll need to be protected, and I just want to enjoy this while I can.
“Mmmmhm. So, what are we doing first?
“Swedish massages. Then facials, then warm agave nectar pedicures,” I list from my memory. “I’ll update both of you on everything during our pedicures, I promise.”
“I think I’m floating,” Gemma breathes, sipping from her blackberry tea. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.” I keep my eyes closed, leaning against the cushioned headrest as Sammi, my pedicurist, rubs my feet.
“Alright, spill. I need to know if Asher owes me that vacation or not.” Riley insists.
“Well, I finally had sex.”
“You were a virgin?” Gemma sounds surprised.
“Oh my fuck!” Riley shrieks. “You didn’t. Stop playing with me.”
“I did. And it was absolutely phenomenal.” I sigh, remembering this morning when Ash popped into my shower just to go down on me before he left to meet the guys for a morning workout.
I’m blessed.
“If it wasn’t Asher, I’m going to stuff this cucumber down your throat.” Riley forces one of my eyes open and I shake her away, laughing.
“It was Asher. Congratulations, you were right all along.”
“Is this the guy you were trying to get over?” Gemma questions.
“Yeah.” I turn towards her, leaving Riley to stand with an awestruck look on her face. “Turns out, he’s wanted me all along, too. We were both just scared to change our friendship.”
“That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard, sugar.” She puts a hand on her chest. “I’m glad y’all figured it out.”
“Me too. It sounds hokey, but I think he’s my soulmate and I never really knew if I believed in that.”
“Excuse me, everyone.”
Gemma and I look at Riley in shock as she stands on one of the cushy ottomans in the middle of the room.
“Riley,” I hiss, “sit down.”
The other women gathered in the large room give Riley their attention and I groan, wishing I had an invisibility cloak.
“I like her.” Gemma giggles.
“Most of the time, I do too,” I scoff, as Riley starts talking.
“I’d like to take this time to announce that my good friends, after nearly ten years of being too chicken to admit their feelings to one another, have finally pulled their heads from their asses and gotten together.” She puts a hand over her chest, wiping a fake tear from her eye and pointing to me. “Let’s give this woman a round of applause!”
There’s loud smatterings of clapping and laughter and my face is hot as hell as the women throw out congratulations and cheers. Riley steps down from her makeshift soapbox and relaxes back into her chair.
“You are so annoying.”
“I love you, too. Just remember my pivotal involvement when gift time rolls around.” She leans around me, eyeing Gemma. “How about those cocktails tonight?”
“After that little speech, I think you deserve a great cocktail or two.” They high-five over my head and I groan, knowing I’ve created monsters.
I unlock Asher’s door with my key, hoping he’s not home yet. I picked up some lingerie today with Gemma and Riley after the spa, and I can’t wait to show it to him. I had a drink with Gemma and Riley then I said I wanted to get home.
In case you haven’t guessed, I’m not someone that just has lingerie sets lying around.
But the prospect seems fun now that I have someone to show it off to.
I also got a wax for the first time, but not a full Brazilian. I’m too chicken for that. I just got my bikini line waxed so there are no strays, and got rid of some of the hair on my mound.
No way in hell was that wax touching my labia or anything super sensitive. I’ll stick to trimming that down low.
I did it because I wanted to try it, not because I think Asher will give a damn either way. He’s seemed very eager to get down there whatever way he can.
Heading to his room, I set my bags down on the bed and pull out the silky teddy and lace hipsters. It’s in this beautiful deep plum color that really makes my skin tone pop, and I can’t wait to see the appreciation on his face.
And feel it when he touches me.
I’ve been a little sore after sex, so I have to make myself not do too much too soon because I don’t want to cause any problems. I know it’s going to take some adjustment, I just wish I could fuck him as many times a
s I think about fucking him now.
Now that the door has been opened, it’s all I can think about. I’m addicted to his mouth, to feeling his hands trace over my curves and feeling the thickness of his cock thrust into me like he can never get enough.
The way he holds me, the way he looks at me—it makes me feel so special, and it makes me want to never leave his bed.
Or the kitchen. Or the living room. Or wherever he catches me unaware and makes his desire known.
You get the gist.
I’ve been brought into the world of sexual pleasure and it’s more amazing than I thought.
I haven’t gotten a text from him saying he’ll be home soon yet, and I know he was meeting with some people about his football camp that starts in a few weeks.
I can’t wait to see him in that element, too. I’m so proud that he’s the man he is, that he has the biggest heart I’ve ever known.
Tonight, I’m going to worship his body the way he worships mine.
My phone chimes in my bag and I dig it out, unlocking the screen and expecting to see a message from him.
It’s from a number I don’t know.
I click the view option and an attachment springs up.
The first few seconds of the video start and as numbness roils through me, I drop the phone, stumbling back and holding my chest, feeling like I can’t breathe.
The phone chimes again and my teeth are chattering with a mix of rage and fear, and I pick it up, reading the message and crying out in the empty room.
If your parents don’t turn over what they stole from us, you won’t see him again.
Snatching my keys from the bed and my phone, I race to the front door and down the stairs, running to the familiar black car parked on the street. I don’t even realize that I’m not wearing shoes.
I bang on the window, tears streaming down my face and trying to get my words out when Will grips my arms, telling me he can’t understand me and asking what’s wrong. I can feel Hayes beside me, and I vaguely register him saying he’s calling Elias.
“They have Asher,” I moan, my knees weakening as I remember the blood on his face and how lifelessly his head was slumped to the side. “They have Ash.”