Feeling boosted in her confidence, thanks to Freya’s sparkling demeanor, Sophie was deliriously happy, despite Yvette’s little visit earlier. By the time she got back downstairs, Pippa had moved on from the window and stood at the foot of the stairs, waiting for Sophie with a beer.
“Happy birthday! Surprise!” Pippa beamed easily, much more her normal, thoughtful self now that her wedding wasn’t the focus of the evening. “I figured you’d argue if we told you we were throwing you a party, or that you’d be uneasy by us all sneaking around then shouting surprise at you. So, you get what I’m calling a subtle surprise party.”
Accepting the beer and adding a hug, Sophie smiled gratefully at her friend. “Thanks. I was hoping no one noticed it was my birthday. But I’m glad now.”
Heading out to the deck, aglow in the dusky light with twinkling Christmas lights and candles, they joined the others. Sitting around the outdoor table with her friends… and family, Sophie felt fantastically at home. Thing was, she didn’t give a shit about the inheritance she gained control of today. But, out of pure respect for her kind, good-hearted mother, she wouldn’t let a penny of it go to the one person who was the polar opposite of this.
She wasn’t allowed to help with dishes. Instead, she relaxed, visiting with Pippa, Freya, and Denise, who had shoved the boys in to handle the dishes tonight. “Thanks for a great dinner, Denise. You’ll have to give me the recipe. Pippa can attest that my cooking has come a long way since our first apartment in LA.”
Snorting so hard she bumped her own elbows off the table, Pippa chuckled, “That’s a fact. Boxed macaroni and cheese shouldn’t be that crunchy.”
“Yeah, you’re one to talk. Who screws up frozen pizza?” Sophie mischievously knocked her bare toes into her friend’s shin under the table.
Denise rolled her eyes. “You’re both excellent cooks. At least, you are now. Perhaps you could teach Asher a thing or two, but I’ve never even seen him try.”
Testing the waters, Freya took the final sip of her beer that had warmed over the course of dinner before commenting. “Or maybe he’ll find himself a pretty little wife that enjoys cooking for him.”
Pippa and Denise sighed wistfully. Sophie tried to play along. She felt an unfamiliar pulling sensation deep in her chest. A yearning she couldn’t suppress. Certainly, not to become a pretty little wife that cooked for her husband, but something along the lines of maybe being his pretty little wife. With more equitable sharing of tasks.
Leaning forward, Denise conspired, “I think he’s ready to settle down. Now we just need to give him a little push in the right direction. Have anyone in mind?”
Freya mused over the thought, responding dryly, “I’ll keep an eye out.”
Considering, Pippa didn’t seem to be coming up with anything. “What makes you think he’s ready to settle down?”
Denise’s eyebrows pulled together, her lips pursed in deep consideration, “Things he’s said. Just the other day we were talking, and he mentioned that when he gets married, he’d rather just have a small ceremony here at the house.”
Nodding enthusiastically, Pippa ran with the topic, “He did turn down Irene’s come-on at Ahab’s. Maybe he’s already seeing someone. Lincoln seems to think so.”
Denise shook her head, “I don’t think he had anyone in mind, I mean, he hasn’t left the house except for errands and appointments. If he is seeing anyone, he sure isn’t showing her much of a good time.”
Gulping the last of her own tepid beer, Sophie hid behind the glass to mask her blushing reaction. He certainly was showing his girlfriend a very, very good time. Who needed restaurants and flowers when one had late-night make-outs, dressing rooms, and morning coffee?
Just to irritate Sophie, or so it seemed, Freya leaned into the whispering hens and added, “No, I think he’s found one. When he’s sitting alone, sometimes he gets this dopey grin on his face like he’s thinking about something sweet.”
“Dessert,” a deep, rumbling voice behind her announced. Chills ran up her spine as Asher approached behind her. Setting a pair of scrumptious pies on the table with a mass of candles, a rapidly melting twenty-seven of them, glowing bright. Mostly slanted, but all still lit.
Sliding in the seat next to her, Asher reached under the table to subtly take her hand under the cover of the tablecloth. From across the table, Pippa led an enthusiastically offkey round of Happy Birthday. Sophie couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a normal birthday.
Feeling like the little kid she’d been last time she was presented with so many gifts, Sophie tore into the stack of presents. Lincoln and Grady went in on a collection of nice wines set in a stylish repurposed wooden wine rack. Denise and Paul gave her some fragrant nature-scented candles and vases with a gift card to the Sutherland’s Hardware for when she moved into her own place–with a note ensuring there was no rush, she was welcome to stay in their home as long as she liked.
Pippa had gone solo on her gift and found her a set of quirky Pottery Barn dishes that Sophie had been drooling over for months, with a simple note on the card, If I get the dishes, at least you get a cute new set.
The package from Freya was huge. Sophie tore back the paper, revealing a gorgeous a hand-painted mountain sunrise. “Is this yours?” She knew Freya was a talented artist, but had no idea her work was so vivid, stimulating yet tranquil.
Freya rolled her eyes. “It’s yours. And you’d better like it. I haven’t slept in days trying to get that done for you. I was going to give you an old one I had laying around, but when I discovered how much I actually liked you, I had to make you something unique. Something that was purely you.”
Sophie stared at the painting, feeling she could walk right into the glowing sun rising over the Cascades, a well-traveled trail weaving through the foreground. She hadn’t known Freya long, but her new friend had certainly captured exactly what would call to her.
Allowing her to first get lost exploring the painting, Asher waited before handing her an adorable package wrapped in a paper map, tied with a blue utility rope. A pink flashlight, a handy multipurpose tool, and a gift card to Sporty’s, the outdoor shop she’d seen in town. “I thought you’d need some hiking boots, but you ought to pick those out yourself. Have you ever been camping?”
She shook her head, in awe at the thoughtful gift. She’d never been camping but had always wanted to. Despite her mother’s doting, the woman hated camping. Probably something about being a single mom with a young child living in the city.
Snorting, Pippa commented, “I can’t believe you want to sleep out in the middle of that mud. I’m not sleeping outside; you’re on your own with that one.”
Laughter bubbling through her, Sophie teased her friend, “Message received. I believe that’s what you told me the last thirty times I asked.” On several occasions, she had requested a hiking or camping trip while visiting Foothills, but for a born and raised country girl, Pippa sure didn’t like getting dirty.
Cleaning up garbage, dessert plates, nearly empty pie-pans, the crew started clearing out. In the commotion, Asher whispered in her ear, “Next week. I have a perfect spot picked out.” Happy butterflies paraded through Sophie’s gut, her ears ringing in anticipation.
The party cleared out painfully slowly. Freya tried to help her cause, shuttling out Grady and attempting to expedite Lincoln’s sloth-like departure. Apparently, Lincoln and Pippa couldn’t quite decide where to spend the night. Pippa was too tired to go anywhere, and Lincoln had a meeting early the next morning, but both wanted to stick together.
Sophie bit her tongue to hide her impatience. “How about I pick you up tomorrow for a late breakfast or early lunch and we’ll have more of that scrumptious pie at Larissa’s?”
Pouting, Pippa nodded. “Okay. At least then I don’t have to drive my own car tonight.” Lincoln finally, mercifully dragged his sleepy fiancée out the door.
Denise and Paul had already disappeared to their bedroom in the chaos.
/> Freya grabbed her purse on the way out. “Have fun.” With a wink, she popped her head back in the doorway, “Don’t let that girl go to bed too early on her birthday.”
Living room quiet for the first time all night, Asher dashed to the front door and locked it before anyone could change their mind and come back in. Nodding, he motioned Sophie upstairs. “I’ve got one more present for you.”
Eyebrow raised, full flirty smile engaged, Sophie felt those butterflies wrestling again in her gut. “Is this code?”
Mouth quirking up at the side, Asher shrugged mischievously, “It can be. But I actually have one more present.”
Anticipation building, Sophie followed Asher upstairs. Where he trotted up the stairs in an eager rush, she was too nervous to move so quickly. “Thanks for remembering that I like pie. Did your mom or Pippa think it was odd when you brought home pie for my birthday?”
Each stopping outside their bedroom doors, Asher shrugged, “Not that they said. I’m not hiding the fact that you’re my friend. Give me ten minutes.”
***
What was Sophie supposed to do for ten minutes? The wait was killing her. They’d built quite the routine of going to their separate bedrooms each night, then once it seemed the household was asleep, she’d climb into his bed. Maybe make out a little first, maybe curl right up and sleep.
Tonight was new. There was something different about him.
She brushed her teeth. Shifted and re-parted her hair. Checked her legs for stray hairs the razor had missed. Washed her face for the evening, then added a touch of makeup. Changed into a nightgown. Changed back out of the nightgown into her normal cami and panties. Then back into the nightgown. Washed the makeup back off again.
Finally, a knock at the bathroom door. Asher poked his head in. “Okay, come on in.”
A scattering of candles left a soft glow in the darkened bedroom. Flickering serenely, the candles cast a romantic glow around a large, zipped-together sleeping bag set spread out over the middle of the bedroom. “I love it.”
“I didn’t want to give you a sleeping bag in front of everyone. Seemed oddly intimate given the circumstances. See how they zip together? Genius that came up with that. Sex in a mummy bag is not easy.” Suddenly shy, Asher stood back and watched as she stood in front of him and pulled off her skimpy nightgown with a wiggle of her hips.
“Can’t say that I’ve ever tried,” she remarked, feeling so unreserved around him. His shyness and the uniqueness of his gift triggered something in her, she wasn’t sure exactly what, but she was overcome with the need to find out more of who he was, who they were together. Some of that would come with time, some with intimacy.
Empowered, she slid her panties down her hips and stepped past him, grazing her hand along his abs in a playful gesture. She otherwise passed right by him, naked and tormenting, knowing it would drive him wild. His eyes grew wide as she was now fully undressed and stood over the sleeping bags.
***
A knowing look crossing her face, her lower lip pulled between her lip and breasts rising and falling with eager breaths. “There is one dessert I like better than pie.” Fuck, he was so done for.
She was so hot. Lickable, strawberry red nipples, those pert breasts, waist narrow with slim hips and legs a fucking mile long. He was dreadfully, overwhelmingly out of his league.
At her mercy, he stepped forward and stopped in front of her. She teased her fingertips lightly under the edge of his shirt before pulling it over his head. Not quite tall enough, she stopped with their arms both raised over their heads. Rather than laughing it off, silly like they had been before, she took complete advantage of his trapped hands, and pinned his arms above his head. Kissing him deeply, aggressively, sucking his tongue hard before releasing him and allowing him to finish peeling off his shirt.
Sliding his jeans down over his hips, she pressed her body tightly against his. She fit so perfectly against him, tormenting him. His cock, already iron-hard, twitched against her, desperate to bury into her.
Not tonight.
His body tensing in anticipation, she didn’t tease him with her light touch this time, instead she took his rigid length in her hand and gripped firmly, driving him out of his mind at the sudden sensation. Stroking, grasping, she massaged until a rumbling, gravelly groan escaped his lips.
Gliding her tongue across his chest, she nipped his nipple before lowering down to her knees in front of him. Fuck, he was about to come at the sight.
Cupping his balls, she teased, taunted. With a long, savoring lick, like he was a fucking popsicle on a hundred-degree day, she trailed her tongue along his cock and flicked the tip before taking him deep in her mouth.
Lush, pink lips wrapped around his girth, soft and giving to his hard. Her slow, methodical rhythm pulled at him, his hips instinctually thrusting with the pace she set. “Oh fuck, Sophie–”
Accelerating, she sucked him hard, taking him deeper into her mouth as she stroked him. He lost his voice. Lost all coherent thought as she swallowed him. Shuddering, he felt his climax and barely managed to warn her, “I’m coming–”
Gripping him tighter, she wouldn’t let him pull away, but took him deeper. With a deep groan, his vision went black as he released into her mouth. She bit her lip as she rose to her feet and smiled smugly.
Hell no, she was not the innocent people seemed to think. Something about her gentle demeanor, who knows, but she knew exactly how to drive him completely, totally out of his mind. Pulling her against him, he wrapped his hands around her narrow waist. Looking up at him, he could see the twinkle of satisfaction in her eye.
“We’ve got lots to keep us entertained without sex in the traditional sense.” She ran her hands along his ass and pulled him against her.
***
Sophie had never been so turned on giving head before. It was taking every shred of willpower to not drag him down on the sleeping bag bed he’d made and ride him to both their undoing.
As if reading her mind, he said, “You absolutely undo me. Make me feel things I didn’t know were possible. And I don’t just mean the incredible things you do to my body,” he whispered as he kissed along her collarbone. She tipped her head back as he ran his tongue along her throat.
Lowering them down to the plush, slick fabric of the sleeping bags, Asher was… different. Fiercer, more intense. She’d seen so many sides of him, but tonight was so much more vivid.
Taking her mouth with his, Asher kissed her deeply, exploring, tangling. A soft sigh escaped her lips; heat spread from low in her belly to the tips of her extremities.
Was it just this morning he had taken her in the dressing room? Remembering the ecstasy, the rapid pulse of need that had driven through her, she was ready for him.
“This time, I’m savoring.” And he did. Taking his time, he ensured every inch of her body received his undivided attention. Never having felt so exquisitely aroused, Sophie was overwhelmed with sensation. Again and again, she came at his touch, cried out in delicious, victorious orgasms.
Limbs heavy from the molten lead that filled her veins, Sophie could hardly move. Letting her down gradually from the most intense orgasm–correction, orgasms–she’d ever experienced, Asher rested his head low on her belly.
His deep voice rumbled against her, “I felt a bit rushed this morning and needed to take my time this go around. Hope you don’t mind.”
She managed to speak, barely, not yet able to find her full voice. “I like my new sleeping bag.”
“You’ll like it even more when we’re out in the middle of the woods, far from the ears of the house.” His voice croaked with something she couldn’t identify. Emotion? Exhaustion?
Realizing what he was implying, she vibrated with a rich belly laugh, bouncing his head against her abdomen. “Sorry about that. I’ve never been a noisy orgasmer before.”
“You are welcome.” She could feel him smiling against her skin and place a soft kiss on her tattoo. They laid there for a long while
, breathing together in silence. Peacefully, she started to fall asleep.
Asher sat up briefly to move up next to her and pulled the cozy satin lined with flannel sleeping bag around them. She’d never slept in a sleeping bag before. By the time she would have gotten to have sleepovers as a kid, she was stuck with Yvette and wasn’t allowed.
There were a lot of firsts the last few weeks. A lot of surprises. Like that she was a freaking voracious bundle of lust, apparently.
More, the feeling that she could lean on someone, entirely, and help carry his burden as well. A fluid give and take with someone else, their joy and their pain. She never wanted to need anyone, so the idea was a little frightening, yet oddly reassuring at the same time.
15
T-Minus 7 Days
Rising before the sun, as usual, Asher placed a lingering kiss on Sophie’s forehead before sliding his arm out from under her. As she had the last few mornings, her sleepy figure wasn’t releasing him. This time, however, her cheeks were rosy from a long night of not-quite-sex.
They were curled up in their makeshift bedroom campsite that he was loathsome to clean up. Wrapping her other arm around him, she clung to him like a koala on a eucalyptus tree.
Chuckling quietly, he whispered her name, “Sophie… Sophie, I’m getting up now.”
Stirring, but not releasing him, she groaned. “No.”
Grazing his long fingers along her side, he traced a circle around her belly. She bit her lip to suppress a laugh. Pleased with his progress, using a feather light touch, he grazed his hand further until he reached her breast.
A soft sigh escaped her lips, her eyes still sleepily closed. Mischievously, he gave the tight nub a quick pinch. That earned him an elbow in the ribs.
Lowering himself, he circled her breast with his velvet tongue before pulling her in with a deep caress with his mouth. Her gasp not so soft now, her eyes flashed open in sensual shock, her arms releasing him. Nipping the side of her breast, he pulled away now that she’d unlocked him from her unbreakable grip.
All the Days After Page 17