Asher: Heroes at Heart

by Jordan, Maryann

  He leaned over the bed, kissing her lips once more before moving down and kissing each nipple. His fingers moved to the waistband of her pants, and he slowly undid the zipper. Instead of relaxing, he felt her muscles tense, and he whispered, “It’s okay, baby. I want to know you. I want to know all of you.”

  He felt her relax slightly and slid her pants over her hips and down her thighs. Determined to not focus on her scars, he discarded her clothing on the floor before crawling back up and lying next to her, his lips nuzzling her ear.

  With his head back up close to hers, she relaxed completely and kissed him back with fervor. He drank in her essence while sliding his free hand over her breast, down her stomach, to her core. Her right leg fell open, and he noticed her left leg was stiffer. He knew she was not ready for him to worship her body; that would come in time. But he wanted to be very aware of any special needs she might have so that he did not hurt her. He could not wait to taste her and make her come on his tongue but was afraid that his head so close to her scars might make her too self-conscious to enjoy it.

  Dragging his fingers through her slick folds, he fingered her swollen clit, spreading her natural lubrication around.

  She kissed him with a desperation he had not felt before, and he responded in kind. No woman before her had mattered or even came into his memory. And he wanted no one else but her. Crooking his finger inside her sex, she was so ready that she came quickly, her eyes squeezed shut, her fingers digging into his shoulders, and her inner muscles clutching at him.

  “Open your eyes, baby,” he commanded, whispering close to her ear before leaning up to watch her obey. “I want you to see me. I want you to know this is me.”

  As her shudders slowed, she smiled and said, “I know it’s you, Asher. Only you.”

  His hands slid out of her sex, his fingertips skimming over her hipbones, feeling her tense again. “I don’t want to do anything you don’t want me to, but I want you to eventually get used to me knowing and loving all of your body.”

  She swallowed deeply, nodding her head in jerks, not saying anything.

  “We can stop here, Penny. We don’t have to do anything—”

  Her fingertips clutched him tighter as she said, “No. Please, don’t stop.”

  He grinned before kissing her once again. Pulling back slightly, he said, “Can you tell me what will make this best for you?” Seeing her brow crinkled, he explained, “I don’t want to hurt you, so I need you to guide me as to what is the best position.”

  A blush rose from her breasts to her cheeks, and she rushed, “I’ve never tried anything that wasn’t just…um…the man on top. So, I don’t really know if anything else…um…works.”

  Not wanting to talk about other men but also not wanting to embarrass her further, he said, “Then we’ll do that, take it slow, and you let me know if anything doesn’t feel right. Promise?”

  She sucked in her lips and nodded.

  “I want to hear you say the words, Penny.”

  She acquiesced, whispering, “I’ll let you know if anything doesn’t feel right.”

  20

  Penny forced herself to relax as Asher shifted his body over hers after rolling on a condom. Years of rehab and physical therapy had helped to strengthen the scarred muscles and tissue. She could feel his hesitation as her fingers lightly splayed over his back, and she wanted to make it easier for him. Shifting slightly, she spread her legs as she felt his hips settle between her thighs. A sheen of sweat was breaking out on his forehead, and she knew he was holding back out of concern.

  “It’s okay, Asher,” she whispered, holding his gaze. “I want this. I want you.”

  His breath left him in a rush, and he confessed, “I’m afraid, babe. I’m so fuckin’ afraid of hurting you.”

  She shushed him the only way she knew how, by pulling him closer, melding her lips with his. As his cock nudged her entrance, she kissed him with abandon, plunging her tongue into his mouth, swallowing his groan. She was unable to tilt her pelvis very far but thrusting her hips even slightly allowed him to slowly enter her channel.

  He filled her, inch by inch, stretching until she wondered if she would be able to take all of him. With her own lubrication, he began to move in and out slowly, the delicious friction reaching places she had never felt before. With her fingers digging into his back, sliding them down to his hard, muscular ass, she encouraged his thrusts.

  Her world became reduced to the place where they were connected…his cock, her channel, the physical act between lovers throughout the centuries. The sensations were carrying her away to a place she had never been, but his voice cut through all of that.

  “Look at me, sweetheart,” he begged.

  Her eyes jerked open, instantly connecting with him. They continued to stare at each other as the friction built and the coil inside of her tightened. Balancing on one forearm pressed into the mattress near her head, he slid his free hand between them, tweaking her clit. Needing no other stimulation, she cried out as her orgasm swept her away, barely hearing his roar in return.

  Keeping her eyes on him, she watched as his face reddened and tensed, the veins of his neck standing out in relief as his own orgasm pounded into her. He continued to thrust until she felt him soften and he pulled out.

  Careful to avoid her left side, he gently settled on her right and pulled her into his arms. Sweat slicked their bodies, as both dragged air into their lungs, their heartbeats pounding an erratic rhythm.

  When their bodies had finally cooled, he leaned over and kissed her gently, mumbling against her lips, “Gotta take care of the condom."

  Boneless, she watched as he strolled into the bathroom and a moment later heard the toilet flush. Expecting him to come right back, she was surprised to hear the water in the bathtub turn on. Several minutes later, he came back and planted his knee into the mattress next to her, scooping her up into his arms.

  Aware of her nakedness in a way that she had not been when they were in bed, she started to protest. But as soon as he stepped into the bathroom, she realized that he had turned off the lights, and now, two candles on the vanity were lit. Not recognizing them, she realized that one of the women must have left them as a gift.

  The flickering candlelight cast both of them in a gentle glow. The tub was filling with bubble bath, another housewarming gift that she had not even remembered seeing yesterday. As he set her down, she immediately turned so that her left side was not facing him.

  “You can relax, sweetheart,” he said. “I’m just here to make sure you get into the tub safely.”

  After the intimacy they had just shared, she knew she should be willing to let him see more of her, but she was not ready. Grateful that he understood, she allowed him to settle her gently into the tub of warm water. He sat on the bathmat, his tatted arms crossed over the edge of the tub, and they chatted while she luxuriated in the scented bubbles.

  Rolling her head to the side to stare at his handsome face propped on his arms, she said, “I feel guilty that you’re out there, and I’m in here.”

  “We’ll work up to where you’re comfortable with both of us in there,” he assured.

  As the water cooled, he assisted her from the tub and wrapped her in a fluffy towel. Kissing her lightly, he said, “I’ll leave you alone for a few minutes.”

  She watched him leave and could not keep the smile from her face. Could he be more perfect? Her body, now relaxed from the hot bath, glowed as she peered at herself in the mirror by candlelight. She knew that soon she would be more comfortable naked around him but loved how he understood her feelings tonight. Pulling on her long, silky pajama bottoms that reached to her feet and the matching camisole top, she ran a brush through her hair, washed and moisturized her face, and brushed her teeth. Having no idea if he was getting ready to leave or would want to stay for the night, she wanted to be prepared either way.

  Stepping out of the bathroom, she saw that he was in his jeans, but they were still unzipped, hanging
off his lean hips. With no shirt on, his tats were all visible and beautiful. His bare feet stuck out from the bottom of his jeans, and she thought that was the sexiest sight until she lifted her gaze and saw his hair standing on end where she had run her fingers through it and determined that the whole package was the sexiest thing she had ever seen.

  He leaned over to grab his T-shirt from the floor, and she moved closer to him, stopping only a foot away. Peering into his eyes, she asked, “Will you stay with me tonight?”

  A smile spread wide over his face, as he answered, “Absolutely, baby.”

  He moved through the apartment, making sure it was secure before returning to the bedroom. She had a spare toothbrush that she had gotten the last time she was at the dentist, and he brushed his teeth before climbing into bed with her.

  As she closed her eyes, her head resting on his chest, she knew for a fact that she had never had a better day.

  * * *

  Penny leaned forward, contemplating banging her head on her desk in frustration. Instead, she sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm her ire. For her week to start so beautifully with Asher in her bed, the presence of Mr. Weatherby’s niece, Janie, was making work miserable.

  Every day that week, Janie had called Penny into her office to ask her how to do something. Penny never minded assisting anyone, but to walk from her supply-closet office to Janie’s irritated her. It wasn’t that Janie’s office was so magnificent, but it had comfortable furniture, a credenza that matched her desk, and a window. Perhaps it was the knowledge that Janie could not care less about the window when Penny would love to have some natural light. Perhaps it was the knowledge that based on seniority and education, Penny should have had that job. But what bothered her the most was that Janie did not appear grateful for the employment, nor interested.

  Walking down the hall, again, she entered Janie’s office, seeing the young woman behind the desk pouting. Janie was only twenty-two years old, attractive, and very unhappy to be working in an office filled with older people. While Penny had been grateful for any job that came her way, Janie resented the constraints of adulthood that forced everyone to grow up eventually and get a job that paid their bills.

  Forcing a smile on her face, she asked, “What do you need now?”

  Shoving a pile of papers to one side of her desk, Janie grumbled, “I don’t know what to do with these. Several of the agents brought these in today, and when I asked what they were, they said they were supposed to give me their logs on Fridays. I don’t even know what their logs are or what I’m supposed to do with them.” Picking up her phone, she glanced at the time and said, “I’m ready to leave and don’t have time to deal with this.”

  Penny knew what time it was and said, “Unless Mr. Weatherby has given you new hours to work, you have another hour here before your day is over.”

  Janie looked up in surprise and said, “I’ve got plans tonight. I’m going out with friends, and I need to get a manicure and a pedicure before I go.” Grabbing the sheath of papers in her hands, she tapped them on the desk until they fell into a neat stack. Looking up at Penny, she said, “I don’t know what to do with these, and I’d like you to handle it this week and then maybe by next week I’ll know more about logs.”

  If Penny wasn’t so irritated, she would have laughed at the way Janie said the word ‘logs’ with such disgust. "Janie, I won’t do them for you, but I will help you understand what it is you are supposed to do.”

  “There’s no reason you can’t do these,” Janie continued to press as her gaze dropped to Penny’s cane. “I’m sure you’ve got no plans for Friday night.”

  “As a matter of fact, I do—”

  “Oh, Uncle Otis!” Janie called out as Mr. Weatherby walked to the door. “I have to leave for my Friday night plans, and Penny has just offered to help me with the end of week logs.”

  Mr. Weatherby beamed toward Penny, saying, “Fine, fine. Thank you so much for helping Janie settle in for her first week.”

  Before she had a chance to protest, Janie had snatched up her designer purse, and with a quick kiss on Mr. Weatherby’s cheek, practically flew out the door, her stiletto heels tapping down the hall.

  Turning toward her boss, Penny’s eyes flashed as she said, “For the record, I did not volunteer to do her job for her. I have helped her every day this week to become acclimated to her duties, which is not my job to do anyway.”

  Mr. Weatherby’s face fell, and he appeared contrite as he said, “I know, and I’m sorry, Penelope. I know this is difficult for you, and I appreciate what you’re doing. I’m sure Janie will learn the ropes quickly, and we’ll all get along very well.”

  Picking up the sheath of papers from Janie’s desk, she walked straight to the door, stopped, and looked over her shoulder. “This is the last time I will do her job for her. I will assist her next week and then after that will only be available for the occasional question that might come up. It was never my job to train her,” and lifting the papers in the air, added, “and never my job to do her job for her.”

  She walked back to her closet-office, her confidence at war with her irritation, and tossed the papers on her desk. Settling in, she worked quickly and efficiently, entering the information from the agents’ logs into the computer. A knock on the doorframe caused her to look up, seeing Robert, one of the real estate agents, peering at her. Not in the mood, she growled, “What do you want?”

  He smiled and clapped his hands together twice, saying, “I just wanted to say Bravo. I’m glad you stood up to that little twit and to Mr. Weatherby.”

  With a two-fingered salute, he walked away, leaving her staring open-mouthed at the now-empty doorway. A giggle slipped out, and she shook her head, getting back to work. Leaving on time, she could hardly wait for her evening plans. Regardless of what Janie thought, she and Asher did have plans that included meeting his family at Grimm’s. Not one for going to bars, she could hardly wait, having heard so much about it.

  21

  Asher had been looking forward to Friday night all week. After last weekend, he and Penny had quickly established a routine. By the time he finished with work, she had made it home from her job, and he met her at her new apartment. At first, the other tenants had been surprised to see their landlord showing up every day, but they quickly got used to the fact that he was involved with the beautiful woman in apartment 1A.

  No longer meeting in the park, they would sit on the patio and talk about their days when the weather permitted or in her living room if it was raining. He learned all about her job at Weatherby Real Estate, and she was learning about the remodeling that he did. Their evenings were laid-back and comfortable, reading or watching TV, ending in making love. Making Love. He had never had sex with someone he truly cared for, and the difference was astounding. Memorable. Fun. Caring. Kisses that seemed to last forever. The desire to peer into her eyes when she came.

  So far, they were still cautious…he not wanting to hurt her, and she not ready to have the lights on, but they were becoming more comfortable with each other with every encounter.

  The only thing that had suffered was his daily runs, but when she realized that he was forgoing them, she insisted that he continue running in the park before coming to her. He acquiesced occasionally, but only for the exercise since he no longer had her waiting on a park bench for him. Instead, knowing that she was waiting for him at her home made him run even faster.

  But tonight, he was taking her to Grimm’s. She had not been with all of them since her move-in day, and since it had been a difficult week at work, she was excited to go out. She had fretted about what to wear, but he convinced her that Grimm’s was not fancy. In fact, he laughed at the idea of Zander running a place where blue jeans would not be the outfit of choice.

  The weather had turned decidedly cooler, and he glanced to the side, appreciating her black leather jacket paired with a black sweater and blue jeans. Imagining her on the back of his motorcycle, he
said, “It’s supposed to be sunny and a little warmer next weekend. I thought we might try taking my bike out.”

  He had not realized how nervous he was at his suggestion until her wide smile, brightening her face, had him exhaling in a rush.

  “Oh, Asher, I would love that!”

  Giving a nod, he said, “Then it’s a date.” They had just turned into the parking lot of Grimm’s when he heard her gasp.

  “Oh, my God,” she exclaimed. “Look at all the cars here. I’m glad for Zander’s business, but I had no idea it this place was so popular.”

  He slid into a parking spot and said, “Zander’s dream was to open up a bar, and of course, the name Grimm’s came from the Grimm’s fairy tales we always read as children. This place was pretty rough when he bought it, and the others helped him fix it up. I was still in the Army for most of it, but during a couple of leaves back home, I got to help. For a while, it was only visited by some of the people in the neighborhood, and Zander liked it that way. But eventually, the neighborhood became revitalized, some older buildings turning into apartments and office complexes. That brought in new blood mixing with the original patrons. Now, it’s a destination bar for a lot of people to enjoy after work or on the weekends.”

  She looked over at him and asked, “How does Zander feel about the change in the direction?”

  He chuckled and replied, “It’s interesting that you thought of that. At first, Zander hated the crowds. He liked the idea of a place where people could know each other.” Shrugging, he said, “Of course, we probably didn’t help. Rafe convinced him that he needed a jukebox and to move a few tables so people could dance. Zeke convinced him that they needed to offer food, saying that food made people stay longer, and if they stay longer they will drink more.”

  She laughed, and his breath caught in his throat at the sight. She was so fuckin’ beautiful and had no idea that she was. A memory hit him, and he was jolted back in time. Seeing her squatting by the school building, crying, he had run over to find out what was wrong. Some boys had been making fun of the scar on her lip, calling her ugly. It was the first time he realized that someone else might feel the same way he did. And all he wanted to do was make her feel better.