An Ordinary Girl

by Barabara Elsborg

“Call in at the first supermarket you see and we can buy something to cook.”

  “Wouldn’t it be easier to get takeout?”

  “Not as much fun. And don’t you need to get croissants and orange juice?”

  He grinned at her.

  * * * * *

  Dalton had been relieved when Ilya hadn’t answered his phone. He’d left a voicemail reporting the visit of Noah’s doctor and the news that Noah wouldn’t be seeing him anymore. In Dalton’s opinion, the weekly visits to a shrink had been a waste of time and money. They’d made no difference to Noah, apart from tire him out.

  Ilya didn’t call until later that afternoon. Dalton reluctantly turned from his computer screen and braced himself. He could almost feel Ilya yelling before he spoke. “Hi.”

  “What the fuck have I been paying you for?” Ilya barked.

  Now what have I done? “What’s wrong?”

  “I contacted Noah’s doctor and finally got out of him that Noah hasn’t seen him for months. Not weeks. Fucking months.”

  Dalton sat up straighter. “But he came here this morning.”

  “Whoever came to see Noah was not his doctor. What’s he been doing when you thought he was seeing his shrink? He’s supposed to trust you. You’re his friend. He obviously doesn’t tell you jack shit.”

  Dalton heard the door of the flat bang and the sound of laughter. “Hold on,” he said to Ilya and got to his feet.

  A glance into the hall showed him Noah kissing Ash amidst a sea of supermarket bags. He backed away and closed the door. “Noah’s just come home with Ash.”

  “What are they doing?”

  Dalton sighed. “Noah’s currently trying to shove his tongue down her throat.”

  “Well, at least you’re getting something right.” Ilya broke the connection.

  When Dalton went into the kitchen, they were busy putting away the food.

  “Christ, have you two been rolling in mud?” Dalton asked. Their clothes and faces were filthy.

  “I’ve been digging for gold,” Noah said.

  About to ask if he’d found it, Dalton took in the way Noah looked at Ash. Ah. This isn’t supposed to get serious. Well, maybe it was just lust. All relationships started out this way, didn’t they? Though it was a long while since Dalton had been on the receiving end of any passion. Not that his memories of his relationships were fond ones. He’d realized he had more fun watching TV, that Tina’s habit of sucking her hair was no longer endearing but revolting, and when Beth stood in front of the mirror and said she was losing weight, she hadn’t found it funny when he’d said turn round and she’d find it. All that was pre-Noah.

  “We’re going to cook pasta with ginger and asparagus and mushrooms. Do you want some?” Ash asked.

  “You told me you were going out, didn’t you?” Noah stared hard at him.

  Dalton stared back. “Change of plan. It’s started to rain.” He beamed at Ash. “I’d love some pasta.”

  “We’re going to take a bath first. Like to join us?” Noah glared.

  Yeah, I would actually. “Not enough room for three. But if you leave your toy in the tub, I’ll play with it after you.” Dalton winked at Ash as she laughed.

  Before Dalton could take another breath, Noah growled and whisked her out of the room. He knew Noah wanted him out of the flat, but Dalton could play awkward too.

  Noah was happy—for the moment—which was what Ilya wanted, but what if this was more than a fling? What if Ash actually cared for the fucked-up idiot and Noah really liked her? No way would Ash be considered a suitable match. Hard to imagine anyone coming out of that scenario without getting hurt.

  * * * * *

  The moment the bedroom door closed behind them, Noah pinned her to the wall with the length of his body. Ash’s panties dampened and her mouth went dry.

  “Bloody Dalton’s wrecked a couple of my plans,” Noah said. He dragged her sweater over her head and tossed it away.

  “What plans were they?” Ash pulled up his sweater and tugged it off.

  “You know that program, The Naked Chef? I was thinking we could have our own version.” His fingers fumbled with the button on her jeans. “And then there’s the screaming.”

  Ash pulled his t-shirt over his head. “Screaming?”

  “I don’t want you to be embarrassed because Dalton’s in the next room.”

  She tweaked his nipple with her fingers. “Try not to scream then.”

  He laughed and peeled her jeans down her legs, taking her socks off at the same time. When he stood, and Ash looked at the hard ridge in his jeans, moisture flooded back to her dry mouth and she swallowed hard. Please don’t let things go wrong this time.

  “You look good enough to eat,” she whispered.

  “I’m all sweaty.”

  “Hard work’s sexy.”

  She put her hands on his shoulders and licked across his pecs, pausing to circle his tight, copper nipples, and all the time staring up into his face. His eyes sparkled and his hungry grin sent her arousal zipping off the scale.

  “How come you can stand there with a dirty face, wearing boy shorts and a t-shirt that says I Play in the Dirt and look like the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen?” Noah threaded his fingers in her hair.

  Ash’s heart hummed at the compliment. “You must’ve led a sheltered life.”

  He growled and reached for his socks. When his fingers settled on his pants’ button, Ash caught hold of his hand. “Let me.”

  She pulled down the zipper and his cock tented his black, knit boxers.

  “Have you any idea how hard it is to disguise the fact that your cock’s trying to find a way out of your pants?” he asked.

  Ash laid her hand over his boxers, loving how hard and hot he was. She could feel a wet spot where the head of his shaft pressed against the material, and she rubbed it with her thumb. Noah shuddered. He pushed down his pants and stepped out of them but left his boxers on.

  “How long does it take to run a bath?” she asked.

  “As long as we like.”

  “Go start it.”

  The moment his back was turned, Ash wriggled out of her bra but left on the white t-shirt. No way was she letting him see her grubby gardening bra. She kicked it under her jeans and followed him into the bathroom.

  One step inside and Noah scooped her up and sat her on the counter between the washbasin and the toilet. He stepped between her legs, and Ash hooked her ankles around his thighs, her arms over his shoulders.

  “Fast enough?” he asked, and nodded toward the tub.

  The water trickled in at a snail’s pace. Ash chuckled and twisted her fingers in his hair.

  Noah put the plug in the sink, turned on the tap and dropped a washcloth into the water. “I need to play cleanup,” he whispered.

  He lifted the dripping cloth to her cheek and water dribbled down, soaking her t-shirt. Noah pulled back and studied her chest with a gaze that wouldn’t have been out of place on a velociraptor. Ash glanced down. Her nipples were sharp peaks beneath the material.

  “You just won the wet t-shirt contest,” he said, and lowered his mouth to suck her breast through the material.

  The pull between her legs was instant. Her already soaked panties were further dampened by the water dripping down her body. She felt hot enough to steam. “What’s my prize?”

  “Me.” Noah levered the t-shirt over her head, tossed it into the sink and began to lick and suck at her nipples. He started soft, making swirling passes with his tongue, before changing to gentle scrapes with his chin and his teeth. While she moaned and clutched his head, he changed to long, hard, drawing pulls that left her squirming.

  One finger brushed along the waistband of her panties and slipped inside to touch her clit. Ash quivered, tightened her fingers in his hair as her muscles clenched and released, and her body slid into bliss. She’d never come so easily with anyone before. This sort of pleasure was like a drug. She wanted more, had to have more. Ash hooked her toes into the
back of his shorts and pulled them down over his backside.

  Noah lifted his head and laughed. He freed his cock from the material and yanked the garment down. A kick sent the boxers flying to land on a plant in the far corner.

  “Now yours,” he said, and hooked his thumbs into the sides of her panties.

  Ash lifted her hips so he could pull them off. As he drew them down her legs, he kissed the flesh he passed. One toss and they landed on top of his boxers.

  “Oh God,” he mumbled. “I really can go slow, I promise. I wouldn’t want you to think I only had one speed, but there’s no way I’m not going to explode the moment I get inside you. There’s only one thing to do.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’ll have to make you explode a few times first and then you might not notice.”

  He tugged her forward, slipped a hand behind her neck and leaned in to kiss her. As his tongue danced into her mouth, he began a leisurely exploration of her sex with his other hand.

  “Sweet, sweet,” he whispered against her lips.

  His fingers teased her wet folds while his thumb circled her clit. Ash’s head buzzed as if she’d been drinking. Coherent thought fell out of reach. She didn’t care about anything other than Noah not stopping what he was doing. His lips were everywhere: against hers, on her breasts or around her nipples. He gently bit her shoulder then nuzzled her neck, panting into her while his fingers played. He stroked, rubbed, thrust inside her, and Ash gulped and moaned.

  Using her legs to pull him closer, she trapped his hand and his cock between their bodies. “I want you inside me.”

  “You come first,” he gasped.

  She forced her eyes open. “I already did.”

  Noah smothered a laugh. “Shit.”

  He wrapped his hands around her backside and lifted her onto his cock. Ash supported her weight on the counter as he rolled his hips up and slowly impaled her, inch by hot, thick inch. Watching his cock disappear into her body was so overwhelmingly erotic, the muscles of Ash’s sex contracted hard around him. She gasped, but Noah gasped louder.

  “Oh fuck, that feels good,” he groaned.

  “Going to move anytime soon?”

  “I’m thinking about it.” He exhaled. “Okay I thought about. It’s going to make no difference whether I wait or not. My balls are aching. Trying to hold back my cock is like having a doberman on a leash with a cat in the vicinity.”

  He pulled back and rammed his full length into her. Her toes curled, and rippling tingles spread through her body. When he began to thrust into her in long, driving strokes, Ash clenched around his cock, and Noah hissed. He pumped faster, his belly slapping against hers, his hips clashing with hers, his face contorted with effort.

  Ash dropped straight over the edge of nothing, the muscles of her sex contracting around his cock as she stiffened against him. Switches tripped in her head turning off everything but her reaction to Noah’s body. Swamped by pleasure, she felt as though she were drowning. His cock swelled and jerked, bathing her in the warm wash of his cum, and for the first time ever during sex, her eyes flooded with tears.

  Shit.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Noah struggled to bring his breathing under control. Bloody hell, that had been sensational. The feeling of driving so deep into Ash and watching her watch him had sent his heart rate soaring into orbit. He wanted— Christ, is she crying? Noah’s stomach lurched and he wrapped his arms around her. He hadn’t hurt her, had he? He pulled back and held her head to kiss her face, her cheeks, her lips, her chin, her eyes. Damn, salt.

  “Did I hurt you?” he whispered.

  Ash shook her head. Why is she crying? He slid out of her and lifted her down to stand in front of him. Noah brushed her hair away from her brimming eyes and gulped. Fuck it. His chest ached. He wanted… He wanted… He wanted—not to be in the room with her—just for a moment.

  Noah spun to turn both taps on the tub full-on. “I’ll go and find us something to drink.” He grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his waist and fled.

  Dalton sat in the kitchen, nursing a beer.

  “Can’t you go out?” Noah walked over to the narrow, glass-fronted wine cooler.

  “Sure you don’t fancy a threesome?”

  Noah sighed. They’d done it once. Never again, and never with Ash. “Want to do me a favor?”

  “I’m not going out. It’s chucking it down with rain.”

  “Not that. The company Ash works for—Green Piece—they develop areas of derelict land and convert them to gardens. I’d like a list of the sites they’ve worked on. Should be seven. I know about the one next to St. Joseph’s primary school in Peckham. There’s another on Leopold Road in Lewisham. Her uncle runs the company. Trevor—ah, I don’t know if he has her name or not—Elleston. See what you can find out about him.”

  “You could just ask her.”

  “I’d rather not. I’m thinking of doing a piece on the gardens as a surprise. It might make a Sunday supplement or maybe a book. Even a TV series. A mixed bunch of volunteers turning an ugly piece of land into something for the community to enjoy. Sounds made for TV, don’t you think?”

  “You’re right. I’ll see what I can find. Only, is it worth speaking to one of your contacts before you get all fired up? Make sure there is a market?”

  Noah put the champagne on the table and took three glasses from the cupboard. “I think I’d do it anyway without backing, just for Ash, but I will ring Wolfe and see if he’s interested in commissioning it.”

  Noah opened the champagne, poured Dalton a glass and chinked the bottle against it. “Cheers.”

  “Welcome back,” Dalton said. “It’s good to see you enthusiastic about something. Amazing what a fuck can do.”

  Noah stiffened and saw Dalton flinch.

  “Don’t go there,” Noah said. “She’s different.”

  “Sorry.” Just before Noah reached the door, Dalton called, “Hey, that guy who came to see you this morning, he was your doctor?”

  “Yes.”

  “What did he want?”

  Noah turned. “Something happened at my last appointment and he was worried.”

  “Good of him to make a house call.”

  “Yeah, wasn’t it?” Noah headed for the bathroom with the distinct impression that Dalton knew he’d lied.

  He almost dropped everything when he opened the door. Ash was bent over the tub, lovely butt in the air, agitating the water with both hands to make it bubble. The foam was almost up to the top.

  “Where did the bubble stuff come from?” he asked.

  “Shampoo. It won’t last.”

  She slid into the tub face-first and came up covered with foam, grinning like a little kid. Thank God the tears had gone. Noah put the bottle and glasses on the floor, dropped his towel and climbed in behind her. Foam flopped over the edge as he pulled her back to his chest. He rested his hands on her breasts, squeezed gently and his cock hardened.

  “Bliss,” Ash said with a drawn-out sigh.

  Noah teased her nipples until they were rosy peaks. “Bliss.”

  “Did I see champagne?” she asked. “I wondered why you rushed out of the bathroom.”

  Noah pushed back the guilt, dropped one foamy hand over the side, grasped the bottle and poured. He handed Ash a glass and then reached for his.

  “This is lovely,” she said. “Warm water, cold champagne and something hard and uncomfortable poking me in the back.”

  Noah laughed.

  “Martin said you worked hard today,” Ash said. “He’s not easy to impress.”

  “I enjoyed it. Wouldn’t want to do it every day though.”

  “I know I asked before, but what do you do all day?”

  There was no malice in the question. She wasn’t trying to provoke him like Dalton or Ilya.

  “Not much,” Noah said.

  “Do you have to go out looking for work as a photographer? Or do people contact you?”

  “They used to ca
ll me, but since I…”

  Noah drank his champagne. I’m not going there.

  Ash sat up to put her glass on the floor and rolled so she lay on his chest, facing him, knees bent, legs in the air. “That’s better. Warm water and something hard and uncomfortable poking me in the stomach.”

  Noah smiled and trailed his fingers over her back down to the crease of her butt. He spread out his hand and squeezed. God, I love her ass. Ash groaned into his chest.

  “Why can’t you start work again?” she asked, spitting foam from her lips.

  Noah wiped her face with his fingers. “Afghanistan fucked up my life. I don’t sleep well, I have nightmares, I lose my temper, I can’t concentrate and I freak out at loud noises.” He took a deep breath. There was a lot more he could add to that list but it sounded bad enough. “According to my shrink, what I remember and how I feel about it are disconnected. Until I confront my memories and emotions, I never will get past it.”

  “You think that’s true?”

  “Yes. No. Probably.”

  “If you know what you have to do, why haven’t you done it?”

  Noah twirled the glass in his fingers. “Yeah, there’s the rub. It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Problem is I don’t want to remember. I don’t want to think about how I feel about what happened.”

  “Why not?” Ash asked.

  “I just don’t,” he snapped. Anxiety burst to life in his chest and the flames grew.

  “But you must have a reason.”

  No chance of keeping calm if she was going to fan the flames. “Because it was my fucking fault. I instigated the trip into Helmand. I told you we were ambushed. If I hadn’t been there, then—”

  Ash put her hand against his mouth. “There’s something else.”

  He dragged her hand away. “No there isn’t.” She couldn’t know. Not unless she was part of some conspiracy to— Oh fuck, I’m going insane. Noah swallowed hard. “Talk to me,” he whispered. “Tell me anything.” Stop me from going down this fucking path time after time.

  “You’re not the only one with demons,” she said, and laid her head on his chest. “One of the given things about the world is most parents love their children. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t even make them pleased with me, let alone love me. I used to think it was my fault, something I’d done, the way I looked, the way I spoke. I knew there had to be something, but I couldn’t figure it out.”