by Maya Banks
“Are you coming to my party?” Ashley asked, suddenly worried she’d be surrounded by a sea of unfamiliar faces.
“Of course I am. I promised you I’d come. I know you’re nervous, but really, this is your thing, Ash. You shine at social events. Everyone loves you and you’re so sweet.”
“Why don’t you meet me at Tabitha’s place the afternoon before. We’ll get our hair done together. I’m aiming for a more sophisticated look for the party. You know, mature and married as opposed to young and flighty.”
Pippa snorted. “Flighty?”
Ashley laughed it off but she knew well that Devon considered her a complete ditz.
“I need Carly’s makeup skills, too.”
“Honey, you aren’t holding tea for the queen. You’re hosting a cocktail party for friends and business associates. We already love you. And those who don’t will. Stop tormenting yourself over this.”
“I just don’t want to look stupid,” Ashley said.
Pippa shook her head. “I swear I don’t know what’s got into you lately. You’re perfect and anyone who doesn’t think so can kiss my ass.”
“I love you,” Ashley said, emotion knotting her throat.
Pippa hugged her fiercely and then pulled away. “Are you pregnant or something? I swear you’re not usually so emotional.”
“Oh, God, I don’t think so. I mean it’s possible but I haven’t even kept up with my periods. I just remember being thrilled it wasn’t going to happen on my honeymoon. You know, the one I ended up cutting short.”
“Well, take one of those home pregnancy tests. You’re a mess, Ash. Hormones have to be the reason why.”
She closed her eyes. No, she couldn’t be pregnant yet. Well, she certainly could, but she suddenly didn’t want to be. But it was a little too late for that line of thinking. When was the last time she and Devon had made love anyway? Definitely before the wedding. But it was still too soon to tell.
“I’ll give it a little more time,” she said firmly. “I’m just a wreck over this stupid party. I feel like it’s my first big test as Mrs. Devon Carter. I don’t want to humiliate myself or him in front of a hundred people.”
“Stop it,” Pippa chided. “You’re going to be awesome. Now, do you want to try this sauce again?”
Ashley sighed. “I’m thinking I should start out with something even easier. Sauces aren’t my thing apparently. I keep ruining them.”
“Okay, then let’s try something different. Name something else you love to eat.”
Ashley thought a minute. “Lasagna. That sounds really good right now.”
“Perfect! And it couldn’t be easier. I’ll give you the easy recipe. You can always graduate to fancier once you’ve mastered the kid-friendly version.”
“That’s me,” Ashley said in resignation. “The kid-friendly version.”
Pippa swatted her with a towel. “Grab the hamburger meat from the fridge. I think we’re down to the last pack so you better nail this one, girlfriend.”
Half an hour later, Ashley put her fist in the air as she and Pippa stood back and closed the oven door on a perfect, if somewhat beleaguered, lasagna.
“I can totally do that on my own,” Ashley said as Pippa wiped her hands. “I’m so excited! Maybe I’m not a complete lost cause.”
Pippa shook her head. “All it takes is a little time and patience. You’re going to be a culinary genius in no time.”
Ashley threw her arms around her friend and hugged her tight. “Thanks, Pip. I love you, you know. You’re the best.”
Pippa grinned. “I love you, too, you nut. Now go home and make your lasagna before your husband gets there. Call me tomorrow and let me know how it went. And take that damn pregnancy test. I’ll want to know if I’m going to be an aunt!”
Ashley rolled her eyes. She started to walk toward the door when her cell phone beeped, signaling a received text message. She pulled it out and then frowned as she read it.
“What is it, Ash?” Pippa asked.
“There’s a problem at the shelter. Molly is upset but she doesn’t give any info. I’ll hop over on my way home. It’s not too out of the way. See you Friday afternoon at Tabitha’s.”
“Okay, be careful and call me when you get home so I’ll know you made it. You know I hate you going down to the shelter by yourself all the time.”
“Yes, mother,” Ashley replied. “Later, chickie.”
With a wave, she disappeared from Pippa’s apartment and headed down to catch a cab to the shelter.
It was later than he’d have liked when Devon entered the apartment. His day had been long and full of endless meetings and his ears were still throbbing from the number of people who’d talked to him.
The only person he wanted to see was Ashley, and he was looking forward to seeing what disaster she’d come up with for dinner.
He grinned as he loosened his tie and headed for the kitchen. The past weeks had been hilarious. Oddly, he hadn’t minded the sheer number of ruined meals he’d been served. It had become a contest for him to correctly guess what the meal was supposed to have been.
He sniffed as he reached the doorway into the kitchen and the delicious aroma of…something…floated into his nostrils. It didn’t smell burned. Or even slightly scorched. It smelled like gooey, bubbly cheese and a hint of tomato.
His stomach growled and he scanned the kitchen area for Ashley. He frowned when he realized she was nowhere to be seen. Deciding he’d better check on whatever was for dinner, he hurried to the oven and pulled open the door.
Inside was what looked to be a perfectly put together and perfectly cooked lasagna. He snagged a potholder and then reached inside to take out the casserole dish.
After setting it on the stove, he turned off the oven and then went in search of Ashley. As he neared the bedroom, he heard the low murmur of her voice.
She was standing by the window overlooking the city and she was on her cell phone. He started to detour into his closet to change when he heard a betraying sniff.
He spun around, frowning as he zeroed in on Ashley. Her back was mostly to him though she was angled just enough that he could see her wipe at one cheek.
What the hell?
It took all his restraint not to walk over, take the phone and demand to know who the hell had upset her.
“I’ll see what I can do, Molly. We can’t let this happen,” she said.
She wiped her cheek with the back of her free hand and then hit the button to end the call. Then she turned and saw Devon. Her eyes widened in alarm and then she closed them in dismay.
“Oh, my God, the lasagna!”
She bolted for the door, gone before he could even tell her he’d already taken care of it. He was more concerned with what had made her cry.
“Ash!” he called as he hurried after her.
He caught up to her in the kitchen to find her palming her forehead as she stared at the lasagna.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I just forgot it. If you hadn’t come in, it would have burned.”
“Hey, it’s okay,” he said. He walked over and slipped a hand over her shoulder. “It needs to rest a minute anyway. Let me grab some plates and we’ll set the table. Then you can tell me what’s got you so upset. Who was that on the phone?”
He steered her toward the table, parked her in a chair and then went back to retrieve plates and utensils. After setting the places, he went back for the lasagna and carried the still piping hot dish to the table.
He sat down, picking up a knife to cut into the lasagna while he waited for her to respond. To his horror, her eyes filled with tears and she buried her face in her hands.
He dropped the knife and bit out a curse. Then he scrambled out of his chair and pulled it around so he could scoot up next to Ashley.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded. “Did someone upset you?” Obviously someone or something did but he wanted answers. He wasn’t a patient man. His inclination was to wade in and fix things. He could
n’t do that if he didn’t have the story.
“I’ve had the most awful day,” she croaked out. “And I wanted everything to be perfect. I finally learned how to cook that damn lasagna. But then Molly called. I stopped by the shelter and she had terrible news and I don’t know what to do. We’ve been talking about it all evening.”
He gently pulled her hands away, wincing at the flood of tears soaking her cheeks.
“Who’s Molly?”
She frowned and lifted her gaze to meet his. “Molly from the shelter.”
He looked searchingly at her. Clearly this was a person he was supposed to know, but he was drawing a complete blank.
“She’s my boss at the shelter.”
“Wait a minute. I thought you ran the shelter.”
She shook her head impatiently. “I do, mostly, but she’s in charge. I mean she runs it but I do most of the legwork and fundraising. She says I have more connections and am the natural choice to go out and pound the pavement for donations.”
Devon scowled. It sounded to him as though this Molly person was taking advantage of Ashley. He wasn’t certain of the salary that Ashley drew from her position at the shelter. He assumed that her parents still helped her financially since she didn’t have a typical nine-to-five job and she’d been living in her own apartment for a while now. He hadn’t concerned himself with her finances because he wanted her to be happy and he knew he’d fully support her once they were married. But he sure as hell didn’t want her busting her ass in a job where she was being used.
“So what did Molly have to say?” he gently prompted.
“The grant the shelter had is being pulled and without it, we can’t continue to stay open. It pays the basics like the utilities, food for the animals and the salary for the vet we have on retainer. We don’t raise enough money to stay afloat without the grant.”
Her eyes filled with tears again. “If we don’t stay open, all the animals will have to be transferred to a city-run shelter and if they aren’t adopted out, they’ll be euthanized.”
Devon sighed and carefully pulled Ashley into his arms. “Surely there’s some way to keep the shelter open. Have you talked to your father about sponsoring it?”
She pulled away and shook her head. “You don’t understand. Daddy’s all business when it comes to stuff like that. He doesn’t make emotional decisions. He’s more interested in profit and return or it being a cause he sees the value in. He’s not much of an animal person.”
Ashley’s view of her father was clearly wrong. William Copeland had made an emotional decision. A huge emotional decision when he’d opted to go with Tricorp because for whatever reason he’d decided Devon would be the perfect son-in-law and candidate to take over Copeland.
“How long can you continue running as you are now?”
She sniffed. “Two, maybe three weeks. I’m not sure. We’re already at maximum capacity but it’s hard to say no when a new animal comes in. We just got in a dog and it was so heartbreaking. The poor thing is the sweetest dog ever but he was horribly neglected. I don’t understand how people can be so cruel. Would they dump their child out on the street somewhere? A pet isn’t any different. They’re just as much a family member as a child!”
Unfortunately, there were people who’d think nothing of tossing out their kid, not that Ashley needed to be reminded of that. It would only upset her further.
He smoothed his hand over her cheek and then leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “Why don’t you eat something. The lasagna smells wonderful. There’s nothing you can do tonight. Maybe a solution will present itself in the morning.”
She nodded morosely and he scooted his seat back. He picked the knife back up and cut into the lasagna, spooning out neat squares onto the plates.
“This looks wonderful,” he said in a cheerful tone. He wanted her to smile again. She’d been entirely too serious ever since they returned from their honeymoon and he was becoming impatient for her to return to her usual, sunny self.
He handed her a plate and then took his own. When he bit into the gooey cheese and the perfectly al dente noodles, and the savory sauce slid over his tongue, he moaned in pleasure.
“This is awesome, Ash.”
She smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. There was still deep sadness in those big, blue eyes and it was twisting his gut into a knot.
As good as dinner was, he was anxious to get through it. He had a sudden urge to comfort Ashley and wipe away her pain.
She picked at her food and it was obvious she had no interest in eating, so he hurriedly gulped his down and then collected their plates to dump into the sink. “Come here,” he said, holding his hand out to her.
She slid her fingers into his and he pulled her to her feet. He took her into the bedroom, sat her on the edge of the bed and began taking her shoes off.
Crouching between her legs, he slid his hands along the sides of her thighs until his fingers palmed her hips. He held her there, staring intently at her, unable to believe he was about to make her a promise.
The business side of him balked and demanded to know if he’d lost his damn mind. But the side of him that cringed upon witnessing Ashley’s distress was urging him on.
“Listen to me,” he said, before he could talk himself out of it. “Let me see what I can do, okay? Don’t give up hope just yet. We have a few weeks. I may be able to help.”
To his surprise she threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. It was the first spontaneous show of affection he’d been treated to since before their marriage.
“Oh, Devon, thank you,” she whispered fiercely. “You have no idea how much this would mean to me.”
“I have an idea,” he said wryly. “You love those animals more than you love people.”
She nodded solemnly, not in the least bit abashed to admit it. Then she kissed him full on the mouth.
It was like baiting a hungry lion. He didn’t wait for her to pull back in regret. Didn’t offer her the chance to change her mind. He’d suffered three long weeks wanting her with every breath and knowing she was emotionally out of reach.
If this was his chance to have her back in his bed without a wealth of space between them, he was going to grab the opportunity with both hands.
He kissed her back, his hands going to her face, holding her there as he fed hungrily on her lips. Tentatively her arms circled his neck and she leaned into him with a soft, sweet sigh that tightened every one of his muscles and made him instantly hard.
He had to force himself to exercise some restraint because what he really wanted to do was tear her clothes off, haul her up the bed and make love to her until neither of them could walk.
“You have far too many clothes on,” he said, near desperation as he fumbled with the buttons on her blouse. It was expensive. Probably silk. But ah, hell, he’d buy her another one.
The sound of the material rending and the buttons popping and scattering on the floor only spurred his excitement. He fumbled clumsily with the button on her pants and then began pulling to get them off her. She lifted her bottom just enough that he could slide the material down her legs and then there she was, sitting so dainty and beautiful, clad only in her pale, pink lingerie.
She was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. Hair tousled just enough to make her look sexy. Her lips swollen from his kiss. Eyes glazed with passion instead of deep sadness. And her skin. So soft, glowing in the lamplight. Curvy in all the right places. Generous breasts, straining at the lace cups, and hips and behind just the right size for his hands to grip.
He stood only long enough to strip out of his clothes. It wasn’t practiced or smooth. He felt like a fifteen-year-old getting his first glimpse of a naked woman. If he wasn’t careful, he’d be acting just like one, too.
She stared shyly up at him and he nearly groaned. “Baby, you have to stop looking at me like that. I’m holding on to my control by my fingertips and you’re not helping.”
She smiled th
en, an adorable, sweet smile that took his breath away. He forgot all about trying to maintain an air of civility. His inner caveman came barreling out, grunting and pounding his chest and muttering unintelligible words.
He swept her into his arms, hauling her back on the bed. They landed with a soft bounce and he claimed her mouth, wanting to taste her again and again.
“Love the lingerie,” he said hoarsely. “I’ll love it more when it’s off, though.”
She wiggled beneath him and he realized she was trying to work out of her straps.
“Oh, no, let me,” he breathed.
He pushed himself off her and then maneuvered himself upward so he straddled her body, his knees digging into the mattress on either side of her hips.
Her gaze slid downward to his groin and her eyes darkened. Tentatively she moved her hands slowly toward his straining erection. Color dusted her cheeks and she glanced hastily upward, almost as if she was seeking his permission to touch him.
Hell, he’d give her anything in the world if she’d touch him. He’d buy her twenty damn shelters if that would make her happy. Right now, it would make him delirious if she just wrapped those soft little fingers…
He closed his eyes and groaned as she did exactly what he’d fantasized about. Her touch was gentle. Light and tentative. Like the tips of butterfly wings dancing over his length.
She grew bolder, stroking more firmly, running the length of him with her palm until he was little more than a babbling, incoherent fool. He was supposed to be in control here. She was the innocent. He was the one with more experience. But she literally and figuratively held him in the palm of her hand.
If he didn’t put an end to her inquisitive exploration, he’d find release on her belly and he wanted to be inside her more than he wanted to breathe.
Leaning down, her kissed the shallow indention between her breasts and then nuzzled the swell as he reached up to slide the straps over her shoulders.
He loved the way she smelled. It was one thing he missed about the apartment now. Before she had little bowls of potpourri and little scented candles haphazardly arranged throughout. The entire apartment had smelled like…her. Fresh. Vibrant. Like spring sunshine.