Once You'Ve Touched the Heart

by Iris Bolling

  Tracy came back into the conference room. She closed the door then sat down at the table Ashley was standing over and waited. Tracy knew the routine so well. There were many nights Ashley would come into the dorm room and need to talk. She would never give Tracy any background on whatever was on her mind. Ashley would start with what she was thinking at that moment. Tracy knew to sit and wait; Ashley would eventually start talking.

  “I really like him, you know,” Ashley started, “from the very beginning. He reminds me so much of my father and JD. Isn’t that funny,” she smiled. “I would have never believed another man was out there like them; I was wrong.” Tracy moved to the other side of the table to see her friend’s face. Ashley had never talked about her father before. Tracy did not want to miss any of what Ashley was about to say. “I excelled on this project because I was trying so hard to impress James Brooks. But he did not pay me one bit of attention. It was always you.” Ashley’s words stung Tracy a little, so she lowered her head as if feeling ashamed. Ashley saw Tracy’s reaction. “I knew you were in love with JD and James did not stand a chance,” she said with a faint smile. “I thought, why not, I’ll take a chance. No matter what I did he didn’t see me. When David showed up at the function, James got into this protective mode. It made me feel special. Safe. After the function he insisted I stay at his place. Nothing happened; I slept in his guest room. The next day I told him about David. Can you believe that, Tracy? I have never told anyone about that night, but I told James. For the first time since it all happened, a man made me feel safe, secure; you know what I mean.” She hesitated for a moment, and then continued. “I kissed him and it felt so right. For a moment I thought he responded, but I guess I was wrong.” She smiled faintly.

  “What did he say when you told him how you felt?” Tracy asked.

  “Hmm, see that’s the thing. I didn’t really tell him.” She laughed nervously. “I asked him if he was in love with you.”

  Tracy hung her head. “What did he say?”

  “He said he wasn’t. I didn’t give him a chance to say anything else.”

  “You two haven’t talked since then?”

  “No, he’s called several times, but I think, no, leave it be.”

  “Ashley, you should at least talk to him; hear what he has to say.”

  “I know how he feels about you, Tracy; how do I deal with that?”

  “I don’t know what he might have felt for me. But he told you it was a friendship and that’s all he offered to me, nothing more.” Tracy smiled.

  “If you had opened that door, Tracy, he would have run in.”

  “Life is too short for what-ifs. Maybe you should talk to the man. He seems to be genuinely interested in you.”

  Ashley smiled at Tracy. “Do you have feelings for James?”

  “No. I mean, I like James very much. But I am in love with Jeffrey.”

  Ashley smiled. “If you are so in love with my brother, what possessed you to ask Brian to teach you how to give head? Girl, don’t you know that’s a conversation for your girls, not your man’s best friend,” Ashley said laughing. “I would love to have been there to see Brian’s face.”

  Tracy began blushing. “I did not ask him to teach me that, not exactly.”

  “No need in you blushing now. You should have been blushing the other night.”

  Going back to the original subject, Tracy asked, “Are you going to talk to James?”

  Ashley shrugged her shoulders. “I’ll think about it.”

  “You know, I think you are scared to really explore the possibility of James. He is very sophisticated and a little conservative. He may be out of your league.” Tracy smirked.

  “I know you are not challenging me,” Ashley exclaimed

  “Prove me wrong. Show me you can get and keep James Brooks. Talk to the man.”

  Chapter 21

  Ashley was parked outside when James pulled into his garage. The night she was there she had not paid a lot of attention to his home. But while she was waiting for him to meet her, she got a good look at his house; it was enormous, yet elegant. For a moment Ashley thought Tracy might have a point; maybe she was out of her league.

  “Oh hell, no, I’m not Tracy. No one is out of my league.”

  As James approached, Ashley got out of the car. “I realize this was short notice. Will I be interrupting any plans?” she asked.

  James walked over to her car. “No. I would not have agreed to see you if there were a problem.”

  Ashley stood there, not certain where to go from here.

  “Are we going to talk out here or would you like to come inside?”

  Why did she feel unsure of herself around him, Ashley wondered. “Inside,” she replied.

  As they entered the house, Clair came from the back. “Hello, Clair,” James greeted.

  “Good evening, sir. Good evening, ma’am. Dinner is on the stove. Will you need anything else this evening?”

  “No, thanks, Clair. You have a good night,” James replied.

  “You, too, sir; ma’am.”

  “Good night,” Ashley said.

  James walked into the family room; Ashley followed. He had made up his mind to allow Ashley in his life days ago. But she had to accept him on his word about Tracy. He could not do that for her. James did not allow people to get close. He had been through hell with his first wife and was determined not to go through that again. For him to consider allowing Ashley in just a little was a feat, but at this point Ashley did not see it that way. James went over to his bar. “Would you like something to drink?” he asked.

  “No, thank you. I just need to talk.”

  He smiled, walked over, took her hand and sat her on the sofa next to him. “Talk.”

  Ashley hesitated then began slowly. “James, I am more than a little attracted to you. I think you know that. But the situation with you and Tracy concerns me. Tracy is not just my partner; I consider her part of my family. I would never do anything to hurt her or betray her trust. If you have feelings for Tracy, then I can’t be involved with you in any way.”

  James put his glass on the table. “Did you come over here to talk about Tracy?”

  “Yes, I really need to get this cleared up.”

  “You could have discussed that on the telephone. You didn’t have to come here for that conversation.”

  “James, you are avoiding the question.” Agitated, she stood up and walked towards the door.

  “I didn’t hear a question,” he replied.

  “Well, give me a response to my series of statements,” she said with a little attitude.

  “I understood everything you said,” James replied.

  “You know what, I’m not doing this again,” Ashley said, looking around for her keys. She thought she was ready to open up, try to feel something again. But she just didn’t have the patience. She liked James, she really did, but his alpha male personality was pissing her off.

  James watched her. It was like she was trapped and needed to be rescued. He went over to the foyer and picked up her keys. “Are looking for these?” Ashley reached to take them; he closed his hand then put them in his pocket. “I don’t think you should leave just yet.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “James, give me my keys. I want to go.”

  He walked away. “No, you don’t. You are running away again. I’m not going to let you do that.” Ashley stood there. No, this man is not playing this game with me, she thought.

  “We are going to talk, but we are not going to talk about Tracy. We are going to talk about you and me,” James firmly stated.

  Ashley put her hand up to her forehead. “You are being an ass. We can’t get to you and me until we clear up Tracy.”

  Now James was getting a little frustrated. “Ashley,” he said calmly, “I am not a man to answer the same question more than once. At this moment you are trying my patience. I’m not going to answer any more questions about Tracy.”

  “Then we don’t have anythi
ng to talk about. May I have my keys?” Ashley held her hand out with the other on her hip. James handed her the keys. “Thank you,” she responded.

  James really did not understand what more he could say to ease her concerns about Tracy. She asked the question, he told her no. He even went to her a second time and explained further. In his mind, that should be it. Ashley turned to go out the door. James had mixed emotions, but he was certain he did not want her to leave. As she opened the door he reached around her and pushed it closed. He pinned her against the door, then kissed her passionately. Ashley responded with just as much passion. James’s reaction surprised him, but he couldn’t let her walk out of that door.

  James placed kisses from her neck down to the top of her breast. Her blouse was constricting his movements. “You don’t need that,” James said as he pulled her blouse over her head and returned to the spot where he began. Her skin was as smooth as silk and tasted as sweet as honey as he ran his tongue from her breast then down to her navel.

  Ashley touched the side of his face and guided him back to her mouth. As James devoured her mouth, he took the keys from her hand and dropped them on the table. James put her arms around his neck, picked her up by the waist, and started climbing the stairs. The heat generating from their bodies caused James to stop midway up the stairs. They fell, unable to walk any further, momentarily ending the kiss. James looked down into those big brown eyes of hers. “For the third and last time, Tracy is a friend. I was interested in her. I am now consumed with you.”

  Ashley was lost in the kiss, but she heard what she needed to hear. She looked up at him, pulled his tie off, and began unbuttoning his shirt. “I thought you never lost your composure, Mr. Brooks.”

  She pulled his shirt over his head and threw it up the staircase. Ashley inhaled. James had smooth broad shoulders and abs that revealed regular workouts. Ashley ran her hands down his chest. It never occurred to her that James would look so good under his tailored suits. She stared up at him, groaned, and kissed his chest.

  “You keep doing that and I am going to lose more than my composure,” James growled as he turned over and pulled her on top of him. He was kissing her neck as he unzipped her skirt then pushed it down her long legs. Ashley slid down his body, leaving a trail of kisses down his chest, removing his belt and sliding his pants down the stairs.

  What on Earth am I doing? James thought. He was always so conservative when it came to sex and women. He was always in control. He pulled her back up to his lips, kissing her as he carried her up a few more steps. They fell again, and laughed, but did not lose contact.

  Ashley could feel James growing against her leg. Can I handle this man, she wondered as she wrapped her legs around him. That was the leverage James needed. He placed his hands under her rear and carried her into his bedroom, dropping her shoes along the way.

  They fell across the bed. James never had any concerns about pleasing a woman, but he wanted to please Ashley beyond reason. For him it was important for her to experience the wave of emotions she had stirred in him. As he held her close to his heart, Ashley began to kiss the base of his throat and took control, rising above him with the grace of a gazelle. She groaned. It was a perfect fit. Like a finger sliding into a glove. She slowly began moving against him with smooth, powerful strides. James encircled her waist, guiding her body over him. The pace increased, becoming more powerful with each stroke. Her head fell back as they moved closer to that moment of ecstasy. Wanting to feel her in his arms, James sprang up, holding her tightly as he kissed her exposed neck until they both cried out the other’s name in unison. They sat there entangled with each other, trying to ease their racing pulses. Ashley dropped her head to his shoulder and he stroked her back as they sat there. Her breath against his ear caused him to react, and he could feel himself growing inside of her again. With her legs still around his waist, he leaned backwards, ran his tongue from her throat down to her breast. He pulled out, picked her up and placed her standing on the bed against the headboard while remaining on his knees. He ran his tongue around her navel down to the very core of her. When Ashley was to the point of her knees buckling beneath her, James placed his hands on her hips and guided her body down, then entered her at full force, again. Ashley called out his name with such passion that James nearly lost his control. Ashley took in every inch of him, and there were a few. She held on tight as he continued to fill her like no other before him. With each compelling stroke, he took control of her body. Their release was so overwhelming, he fell backwards and her body followed like a chain reaction. James held her until the waves from their bodies subsided.

  By the time they fell asleep, it was time for them to get up, but neither could move. James heard Clair and remembered the clothes they left on the stairs. He looked down at Ashley. She was on his chest and his arm was wrapped around her back, holding her close to him. He realized he never let her go once they fell asleep.

  That surprised James. He did not consider himself an affectionate man. In the past he would have sex with women then leave at what he considered an appropriate time. With his wife, she would turn to her side of the bed and sleep. Ashley stretched in his arms and he liked the feel of that. He surveyed her body as she slept, and smiled; Ashley had long, firm legs. James thought she had the legs of a runner. For the first time in years James actually wanted just to stay in bed with her beside him. The thought shocked him back to reality; he had to go to work. He didn’t want to wake her, so he put a pillow under her head and slipped out of bed.

  Halfway through his shower, the door opened and Ashley stepped inside, kissing his back.

  “You are not shy at all, are you?” he asked as he turned to her. James wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her feverishly.

  “No,” she said as she began kissing his chest, then down to his stomach. He grabbed her before she went any further, pulled her up against the shower wall, held her with one hand and braced with the other hand as he entered her. Water from the multiple shower heads was pulsing from every direction, which enhanced the sensation of their simultaneous release.

  By the time they finished their shower, Clair had folded the clothes and placed them on the bench at the end of the bed. When Ashley saw the clothes, she gasped with humiliation. “She didn’t see us, did she?”

  James laughed as he walked into one of his closets. “It’s a little late to be bashful now.”

  “We left our clothes on the stairs. Oh my goodness, I am not going to be able to look that woman in the face,” Ashley exclaimed.

  James came back into the room still in his towel, but with a suit in his hand. He placed the suit on the stand and then grabbed her around the waist. He could not believe Ashley was that self-conscious. He tossed her across the bed and landed on top of her. James knew he was running late but she was so damn sexy in that towel and her damp hair up in a ponytail. He looked down at her. “You know, I measured your legs while you were asleep.” He smiled as he wrapped her legs around him.

  She laughed. “Did we ever go to sleep?”

  “Just for a minute.” He laughed. “We really did not talk last night.”

  “Would you like to come to my place for dinner tonight? If you are free, I mean. We could talk then.” Ashley did not want to take anything for granted here.

  “Can you cook?”

  “Quite well,” Ashley replied.

  “Then I will be there.” He smiled.

  They dressed then went downstairs. James went into the kitchen. “Clair, I’ll have to pass on breakfast this morning. And I have plans for dinner tonight, but you may want to fix a sandwich or something. I don’t know if she can cook.”

  “I heard that,” Ashley commented.

  James smiled. Clair returned the smile. “It’s good to see you smiling, Mr. Brooks.”

  James did not realize he was smiling. He bashfully turned away. “Have a good day, Clair.”

  “You too, sir,” Clair replied as she watched the two leave.

&n
bsp; When they reached Ashley’s car, James noticed a note on the windshield. Ashley read the note and was a little unnerved. Ashley handed the note to James.

  After reading it James asked, “Ashley, are you involved with Holt in any way?”

  Ashley could not believe he asked her that. “No!” Ashley replied with a touch of irritation.

  James took the note and put Ashley in the car, then closed the door. “I’ll follow you home.

  Chapter 22

  No formal announcement was made but it was a foregone conclusion, Gavin was going to run for governor. The Roth family hosted a fundraiser to assist with financing his campaign. JD reserved a table and invited a few friends to join him and Tracy. To JD’s surprise, Ashley’s date was James Brooks. Tracy was aware of the relationship between Ashley and James, but JD still had no idea they were involved. Tracy smiled when the two arrived. It was good to see Ashley excited about a man, especially since that man was James.

  JD was a bit unnerved, but was cordial towards James. Actually, JD was a little too busy keeping Tracy away from Jackie and Carolyn to be concerned with James. After the incident at the last function that they all attended, Calvin had a long conversation with Jackie. He did not ask but told her she would not be a part of any future schemes against JD and Tracy. Jackie had to choose for the last time to whom she was loyal —him or Carolyn. Jackie promised Calvin she would stay clear of anything involving his friend.

  When Jackie saw Carolyn approaching the table, she excused herself and walked to her. While Jackie and Carolyn talked, Ashley and Tracy took a walk, leaving JD, James and Calvin at the table. “So, JD, how is the case going? Are you going to convict?” James asked.

  “On all five counts,” JD replied with confidence.

  “Yeah, thanks to Tracy. I swear, man, we need to hire her,” Calvin responded.