Blood Ties a Broken Heart

by Cassandra Hawke

  While the underlying pining for Ash kept up a relentless throb, Rylee began to enjoy the work, providing lessons for beginners and trying out various eventing and endurance horses. She wanted a couple that would be suitable for beginners and a couple of higher quality mounts which would appeal to more experienced riders.

  Attracting new clients was a slow, painful process and, as the days lengthened into weeks, she struggled with a growing sense of frustration and hopelessness as success seemed beyond her reach. When an opportunity came up to attend a workshop on marketing and business building by a renowned overseas guru, Rylee—urged on by Regan—decided to travel to Sydney to attend. She needed some direction on how to grow her business.

  * * * *

  The three-day business building conference was carefully balanced between work and networking with several opportunities for mingling. Rylee felt very out of her depth as she entered the function room for the first day meet-and-greet drinks, followed by dinner. She stood at the door and surveyed the crowd. A waiter flitted by, and she grabbed a glass of champagne, more for something to do than for the drink itself.

  As she went to step into the throng, she saw Ash walking toward her. She clutched the stem of her champagne flute so tightly her hand trembled and she could barely breathe as she stood frozen to the spot. What is he doing here? He moved with the same familiar, lithe stride she remembered, his six-foot-three frame lean and supple. The dark charcoal suit hung from broad shoulders and his lavender shirt and matching striped tie accentuated his gorgeously toned body. Her heart jumped then beat in an uneven tattoo. No matter how strong her resolve was to stay immune to him, her body responded to his appearance with a tingling warmth that spread through her like wildfire. It had always been like that between them. No other man could elicit that sort of reaction without even touching her. He stopped about three feet away, as if waiting for a signal that would send him away or welcome him. She knew she should send him away, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to do it.

  He stepped closer. The tang of his aftershave enveloped her, invading her senses in a torturous pleasure of the familiar tangy spice she remembered. Her knees weakened, making it nigh on impossible to stand elegantly in her stilettos. She swallowed convulsively against a clamped throat, took a sip of champagne and let it slip down her throat to ease the tightness.

  He examined her with an appraising stare. “You look stunning tonight.”

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I’m a last minute substitute for the keynote speaker. He had a heart attack.”

  “If I had known I wouldn’t have come,” she snapped, already backing away from him.

  “Don’t run away, please. Can we just talk?”

  “We’ve talked already. There is nothing else to say.”

  “But there is. Where were you all those years, Rylee? No one could, or would, tell me where you’d run to. I couldn’t find you, and I eventually gave up.” His words were plaintive.

  It put her on edge. “You were not meant to find me. It was better that way—for both of us.”

  “I don’t believe that.” He moved closer. “We were good together.”

  She stiffened at his nearness. “Maybe we were, but I still struggle to believe what I saw with my own eyes that day, Ash,” she replied.

  “It was ten years ago, surely water under the bridge,” he said dismissively.

  She shook her head, spikes of outrage sparking through her. “No, it’s not. It never will be. I won’t condone horse doping and I cannot come to terms with your support of Arden and her cruelties.”

  Dark resignation transformed his face, hardening the angles. “Rylee, it was just the one time. She’s never done it again. She learned her lesson. Let it go, please.”

  “No. She has learned nothing. Neither have you, by the sound of it.”

  “Let it go. It doesn’t matter anymore,” he said soothingly.

  His blasé attitude stung. “There can be nothing between us, not since that day. Not since you declared you doped that horse—lying, to protect Arden.”

  He lunged forward, grabbed her arms and hauled her into an all-encompassing embrace. She pushed against his muscular chest, overcome by a desperate need to be free of him. “Ash, let me go. Stop it. I don’t want you mauling me. I value my reputation,” she cried.

  “Value, more than me?” His expression tightened into an unpleasant mask.

  “Yes, Ash. The same way you value your lying sister and winning, more than me,” she snapped back.

  He guided her roughly out of the door and onto the balcony. She tried to resist, but failed against his superior strength. Short of screaming and making an exhibition of herself, she had little choice but to go with him. Without hesitation, he hauled her into the darkness of the private alcove and bent his head toward her. His mouth covered hers, commanding a response. The fire smoldering inside leaped into life and seared a fiery path from her belly to her brain. Instinctively she responded to the wave of raw lust that swept over her. She kissed him back with a hunger that was out of control. For a few short moments she lost herself in pure sexual need, drowning in the exquisite pleasure of his touch. Swamped by emotions long held in check, she was his, until a crash of glass inside brought the reality of the situation stabbing back at her and, with searing pain, she fought the hold of carnal desire. She pushed against his chest and tore her mouth from his, gasping for air—fresh air not tainted by the tantalizing aphrodisiac that was Ashford St. Clair.

  “Stop it, Ash. I don’t need this pain,” she snapped and brought her hand up to slap him. Hot tears of shame welled in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

  He caught her hand in his and wound it behind her back, forcing her against his chest. “Rylee, stop. It was all so long ago. For God’s sake get over it.”

  She struggled against his hold. “Nothing has changed,” she said. “The rumors are still rife about Arden’s practices. I’ve heard them all and the equestrian world thinks you condone that. I cannot—will not—condone it.”

  “Am I ever going to live that down? For ten years I’ve borne the brunt of her mistake. Surely you had no doubts that it was Arden. So I was a fool to take the rap, but like you, she was only a kid. She wants so badly to ride in the Olympics.”

  Rylee shook her head. “She’ll never represent Australia in the Olympics.”

  He gave her a little shake. “That’s so judgmental. I never thought to hear you, of all people, say such things.”

  “Ash, you have to face facts. Your sister doesn’t have the natural ability to win at such a high level. She’s impatient with herself and her horses—down to the point of cruelty to get results.”

  “Damn you, Rylee. Who cares about Arden and her ambitions? I still love you, but it’s obvious you no longer have feelings for me.”

  Rylee stared up at him, struggling to keep the tears from spilling onto her cheeks.

  “Bullshit,” she snapped. “You know there was never going to be anyone but you. I went back to my family. I needed time and distance. I hoped my heart would heal so I could move on. I thought I had until I saw you at the funeral. Despite everything, I still love you, but unless you publicly right the wrong from ten years ago, we have no future.”

  “I can’t do that. You already know I will not destroy my sister’s chances to be great. I have just got her two new horses—the best available. This year will be her year to shine. I can’t take that from her, even if it means we can never be.”

  She shook her head. “You won’t need to, Ash. She will do it for herself, but you can’t see it—or won’t see it. You’re prepared to sacrifice what we could have to support a farce.”

  Ash pushed her away from him and stood stiffly in front of her. “I will not vilify my sister for one childish mistake.”

  Her arms hurt where he’d held her and she rubbed the flesh, determined to shrug down the pain of rejection. She glared up at him. “It’s your choice, Ash. I hope it’s not one you
regret in the days that come.”

  She watched his contemptuous expression crumple into sadness before she retreated and walked back into the dining room. Her body ached with desire. Her heart clenched in regret for the one thing that kept them apart and her soul cried for the blind loyalty of the man she loved. She put her glass on the buffet table and turned away, only to find herself face to face with Arden.

  “What are you doing here? Come to make more accusations? To turn the knife in his heart some more,” the tall brunette said in an ominous tone.

  “Arden,” Rylee responded with artificial brightness.

  Arden frowned, her beautiful red painted mouth curled up in a sneer. “He’ll never take your accusations seriously—I can do no wrong in my big brother’s eyes. Blood is thicker than water.”

  “Maybe he won’t believe me, but that doesn’t change anything—you are still abusing your horses,”

  Arden gave a small snicker. “You can’t prove a thing. Just like your godmother failed to prove anything on me ten years ago.”

  Rylee shook her head. “What about your brother? He had to stop competing because he took the rap for you. Now he has a permanent black mark against his name. Doesn’t that worry you? He always had a better chance to win than you.”

  “It was his choice,” Arden muttered. She looked down.

  “You betrayed us both that day. I can’t forgive you,” Rylee shouted.

  “Huh! I don’t care what you think, Rylee. My brother still loves me and I’m still competing. Too bad it’s too late for you and him. Go back under the rock you crawled out from, Rylee O’Shaughnessy,” Arden sneered.

  “Damn you, Arden. You will be found out—one day,” Rylee threatened, even though deep down she doubted it would happen.

  Suddenly, the noise surrounding her became unbearable and her close proximity to Ash’s conniving sister and her ex best friend made her feel sick. She pushed past Arden and hurried from the room. She needed to be far away from the woman who had ruined her life.

  The lift pinged when it arrived and she stepped inside, but before the doors could close, Ash inserted his body in the opening. Her heart jumped and her body tingled with the force of his masculine presence in the enclosed space of the lift. The chemistry of his nearness, his smell and untamed masculinity teased her with its sexy tang. I want this man so badly. To hold him, to love him and to make passionate love with him. No matter his flaws in regards to his sibling, she still loved him. Could she cross the line, knowing they had no future? It went against the strong morality of her Catholic upbringing, but the desire throbbing through her body needed to be satisfied. How she would heal the emptiness in her heart she had no idea. Maybe she never would.

  He swept her into his embrace. “If you can give me no more, Rylee, spend the night with me, please. We have both waited so long for this. I want to make love to you.” His words were indistinct, muffled against her skin where he nuzzled against her neck.

  She shook her head and tried to extract herself from his hold. “Ash…it will make the situation worse… I spoke to Arden.”

  “Damn my sister. Forget her for the moment. This is about us.”

  “No, Ash. It can never be just about how we feel. Arden stands between us and she’s not about to give up her misguided ambitions for us. She has too much to lose.”

  His mouth smothered her anguished protest. She let herself respond to the fiery demand of his kiss, reveling in the taste of him. When she parted her lips a little, he immediately took advantage of her moment of weakness. He wrapped his tongue around hers, sucking gently. She trembled with desire, a burning desire, sparked by the very taste of him. Her knees softened under his onslaught and the passion ignited in her belly. He held her crushed against the hardness of his chest. She could feel his erection pressing into her lower abdomen. Tremors shook her. To be held by him after so long with only her memories and her dreams to remember his touch, his scent, his taste and his unbridled sensuousness… She yearned with a desperate need to be possessed by him. To have his cock buried deep inside her in a lusty joining that would wipe the intervening years into oblivion. Suddenly all the reasons and excuses for why they couldn’t be together melted into a puddle of arousal. She grabbed his butt and pulled him closer. Right now she didn’t care if they were together one night or one year or eternity. She desperately wanted him, and be damned to the opinions of others.

  To make her invitation clear, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Take me to bed, Ash.”

  Ash lifted her into his arms and pushed his way through the door of the lift before striding down the corridor and into his room. The door had barely shut behind them and he attacked her zip. He slid it down and unclipped her bra. Rylee wiggled a little and her classy little black dress and brief lacy knickers were in a pile at her feet. With his mouth still glued to hers, he lifted her again and walked her to the bed. She fell backward, landing with a small bounce on the soft bed, her legs dangling over the side. Ash stood between her knees and shed his shirt and jacket, chucking them with a flick of his wrist onto the chair in the corner. She watched him undo his belt. With long slim fingers he leisurely undid his fly. He stared directly into her eyes. With seductive slowness he pushed his pants and trunks down over his hips. His cock leaped up, stiff and throbbing, as it escaped the confines of the material. His hairless groin was surprisingly sensual, his balls a rosy pink hanging between his muscular thighs. She could see the veins pulsing in the thick length.

  He knelt between her legs, lifted her feet and placed them on the bed. The action bent her knees and exposed her to his eager perusal. He shuffled forward on his knees and kissed her inner thighs, one side then the other, moving steadily closer to where her throbbing nub was hidden by the soft curve of her mound. He flicked his tongue across her flesh, inch by inch closer. She moaned. Her pussy tightened with need and she could feel her juices dribble out of her. Ecstasy almost overwhelmed her when he reached the little hood hiding the erect flesh of her clit and searched under it with his tongue. With her most sensitive spot exposed to his ministrations he sucked on it drawing it out with tender little strokes. Her legs trembled under the blistering passion that rolled over her like molten lava, the main eruption building toward a fiery explosion. He lifted himself upright and she wriggled a little farther on the bed. He lowered himself over her, his cock just resting in the center of her lips, as if waiting for her encouragement before sinking into her.

  “Oh God, I want you, Rylee,” he murmured.

  She reached down and took his penis in her grasp, urged him to plunge into her. At her encouragement, he pressed downward and penetrated deep inside. She almost screamed with pleasure as his erection filled and stretched her. Instinctively she wrapped her legs around his hips and gripped him close. He thrust, deep and fast. She struggled to breathe. Her body tensed and shook in the build up to her climax. He took her mouth with his, immediately demanding access. He probed deeply and she in turn sucked on his tongue, feeling its moist and slightly rough surface against hers. His taste was intoxicating. His scent wafted around her and she smelled the tangy bouquet of sex as their bodies bucked and pressed together and the fluid of their shared arousal spread on their bodies. She loved the feel of his smooth groin rubbing on her and wondered what it would feel like if they were both shaved.

  He moaned and sweat trickled down his chest. She grabbed his shoulders and ran her nails down his back until she cupped his buttocks and urged him to pump harder and deeper. He grunted with the force that brought their bodies slamming together. She screamed then—the feel of his head rubbing her cervix igniting the last wave of her arousal into an explosion. Her climax gathered—a tsunami ready to crash over her. He thrust faster and deeper. Her body shuddered and jerked under his assault, the force of her climax bulldozing through her body, sweeping consciousness and reason before it. She gasped and for a moment—a split second—she lost touch with reality. Every nerve in her body danced and her muscles cle
nched and relaxed around his hot flesh. Under the onslaught of her own release, she barely appreciated his release pulsing down the length of his shaft and squirting hot cum into her. She sagged onto the bed. He stilled, spent. She tightened her pussy muscles as he softened, making him groan. They lay still for quite a while, and Rylee was acutely aware of Ash struggling to gain control of his breathing. Tears welled in her eyes and a sob gripped her chest. Ten years she had waited to consummate her love and it overwhelmed her now the act was completed. An incredible feeling of warmth and contentment flowed over her with the small shuddering aftershocks that rippled through her body. He rolled off her, pulling her tight against him. She peeked up into his face and saw wetness in his eyes. He brought his head down and gently nibbled at her bottom lip and placed featherlight kisses all around her mouth.

  “All those wasted years, Rylee. We were meant for each other.”

  Rylee sighed in response to the cloud of reality that had weaseled its way back into her mind. “Maybe, Ash, but it can’t be unless you violate your commitment to Arden.”

  “But what can be wrong with something that feels so heavenly—that feels so right,” he protested as he snuggled closer. “We can work things out, Rylee. I’m so glad you’re back. Will you stay with me tonight? I know we both have an early session in the morning, but I just want to hold you.”

  * * * *

  When she woke the next morning, Ash still held her. The alarm hadn’t gone off, but Rylee slipped from his bed and dressed. She kissed him, and he stirred. “See you later,” she whispered.

  “Tonight—dinner,” he mumbled, barely opening his eyes.

  She smiled inside and out, all day, keeping her mind one step ahead of the shadow of reality. The session on marketing and business management was interesting and very informative. To make the stables a financial success, she needed to bring it into the twenty-first century. She saw Ash as she moved between sessions, and he waved and grinned as he passed.