Chapter 18
Ashley
I see a look passing between Rush and Quickshift. If I didn’t glance up when I did, I would have missed it. I glare at Quickshift and rise slowly. My muscles are screaming at me in protest, but I need to put an end to whatever is silently passing between these two.
“You,” I say, pointing at Quickshift. “You will NOT go off on your own. We, as a family, will do this together. There will be absolutely no rogue missions here. Am. I. Clear."
“Yes, I got it.” Quickshift answers. He’s not happy about it, but I have the final say. I turn to Rush next. “And Rush, the same goes for you. You kept information from me that was very important, and I ended up hurt. Now’s your chance to come clean with the rest."
Rush’s face pales at my remark and I knew there was more. I could tell when we were on the porch with just the three of us. I can read people and that’s why I’m good at what I do. I can tell when someone is lying and holding back information.
“Shit,” Rush says. He runs his hands through his black and blond hair and leans back against the couch. “I should have known to never hide shit from you. You always know." He takes a deep breath before continuing. “I contacted Ian when I left you and Nolan in the room at the subway station. I told him what Reiser did and we were out for blood. He wants to meet us.”
“When?” I ask.
“Tonight,” Rush answers. “He wants just the two of us there.”
“Not gonna happen with just the two of us.” I shift toward Noah, “Can you set up a race? We need a cover to meet Ian and that will be a perfect distraction for anyone watching. We all go, but the four of you, Quickshift, Hotflash, Redline, and Noah will be at the race. Rush and I will meet with Ian.”
Redline’s dark blonde head turns towards us and a strange look crosses his face. He’s hiding something, and I will have to talk to him about it later. I watch as he stares at Nolan in distaste and I realize what it is now. I assumed he was over the idea of us ever being together, but obviously not.
“You’re not leaving me out,” Nolan says crossing his tattooed arms over his powerful chest, drawing my attention back to him.
“No, I’m not. They don’t know you’re here. How quickly can Ashton and the rest of your crew get here? We can use them to protect us. You trust them, and I trust you." Relief crosses his face.
“They can be here in five hours. I’ll go make the call.” Nolan says as he pulls his phone out of his pocket.
I watch him as he dials Ashton and walks into the kitchen. His strong back is turned towards me, tension in his shoulders. I look at his ass and release a deep sigh. Butterflies are rolling in my stomach just from watching him. He turns his head slightly and throws me a wink.
“Chica,” Hotflash says making me drag my eyes from my sexy man. I totally turned everyone else out.
“What?” I bark out.
Hotflash lets out a giggle at my outburst and rolls her eyes. Noah and Rush are trying to hide their laughter but are failing miserably. “I said Noah will have everything all set up. Why don’t you go take a hot shower and lay down for a little while? We'll take care of the rest. Take an aspirin and that hombre El Caliente upstairs for some R and R.” She gives me a knowing wink.
Nolan hangs up his phone and strides back into the living room, towards me. He places his arm around my shoulders and I lean into him, inhaling his musky scent. I’m very aware how good he smells. His warmth is wrapped around me and desire fills my veins. Everything else melts away as Nolan’s deep voice penetrates my ears.
“Iverson and the rest of my team will be here in five hours. Ashley, you need some rest. Let them handle the details.”
“Dios Mio. Go Chica. I told you we have everything under control.” Hotflash says. She looks Nolan over. “Nolan, is this Ashton just as hot as you?” She asks him wiggling her eyebrows.
Before Nolan can answer, I grab his hand and lead him out of the living room. We walk up the stairs and my body screams in protest. Nolan must have sensed this. Before we even reach the fourth step, he picks me up and carries me bridal style. I wrap my arms around his neck, my head resting on his chest. I can hear his heart beating hard against my ear as he holds me tight against him. We reach the top of the carpeted stairs and come to five doors. Three on the left and two on the right.
“Which one?” Nolan asks. His voice is husky in my ear.
“The one on the end to the right,” I answer.
He walks down the hallway, still carrying me tight against him to the last door. I unwrap one of my hands from around Nolan’s neck and reach blindly for the door knob. I finally find it and twist the knob. He kicks the door open with his foot and his eyes land on mine. Hunger and lust are radiating from his brown eyes and it takes my breath away.
Nolan walks into my room, keeping eye contact with me and kicks my door shut with his foot. He carefully slides me down his body and settles his hands on my hips. He swallows hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. I don’t take my eyes off him as I lean in closer, so our lips are only a breath apart.
“Thank you,” I whisper against his mouth.
“I’d do anything for you Ashley."
Conflict flashes in his brown eyes for a moment when he releases a deep breath, tugging me flush against his body. The hard ridges of his muscles feel good against my soft curves. His strong hands tighten on my hips and before I can question the look he had in his eyes, he kisses me. Not gentle, but not rough either. His kiss sears into my soul and I know now, I can’t hold anything back from him. He’s my other half. The one I’ve been waiting for. His tongue licks my lips demanding access. I open for him. A deep groan breaks from the back of my throat. His body heat scorches against me and I want to rip his clothes off and have him make me come alive.
Nolan breaks the kiss, breathing hard. He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist, feeling his hard cock against my heated pussy, as he carries me into the attached bathroom. He sets me down on the bathroom countertop and stands between my legs. Desire flows through my body at how close our bodies are. He gives me a gentle kiss and backs away. I watch him as he starts the shower, checks the temperature and moves back towards me.
Without breaking eye contact, Nolan gently lifts my tank top up over my head and throws it on the floor behind him. His eyes widen when he realizes I didn’t put a bra on. He swallows hard as his hands caress my exposed breast. I lean back against the mirror and let out a soft moan, arching my body towards him. Nolan takes one nipple into his mouth and bites softly. Lust shoots through my veins as his hot breath nibbles and licks. He makes his way up to my throat and pulls me closer to him on the edge of the countertop. The hard bulge in his jeans is rubbing my clit, trying to get out.
Suddenly Nolan stops sucking and licking my skin and pulls away. I whimper from losing his touch. He removes his shirt and comes back to me. I sit up and run my hands over his chest. So many tattoos covering scars across his body and my heart breaks for what this man must have gone through. I kiss each tattoo and lick each scar not covered. Nolan’s body shudders under my tongue and it fuels me on. I reach for his jeans and pop the button. I pull the zipper down slowly and his jeans hang on his narrow hips. I lean closer to him, so we're chest to chest. The heat from his body and the steam from the shower wrap around me and I feel safe. For the first time since my family was killed, I feel loved and cherished.
Nolan picks me up from the countertop and sets me on my feet. Our bodies flush against each other, chest to exposed chest. He kisses me again as his hands wrap around my back, provoking a shiver to wrack my body. Nolan breaks our kiss, pulls down my yoga pants and panties at the same time. I step out of them and he throws them in the growing pile of clothes. He’s on his knees, eye level with my pussy and puts one of my legs over his broad shoulder, exposing me to him. He leans in closer to my center and licks my pussy from clit to opening. The contact from his hot tongue against my flesh makes me buck my hips towards him. His hands are gripping my ass, keeping me in place.
“So, fucking hot,” Nolan whispers against my skin.
“Don’t stop." I groan. That’s all I can get out. My brain has run away somewhere, and no coherent thoughts can cross my lips when Nolan continues his assault on my clit with his mouth. One of his hands releases my ass and follows his tongue on my pussy, trailing up and down, teasing me. I need to feel more.
“Fuck,” I growl as Nolan plunges two fingers inside of me.
He keeps up his pace between licking and sucking my clit with his mouth and his fingers moving in and out of me, hooking and curling. Tingles start in my toes and working up my legs into my center.
“That’s it, let it go.” Nolan’s deep voice vibrates against my clit and I explode around his fingers, breathing hard. He kisses his way back up my body and holds onto me until I have my bearings back.
“Wow.” I finally say when my brain connects to reality again. God, he’s better at this than I remember.
“Woman, we need to get into the shower. I don’t know how much longer I can restrain myself and you’re hurting. I want to bury myself so deep inside of you, we won’t know where you start and I stop, but your muscles won’t let you right now."
“Thank you,” I tell Nolan and wrap my arms around his neck. Knowing he’s right, I’m sorer now than I was earlier, but I’m happy. Pain or not, I’m happy.
Nolan kicks off his jeans and drags his boxers down his powerful legs. His huge cock is hard, clean shaved and at attention, precum glistening on the head and an idea forms in my mind. Once we’re both naked, Nolan helps me in the shower and follows me in.
I stand under the spray of the shower head, leaning my head against the marble wall and let the hot water beat down on my aching back muscles. Nolan stands behind me, gently massaging my back and shoulders. God his hands feel so good. It makes me want him again.
“That feel so incredible.” I moan.
“You’ve got to stop testing my patience, woman. I’m trying to make you feel better.” Nolan whispers in my ear.
His cock nestles between my ass cheeks as his hands drift up and down my exposed back, squeezing and kneading my muscles. I have an urge to want him again. Our bodies are slick with water from the shower as I stand straight up so we’re flush against each other, my back to his front. The water is hitting my chest now and I move my hands up to wrap them around Nolan’s neck arching my body. His hands travel up and down the front of me, squeezing my breasts when he reaches them.
I turn around so I’m facing him and look into his eyes. They’re filled with lust and desire as he watches me. I force him back against the marble tile and watch as he swallows hard.
“Ashley, what are you doing?” Nolan asks.
“Making you feel good,” I respond.
I sink to my knees and lick my lips as I lean in closer to his hard cock, inhaling his desire. I’ve never done this before, so I hope I do it right. Yes, I’ve been with other guys, but just to scratch an itch, never this intimate. Not even with Shaun. The thought always made me want to throw up, but not with Nolan. He has quickly become my other half through the months we’ve been talking and flirting back and forth, and I will do anything for him. He proved he would do anything for me when he didn’t even hesitate to fly halfway across the country because I needed him. I take his cock into my mouth and suck hard, hollowing out my cheeks. Nolan's hands are in my hair, moving my head back and forth as his hips thrust towards me.
“Fuck," Nolan growls out.
I take one of my hands and gently squeeze his balls as I continue to suck his cock. Moving it in and out of my mouth to the rhythm of his hips. He’s growing harder with my movements and it spurs me on. His hands let go of my head and I can move freely. I lick and suck him harder, passing my tongue across the vein in the underside of his dick.
“I can’t hold off any longer,” Nolan groans.
I feel powerful in this position, knowing I brought this man this much pleasure. As I take his hard shaft as deep into my mouth as I can, without gagging, his hot release shoots into my throat and Nolan makes a moaning noise in the back of his throat. Swallowing all he’s offering, I gently remove his cock from my mouth as he grows soft.
I stand up and Nolan wraps his arms around me drawing me against him. My head is leaning against his chest. His heart is beating wildly against my ear as he breathes harshly. After a few minutes, Nolan’s heart slows down, and he kisses the top of my head.
“That was incredible. I’ve never had a woman make me feel that way.” Nolan says.
A twinge of jealously invades my mind at what he says, but I force it away. Stupid to think he’s never been with any other woman, but I still don’t want to hear about it. Nolan must have sensed my emotions because he brings my head up and his lips seal over mine, pushing away any thoughts I had. Breaking our kiss, I look Nolan in the eyes. There is something there that wasn’t before.
“I know you’ve been with other women, but I don’t want to hear about them. You are mine.” I declare.
“Ashley, I’ve been yours since the first time I laid eyes on you, standing on Xavier’s front porch, wearing that sexy sundress. No other woman has occupied my mind, except you. You’re all I can think about. Even when I was supposed to concentrate on work, you were always right there front and center. Just like you're mine.” Nolan confesses.
I grin to myself as Nolan shuts the water off and grabs two towels. He helps me dry off with one after he wraps the other around his waist. We step out of my bathroom and into my bedroom. I check the clock on the nightstand and figure we have about four hours left before his team, which is what he calls them, arrive.
I walk to my oak armoire and open it. I open the top drawer and pull out a pair of shorts and a tank top. I spot a pair of men’s sweatpants I bought when I prefer to go baggy and toss them to Nolan. He raises his eyebrow at me.
“They’re mine. I bought them when I want to rough it.” I explain.
Nolan puts them on and they fit snug against his body. What’s huge on me are tight on him. I close the armoire drawers and doors and slowly walk to my bed. All my muscles are tight again and it’s really pissing me off. I’m so tired, it takes all my energy to make it to my king size bed. There’s a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water on my nightstand. Nolan shakes two out and hands them to me with the water. I accept them and swallow the pills. I wash them down and hand him back the glass. I lay down on the bed and Nolan settles in behind me. He stretches his body against mine and his arm wraps around my waist, tucking me into him. Feeling safe and secure, my eyes grow heavy and I start to drift off. Before I completely succumb to my body's demand for sleep, Nolan kisses the top of my head.
“I’m here and think I’m falling for you,” he whispers against my hair.
I fall asleep with his words echoing in my head, wrapping around my heart and I feel the same way.