CHAPTER SIXTEEN
"Ashley Cooper, what's your intention with that girl?"
Ash immediately recognized the ringing authority in Reggie's tone. Her words were still a little slurred, but her speech was improving day by day. And that was due to Phoebe's insistence on engaging Reggie in conversation even when Reggie was at her surliest. Tossing his phone aside, he turned in his aunt's direction.
"What are you asking me, Reg?"
Reggie stood behind the armchair, bracing her weight against her cane. Determination shone in her eyes, and he knew this was going to be a rough conversation. He pointed to the chair.
"Have a seat."
Reggie's jaw stiffened, but she walked around the chair and sat. She rested her cane against the chair's side, then slouched into the seat. She pulled a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of her flannel, and she struck the pack against the side of her hand. "You heard me. What's your intention with Phoebe?"
Ash placed his feet against the table and folded his arms across his chest. His head fell against the back of the couch, and he closed his eyes before drawing in a heavy breath.
"We've been through this before, Reggie. She and I have an agreement. She's your live-in caregiver."
"She's also your wife."
Ash smirked and dropped his arms. "That bothers you, huh?"
Reggie pulled a cigarette from the pack and stuck it in her mouth. "I better not hear shit about this."
"Should you be smoking?" asked Ash.
She shrugged. "I don't know, and I don't care." She lit the cigarette, then dragged in a deep breath before blowing the smoke out through her nostrils. She gripped the cigarette between her thumb and forefinger, placing her hand on her thigh. She sniffed and wiggled her nose. "Shit. That feels good."
"Coating your lungs with tar feels good?" Ash grinned and dropped his legs from the table. He rested his elbows against his knees. "That's not what all those studies show."
"Don't be a smartass, Ashley."
The grin dropped from his face. He straightened in his seat. "No, ma'am."
"It feels good to do whatever the hell I want." She plopped the cigarette back into her mouth. It bobbed with each word she spoke. "Why didn't you just pay her out of pocket for my care?"
He cocked his head to the side, then ticked off the digits of his hands and held up nine fingers. "Do you know what this means?"
Reggie's mouth twisted, and she looked away. She grabbed onto the handle of her cane and stationed it between her legs.
"You know what it means." He slid to the corner of the couch and placed his hand on top of hers. "I tried the paid caregiver route, and they all didn't work out. If I hadn't done what I've done, do you know what I would have had to do?"
Reggie turned back to level him with her hard eyes. "You would have put me into a home."
Ash recoiled in surprise. He shook his head, as if freeing it of nonsense. "You could've let me go to a foster home. You and I both know it. I wasn't the easiest kid back then, and it was much easier for the girls to find a suitable home." He squeezed her hand before pulling his hand away. He yanked at his jeans and squirmed. "But you didn't do that, even though we disrupted your life. Why? Because you're family."
"So what would you have done?"
He screwed up his features and braced himself for an explosion. "I would have moved Jack in."
"Fuck."
"Well, you had left me with no choice, but thankfully, I got this idea instead."
"I'm not sure which is better." Reggie shook her head. "That's not true. Phoebe hovers a lot, but she's a decent girl." Her lips disappeared into a line, and she leaned in his direction with her finger pointed. "Don't you dare tell her what I said."
He resisted the urge to smile. "I won't say a word."
"Good." Reggie withdrew her finger and fell against the back of her chair. "Which is why I don't approve of what you're doing." She pulled the cigarette from her mouth and held it between her fingers. "She's got a good heart, and I don't want you breaking it." She motioned towards the floor. "I've seen you leave a trail of broken hearts in your wake. I keep my mouth shut because you're an adult. They're adults, but Phoebe's more vulnerable." She stuck the cigarette back into her mouth. "You know she cared for her sister until she died."
He nodded. "She mentioned that."
"At least you and your sisters had me and those shitty grandparents of yours. All she's got left is a cousin." Reggie finished her cigarette, then snuffed the butt against her rubber shoe sole. She handed the used cigarette to Ash, patted his shoulder, and grabbed her cane to walk to her first-floor bedroom.
Ash watched her go, absorbing her words. He didn't need Reggie to tell him how vulnerable Phoebe was. He could see it in the solemnness of her eyes.
He knew she'd cared for her sister who had died just a few months ago. He also knew she wanted to become a registered nurse, and she didn't have many options available to pay for that education. As far as he was concerned, they would both benefit from this arrangement.
His aunt would remain with him until she recovered or--he hoped it never came to this--passed away at his home. If he had a job that allowed more flexibility, he wouldn't have had to bring in Phoebe. He could have taken paid or unpaid leave, but the military didn't really have that option, particularly for extended family members.
He knew he was an asshole, but he didn't try to be malicious. He liked and respected Phoebe, and he knew that he should keep his distance; however, every time she came within reach, he found himself wanting to draw her close and shield her from further pain.
Holding the cigarette in his hand, he pushed up from the couch. He walked back to the kitchen and dropped the butt into the trash. He quickly washed his hands, then left the kitchen and trotted up to the second floor.
The hallway was dark. He looked towards Phoebe's door and noticed a light on. Lifting his hand, he walked to her door, but let his hand drop to his side. Instead, he tapped one finger quietly against the door, then he turned away to walk to his room.
He heard the door opening behind him. He spun around and found Phoebe peeking out into the hallway.
"Is something wrong?" She stepped out of her room, the light glowing around her. Her long black hair hung in loose waves to her waist. She wore a thin cotton nightgown with floral designs along the bodice. In the right light, the gown probably did an admirable job of shielding her body. However, the bright light behind her streamed through the billowy fabric and illuminated the curves of her breasts. "Is Reggie okay?"
He heard Reggie's warning echo through his mind, but his feet moved of their own volition. "Everything's okay. She's gone to bed." As he approached Phoebe, his eyes trained on her dusky areolas that showed through the cloth. He ran his fingers through his hair and scratched at his scalp. "Did I wake you?"
She shook her head, then crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "I was watching a movie on my laptop." She craned her neck and pointed at his head. "Would you like a massage?"
He would like much more than a massage. Stepping closer to her, he fluttered his lashes. "Excuse me?"
She smiled. "I give really good scalp massages." Her eyes scanned his face before her finger traced his jawline. "You look tense. Bad day at work?"
It was a simple touch. One that lasted only a second, but he found himself craving more. "Well, if you're offering, I'm accepting."
Phoebe smiled and extended her hand. She waited until he took hold, then she pulled him into her room and pointed at the bed. "Sit. I'll grab my essential oils." As she walked to her dresser, she called out over her shoulder, "Would you like lavender or peppermint?"
He pushed the door closed then sat on the end of the bed. "Which do you prefer?"
She returned holding two small bottles. She looked at them both before returning one. She came back with a bottle between her fingers, brandishing the label for him to read.
"Why lavender?" he asked.
She opened the bottle and poured a few drops of oil into her palm. "It's soothing. Helps you get into a restful state of mind so you have a good night's sleep." As she rubbed her hands together, she moved to stand in front of him.
He sighed as her fingers sunk into his hair. She kneaded his scalp, running the edges of her nails against his skin. "That's nice."
"I used to do this for my sister." She moved her hands to press her thumbs against his temples. "It was the highlight of her week. I'd massage her just like this for about twenty minutes, then she'd beg me for five more minutes."
Pressing his nose against her belly, he could totally understand why her sister loved this so much. Her fingers were soft, yet she applied the right amount of pressure. He inhaled deeply, expecting his nose to be filled with the scent of lavender. Instead, he smelled the faint aroma of her clean-scented soap.
He wrapped his hands around her waist and exhaled, his breath brushing against her skin. Her fingers halted, and he expected her hands to fall away. To his delight, she wrapped her arms around his head and pressed him closer to her body.
"What am I doing?" she asked.
Ash didn't think the question was directed at him, so he chose not to answer. He slid his hands down over her hips until his fingers grazed her bare skin. Then, without hesitation, he ran his hands up her thighs and underneath her gown.
He hesitated at her hips, waiting for her to pull away. After several heartbeats, he pushed the gown up her body until she gripped its edges and pulled it over her head. He wanted to murmur words of encouragement, but he feared if he did, she would break free from this spell.
She rocked against him. His lips traced circles around her belly button, and her hands slid down to grip his shoulders.
He pulled her down on top of him so that she straddled his lap. Her hands ran up the column of his neck and grabbed fistfuls of his hair, pulling his head back. She then lowered her head, smiled, and flicked her tongue over his bottom lip.
He responded by opening his mouth, enjoying her exploration. His hands cupped her ass and pulled her against his hardness. As she deepened her kiss, he fumbled at the buttons of his jeans, then hooked his thumbs around the waistband of her panties and pulled them down her body.
"Please," she said, reaching between them and taking his cock into her hand. With his lips free, he brushed kisses along her shoulders. "You needn't worry about any surprises, and I don’t need any promises."
He wanted to draw this moment out longer. He wasn't foolish enough to expect this would be a regular occurrence, even if he hoped it would be. But she seemed to have a different idea.
She settled herself over him. Pressing herself against his cock, she moved in circles, teasing him. He could only bite down on his lip as she lowered herself.
"Please," she repeated, rocking against him.
She was tight. Like a vice-grip around his rock-hard length. He could feel her muscles stretching to accommodate his girth, but she only increased her pace.
He kissed the valley between her breasts and flicked his tongue along the curve of her breast. He nuzzled her skin until his mouth grazed the hardened pebble of her nipple.
Throwing her head back, she squeezed her eyes shut as she rode him. She gasped for air, and he felt an intense ripple of pleasure knowing that he was making her feel such ecstasy.
"You are everything," he whispered.
Her eyes opened wide. Her frantic pace pushed him over the edge. He felt her clutch him, wringing every ounce of his semen into her body as her orgasm erupted.
He expected a heavy sigh. Or perhaps a small cry. Instead, she brought her hand to her mouth and sunk her teeth deep into her skin. She bit down so hard that he feared she'd broken skin. She remained like that for a second as he watched the softness fade from her body and be replaced with hardness.
Ash reached out to touch her, but she slid from his lap. She covered her mouth with her hands, shook her head, then knelt down to grab her discarded nightgown.
"Phoebe," he murmured, pushing off the bed and adjusting his jeans.
She bolted into her bathroom and slammed the door behind her. He started to follow her, but then forced himself to acknowledge that she wanted to be alone. He shot a final glance towards the bathroom, before turning to open her bedroom door and stepping out into the dark hallway.
In his vast experience, he'd always been the one to walk away, and now he was feeling oddly bereft. As he made his way back to his bedroom, he realized that Reggie had gotten it wrong. It wasn't Phoebe who risked having her heart broken.