CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
From her aquiline nose with the slight bump on its bridge to her wide, full-lipped mouth with its perpetual frown, she was not Ash's usual type. She was a dark-haired, dark-eyed, and olive-toned ingenue. The exact opposite of the fair-skinned, pale-eyed, and pale-haired siren he typically went for.
Phoebe's knee dug sharply into his side, and she'd rolled most of the comforter around her body. She didn't snore, but she did whimper and mutter the occasional remark. While her head rested against his chest and her unbound hair tickled his mouth, he tried to wiggle his leg, but it had fallen asleep some time ago. All in all, she was probably the worst companion to ever share his bed, but he couldn't imagine anyone else occupying that space.
After their quick encounter in the kitchen, he'd allowed Phoebe to lead him to his bedroom. They'd spent the early hours of the morning exploring each other and exchanging naughty barbs. At about half past three, Phoebe had pleaded for sleep, and he'd been all too willing to indulge her request. That was, until she took over his bed.
Ash shifted his weight and rolled her onto her back, mostly to make himself more comfortable. But when she landed against the mattress and her thick, long hair pooled around her head, he couldn't help but marvel at her unique beauty.
What should have been quiet admiration turned to gentle kisses between her full breasts. He was drawn to the warmth of her body, particularly the warmth that seemed to generate from the apex of her thighs.
"Phoebe," he whispered, taking her earlobe between his teeth. He wanted her to wake up. But he didn't want to startle her. "Wakey. Wakey."
Her arms fell wide open near her head and her head lolled to the side. Ash sighed, then pressed his coarse-haired thigh against her smooth skin, hoping the friction would trigger a reaction. When she continued to sleep, he grew impatient and abandoned his plan to be gentle.
He reached out, grabbed her phone from the nightstand, and dropped it onto the floor. She immediately sprung up with her eyes wide and mouth open.
"What was that?" She rubbed at her sleepy eyes, then yawned and fell back against the pillow. "Was that outside?"
He laid flat on his belly and tucked his arms beneath his pillow. "That was your phone."
Panic flickered over her face. She fell on top of his back, leaning across as she grabbed her phone. "How did it get down there?"
"I dropped it."
"I hope it's not broken." She studied its display, checking for any cracks. She blew at a speck of dust. "Did you bump it with your arm?"
Ash shook his head, then grabbed the phone from her hands and placed it back onto the nightstand. "No. I actually dropped it on the floor."
"Like on purpose?"
"Yep."
She smacked the back of her hand against his bare buttock. "Why would you do that?"
"I was trying to wake you up." He rolled onto his back, pulling the sheet over his body. "Has anyone ever told you that you have a tendency to hog the bed?"
"No," she said, yawning again. "If you felt the need to drop a phone, why didn't you drop yours?"
"It wasn't in reach." He enjoyed sparring with her. It usually took her a few minutes to acclimate to his teasing mood, but when she responded in kind, she usually managed a few zingers.
But at this particular moment, she was glaring at him from the corner of her eye. She pointed at his phone beside hers. "You couldn't reach that extra inch, huh?"
"It would have been too much effort."
"You're a dick."
"Phoebe," he said, lifting his head from the pillow, "I don't appreciate the ad hominem attacks." He grunted when she flopped against his stomach, forcing the air from his lungs. "I won't let you sleep in my bed again if you keep this up."
She dropped her head and twisted her features. "What makes you think I want to sleep in your bed again?"
"Seriously?"
"I can't imagine how anyone can sleep with you, your ego takes up too much room." She brushed a kiss across his shoulder, then crawled over him. "Joking aside, I better go back to my own room."
He twisted on the bed and grabbed her arm before she walked away. "Why?" He pulled her back onto the bed and slid over so she could lie beside him. "It's not like Reggie's gonna walk in on us."
Ash could feel her relaxing beside him. She lifted her hand to cover another yawn.
"I know she's not gonna barge in on us," she said, glancing towards his alarm clock, "but I'll need to be up and ready to make her breakfast and prepare her medications."
"She's not usually awake for another hour," he said, once again rolling onto his stomach so he could wrap his arm over her stomach. "It's Sunday morning. Why don't we just take it easy this morning?"
It took a few seconds for Phoebe to look away from the clock. She stared up at the ceiling for a moment before shifting her eyes to him. "Okay. But just for a few minutes."
"Challenge accepted," he muttered.
"What?"
Before she could fully register his intent, he'd grabbed her arm and pulled her beneath him. "Trust me, I don't think this will take much more than a few minutes."
She laughed just as he swooped down to claim her lips. He could taste her laughter on his tongue.
"I don't know what to do with you," she whispered.
"Don't worry," he traced his lips down her neck, "I know exactly what to do with you."
He'd accepted a challenge, and he was determined to meet it. Last night, they'd indulged in hours and hours of foreplay. At this moment, he didn't think he could muster up another long lovemaking session. So he settled himself between her thighs, placed himself at her entrance, and thrust fully into her snug yet wet passage.
"Oh God," she whimpered.
"Nope. Try again." He laughed at the appalled expression on her face as he continued his frenzied thrusts. Within mere seconds, she was twisting and bucking beneath him. "You keep that up and this won't last a few minutes."
"I don't care," she gasped.
"Well, then." He grinned, took hold of her breasts, and kissed each peak. "I'm so glad we're on the same page."
Her burst of laughter ended with a guttural growl as he pushed her over the edge. Her muscle contractions rippled around him, and he felt himself being sucked deeper and deeper into her. He followed her, falling right into the whirlwind of pleasure that currently had her ensnared.
Feeling completely sated, he slid off her body onto his back. He laid beside her, his heavy breathing alternating with her husky laughter. He reached over to take her hand, then turned his head so he could look at her.
She was staring back at him. She lifted her free hand and brushed a stray lock of his hair from his brow. Then her nostrils flared, and her teeth bared.
"What's wrong?" The question had barely cleared his lips when he caught a whiff of an acrid smell. It was just registering in his mind what it was when he heard the downstairs fire alarm trigger.
They both bolted from the bed. He gripped the sheets around his torso and fled down the stairs. When he reached the main hallway, he could see a cloud of black smoke forming in the kitchen.
He rushed through the doorway and found Reggie standing near the stove, waving an oven mitten in the air. She caught sight of him, then hunched her shoulders and tossed the mitt onto the counter.
"Did I disturb you?" she asked. From the defiant glint in her eye, he knew his aunt was going on the offensive.
Deciding not to engage in her one-sided battle, he walked to her and grabbed hold of her hand. "Are you okay?"
"What happened?" Phoebe asked, entering the kitchen. Apparently, her delay was due to her sense of modesty. She was wearing her white nightgown. She looked at the skillet with the blackened food, then turned her eyes to Reggie. "Did you forget it was on the stove?"
Reggie's brow arched. Ash recognized the sign and knew his aunt was in a dander. He tried to get Phoebe's attention with a quiet shake of his head. But she was too focused on the scorched breakfast to notice.
"I would have made you your breakfast, Reggie. I don't know why you'd--"
"What?" snapped Reggie. She propped a hand against her hip, then glowered at Phoebe. "You sayin' I can't use the stove? Am I a prisoner here, and I don't know it?"
Ash placed a hand on Reggie's arm. She tensed beneath his touch and tried to pull away, but he tightened his hold. "You know you're not a prisoner. You can come and go whenever you want, and you have free reign of the house." He pointed at the stove. "But, you're recovering from the stroke, and it's affected your mobility and responsiveness. It's probably not a good idea for you to cook without one of us around." He cocked his head in Phoebe's direction. "We just want you to be safe."
"I was hungry," she said, narrowing her eyes, "and I was gettin' tired of waiting for you two to emerge from your room."
"I'm sorry," Ash said, dropping his hand. He grasped at the sheet around his waist. "How about we all get dressed, and I treat us to brunch? There's a nice restaurant near the waterfront, and I think you might enjoy the view."
"Thank God, you're going away," Reggie said, her eyes skimming up and down his nearly naked body. "Maybe I won't go neglected anymore." She puckered her lips, then shuffled around him. "I hope you'll be ready in twenty minutes. I'm starving." She then walked to her room, opened the door, and retreated inside.
Ash watched her go. Her comment about him going away repeated in his mind, and he reluctantly turned in Phoebe's direction. "I've been meaning to tell you something."
Her mouth closed with an audible click. "You're being deployed?"
Shaking his head, he tied the sheet around his waist. "No. I mean, not like you're thinking." His mouth felt dry as he saw panic flare in her eyes. "It's a training exercise. I'll be gone for a couple of weeks." He lifted his hand to silence her objection. "Just two weeks, I promise."
"How long have you known?"
"A few months," he said. "This was planned a long time ago. Way before you moved in. I didn't mention it because I didn't want to worry you."
"When are you leaving?"
"In a few days."
Her eyes widened. Her mouth disappeared into a grim line, but she nodded. She opened her mouth to say something, then shook her head. With a solemn look in her eyes, she turned away and made her way back upstairs.