Fifty Six
Ash
I had awoken last night yet again to find Amber curled up fast asleep in the bedroom closet. Her fingers were clutching an old blanket she said her grandmother had made for her. It was torn on one side and quite ragged, but I understood it was a keepsake to her.
“What are you doing in here, Amber?”
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at me. “I don’t know, Ash.”
“What’s wrong?”
She rubbed her eyes leaning up on her elbow. “I just had this terrible feeling that something awful is going to happen.”
I leaned forward to grab her wrist. I pulled her to me. “What do you mean? Nothing’s going to happen to you, baby. I’m here.”
She was still trembling as we sat together. “I know, Ash, but it’s just a nagging feeling I’ve been having.”
I helped her up from the floor. “Come on, let’s go back to bed.”
She allowed me to lead her to the bed.
“Amber, I know something’s been wrong since the whole terrible ordeal with Ayden.”
Tears began to slide down her cheeks. She nodded. “Ash, something happened at work.”
I leaned up on my elbow to look down at her. “Like what?”
“You know the other day when I met with Nancy?”
I nodded as I stroked her long silky hair.
“As we were talking, I started feeling sick. I excused myself to go the restroom. I got sick in there. It only seemed as though I were gone for fifteen minutes or so, but when I got back she was gone.”
“You mean she left without warning? How is that possible? I saw the documents you both signed.”
Her face went pale. “That’s just it. I don’t know how. When I saw she was gone, I asked Mrs. Gladdenfield who said she’d left hours before. And that we had concluded the meeting.”
“So what are you telling me?”
“That I was missing two hours of time! I don’t remember coming back and finishing the meeting!”
I sat quietly trying to figure out what exactly that meant. I knew she wasn’t crazy, but how could she be missing two hours of time? How did she not remember finishing the meeting? “Has that only happened once?”
She was quiet for a second. Her eyes were opened wide with fright as she clutched the covers beneath her chin. “Yes.” Her voice was soft barely a whisper.
“How many times?”
“Several times off and on over the years.”
Just then, an eerie chill shot up my spine.
“Amber, what is it? Why would this happen?”
Tears spilled down her face to soak the covers. Her eyes softened as she stared up at the ceiling. When she finally spoke, her voice sounded tiny like a child’s, “Please, don’t. I promise I won’t tell.”
“What, Amber? Tell who? What are you talking about?”
In a flash, she whipped her head to the side and looked at me. “Ash, what’s going on?” She touched her face surprised to find it wet with tears.
Now I was scared. She acted as if she truly didn’t know what we just spoke about. “Amber, just get some sleep. You were just dreaming.” Taking her into my arms, I allowed her to fall asleep as I kept watch over her. Something was very wrong. I just didn’t know what it was.
And if I didn’t know what it was, how could I protect her?
As I sat at the breakfast table the next morning, I noticed the ocean waves becoming rougher. They battered the beach below. Storm clouds were swirling in the sky. I wondered if we were due for severe weather. I clicked the TV on.
The refrigerator door slamming alerted me to Amber’s presence. I’d done a lot of thinking last night and I had located what I felt was the perfect therapist for her.
“Amber, can we talk a minute?” I took her hand as she stood to leave for work.
“Sure.”
I sighed. This was going to be difficult. I was certain she’d be resistant to the idea of therapy. “Do you remember what happened last night, Amber?” I tried to broach the subject gently.
She shrugged sipping her coffee. “Did I sleepwalk again?”
“Yes, you did, but that’s not what I was referring to exactly. You became quite upset last night after I found you.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. Sitting her coffee cup down, she crossed her arms over her breasts. “What do you mean ‘upset’?”
“I mean you started talking like a little girl and begging me not to hurt you.”’
She shook her head. “Bullshit, Ash. Stop joking around.”
“I’m not, Amber. It was a bit unnerving to say the least.”
Her eyes blazed at me. “So what? I was probably still sleeping.”
I shook my head slowly. “No, Amber, you weren’t. Look, I think it may be time for you to talk with someone. You’ve been under so much stress with all that we’ve been through. You’ve been running the company by yourself—”
“—oh, you’re implying I can’t handle it?” Amber’s cheeks flushed red.
“Of course not. Anyone would be stressed out with all you’ve been through. I know of an excellent professional, Melissa Graves—”
“—a shrink? You want me to see a shrink?”
“A therapist, Amber. She comes highly recommended.”
Amber pushed the table back as she stood up. “No, thank you, Ash. I’m fine. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to get to the office.”
Biting my lip, I realized this wasn’t going well. Casting a glance outside, the sky had become even darker. The storm clouds were gathering.
Amber picked up her car keys and threw her purse over her shoulder. “Ash, I’ll see you later. I’ve got meetings all morning.” Rage twisted her pretty mouth downward into a hard frown.
“Amber! Wait a minute! This is serious. I think you need to talk to someone.” I tried to hold her back.
“No, you think I’m fucking crazy!” She jerked her wrist away from me.
Racing forward, I jumped in front of her to prevent her from leaving. She was too upset and in no condition to drive. “Amber, give me those keys! You’re not going anywhere.” I pulled the keychain from her hands.
She spun around and backed away from me. Thunder rumbled across the sky. “Fine, I’ll walk.”
All of a sudden, the sky opened up and it began pouring.
“I don’t think you’re crazy. I never said that. I just said maybe you needed to talk to someone.” I touched her shoulder trying to coax her away from the door.
“You want me to see a shrink. That means I’m crazy.” Her eyes blazed at me.
I’d never seen her this angry. “No, it doesn’t. Many sane normal people have gone to see a therapist.”
“Have you?”
I swallowed hard. “No, I haven’t.”
“See?”
But I wasn’t missing time like she was. I had my problems, but what she was going through was far more serious.
“You just want me to take pills and get doped up.”
“No, Amber, not at all! I love you and want you to get better. Something’s very wrong.”
Our attention was diverted as the voice from the TV blared loudly.
“The entire East Coast is bracing for what’s being called the storm of the decade. A strong Nor’easter is heading straight for the coast. Cities that will be directly affected include Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston. Conditions will gradually begin to deteriorate over the next few hours. Winds in excess of 60 MPH could occur. Temperatures will drop significantly in the next few hours. Coastal regions such as the Hamptons should prepare for major flooding.”
My thoughts immediately turned to the small bridge that led from the main road out to my house. If it flooded, we could be stuck out here for several days. I looked outside to see the skies darkening.
“Amber, maybe we should go back to my place in the city.”
Her face was bright red with anger. “I’m not going anywhere with you right now.”
I shook my head. The sea looked angry as the waves were beginning to pound the coastline. “I’m going to tell Gloria to go ahead and go home now in case the bridge gets washed out.”
She nodded stiffly staring out at the ocean.
After telling Gloria she should leave, I went upstairs to my room to search for my phone.
Hearing the front door close, I dismissed it as Gloria leaving. After calling a few friends to let them know I was going to ride out the storm in the Hamptons, I casually walked back down to check on Amber.
She was gone!
The rain was coming down in torrents. Cold September winds came howling in from the north. Her car was still there, so it must mean she took off on foot.
Grabbing a jacket, I jumped into my car. It had been less than a half an hour, so she couldn’t have gotten too far.
Rain pelted my windshield so hard the wipers couldn’t keep up. It was awful. For once, the weatherman was right. This was the worst autumn storm we’d had in years. The waves were pounding the storm relentlessly. Sea spray showered the rocks.
It was nearly impossible to see. I drove for a few miles and then spotted her. S
he was huddled in a thin gray jacket shivering as she walked.
“Amber!”
She couldn’t hear me over the roar of the ocean and the rain. I pulled over and jumped out.
Running up behind her, I caught her around the waist.
“What the hell?” She screamed as she whipped around to face me. She was soaking wet and shivering uncontrollably.
“Amber, it’s freezing out here! You’re soaked! Get into the car.” I tried to pull her back towards the car.
Squirming beneath my grasp, she began to cry. “Ash, leave me alone! You think I’m crazy.”
“Of course, I don’t. Amber, you need to come with me. The storm is getting worse.” Amber struggled in my arms as the rain drenched us.
“Ash, I’m so cold.”
“Then come with me.”
Thunder roared above us. Lightning flashed across the sky. We had to get back to the house.
Tired of fighting with her, I scooped her up in my arms and raced toward the car with her.
The winds howled with fury as we made it back to the car. Amber kicked her legs so furiously we both fell back onto the hard, wet gravel.
Sick of her childish behavior, I jumped up from the ground grabbing her underneath her arms and pulled her to her feet. With the rain pouring down over us, I yanked her skirt up. “Put your fucking hands on the hood of the car. NOW!” I commanded.
Immediately, she complied.
Feverishly, I administered a sound spanking to her ass admiring her rain soaked flesh. My cock became so hard I thought it would burst through my pants.
“Fuck me, Ash!” She screamed out over the roar of the storm.
Spinning her back around, I kissed her neck tasting the rain on her skin. I picked her up and sat her on the hood of my car. My hands squeezed her wet tits feeling how slick they were from the rain. She wrapped her legs around my waist as I unzipped my pants.
As soon as the icy cold rain hit my cock, I thought I would lose my erection. But I thrust forward into Amber’s hot wetness. Fucking her vigorously on the hood of the car with the rain pounding us and the waves roaring was the most passionate experience of my life. With every stroke of my cock, I felt myself melt deeper and deeper into her. Amber’s head fell back as the icy cold rain bathed her face. The roar of the ocean grew louder. Just as I felt myself about to come, I saw another wave hit the bridge. Time was running out!
Amber cried out as I felt her pussy squeeze my cock even tighter. I grabbed her ass and drove myself in even deeper. As the thunder rumbled in the sky, I felt myself explode inside her as I pumped my cum into her.
“My God, Ash that was amazing.” she cried.
“I love you, Amber.” Kissing her deeply, I slipped my cock in and rushed around to jump in the car. Turning the car around, I headed for the bridge. Just then, another power pole snapped a few feet behind us and crashed to the ground. The live wires snapped and crackled in the wind.
“We’ve got to hurry!”
I drove as fast as I could. We had to get to the bridge before it washed out. In all my years living out here, I’d never seen a storm this intense in the fall.
Reaching the bridge, I held my breath as we drove over it. Finally, we were back in my driveway.
Rushing around to Amber’s side, I opened the door for her. We ran inside the house. The power was out due to the power poles falling. Quickly, I took the flashlight from my phone and located some towels. “Here, Amber, get out of those wet clothes.”
As she trembled, she managed to slip out of her wet dress and wrapped herself in the thick, fluffy towel.
I peeled my wet pants and shirt off and wrapped myself in a towel as well.
“I’m so cold.” Her teeth chattered. I led her to the study which had a wood burning fireplace.
Luckily, I had just had Harry bring in fresh wood a few days ago when I heard the forecast was supposed to turn chilly. I thought Amber and I would enjoy a few nights cuddled in front of it.
Now that was exactly what we were going to do. I lit the wood and soon a fire was crackling.
“I thought you had a generator out here.”
“I do, but it’s in the storage building. It’s getting too dark to go out there.” Taking a thick blanket from the couch, I pulled it around the two of us. “Are you getting warmer, Amber?”
She nodded. “A bit. My hair’s still soaked though.”
Taking a towel, I rubbed her hair until it was fluffy dry. Even wet and disheveled, she was still beautiful. “Why did you run away from me?”
She sneezed several times then sniffled. “I was afraid you didn’t want me anymore. I’m broken, Ash. I know that. Something is wrong, but I’m afraid to find out what it is. I’ve tried so hard all my life to prove I’m strong enough to handle anything. Now if I go to therapy I’m going to have face everything I’ve struggled to repress my entire life.”
I handed her a tissue from the end table. “You know I think you’re the strongest woman in the world. Look at all we’ve been through. All that you’ve been through! Why, you even make me look weak at times.” I squeezed her hand.
“You? The great Ashton Blackthorne? I don’t think so.”
I laughed. “It’s true. Even I have my weak moments. You and I are so much alike always trying to hide our vulnerabilities to the world. We want everyone to see us as strong and competent almost superhuman in our abilities. But we are human, Amber, pitifully human. And we all hurt sometimes.”
She nodded cuddling closer to me. The fire crackled loudly as the waves continued to pound the shore. “I know, Ash. But I want you to see me as strong. I’ve put you through so much.”
“What have you put me through, Amber?”
“Ayden.”
“Ayden is my brother. What he did to us wasn’t your fault.”
“But he stabbed you. He wouldn’t have stabbed you if I hadn’t been there.”
I pulled her closer to me. “Amber, nothing that happened with Ayden was your fault. Ayden pulled you into the situation to get to me.”
Amber nodded.
“So, I want you to know right now that I don’t blame you for anything. You’re the most important person in the world to me. I want you with me always.” I kissed her lightly on the lips.
“Ash, I’ve waited so long to hear you say those words. Don’t you know I fell for you the moment we met?”
Laughing, I recalled that day. “I did, actually. I pretended not to. And you know something, Amber?”
“What?”
“I think I fell for you, too. Even though I was trying to work things out with Veronica, there was something there between you and me.”
“I used to think you just wanted to fuck me.”
“Oh, I did and still do. But Amber, when we fuck, it’s more than just that. I feel you as a part of me. The part of me that’s always been missing. You make me whole.”
Amber smiled widely. The light from the fire cast a warm glow to her face making her look like an angel. “I feel the same way, Ash.” She traced her fingertip against my cheek.
Pulling her closer to me, we watched the storm rage outside.
“I’m sorry about earlier. Give me that therapist’s name. If you think I really need to go, I’ll give it a try.”