In Your Arms (10 page)

              Charles is back in London with his family for the holidays, and I've left him a message, promising to make things right with Ashton. Still hasn't called me back, and probably won't. I don't blame him either.

              I was an irrational idiot. My grandfather even said so before I told him the whole situation. That's just proof of how much of an idiot I am.

              From my grandfather, I learned that Ashton was spending the holidays alone. He hinted that maybe I should bring her dinner. So I loaded up a plate with every piece of food that we had in his apartment, and I found myself riding up the elevator up to the penthouse.

              I pace outside of her door. She has every right to hate me and slam this door in my face. I deserve that. I am just hoping that she won't. Why? I'm not sure.

              I knocked and almost immediately the door opens. Before I say anything, I take a look at her. She's wearing a black skirt that starts from her waist and ends midthigh, a black short shirt, that does not cover much, with red roses, and bunny slippers. Her hair was in a pony tail.

              “It's New York, not California. The weather here is two degrees, not eighty.” I look at her bunny slippers then back at her, she was just staring at me. “I like the slippers.” I admit to her. I've been making fun of them since I would come with breakfast.

              “One. I can dress how I want, when I want. Two. I wasn't planning on leaving my apartment, not that it was any of your business. Three. What are you even doing here?” I held the dinner plate out to her.

              I was having thoughts of doing very dirty things to her. These thoughts were consuming, and I told the downstairs neighbor to control himself. This was Charles ex-....friend, the ex-girl friend who despises me. It was never going to happen.

              “I was made aware that you probably didn't have a home cooked meal tonight, so I brought you what we made. Didn't want you to die of starvation on Christmas.”

              “Yeah, you sure don't want that to happen to me.” She grabbed the plate and I could see that she was happy to see the food. Maybe she hasn't been eating much? Ashton was thin, and maybe it was my imagination, but she looked thinner.

              “I wanted to apologize, again. I know you probably wanted the friendship to succeed, and you were falling for-” She stops me.

              “No. I liked Charles, I really did. I just didn't see the friendship going any further. I learned that he's not really my type.” She shrugged, her shirt inched a bit higher. I could see the bottom of her black bra. I looked back at her face, thankful that she wasn't looking at me. “So in a way, a very cruel way, you did me a favor.”

              “Really?” From my view, it looked like she was head over heels for him. I guess I was very wrong. She set the plate down on a side table and looked back at me.

              “Don't tell Charles that, it will kill him. I found the box with the bracelet a few days before you blackmailed me. I don't think I'll be ready for commitment for a long time, I went through a lot this year.”

              “So there's nothing there?”

              What was I thinking? Very dirty thoughts of her consume me, and I want her. Especially now that I know she never wanted anything serious with Charles.

              Or anyone.

              I could make that work. I always have made it work like that. I've only had one girlfriend in my twenty nine years of life. That was when I was nineteen. Only one woman has ever gotten me to calm down. One woman, and she broke my heart. So I now I pretend not to have one.

              “Nothing at all.”

              Then I did it. I kissed her.

Chapter 16

Ashton Pennington

              Braxton was kissing me. Why would he kiss me when I basically said that I didn't want anything...with anyone! I did the only thing I could. I pushed him off and I slapped him.

              He looked surprised, and so did I. I couldn't believe I just did that. I've never slapped anyone, not one person ever. I looked at him. He was rubbing his cheek.

              My mouth felt empty. I had to admit that Braxton's lips felt so right on mine. It's been a long time since anyone has kissed me like that, and I missed it. So I surprised myself, and I pulled him in. I kissed him.

              Soon I was pressed against the wall with my legs around his waist. I could feel him against me as he pressed harder. I moaned in pleasure as he found my breasts and his thumbs rubbed against my nipples.

              His mouth left mine, and went for my neck. Braxton immediately found my sweet spot and I grinded against him, which made him moan.

              “Room two doors down.” I say breathlessly, it was almost a whisper. I thought he didn't hear me, but then he started carrying me to my room.

              When my back hit the mattress, I started to shimmy my skirt down, and Braxton helped me with my shirt, then bra. I helped him with his sweater then t-shirt. I took a moment to admire his body. He had a six pack, and tattoos. These are things one never sees with a suit on. I never wanted him to put any clothes on ever again.

              I watched as Braxton took off his last articles of clothing and I looked at the hunger in his face. We both wanted this.

              “I think you're perfect.” I knew he meant my body.

              I just kissed him. I didn't want to talk. He would be the first person I've had sex with since...I was raped. I needed to do this to prove that Alex no longer held power over me. I can be myself once again.

              I had a hard time catching my breath, and I could tell that so did Braxton. I kept my eyes closed and I pulled the blanket up to me, then sat up. If I was confused before about my feelings for him, I was completely lost now.

              “What does this mean?” I whisper.

              I looked on the floor for shorts and a t-shirt. I didn't see my bra or panties. It was laundry day, I had been washing and drying when Braxton came. That was the reason as to why I looked to be dressed for warmer weather, that was all I had. But it's not like I was going anywhere, I was just looking through my grandmothers documents.

              “I don't know.” I was his best friends ex-crush. I didn't blame him if he just wanted to forget about this.

              I slip on my t-shirt and shorts, then look at him. He was looking at me. I was never the cuddly type after sex, never found someone I actually wanted to snuggle close to.

              “Well, I have stuff to get back to. Feel free to leave whenever you want to.” I couldn't wait for him to decide what he wanted, he either knew or he didn't. I'll never trail behind a guy again, I won't be that naive girl that I was less than a year ago.

              I looked at my phone. It was a text from my brother wishing me a good Christmas. Sex and leftovers. A wonderful Christmas this will be. I hated the holidays. Most of the time, when I was in Chicago, it was full of drama with my mother.

              I grabbed the food that had gone cold and put it in the microwave. I was very hungry, but every time I ate, my stomach hurt. I had made an appointment with a good doctor that I once saw here, when I got the flu, he bills my parents, I'm sure my parents won't deny me health insurance.

              I sit on the floor and grab a new box. It was crazy how many events my grandmother threw twenty years ago, she was quite the socialite, I had ten boxes of financial records. I was determined to find something about my mother. I think my real mother got paid off, if I was her baby, she wouldn't have given me up willingly, had she?

              “Are you always that detached after you've had sex?” I hear Braxton ask.

              I don't look at him though.

              “Isn't that what you want in a woman? You're not the guy to stay after, and I know that, so I didn't expect it.” I knew how Braxton worked, it wasn't hard to figure out while I was dating Charles. “I know you don't want Charles to find out, so I'll pretend it never happened. You don't have to worry about me.”

              I scanned the first few pages for the name Joan. It'd help if I actually had a last name to go with it since they were all alphabetized by last name.

              Braxton sits in front of me and I look at him. “Yes, I'm worried about hurting Charles, but maybe I want to be the guy who stays after sex. Stays and actually gets to know the woman who he had sex with.”

              “Are you high?” He chuckles.

              “I wish.” I roll my eyes.

              “I want to get to know you, Ashton Pennington.” He kisses me.

              It's not like the earlier kisses, just full of passion. This kiss was different. It still had passion, but it was softer, gentler...kinder. He pulled away and smiled. His blue eyes looked to be full of hope, and I smiled back at him.

              “I know you probably need me to prove it, so I will.” I was kind of amused.

              “How?” I honestly wanted to know how. He really has to prove it to me, or I will do what I've done with every relationship since it happened...give up on it.

              “I'm not leaving until I can get as much information about you as I can by nine am.” I look at him in disbelief.

              “You plan on keeping me up all night by asking me questions?”

              “Well, not only questions. I'm open to suggestions...”

              “I'll tell you the first thing about me.” He starts to pay attention. “If you're going to make me pull an all nighter, I start to become really irritated around four in the morning unless you have something to distract me with.”

              “I'm sure I'll find something.” He smirked and I knew he meant sex. Oddly, I was okay with that.

              “Alright then.” I look back down at the papers.

              “What are you looking for in those papers?” He asks after a few moments.

              “My grandmother seems to think that I have a different mother than the one who raised me, and for some reason, I believe her. I can never get a full name when I ask, so I'm hoping to find something in her records to see if this person even existed.” Braxton doesn't say anything, and I look at him. “What?” He looked to be hiding a secret.

              “I had a private investigator look into you. In the file he gave me, it did say your birth mother was unknown but your fathers wife adopted you.”

              “Really?” He nods.

              “I assumed you knew, but I guess not.” I take a deep breath and compose myself.

              “It's fine. Gives me more reason to look.” I stand to get the food out of the microwave. It smelled delicious. “But not tonight. Tonight we get to learn things about each other. Ask me your first question.” I grab a fork and take a bite. It was good and satisfied the hunger I had from a very long day.

              “Do you like being rich?” He asks me. It was two in the morning, and I was folding my clothes and putting them away.

              “Do you mean if I like spending my fathers money?”

              “Yes.” In the past four hours, he's asked me everything from when I was a child to the end of high school. I answered personal things, but not stuff about boyfriends. He doesn't need to know that I've only had one real relationship. Plus, I was not going to give up information about that if he was also not going to spill.

              “It has it's perks, but it also has it's downfalls.” I think back to Tanner and how he betrayed me. “I understood why you were afraid that I might be going after Charles for his money. That's one of the downfalls, never knowing who you can trust.”

              “That must be terrible.” He kisses my neck as he comes up behind me.

              “It is, but you learn to weave out the terrible people, and keep the good.” I place the last of my laundry back in the basket because I don't think I'll finish folding tonight with Braxton teasing me like this. I set it down under the counter.

              “Do you ever want to get married?” He lifts me up on the counter, and I wrap my legs around him.

              “Not sure.”

              He kisses my neck, slowly, and I feel his fingers trailing down my flat stomach. I could feel myself getting wetter. “Kids?”

              “Two, so one doesn't get lonely. Three would just create a rivalry, take it from the middle child of the family.”

              “Totally agree.” he presses one finger against my heat. “I want to taste you now, Ashton.” He pushes me back to the wall and starts taking off my shorts.

              As soon as they're off I spread my legs apart. I feel exposed as I am baring myself to him. I watch as Braxton kisses one leg and just as he gets close to my heat, moves on to the next leg. He was teasing me to get me all worked up, and it was working.

              Finally, I felt Braxton's mouth, and I gripped onto the counter hard just to keep myself from jumping off. His tongue worked in ways...ways that cannot be described with words.

              Soon he had me orgasming the best orgasm that I have ever had. “Braxton!” The waves just kept hitting me.

              They slowly came to a stop and I was in ecstasy. I pulled Braxton to me, and kissed him. I could taste myself in his mouth, and I was okay with that.

              “I think I'm going to get addicted to that face of pleasure you make when you're orgasming.” Braxton says in between kisses.

              “Oh?” I feel him entering me and I gladly welcome him.

              “I'm oddly okay with that.” He kisses me.

Chapter 17

Braxton Wright

              I watched Ashton sleep. I thought people in relationships were odd when they said they watched the other sleep. But Ashton is so fascinating. Her brown hair always managed to cover her face if it wasn't in an elastic. Also, Ashton didn't use her pillow for her head, she hugged it close to her body. She told me she doesn't know why she does it, just something she's done since she was a small child.

              “If you keep staring at me, I'm going to go home and sleep there.” I roll my eyes as Ashton wakes up. She wakes up pretty late, especially since she isn't working right now because where she works, they don't reopen until the second of January.

              She sits up and stretches, something I've learned to enjoy, since I can see her perky breasts and admire her, though right now she was wearing my shirt. We've spent every day and night together since Christmas Eve. Most of it was spent in bed, and no one was complaining.

              “I like staring.” I push her hair back and kiss her head.

              “Yeah, I know what you like staring at.” She teases me and gets out of bed. “Are we eating breakfast here?”

              I've come to really like Ashton's cooking and baking, she has skills. Her chocolate chip cookies are the best, and the fun we have with the batter and icing is even better.

              I watch as Ashton realizes that I'm already ready to go. “I have to go to the office for a few hours.”

              I had some last minute things to do before my book release party next week, so they needed me at the office.

              “That's fine. I'll be at the retirement home visiting my grandmother.” She smiles.

              “Tell her I say hello.” I say, even though I only met her once the day after Christmas. It was night time, and the nurses said that she's been feeling more tired than usual. I could see the worry on Ashton's face as soon as it was mentioned.

              “I will. If she remembers you.”

              “I am very memorable.” I kiss her on the lips and pinch her butt.

              “Ow!” She pushes me off, but she's giggling.

              “I'll see you in a few hours.” I kiss her one last time, and I head out.

              The shadow loomed over my shoulder, and I looked up to find Charles right behind me, looking at what I was writing in my blog. I haven't had time to think of a topic, so I was making an update blog, telling the readers what was going on. I was not mentioning Ashton at all, we still hadn't put a label on what we were.

              “Charles, I thought you weren't going to be back until the sixth.” Why had he changed his flight one week earlier than scheduled?

              “I was bored of London. Plus, I wanted to talk to you about what happened. I didn't feel right leaving things the way we did.” I nod and listen. I wasn't going to tell him that I now was dating Ashton. He would literally kill me. “Let's go to a bar and drink things out, yeah?”

              “Sure thing, mate. Right after the last of my meetings?”

              “Of course. I'll be back then. I need to make a few visits to people first.”

              “People? Like who?” He couldn't possibly know about Ashton, could he? We've been discreet, and we've hardly left either of our bedrooms.

              “Like the press for your party.” He gives me a weird look. “Are you alright? You look ill.” I take a deep breath.

              “Just nervous for this book release, that's all.”

              Wasn't a total lie.

              He chuckles. “Mate, I've seen the early reviews. Trust me when I say that you have nothing to worry about.” I nod.

              “Thanks, Charles.”

              “Now I'll pick you up after your last meeting.” He walks out and I instantly relax. God, what was I going to do?

              I told Ashton that I'd meet her at her grandmothers apartment, but it'd be late. I have been at the bar for the last hour with Charles, and he's been trying to be my wing man.

              “Lad, it's alright. Not in the mood tonight.” I was in the mood, but only for Ashton. I haven't felt anything like that for a woman in a long time.

              “Since when are you not? That's like your signature trademark, Braxton.” Charles shouts over the music.

              “What's with wanting me to hook up with someone tonight?” I ask him.

              He looks into his drink before looking at me.