Tagged & Ashed (The Sterling Shore Series #2) (11 page)

I take a deep, cleansing breath, and then I dust his hair from his brow before I shake my head.

“I shouldn’t have asked you for that.  So, shouldn’t you be getting ready?  For the pictures and all.”

“Not yet.  I’m not a girl, so I don’t take that long.”

I laugh a little, and then I lean over to push my forehead to his as I sit atop the really high bar top.

Suddenly his lips are on mine much harder as he pulls me to his body and starts carrying me away.  My skirt is too tight for me to wrap my legs around his waist, so they dangle as he takes me to the back of the kitchen to the storage closet.

He puts me on the counter in there, and I slip his shirt over his head as his hands greedily scour my body under my skirt.

“I love a good morning,” he murmurs against my lips as he jerks my panties off and slides my skirt up higher - making it wrinkle around my waist and exposing me.

It doesn't take but a few seconds to push his pants down, and we start acting like ravenous, hormonal teenagers.  My legs wrap around him as I jerk him to me, and the head of his erection grazes my entrance as he guides it to me.

“I love how wet you get for me.”

I moan into his mouth as his firmness glides in a little farther - skin on skin.

“Shit, I don’t have anymore condoms.  Damn it.”

My lips tighten as the head of his erection stays inside me.

“I can use my mouth,” I daringly release, making his hands grip me tighter as he sinks in just a little more.

“Say
fuck it
.”

I pause, uncertain if I’m willing to risk a pregnancy for a good fuck in what’s essentially an oversized closet.

“Fuck it,” I murmur against his mouth, stupidly giving up on caution, and he surges in with more force than I was expecting, forcing my head to bob back in ecstasy as my body arches to meet his next thrust.

I moan louder as the skin on skin makes me feel him with more intimacy, more perfection.

“Fuck, you feel so good.  Damn it,” he almost gripes as he thrusts in deeper, making a catch in my throat force out a squeak instead of a moan.

His pace only quickens as his grip tightens, and he jerks me to where my back pops the counter and my ass rests in his hands as his furious rhythm pushes me to the brink.

I grip the edge of the counter as the ecstasy swells in my lower abdomen, and I scream out as he pushes me over the edge, forcing my whole body to stiffen before relaxing to the point I become limp in his hands.

Suddenly, I feel his warmth spreading inside me as he follows my climax, and then he pulls me up to hold me to him.

I tremble as my arms clasp around his neck, and his sweet, deliberate kiss holds me steady in the realm of fantasy.  I know this will never be more than this, but at least he’s not making me feel dirty.  Well, not in a bad way.

***

Tag

As I hold her, something inside me breaks.  I’ve never wanted someone for more than sex until her, and I
really
have no idea what to do or say.  Ash is too good for someone like me to fuck with.  I can’t do it.  I can’t let her be a guinea pig and play the first
girlfriend
in my life.

“Ash?” Billy’s voice calls, and she covers her mouth to stifle a laugh as she pulls me to cover up her body.

I force a smile, not quite as amused by the sound of Billy’s interrupting voice.  Brushing her hair away from her face, I stare into those stormy blues I could imagine myself staring into for so much longer than this weekend.

At least she’s still staying.  Maybe she’ll even let me take her home, and from there, who knows?  I sure as hell don’t know.  I’ve never been so fucking confused in all my life.

She hops off the counter, and I smirk as I hand her back her underwear.

“Ash, you in here?” Billy calls from the kitchen, but she doesn’t answer, even after her panties and skirt are back in place.

Instead, she gets on her tiptoes and tugs at the back of my neck to bring me into a sweet, sublime kiss.  It would be so easy to get lost in her.

My arms wrap around her waist almost reflexively, as if my body belongs to her.  It’s a new feeling, something I love and hate at the same time.

Billy huffs, and we listen to his feet shuffling out of the kitchen before we emerge from our accidental hideaway.  I hadn’t even meant to fuck her, but damn, she’s just so irresistible.

I kissed her in front of the family like she was mine to with do as I pleased.  This is insane.

“I should probably go grab a shower,” she murmurs as she squirms uncomfortably.

“Yeah.  Want to use mine?  Maybe share a shower?”

Shit.  What am I doing?

She smiles mischievously, and then her hand trails up my shirt before she starts tugging me out of the kitchen.

“Love to.”

What now?

***

Tag

We've spent the entire
day inside, wrapped up in each other, and surprisingly, I'm not the least bit bored.  I can't remember ever having talked to someone for this long.  I can't decide if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

She giggles when I kiss her neck, and I smile foolishly like some teenage boy with his first crush.  The wedding party is growing restless, tired of all the picture-taking.  I dread spending at least an hour out here.

"Are you going to watch all the pictures?" I ask, leaning back up from her delicious neck.

"As riveting as that sounds, I think I'll head back to the princess room and do some reading."

Her sweet smile makes me wish I had done more than spend the day talking to her.  What is wrong with me?  It's like I can't get enough of her.

"Care if I come by after this is all over with?"

She grins bashfully and nods, looking down at her feet instead of meeting my eyes.  Damn, she's cute.

"Good.  Then I suppose I should get out there before I piss off the photographer even more."

She laughs, and then her hand slides up my chest before resting on the back of my neck.  She pulls me down, an action that is starting to feel too natural, and I willingly fall to her lips.

I see a flicker of something, and I glance up from the delicious kiss to see the bitch photographer snapping away.

"I don't think the bride and groom want pictures of this," I grumble, glaring at the peeping Tom hiding behind her camera.

Ash stiffens lightly, seeming a little insulted by the snapshots.  I'm sure she doesn't want pictures of us all over the wedding display.

"The bride and groom want candid shots of guests as well," the photographer snarks.

"Then go find someone who enjoys your constant clicking."

She growls and storms away, seeming infuriated.

"So much for not pissing off the photographer," Ash says with a small smile, but it seems forced.

What happened?

"You okay?" I ask, brushing her hair away from her cheek before tilting her chin back up.

"Um... yeah.  You should probably get going.  I'm sure she's telling Erica and Wren all about how rude you just were.  Go save them before they fire her."

I laugh, thinking about how Wren almost fired her yesterday when she refused to let us rest.

"Okay.  I'll see you soon."

I kiss her again, as though I can't help myself.  She's
very
addictive.

I jog off to go join the wedding party, ready for this picture-fest to be over so I can get back to Ash.  Maybe I will take her out to dinner or a movie or... something.  I'll ask Wren what exactly you're supposed to do.

No.  What am I saying?  I'm all wrong for her.  I'm not a guy who can change in one weekend.  I'd end up losing Melanie's respect, and she'd probably whoop my ass, too.  I can't do this.  I need to just leave it at one weekend... if I can.

"Tag," a familiar voice says, making me smile as I turn around to face the saucy little girl who has been killing us at the poker table.

"Raya," I murmur softly, hugging her while looking around for Kade.  "I've barely seen you," I add while stepping back.

"That's because you've been a little wrapped up with Billy's girlfriend."

Her eyes narrow disapprovingly, and I laugh while shaking my head.

"They're not together.  They're just friends.  Long story.

"Ah," she says, her eyes moving toward Bity as he speaks in whispers with Melanie.  I follow her gaze, and smile when I see he looks frustrated.  He deserves to be punched in the face after barking at Ash the way he did.

"Where's Kade?" I ask as my jaw tenses.

I shouldn't feel this damn protective over a girl I barely know.  The way he did her - it's really pissing me off.

"He's running late.  Major wine emergency.  Some of the labels were a fraction of the way crooked."  She says it deadpan, but I see a smile barely creeping up when I look back down.

I almost envy Kade.  I've never seen anyone look at someone the way she does him.  Wren shouldn't get married until he finds that.

"What's really keeping him?" I ask, trying to seem genuinely interested, though my mind is focused on anything but this conversation.

"A big sale."  She gets quiet, and then she looks around.  "So, do you really like this girl?"

Too much.

The photographer curses, drawing our attention before I have to answer that aloud, and I stifle a laugh when I see her camera bag has fallen apart.  All of her things have spilled across the lawn.  I wish I could revel in her misery, but the longer it takes her to get her shit together, the longer it takes me to get back to Ash.

***

Ashiara

I'm not sure what I was expecting from Tag today, and I don't know why I stuck around.  It's going to be even harder to leave now.

Maybe we could see each other after this - find out if there's anything there.  My taxi is supposed to be here any minute now, since I forgot to cancel.  I'll just pay him and send him on.

I can't help but glance out the window to sneak a peek at Tag.  Maybe he won't catch me.

I swallow hard when I see a girl rubbing her hand up his arm, smiling and laughing as they stare at the mess of things the photographer is picking up.  They seem really comfortable together.  I'm sure she's one of the many girls he's been with.

I can't stay.  I'm just another nameless notch on his endless belt.  I'll simply be making myself look like the fool chasing after him if I stay.  Everyone here is probably already laughing at me.

I cringe when I see him wrap his arm around her shoulders.  Here I was thinking I was something special, when in all actuality, I'm just another girl he fucked.  I'm so stupid.

Tearing my eyes away from the awakening sight below, I head over and grab my bag.  I'm glad I finished packing now.

I guess it's a good thing I didn't cancel that taxi after all.  At least the front of the house is shielded from view.  Tag won't even know I'm gone.  He'll probably be with that girl before he even notices I'm missing - if he even notices at all.  It's not like it matters.

Tag could be an amazing guy, and he is, but he hides behind a shallow facade.  I'm not naive enough to think I can change him.  I'm not that girl.  I don't go in with blinders.  I knew what this weekend was, and now I know what it is - over.

I head down the stairs, dragging my bag rather loudly.  It thumps down the staircase until I reach the front door.  I'm surprised to see the cab already outside.  No one ever called me.

"Ms. Branderwood?" the guy asks, putting his phone away.  "I was just about to call."

I smile warmly, though he doesn't realize it's forced.  He takes my bag, and I climb into the backseat, ready to get away from this nightmarish wedding that hasn't even happened yet.

I tell the cab driver my address just as my phone buzzes with a new text message.  I glance down, opening up the message from the unknown number, and my mouth tries to tremble.

Pretty girls are only pretty as long as their faces are intact.  Be careful... pretty girl.

I get sick, tears swell up in my eyes, and my hands visibly start shaking.  Not again.  I thought this was over.

My phone starts buzzing again with an incoming call from a restricted number, and I choose the
ignore
option promptly.  I don't need to hear some pervert breathing heavily.

I dial another number, calling my other best friend - my only best friend now, I suppose.

"Ash?  Hey girl.  How's the wedding?"

I bypass the chipper hello.  "
Shannon, are you still friends with that cop?"

"He's calling you again?" she asks, her tone worried and serious.

"Yeah."

"I'll call Jimmy right now.  You can crash at my place tonight, if you want."

Tears start slipping free at random.  This was hell the last time.  I pray Shannon's friend can help.