Deep Burn: (Asher & Elodie: Easton Family Saga) (Burned Duet Book 2)

by Abigail Davies

  She was ready.

  Ready for me.

  Ready for us.

  Chapter Fourteen

  ELODIE

  I wrapped my legs tighter around his waist, feeling his hardness between my legs. I hadn’t been sure how I was going to react. I’d told myself I was ready even though doubt lingered in the back of my mind, but I truly was ready to take this step with Asher. I wasn’t just pretending or trying to force it. I wanted this. I wanted him.

  I didn’t care that I was only in underwear as he pushed us through the main doors of the club and outside. It didn’t bother me that the wind whipped against my skin causing goose bumps to rise over my entire body. Because Asher was holding me, and that was all I needed.

  He boosted me on one side as he locked the door, and I couldn’t resist planting my lips against his neck once more. I’d tried to keep to the dance I’d prepared, wanting to see it through to the end, but as soon as he’d touched me on the stage, I hadn’t been able to keep it up. I’d let my want slip free from my lips, and now that I’d been honest with him, I regretted doing this here and not at home.

  But I knew I had to confront this last dance at Pink Feather. I’d taken my clothes off to earn money. I’d let people stare at my naked body. But that didn’t give anyone the right to do what Knox did. He hadn’t just raped me that night. He’d taken away any sliver of security I’d ever felt, and everything I’d worked so hard for. He’d done more damage than I’d ever thought possible.

  But dancing on that stage and knowing I’d never do it again was empowering. I wasn’t dancing for people to throw dollar bills on the stage. I wasn’t dancing so I could pay my rent. I was dancing for the only person I ever wanted to see me without clothes on again. I was dancing for me.

  “Fuck, sweetheart.” Asher boosted me back to the middle of his body, and I groaned as his erection scraped between my legs. “You’re drivin’ me fuckin’ crazy.”

  “Good.” I pushed my hand into the back of his hair and relished in the way his eyes flared. “How long will it take us to get home?”

  “Not fuckin’ long,” he gritted out, racing across the parking lot toward his truck. He placed me on the passenger seat and his lips were so close all it would have taken was a split second to place mine against his, but I knew if I did, then we’d never make it back home.

  So, I waited.

  I waited as he pulled his T-shirt off and handed it to me. I waited as he closed my door. I waited as he ran around to the driver’s side. I waited as he sped back home.

  Then finally—finally—he pulled up in the driveway.

  I wasn’t sure who exited the car first, but we met halfway around the front. His hands reached for me, grasping at my hips, and without much effort, he picked me back up and moved to the front door. I wrapped my legs around his waist and closed my eyes at feeling him so close to me. It was mere seconds until he opened the door and moved us inside, but he still didn’t put me down as he made sure all the locks were in place.

  His fingers dug into my thighs as his gaze met mine. “Are you sure about this?” He pressed his forehead to mine. “Because it’s okay if you’re not—”

  “I’m sure.” I placed my hands on either side of his face. “Surer than anything.”

  I felt his heart beat faster against my chest, and without waiting another second, I planted my mouth onto his. His tongue flicked across my lips, and I moaned at the impact. We’d kissed plenty but knowing what was going to come after this kiss made me even more insane with want—need. I needed him like I needed my next breath.

  He pulled away and started to move forward, his hands pushing his T-shirt up on my body. I yanked it over my head, but I didn’t stop there as he made it to the top of the stairs. I reached behind me, flicked my wrist to undo my bra, and let it fall between us. My move had him darting toward the bedroom, and as soon as we were inside, he sat on the edge of the bed and dipped his head to my chest.

  I groaned and gripped on to his hair as he pulled my nipple into his mouth, licking and sucking like his life depended on it. I could feel the wetness building between my legs, so I squirmed, needing some kind of relief. His fingers moved to my other nipple, and I bucked my hips. He scraped his teeth as he pulled away, staring at me as his hand stretched over my hip. “Hope you didn’t want to keep these,” he murmured, gripping the edge of my lace thong. He yanked at them, ripping them into a useless scrap of material.

  “Asher,” I groaned, pushing my chest closer to his face. I wasn’t sure I could wait for him to touch me much longer, but he refused to put his hand where I needed him most.

  “Touch yourself,” he demanded. I snapped my eyes open, my shocked gaze meeting his. “Do it.”

  “I don’t—”

  “Do it,” he repeated. His hand moved around to the small of my back, his other still rolling my nipple between his fingers.

  I’d never touched myself before—at least, not in front of anyone. “I…” I inhaled a stuttering breath as I whispered my hand over my stomach and between my legs. He shifted, his erection poking at me, and the sensation made me move faster. I trailed my finger through my clit, gasping as I hit the bundle of nerves. It wasn’t the same as when Asher touched me, but it was just enough to relieve the ache pulsating through me.

  “That’s it, sweetheart.” His breaths were ragged as he leaned back and unzipped his jeans. “Keep touching yourself.” I pushed down on my knees to lift higher and continued to run my fingers over my clit. I didn’t look away from him as he pushed his jeans and boxer shorts off and then sat back up. “You want me to touch you now?” he asked, planting a kiss on the side of my neck.

  “Hmmm,” I responded, moving my fingers faster and bucking my hips at the same time. I needed more than what I was getting, and I had a feeling Asher knew that. “I need you to touch me.”

  “Say that again,” he growled.

  “I need you to touch me.”

  “Fuck yes, you do.” His palm slid down the front of my body and he pushed my hand aside, not hesitating as he ran his fingers through my wetness and expertly flicked at my clit. He knew just how to touch me to take me right to the edge. “Play with your nipples,” he demanded, and I did as he said, not questioning a thing, focusing on the way my body felt and the feel of Asher’s erection so close all it would take was one move and he’d be inside me.

  I froze at the thought. The last time I’d been exposed like this I hadn’t had a choice. But this time…this time I was in control. I decided when and how. I held the choices in the palms of my hands. So, I lifted up, reached between my legs, and wrapped my hand around the base of his cock.

  I stared directly into Asher’s eyes as I lowered myself onto him. His cock jerked at my touch and his hand on my clit paused as the head pushed inside me. “Elodie,” he murmured, almost as if he was in a dream. His voice was rough but also soft, calling to me even more. “Sweetheart.”

  “I love you,” I whispered, lowering down onto him completely. He stretched me, filling me to the hilt. It burned a little, so I had to take a breath and keep my focus on him. “I love you,” I repeated again, needing to get across how I felt. He’d been there for me every step of the way, never failing to be patient with me.

  “I love you, too.” He wrapped his arms around me, his hand coming up to the back of my neck. “I love you so fuckin’ much.” He placed his forehead against mine, and we simply sat there, joined in every way possible.

  His lips met mine, soft and gentle to begin with. He was trying to show me how he felt, and although I appreciated it, I didn’t want soft and gentle Asher in that moment. I wanted the Asher who couldn’t bear not to touch me.

  I dipped my tongue into his mouth at the same time as I lifted up and pushed back down on his erection. His hands gripped me harder, his muscles tensing at the sensation. He pulled away, his hooded eyes focusing on my face. “I won’t last if you keep doing that,” he warned.

  “Good.” I moved my hips again, this time
faster. “Touch me, Asher. Make me feel nothing but you.” I’d barely gotten the words out when his hand moved back between my legs, his fingers rubbing against my clit at lightning speed. “Yes,” I groaned, dipping my head back and trying to keep the rhythm of my hips. “Just like that.”

  I felt the burning at the bottom of my back, warning me that I was going to orgasm any second. The build-up was intense and feeling Asher’s cock inside me had me squirming even more.

  “I’m close,” Asher gritted out. “Fuck, I can’t hold it.”

  “Faster,” I ground out. “Faster.”

  His fingers moved quicker, and I groaned long and loud as my orgasm slammed through me, taking over each of my senses and taking control of my entire body. I wasn’t sure if I was still moving as I closed my eyes and relished in all the sensations, but when I heard Asher groaning, I opened my eyes, watching as he lost himself in me just like I had with him.

  It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, and it was me that had caused that. I’d been the one to make him lose himself.

  Our breaths slowed, but we didn’t look away from each other. We both knew this was about more than sex. This was about us getting back to what we were before. This was about building the last piece of the bridge to becoming a normal couple.

  This was about me becoming part of us again.

  ASHER

  “I wish we could have stayed in bed,” I groaned as I pulled up outside my mom and dad’s house. Elodie and I had spent every moment possible over the last two weeks alone and in our bed. We’d gotten to know each other on a level I hadn’t realized was possible. I learned how she liked to be touched, how she fell asleep quicker if I held her hand in mine but didn’t overcrowd her. I learned how she snored lightly when she was in a deep sleep, and how she tossed and turned if she was having a nightmare.

  “We’ve got to come out sometime. I haven’t seen your mom in nearly three weeks.” Elodie turned in her seat as I switched the engine off. “Besides, she said if I wasn’t here by three o'clock, she was gonna come over and get me herself.” She laughed, the sound carefree and light.

  “I don’t doubt she would.” I reached over, pushing some hair behind her ear that had fallen forward. “Your smile is mesmerizing.”

  She dipped her head but kept her gaze connected to mine. “Asher,” she warned. “Stop it before I give in and tell you to take us back home.”

  I shrugged. “I’m not opposed to the idea.”

  “Stop it.” She laughed again, but this time she didn’t stay where she was. Instead, she opened up the passenger door and walked toward the house. Her jeans gripped her hips and ass and I couldn’t look away from it. I was getting hard just watching her walk away from me. Fuck. I had to try and keep myself under control, at least until we ate and could leave.

  Elodie knocked on the door twice and waited for it to open. By the time I was halfway there, Mom had her wrapped in a hug. “What have I told you about knocking?” Mom pulled back and smiled down at Elodie. “You walk right on in. None of this knocking nonsense.”

  “Sorry,” Elodie murmured. “I forgot.”

  “That’s because you haven’t been over in way too long.” Mom glanced at me as I halted behind Elodie. “Asher’s been keeping you all to himself.” She narrowed her eyes. “He never was good at sharing.”

  I spluttered. “What? I—”

  She waved me away and pulled Elodie inside. “Come on, I’m not letting him hog you while you’re here.”

  “Seriously?” I raised my brows as I followed them inside and closed the door behind me. “Don’t I get a hug?”

  “Nope.” Mom smirked at me and wrapped her arm around Elodie’s shoulders. “Come sit out back and tell me what you think about the college applications I sent over to you.”

  I couldn’t help but smile as they moved through the house and into the backyard. They’d become closer and closer as time went by, and although I knew my mom would be there for me always, I knew Elodie was her favorite. If it wasn’t obvious by the way she’d practically given me the death stare, then it was obvious as she steered her to one of the chairs, not allowing anyone else to say anything to her.

  “You ever gonna stop smiling, son?” my dad asked from beside me. He was grilling burgers and steaks as I turned to face him.

  Nothing could wipe the smile off my face right then. I was happier than I’d ever been, and it was all because of one person: Elodie. She’d overcome so much. She’d shown a strength I hadn’t known possible. And now she was laughing and joking with my mom and Belle.

  “She’s doing better, then?”

  “Yeah.” I winked as Elodie glanced over at me, loving the blush that appeared on her cheeks. We’d left it until the last minute possible to get dressed this morning, and I wondered if she was thinking about what we’d done in the shower, and then the bed, and finally on the kitchen counter. I was like a man possessed, not able to get enough of her.

  “How about you?” Dad asked, closing the top of the barbecue. “How are things with you?”

  “Good.” I didn’t tear my gaze away from Elodie. “Shop is getting back to how it was before everything. I’m booked solid up until April.”

  “And after April?”

  My heart sank at his words and my smile started to drop. I knew what he was asking without him having to voice the words, but I didn’t want to do this here, not in front of everyone else. I glanced at him, silently telling him to drop it, but from his raised brow and the straight line of his lips, I knew he wouldn’t. I’d been keeping everything to myself, not wanting to focus on anything but making sure Elodie was okay, but it was only six weeks until my court date. Six weeks, and still, nothing had changed. I had a plea deal on the table, and I had no choice but to sign.

  “Not here,” I told Dad. I tilted my head toward the house and walked through the sliding doors into the kitchen. Everyone was outside, so I knew no one would be able to hear us, but I continued into the living room, needing even more space between us and them. “I need you to…” I trailed off and huffed out a breath. I wasn’t sure how to tell him what my options were. “I need you to promise you’ll take care of Elodie.”

  “That goes without saying,” Dad replied, crossing his arms over his chest. “But you’re gonna have to explain why, son.”

  I ran my hand down my face, trying to bide time to figure out how to tell him, but there was no good way to vocalize it, so I blurted out, “The DA has offered me a deal.” Dad stared at me, his expression not giving away a single thing. “Twenty years with the chance of parole after eighteen.”

  “Twenty years?” Dad’s eyes widened. “Twenty fuckin’ years?” His chest moved rapidly, and he started to pace across the living room floor. “What the fuck they tryin’ to charge you with?”

  “Attempted mur—”

  He ground to a halt. “Your lawyer hasn’t gotten your charges lowered?” He yanked his cell out of his shorts pocket. “We’re getting you a different lawyer because this one obviously doesn’t know a fuckin’ thing.”

  “Dad.” He ignored me and swiped at the screen of his cell. “Dad.” My voice was louder, finally gaining his attention. “I don’t need a new lawyer.”

  “You fuckin’ do.”

  “I don’t.” I leaned against the wall, needing something to hold me up. I’d tried to push everything to the back of my mind. I’d tried to live in the moment, but the closer my court date got, the harder it was to do. “He’s tried everything he can, but there’s nothing else he can do.”

  “I don’t believe that for second, Asher.” Dad stepped toward me, his gaze searching for something. “What are you not telling me?” I inhaled a breath, trying to push the truth down, but it was no use because he could see I wasn’t being completely honest with him.

  “He wants Elodie to give a statement. He says it’ll make the DA lower the charges.”

  “Okay…” Dad tilted his head to the side. “But that means she’ll probably have to testify
if it goes to trial.”

  “Exactly.” I let the back of my head press against the wall. “I can’t do that to her, Dad. She has her own court case in May, and they’ve already told her she’ll need to take the stand there. I can’t make her do it twice. She’s healing, but I’m scared this would push her right back.” I swallowed and met my dad’s stare. “I can’t do that to her.”

  “Have you asked her?”

  “No.” I clenched my hands by my sides. “And I’m not going to ask her either.”

  “Son—”

  “No.” I pushed off the wall and rolled my shoulders back. “Elodie doesn’t need to know about any of this. I’m not making her give a statement just so my charges can get lowered. I did the crime, not her. She’s already been punished enough.”

  “I’m not sure she’ll see it like that.”

  “Would you let Mom do it if it was you and her?” I didn’t look away from Dad as I witnessed the understanding cross his features. He’d protect Mom until his dying breath, and I’d do the same for Elodie. “Just promise you’ll take care of her, Dad.”

  He placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “I promise, son.” His lips turned into a frown, telling me he wasn’t happy about any of this, but he understood. I just wasn’t sure anyone else would. “What about your house?”

  “It’s all paid for—” The sound of footsteps interrupted me, and I darted into the kitchen to see who it was, but the room was empty. My heart hammered in my chest and I glanced outside, trying to see if anyone was walking back out there, but they were all sitting around the table talking. “Did you hear that, Dad?”

  “Hear what?”

  “The footsteps.” I looked at him, but his face was blank, as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

  “Belle’s dog was probably after food again. I swear that tiny thing eats as if she’s a Doberman.” He shook his head. “Come on.” Dad tapped me on the back. “Let’s get back out there before the humans start a riot for food too.”