Mayhem did exactly that.
“I have never witnessed anything like you, my dove. You have an ability with beasts.”
“Mayhem isn’t a beast; he’s just happy and young. He needs someone to tell him how to behave, that’s all.”
Ashton eyed me. “Indeed.”
I went back to our original line of conversation. “I didn’t finish telling you. Your mother rang earlier. She wants me to come for yet another fitting of the wedding dress, and there is an emergency with the cake which needs my…” I paused, lifting my chin and spoke like his mother. “ ‘Dire attention to ensure the quality of the cake which shall be served to several hundred guests. After all, my daughter, we must be held to higher standards, and a cake that is much too close to that of Lady Ann’s cake shall not be tolerated by the house of Archer.’”
Ashton broke out into a serious belly laugh, pulling me into his arms. “You have my mother down to a science, my dove.”
I sighed. “Ashton, I don’t want to make another trip. I feel I’m with your mother more than you lately.”
“Then I shall inform my mother you are unable to go yet again so soon. We will have prior engagements that must be met. Let her pick another cake. I doubt you or I care what kind of cake we have.”
“She will be happy to pick the cake, but what about the fitting?”
“I shall inform her not to worry about the fitting, and assure her your body is still in the same exquisite condition it was three weeks ago.” Ashton gave an evil chuckle. “Perhaps I should inform her that I am quite assured of this fact since I feel your exquisite body next to mine every night.”
“If you want her to drop dead, then tell her. Otherwise, I am to be coming into our marriage bed untouched and pure. And I’m pretty sure I have been touched quite a bit since entering our current marriage bed.” I cupped his crotch.
“You are quite right,” Ashton said with a flash of his eyes, stopping my advancing hands as we walked over to the outer foyer. “Claudia,” Ashton called, keeping his gaze upon my face. “Will you take Mayhem into the kitchen and give him some kibble? Lady Trinity and I will be riding this morning; therefore, she must change her attire.”
“As you wish, milord,” Claudia replied.
“And I do not wish to see the pup in Trinity’s sleeping quarters until he is house broke.”
Claudia curtsied. “Of course, milord.”
Ashton swooped me up into his arms and bounded up the stairs as if the devil was on his tail.
“Are you in such a hurry to go riding, my lord?”
“Oh, yes,” he said.
He flung the door open to my room, stepped over the threshold, turning and locking the door behind him. He placed my feet on the ground. Perhaps the devil wasn’t on my husband’s tail, but sitting on his shoulder. “I wish to watch you remove your clothing,” he said in a low, hungry voice.
“Is this your wish, my lord?” I asked, already undoing the buttons of my blouse. I smiled, because I had to admit I very much liked his devil.
He watched my movements intently. “Unquestionably.”
“And your clothes?” I asked.
“I am already dressed for riding.”
I slipped the white eyelet blouse from my arms, moving to the front claps of my bra, where I hesitated.
“Take it off,” he demanded.
I flicked the clasp. My bra met my blouse at my feet. I looked at Ashton from beneath my lashes, untying the drawstring to my Capri pants.
“As these?” I asked.
“Oh yes.”
Slowly, I slipped the Capris down my thighs. I ran my fingers along the top edge of my panties then slipped my hand between my legs.
“Panties too?”
“Yes, take them off.”
With a smile, I slid my panties down, stepped out of them, held them out in front of me with two fingers, and dangled them like a carrot before I dropped them. I heeled off my sandals and backed toward the door.
Ashton’s gaze appraised the entirety of my body. He stepped forward and placed his thumb to the swell of my lips then without warning he fell to his knees, lifting my right leg to his shoulder and taking me with his tongue in earnest.
“Oh God,” I cried out. His tongue found my clitoris. He flicked it in rapid succession. I closed my eyes.
“Look at me,” Ashton demanded. “I want you to watch me take you with my mouth.”
I felt unsteady when I opened my eyes. I grabbed on to Ashton’s shoulders. The back of my head fell against the door. “Oh…” I moaned. I looked down to see his head between my thighs. He took me harder. Ashton flicked, licked, and twirled my clit with his expert tongue then he bit, taking the nub between his teeth. When he did this I bucked, shook, and felt weak in the knees.
“Come for me,” he said, flicking then sucking me.
“Ashton!” I exploded from deep within my core. Ashton hoisted me up, took me to the bed, spread me out, and delved into my pussy with a hunger, licking my clit and fingering me at the same time. I climaxed again.
He undid the fly to his riding breeches, yanked them down his thighs, secured my hips, slid my body to the edge of the bed where he stood, cock stiff and brutal.
“Trinity, I need to be inside of your warm little quim.”
“Yes, God yes,” I said, feeling him thrust into me. As always that first penetration took my breath.
“I wish you to come upon my cock,” he said, taking his thumb and pressing it against my pearl as he entered into my body with rocking thrusts. I took everything he gave. Meeting his deep, hard thrusts stroke for stroke. “You are beautiful.” It was fast, hard, and so good. I grabbed my breasts. He pounded into me. “Sweet Jesus,” he muttered. I played with my nipples, licked my lips, rocked my hips, clenching my pussy around his hard cock. “Come, Trinity.” He pressed and manipulated my clit with his fingers.
“I am, I’m going to come now,” I rasped. Ashton groaned, pumping past the contractions of my body, still applying rubbing swirls of pressure to my wet nub with his thumb.
“Again,” Ashton said. Sweat had formed upon his face. A glistening drop fell onto my ribs. Ashton thrust. “Come for me again, my love. Squeeze around me.”
I rose to the surface. “Oh God, Ashton!”
Sparks flew behind my closed eyes before I opened them. I reveled in Ashton, watching the glory of his muscles work as he continued to ravage me. I grabbed at his chest and pressed my nails into his flesh while he drove into me.
“Yes!” I moaned. He thrust.
“Bloody hell,” Ashton growled. “I love you.” He grunted, coming with two hard thrusts into my body. “You are mine.”
“Always.”
Ashton’s chest was heaving. He stood staring down at me, sated and sprawled out before him, before he pulled out of my body. Ashton placed his mouth to my throbbing clitoris, and I came again. He flicked it then ran his tongue up the entire surface of my body from clit to chin. When he came to my panting lips, he kissed them.
“Oh my, my lord.” Ashton held me until our breathing calmed.
“Get dressed,” he said softly into me ear, “we have some more riding to do.”
****
I stood in front of Phantom and scratched behind his ear. He whickered. I gave him a sugar cube and kissed the top of his nose. “You are beautiful, Phantom,” I said before going to Zeus. Zeus flung his head, whipping his long white mane. As I approached, his tail lifted. He batted the ground with one hoof. “Zeus,” I cooed. “Have you missed me?” He batted the floor of the stable with his hoof once again. Ashton smiled as he mounted Phantom. I leaned against Zeus’s neck and placed my arms around the strength of him. “We shall ride today, Zeus. Do you wish to take me with you, my god of thunder?” Zeus bobbed his head, snorting as if to answer my question with a resounding yes. I handed him a sugar cube then kissed his nose. “Then I shall be honored to accept your gift.” I patted his neck, placed my foot into the stirrup, stretching my arms up to the sadd
le horn, then hoisted myself up into the saddle.
“Shall we?” Ashton asked.
“Yes, my lord.”
We trotted out of the stables and to the edge of the manicured estate grounds. Ashton and I gazed at each other, smiled then gave our horses the commands. In seconds, we broke out into a thunder of pounding hoofs. It was midnight and snow, galloping at full speed, neck and neck, side by side. When we rounded the tree-lined bend into the large grass open meadow, we slowed.
“Look,” I said. “I told you the meadow would be tall grass.”
Ashton chuckled. “As well you did, my dove.”
We had slowed our mounts to a walk. I leaned forward, resting my upper body against the mane and neck of Zeus. I reached up, scratching behind Zeus’s ear, murmuring loving words as I lay astride his neck, bum perched up into the air and off the saddle.
“You are quite amazing, my dove. And I must say you have a fabulous bum.”
I giggled. “Are you watching my ass?”
“I am quite unable to remove my eyes from the vision,” he assured.
“Did Max order those oats I asked for?”
“Yes, my dove. They should be arriving soon. You do realize you are spoiling the horses.”
“They like those oats. Besides, you spoil them too. I’ve seen you sneaking sugar cubes.”
“Ah … my dove, you do give me great joy.”
I dismounted Zeus. “Walk with me,” I said, looking up at Ashton.
“Of course.” He dismounted Phantom.
I took Ashton’s hand, intertwining my fingers into his. Zeus and Phantom followed beside us in a slow walk. I held out my free hand, allowing the tips of the tall grass to brush across my palm. The sensation upon my skin tickled. I smiled, recalling a dream I had long ago. I was finally at peace, with the absence of fear. It had been months since my last nightmare and months since an anxiety attack. I’d finally found my freedom from the fears that had for so long imprisoned me.
“My dove, why are you smiling?”
“I was just remembering a dream I had before I made the decision to come to France. I dreamed I was walking through a field like this. It was filled with tall swaying grass. I remember even in my dream thinking how strange it was to not be experiencing fear. It was peaceful in that dream, and I’m finally at peace, Ashton, walking through my field of dreams with you at my side.”
Ashton stopped. “I am so in love with you, Trinity. I always shall be, you know? I shall love you with everything I am for all eternity.”
“Eternity,” I mused. “We will have that, my lord.”
Ashton pulled me into his arms, twirling me, kissing me until we fell into a pile of limbs and passion, hidden deep within the grass, kissing, among other things…
“Ashton,” I said as I inched up my riding breeches over my hips. “I think we may have given the horses a show.”
“Indeed,” he said, pulling on his boots.
“I have been thinking about the old cottage house. It seems such a shame to have it in disrepair when it could be so splendidly beautiful.” I paused for a moment. “Look.” I pointed to the north edge of the meadow. “The wisteria and ivy that winds across the rock wall is so lovely. And look at the view; it is so picturesque out here.”
“Would you like to renovate it?” Ashton asked.
“Oh could we? We could use it every spring and summer as our little getaway. We could sleep until noon, walk naked around our kitchen while we made pancakes then we could make love until evening, and soak in the pond under the stars at night. It would be so wonderful.”
“Would this make you happy, my dove?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Then we shall start on the plans to renovate it after the wedding,” Ashton assured. “We will have our little getaway next spring.”
I bounced and ran to hug Ashton. I leapt. He caught me with an “ooof.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, nuzzling my nose into the crook, and twined my fingers in the nape of his hair. “You are too good to me,” I said, kissing his neck.
Ashton laughed. “My dove, there is nothing I would not do for you.”
“Ashton, I need to speak with Reid,” I blurted out and felt his body tense. I knew my confession hit him, but I’d been battling with the decision to tell Ashton for days. “I have been afraid to tell you this so please just listen.” Ashton put me down. His brow furrowed as he looked at me.
“Afraid?” he asked.
“Well maybe worried is the better word. I know you dislike Reid, and you probably don’t wish for me to speak with him, but Jacqueline told me he’s having a hard time. I only know this because Jacqueline and I spoke again this morning. I have stayed away, not wanting to make things worse for him, but Jacqueline believes he should hear from me. It may help him. He has left from John Paul’s and is staying at the chateau with Jacqueline. He told her he was leaving, going back to California after our wedding. He told her the only reason he hasn’t left for home sooner is that he needs to see me get married.” I glanced down, unable to see the pain in Ashton’s eyes. “He’s still my friend, Ashton. I would like to speak with him.”
“Where do you wish to see him?”
“I can go to Jacqueline’s if you would rather he not come here to our chateau,” I offered.
Ashton held on to my hand. “Invite him,” he said.
I touched the scowl upon Ashton’s brow. “Thank you,” I said. “I know this isn’t easy for you. But you know I only love you.”
Ashton smiled but not his best smile. “Yes, my dove. I know.”
“Then please, don’t look so worried.”
“Do you care for him, Trinity?” Ashton asked. “It has always been something which I have been frightened to ask.”
“Yet you ask it now?”
“Yes.”
“Why have you waited so long to ask?”
“Fear of the answer.”
“You feared my answer?”
Ashton’s eyes flashed. “Yes.”
“But how could you fear my answer, Ashton?”
“You may believe me to be strong, Trinity, but when it comes to you, I am without strength. I could not bear to live without you, and in truth perhaps I married you so quickly instead of courting you properly because I wished to claim you as my own regardless of your feelings for Reid. Perhaps that was unfair of me, but I wanted you, I will always want you, Trinity. I know you love me, but do you have any feelings for him?”
“Do you believe I would have married you if I had true feelings for Reid?”
“I was unsure. From time to time I wonder.”
“I know we were married quickly, but it wasn’t unfair of you. Yes, we could have dated, but in the end I would have married you anyway. You have nothing to feel guilty over, Ashton. You did not force me or steal me away like a fiend. If I didn’t want you, if I didn’t love you, I would not have married you.” Ashton was quiet for a moment. I knew him. His expressions. He was considering telling me something. “Ashton, please. I do not wish to upset you. I would rather die than hurt you.”
Ashton placed the pad of his thumb to the swell of my lips. “I have to be honest. When you touched Reid’s hand and brought it to your cheek the night of our engagement dinner, I wanted to rage, not at you, but at him for making you feel the need to touch him. He has the ability to make you feel something for him.” Ashton sighed. “I am a jealous man, possessive in many ways. Perhaps this makes me a devil.”
“Ashton, I know you are possessive when it comes to me, but that possessiveness comes from a good place, not a bad place. You should know you need not worry about losing what you have always possessed.”
Ashton twisted his finger in one of my curls. “You will always be mine, my dove.”
“Yes, Ashton.”
“Reid feels the same, as if you are his. I find this vexing.”
“Oh, Ashton. I was never his, you know this. We have been honest with each other in regard to my relationshi
p with Reid.”
“I know, my dove.”
“From our first meeting we have spoken openly, honestly. You have always said there is nothing we cannot speak of.”
“This shall always be,” Ashton assured.
“You asked me if I care for Reid, so I will answer your question. Reid was the reason I came to France, but he led me to you.” Ashton smiled tenderly. “I do worry for him. When you saw me take his hand, it was not in romantic love. It was in pity. He fights so many demons. It was hard to hear him say he believed I could take them away from him, because I can’t. I wish for Reid to find peace, as I have. So in that, yes, I care for him, but I don’t love him as I love you, Ashton. I never loved him as I love you. He was part of a make-believe life. You are my life. It has always been you.” I placed my hand to his heart. “You must know this. Trust in this. Believe in us, Ashton.”
“I do believe in us. It is Addison I do not trust.”
“He will behave himself. He has no choice if he wishes to speak with me.”
“Would you believe me too overbearing if I stayed close while you meet with him? I shall not listen. I need to be close in case he would lose his ability to behave.”
“Will this make you feel better about my visit?”
“Yes.”
“Then we will meet in the small lilac parlor. I will keep the door open that leads into your study. You can hear me if I need you.”
“Thank you,” he said.
“My love, my lord, my husband, you have nothing to thank me for.” I kissed him until I felt his shoulders relax. “I love you, Ashton Braedon Willmont Archer,” I said, staring into the depths of his iced white eyes. “Only ever you.”
Ashton lifted me up in his arms. He held me and kissed me until my head spun. When the kiss ended, I nuzzled my nose into the crook of his neck, catching the glimpse of some movement within the edge of the trees, but when I tried to focus in, whatever it was, was gone.
****
I sat at my desk, considering the idea of not calling Reid or inviting him for a visit. After my ride with Ashton, my resolve about speaking to Reid was tattered. It shook me to see how hurt Ashton was over Reid. What’s more, Ashton had the ability to hide his pain from me. I knew Ashton disliked Reid, but I was a bit surprised to hear he had been worried about my feelings for Reid. I never wanted to hurt Ashton in any way. I picked up the phone then set it back down. I strummed my fingers on the desk. Later. I’ll call him later.
The Good Sister: Part Two Page 19
