by J Johnson
“Ashlyn! Run!”, Zane yells.
My feet hit the floor and I take off towards the living room. I’m halfway down the hallway when someone shoves me to the floor. My face hits so hard it almost knocks me unconscious, but I force myself to stay awake. I need to run. I try to stand and something pierces my back. It’s sharp and hot and it hurt likes hell. A blood-curdling scream fills the air, then I realize it’s coming from me.
I try to move, but the pain is too great. My eyelids are so heavy and all I want to do is go to sleep. Sleep sounds good. Sleep sounds like an excellent idea. I hear a cracking noise behind me, then a loud thud. Seconds later, my body is moving. I’m cradled in someone’s arms.
“Ashlyn. No.”, he begs. “Stay awake, love. Just a few more minutes.”
I open my mouth to say his name, but liquid comes out instead. I close my eyes, and everything goes dark.
I sit straight up in the bed, gasping for air. My hair is plastered to my face, neck, and chest from the excessive sweating and my heart is in overdrive. I glance around the room searching for anything from my nightmare, but it’s empty except for me and the sound of my breathing. What the hell was that?
Five
∞∞∞
After the hellish nightmare, I rethink my date with Zane this evening. All day long, I’ve done nothing but bounce back and forth between canceling the date or not. On one hand, I believe my subconscious is trying to tell me something. On the other, I think my imagination has gone insane. Nothing about what happened in the dream makes sense. The only part I can see happening is us being together, although that didn’t even happen. A madman interrupted us.
An hour before I’m supposed to leave, I get dressed. I’ve decided that I’m not going to let one nightmare ruin my chance at whatever this is. When I pull up to the tattoo shop, he’s waiting by the door. He looks even sexier than yesterday, which I didn’t think was possible.
“Ashlyn.”, he smiles. “You look lovely.”
“Thanks.”,
Damn these cheeks for turning red at the most basic of compliments.
“Shall we?”
He opens the door for me, letting walk in ahead of him. The smell of his cooking wafts up my nose immediately.
“It smells great, whatever it is.”
“Steak and baked potato. I took a chance and cooked them medium rare, so I hope you like it.”
He grabs my hand and walks me down the hallway to his office. I flinch at the contact, preparing myself for the vision that never comes. I listen again, just as I did last night at dinner for his thoughts, but those too aren’t there. It’s hard to imagine that I’ve finally found someone that I can hold hands with.
“Take a seat, love. I’ll be right back.”
He disappears through a doorway, returning a moment later with our food. After setting everything down on the table, he takes a seat across from me.
“So, how was your day?”, he starts.
I raise a brow at him, wondering why he isn’t bringing up last night. I was sure he’d say something about our little… exchange.
“It was okay. Same as any other I guess.”
We’re silent for what seems like far too long. Long enough that my nerves are ramping up again.
“And you? How was your day?”, I finally ask, breaking the silence.
“Same as any other, I guess.”, he smirks.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something about the night you saved me.”
“Go on.”
“Well, I saw you… you know… take care of the guy. I was wondering if that was something you had done before?”
In other words, big guy, have you killed before? Am I sitting across from a killer?
“If you are trying to ask me if I’ve killed before, the answer is no. That dipshit was my first. I’ve trained in unique skills, but I’ve never had to use them before that night.”
“Do you regret it?”
“Do I regret saving you? No.”
“No. Do you regret killing him?”
He pauses, thinking it over, I assume, before shaking his head again. “No. He deserved it. If I hadn’t gotten there when I did, I don’t know what he would have done to you.”
“Oh, I do.”, I shudder. Just the thought of that psycho gives me the creeps. “Thank you.”
“You’ve already thanked me.”, he smiles, displaying a perfect row of white teeth.
After dinner, he offers me a drink just like last night, and I take it. Anything to calm my nerves. My mind keeps going back to what almost happened last night, and it’s driving me crazy. I want to straddle his lap and have my way with this giant sexy beast of a man.
What has gotten into you? Get a grip. Geez.
“So, I was thinking we could go out somewhere next time instead of staying in.”, he says. “Where would you like to go? Movies? The club? Bowling?” He raises his brow and I giggle.
“I don’t care.”
“What have you always wanted to do but haven’t?”
If he only knew my first answer. Instead, I opt for the less intense I haven’t done but want to do. I smile up at him, or it might be more of a smirk.
“Actually, there is something I’ve been wanting.”
“I’m not sure I like that look.”, he grins.
“You own this place, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you ever do the tattoos yourself?”
“I have before, but rarely. Usually, I only do it if the customer requests me. Why?”
“Will you give me a tattoo?”, I ask, then bite my lip. “I’ll pay for it.”, I add.
“Why haven’t you gotten one before now?”
Can’t tell you that one big guy.
“No reason, but I’ve always wanted one, and it sounds like fun.”
After what seems like an eternity, he finally nods. “I’ll do it on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I get to pick it out and put it where I want.”
The look in his eyes has me on alert. Do I really want to give that kind of control over to him?
“I’m not sure I like that look.”, I repeat his words back to him.
I could let him do one and not the other. If I pick the tattoo, then he gets to pick where he puts it. What if he wants to put it somewhere crazy, like an ass cheek? If I let him pick the tattoo, then he could put something gross or scary on my body like one of those demon heads I saw. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
“I can see the wheels turning in your head. Literally. You’re going to worry yourself to death.”, he laughs. “I promise I’ll pick something girly and cute.”
“What about the place? Where do you plan on putting it?”
“That I will not reveal until you agree to my terms love.”
Oh boy.
“So, what do you say?”
“Okay.”
Did I just agree to that? What the hell is wrong with me?
“I’ll go get the stuff ready. You just relax for a bit. Have another drink but not too much.”
“Right now?”, I squeak, sounding like a mouse on crack.
“Yes, love. Right now.”
He walks out the door before I can object, leaving me to wonder what the hell I was thinking. When he comes back ten minutes later, I’m pacing the floor, and I have chewed all of my nails off. Or what’s left of them.
“Come on.”, he breathes, sending a shiver down my spine. He guides me down the hallway and points to a chair. “Sit there and relax. You look like you’re going to hurl.”
“It’s a possibility.”, I say before thinking.
He laughs at my outburst, only making me more nervous and embarrassed.
“I’m going to lay the chair back. Before I do, I need you to take your shirt off.” My eyes widen in a mixture of horror and excitement. “Relax, love. I won’t do anything unless you want me to. Trust me.”
I never in a million years would have thought that one day I’d be sitting
in a tattoo shop at night, by myself with the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on, thinking about taking off my shirt to get a tattoo. Before I can talk myself out of it, I raise my shirt over my head and set it on the counter beside us. I feel naked even though my black lacey bra is still on my body.
“Beautiful.”, he mumbles as he rakes his gaze over me. Just him staring at me is making my body do crazy things. “Now relax back in the chair.”
He lowers it until I’m lying flat on my back, staring up at the ceiling. The moment his hand touches my stomach, I flinch. Again. He probably thinks I have some kind of illness. Every time he touches me, I jerk. To make matters worse, I raise straight up when his hands grab the waist of my jeans.
“Relax, love. Trust me, or we can’t do this.”
“Why can’t you just tell me what you’re doing? What is the tattoo of and where are you putting it?”, I ask breathlessly.
“Look at me.”, he says. I look directly into his gorgeous eyes. “If you don’t want to do this, tell me now. I won’t hurt you and I won’t do anything else unless you ask me to. Do you understand?” I nod. “Good. I’m going to unbutton your pants and pull them down just a tad. Not enough to reveal anything. Is that okay?”
I nod, even though I’m mentally telling myself it’s a bad idea. I know why it’s a bad idea. I don’t trust myself with this man. I’d give him anything he asked for and question it later. I’m certain it’s supposed to be the other way around, but with him my mind gets all scrambled.
“Do you want to continue?”, he asks. “We can stop if you want.”
“No.” I reply. My mouth seems to be faster than my brain when I’m around him. “I’m fine. It’s fine.”
“Okay. Lay back, relax, and close your eyes if you need to.”
I do as I’m told and relinquish all control to him. He unbuttons my jeans then folds them over revealing just a small section of my panties. I feel something light brush across my skin, making me jerk again. I’m not sure if it was his finger or maybe his lips. I’m afraid to ask. Either way, it felt amazing and I wish he’d do it again.
Every nerve ending comes alive, and I close my eyes and wait. A few moments pass before I feel anything. He’s drawing on me. Who would have thought someone drawing on me would feel like this? He’s right above my panty line, but it feels like he’s everywhere.
I sneak a peek down at him and smile. He’s concentrating hard on whatever it is he’s drawing. I watch as his brows draw together and his lips pooch out just a tad. It’s cute.
“If you keep staring at me like that, we’re going to be doing something else on this chair.”, he says without looking up.
I clamp my eyes shut again, but the thought of doing something else makes me want to stare at him harder. When he’s finally done drawing his hands leave me for a second and I almost pout in response. The noise of the tattoo gun turning on startles me.
“Relax, love.”, he chuckles. “This might sting a little, but I know you can handle it.”
Me and pain do not mix. I don’t know why I ever thought I could do this, and I don’t know why he thinks I can handle it. The minute it pierces my skin for the first time, I yelp. I honestly thought he’d stop after that, but he keeps going. I bite my lip to keep myself from making any more embarrassing noises and shut my eyes tighter.
The pain becomes bearable after a little while, or I’ve gone numb in that area. I’m not sure which. I keep telling myself repeatedly that he’s already started, so unless I want half a tattoo, I need to keep my mouth closed.
Hours go by, or so it seems before he finally turns the vibrating thing off and announces he’s finished. I lay still at first, afraid to look at it.
“You have to look at it eventually.”, he chuckles. “I promise. You’ll be pleased.” When I don’t get up right away, I feel something light brush across the top of my breast. My eyes pop open and he’s inches away from my face.
“Do you need help?”, he asks. I shake my head in response. “Then what are you waiting for?”
My hand reaches out behind his head, pulling him towards me. Our lips meet and I momentarily forget the tattoo. His tongue slowly slides across my lips and I open up to him. Our tongues dance the sweetest dance together until we’re both breathless and needy.
“We have to stop.”
He pulls away from me, and I groan.
“I don’t want to.”, I tell him, surprising myself again.
The look he gives me sends a shock wave through my body. I want this man and I want him now. I don’t care that we’ve only been on two dates. I don’t care that we don’t know each other that well. I don’t care that he scares me and excites me at the same time. The logical part of my brain tells me to run from him. He’s dangerous. There’s something about him that isn’t right. The other part of me, the part that is winning, doesn’t care.
“If we keep doing that love, we’re going to end up naked and in my bed.”
“I don’t care. I want to.”
He lifts me up off the chair and carries me down the hallway. I wrap my legs around his waist, nuzzling my face into his neck. He kicks the office door open and makes his way to another door. He kicks this one open as well before stepping inside and setting me down.
“Look at me.”, he says while brushing a strand of hair off my face. “Are you sure you want to do this?” I nod. “You’re trembling.”
“I… I’ve never…”, I stutter.
I can’t seem to get the words out. I look down at the floor, but he lifts my head back up with a finger under my chin.
“Are you trying to tell me you have never had sex?”, he asks. When I nod again, he closes his eyes. “My God, Ashlyn. You’re killing me.”
I stand still, not sure what the hell I’m supposed to do. I know what I want to do. I want his clothes off. I want the rest of my clothes off.
“We can’t…” He shakes his head and opens his eyes. He pierces me with a stare that only deepens my desire. “You are so beautiful.”
He kisses me again, this time slower, more delicately.
“Take your clothes off.” His voice is raspy. I rip them off quickly because I know if I think about it too long, I’ll chicken out. “Lay back on the bed.”
Again, I do as I’m told. I’m now lying on my back naked with the sexiest man alive staring at me. He takes off his clothes and throws them to the floor. I hear the soft thump as they land, but I’m fixated on him. Or more accurately, what’s between his legs. There is no way this is going to work. My expression must show my fear because he laughs before slowly climbing above me.
“I need you to be sure about this love. If you don’t want to tell me, but once it’s done, there’s no going back. Are you sure?”
The gentleness in his voice only helps with my decision. I lay my hand across his cheek and nod. I briefly wonder if this makes me a tramp since I’m sleeping with a guy I barely know.
“I’m sure, Zane. I want this.”
I’m not sure if he is trying to decide on his own to stop or not, but he takes a minute to move. I have almost decided to run out of here in tears when he finally leans down and kisses me. A tiny explosion happens in my mouth when our lips touch. I sigh at the contact like I needed it to breathe. He massages my tongue with his, triggering a million more explosions.
A moan escapes me when he moves away from my swollen lips. An empty feeling settles in my gut, but it’s short-lived when he nibbles on my neck, then down to my breasts. Every hair on my body stands on end with every kiss. Every touch. A warmth spreads between my legs and I instinctively know it’s my body getting ready for his.
“So beautiful.”, he murmurs against my stomach. “You’re breathtaking.”
“Zane.”, I moan.
“I know, love. I know what you need, but we have to take it slow.”
Slow to me right this minute sounds like torture. Slow, intoxicating torture. I’m not sure I’ll survive it. He moves his fingers down to my mound and gently opens me
up, caressing my most sensitive part. I tense up at first, but quickly relax beneath him.
“So wet for me.”
He inserts a finger inside me, then two. By the time he’s done playing around down there, I’m ready to explode. He makes his way back up my body, sucking gently on each nipple, giving them both the same amount of attention. He finally makes it back to my mouth, then raises up to look at me.
“This is going to hurt a little love. Just relax and hold on to me.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and hold his gaze. I try to relax as much as I can, but the anticipation is killing me. He bends down and kisses me again, making me lose all train of thought. Suddenly he lurches forward, plunging into me. My grip tightens on his neck, tears threaten to fall, and I tense up again. He’s big. I knew when I saw him it was going to hurt, but this is worse than I imagined.
“Relax, love.”, he whispers in my ear while keeping his lower body perfectly still inside me.
He trails light kisses on my neck and mouth until I finally start to relax again. The pain is still there, but it seems to ease up. He continues to distract me with his mouth until I feel like I can’t breathe. Everything else has faded from my mind except him moving. I need him to move. I squirm beneath him, making him moan.
“Fucking hell, love. I’m already having a hard time controlling myself until you get used to me. That’s not helping.”
“I need you to move.”, I begged. “Please.”
He doesn’t argue. His eyes do that glowy thing again and he moves. The pain is gone completely, and absolute euphoria has taken its place. I don’t know if it’s supposed to feel this good or if it’s just this good with Zane. I can’t imagine it feeling any better than this.
Our bodies are connected everywhere. Our mouths. Our chests. Our hands roaming, trying to get to know the other. His rhythm is slow and steady. The ache inside me is getting stronger by the second. It’s building, getting more intense. He moves a little faster inside me, making me moan. The ache grows until I feel as if I’m going to explode.
Nothing else exists except the feel of us entwined together. The only sounds I hear are my screams and his grunting. Every cell in my body explodes with an intensity that shouldn’t be possible to withstand. He buries his head in the crook of my neck while I hang on to him, clutching him to me, basking in the paradise he’s just taken me to. Since I’ve never done this before I can only assume he’s reached his climax, with all the grunting he’s doing.
