Heart to Heart

by Meline Nadeau

  “I do. But I love you more,” he murmured. Turning her into his arms, he kissed her and then led her to the cabin. Carly’s head swam.

  Asher opened the door and pushed her inside. Trembling with anticipation and lust, Carly looked around and moistened her lips. His hand on the small of her back trailed up and around as he pulled her body up close; his need for her was more than evident.

  “Why are you nervous, sweetheart? You weren’t earlier.” His deep voice close to her ear sent shivers of delight through her body. They pooled somewhere around her pelvis.

  “I … well … I’m not really nervous. It’s just that this place is so yours … I feel like I’m invading or something. I don’t want you to think that I’m expecting that … oh, I don’t know,” she finished with a shrug.

  Asher sighed behind her. “Carly. Promise me something.”

  “What?”

  “Stop caring so much about what other people think of you. I want you here. Yes, it’s an intensely private place for me but having you here is what I want, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear?”

  She nodded, turning in his arms. “Am I a psycho neurotic?”

  He laughed, backing her up to the bed. “No more than any other artist.”

  “Asher. Are you stereotyping artists as crazy people?”

  “No.” He pulled her T-shirt over her head.

  “I would hope not, because you are an artist, you know.”

  “I know.” He reached behind her and unsnapped her bra.

  “Then why would you — ”

  Asher’s hot mouth closed over a nipple.

  “Why would you … would you … ohhhhh,” she sighed, gripping at his muscled arms.

  Groaning at her response, Asher kissed a path up to her mouth, even as his strong hands unbuttoned her shorts. “Carly, my love. Can we have this discussion later? Or in a year? How about twenty years?”

  Her eyes huge, she nodded at the implication in his his request. “Yes. And yes, and yes.”

  “Good.”

  With quick hands, Asher pulled her shorts and panties off and pressed her down to the bed, hovering over her, just as he had a few weeks ago.

  “But this time is different,” she whispered.

  “This time I know that I love you,” he responded, as if reading her thoughts.

  “And I love you,” she whispered. “And I want to make love to you. But I can’t get your clothes off with this damned chunk of plaster wrapped around my arm.” She held up her cast, pouting.

  Asher chuckled deeply and sat back on his heels, unbuttoning his shirt. As he stood to remove his jeans, Carly scrambled up to stand next to him. His eyebrow raised in question.

  “I want what we were doing at the theater,” she said.

  His other eyebrow rose to meet the first one. “Good idea.” He stripped the rest of the way, and then reclined on the bed, reaching for her.

  With a sigh of pleasure, Carly straddled him, holding herself up with her left palm pressed on his chest. His stormy eyes met hers as his hands gripped her hips. She watched in fascination as his biceps bunched and then she was being lifted. Reaching between them, she clasped his erection in her hands.

  Asher’s nostrils flared as she slowly stroked him. “Can I be inside?” he gasped, still holding her aloft.

  “Oh, God, yes. Now, in fact,” she moaned and guided him to the perfect place.

  He entered her as he had the first time … with agonizing slowness, his eyes locked on hers. The fullness, the satisfaction was almost heaven enough itself as he pushed himself to the hilt inside of her.

  Barely able to breathe, Carly placed her hand back on his chest and rocked forward. “Oh, Asher,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss him.

  The grip on her hips tightened and his mouth claimed hers, plundering. His strong fingers urged her hips into a rhythm and then they slid up her body to cup her breasts.

  His kneading fingers drove Carly to the brink. Increasing the pace, she moaned and bit her lip.

  “God, yes,” Asher breathed, letting go of her breasts to pull her down fully on top of him. She buried her lips in his neck as he cupped her hips again, thrusting upward to meet her rocking. An orgasm began to surge through her.

  “More,” she said. Her heart hammered.

  He increased the pace to a frantic rhythm and thrust once more, at the height of her orgasm and so deep inside that cried out.

  “Asher … Asher,” she groaned, even as his shout of completion echoed through the cabin. Shock waves ran through her body and she collapsed on top of him. The only sound in the stillness of twilight was their ragged breathing.

  “Asher?” Carly repeated some moments later, but in a much calmer tone of voice, “I almost hate to ask … but what time is it?”

  “Oh shit.”

  Carly giggled as he rolled her to the side and fumbled in his jeans for his cell phone. His handsome brow wrinkled with worry, he looked at the screen to check the clock. A grin split his face. He sank back onto the quilt and pulled her close.

  She inhaled the scent of his skin and closed her eyes, smiling. “What time is it?”

  “No worries, sweetheart.”

  She cracked open an eye. “Yes, worries. We had to have been up here for at least an hour and I need to get dressed for the opening, which includes putting on a corset and — ”

  “An hour?” Asher interrupted, “Try fifteen minutes.”

  Carly’s jaw dropped open and then she began to laugh. “We did all that in fifteen minutes? I guess we were … ahem … eager.”

  He nodded, staring at her. His tongue snaked out to wet the sculpted lips she couldn’t resist. “Care to see if we can double our time?”

  Holding up her broken arm, Carly scrambled over him and reached for her panties. “Let’s double it later. If I stay in that bed ten more seconds, we will never even make it to the show.”

  Asher sighed and flopped an arm over his eyes. “Oh, all right. Does it matter that I have my van up here and we don’t have to hike back?” He peered out from under his arm.

  She shook her head, her eyes full of love. “Let’s not chance it, handsome. Besides … it will be fun to flirt with you during the show. You’ll like what I’m wearing.”

  “Oh?” He rose onto an elbow, interest sparking in his eyes. “Describe.”

  “Just wait,” she said, winking at her man. Her wonderful, strong, man-who-cried-for-her-and-then-rocked-her-world-afterwards-man. “I love you, Asher.”

  He winked back and then snapped her bare butt with his shirt. “I love you too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  A hand fluttering to her chest, Carly raced down the street to the costume shop and yanked open the door.

  “Nancy, I’m here. Please don’t kill me,” she panted.

  “For God’s sake, Carly, the show starts in ten minutes. What the hell took you so long?” Nancy, wearing a ratty ankle length housecoat, grumbled as she waddled forward with the cream silk gown draped over her arms.

  “I had to take a shower.”

  Nancy looked at her with a jaundiced eye. “Mmm-hmm. That’s what your man said, too.” She jerked her thumb toward the back of the shop. “He’s back there putting on his costume.”

  Carly blushed and smoothed her wet hair self-consciously. “Thanks. I guess I’ll need the corset … ” she trailed off.

  Sighing, Nancy pulled her behind a rack and tugged her T-shirt up. “Take it off. I will now demonstrate the fastest corset lacing in the entire Wild West.”

  Moments later, Carly grabbed at a rack of clothes as Nancy jerked the last corset string tight and then tied it. She lifted her arms and the lovely silk flowed down over her body. Turning her around, Nancy buttoned the back, grabbed her hair, twisted it up and stuck the fe
athered comb in place. She shoved a satin glove on Carly’s left hand. “Done.” She raised her pudgy arms in victory.

  “Thank you,” Carly said with a laugh.

  “No, let me thank you,” said Asher, emerging from the back of the building.

  Carly caught her breath at the sight of him. He looked dangerous. A black cowboy hat sat low over his eyes and a long black coat swirled around his calves as he walked forward. A tight, striped vest accentuated his lean torso and the gun belt slung low on his hips made her bite her lower lip.

  “Um … Nancy? Did I say thank you?” Carly murmured. Asher met her smoldering gaze and reached for her hand.

  “Yikes. The show starts in five minutes. Enough thank-yous already.” Nancy removed her housecoat with a flourish to reveal a bright purple and pink gown covered in layers of lace. Grabbing an equally lacy hat from a table near the door, she plunked it on her head. “Ready?”

  Asher’s lips curved upwards as he slipped an arm around Carly’s cinched waist. “You’re ravishing, Nancy.”

  “I know,” she flung over her shoulder as she sailed out the door and up the dusty, dark street.

  Peering after her, Carly noticed the overflowing parking lot and the large crowd of people waiting outside the front entrance to the theater. Most of them had blue hair. Some of them had walkers.

  “Wow. Marilyn sure has a following, doesn’t she?” she commented, leaning against her man.

  “Hold still,” he answered. “And close your eyes.”

  “Asher, we have to go. After the show we will have plenty of time for — ”

  “Hold still and close your eyes,” he repeated and she sighed, complying.

  Taking her plaster covered arm in his, Asher silently pulled a marker from his pocket. It squeaked as he began to write.

  “What are you doing?” she said.

  “Signing your cast.”

  “Now?”

  “Just wait. You’ll like it, I promise. At least I hope you will.”

  The squeaking stopped and Carly peered at him through her lashes.

  “May I look?”

  Asher dropped to a knee and clasped her left hand.

  “Yes, my love. Take a look.”

  Smiling, Carly held out her plaster-covered right arm and her eyes widened.

  On her snowy white cast, in bold black letter were the words: Marry Me.

  Shock buzzed through her. She looked down at Asher and watched as he removed his hat and placed it on the floor, clearing his throat. He looked up. His eyes were anxious.

  “Carly, will you?”

  “Asher,” she whispered, her eyes full of love, “Yes. And yes and yes. Forever and always.”

  “I don’t have a ring yet. I … well … I wanted to design one for you,” he murmured.

  She tugged on his hand until he stood up. “Let the ring for now be the plaster one around my arm, then,” she said, gazing into his eyes.

  “I don’t care what it is for right now, to tell you the truth. I’m just so grateful you said yes. You said yes to me.” He cupped her face in his hands and drew her close. “Thank you.”

  Their lips met and elation swelled in Carly’s heart. He loved her. Despite everything.

  “Fun proposal, by the way,” she commented after her heart stopped hammering from his kiss.

  “I thought so, too.”

  A bell sounded outside.

  “The curtain’s about to go up … shall we?” He offered her his arm.

  She grinned and him and then stopped, snapping her fingers. “I almost forgot.”

  “Forgot this?” Asher pulled a cream lace veil from an inside pocket of his coat. He removed the feather from her hair and replaced it with the delicate fabric. He adjusted the comb at the crown of her head. Pride shone in his eyes. “My bride.”

  “Damn straight I am.” She grinned. “Broken arm, big mouth and all.”

  He winked. “You’re perfect.” Now let’s go terrorize some old ladies.”

  Carly walked beside Asher to the theater on a cloud of air, unmindful of the dust swirling around her feet. As they rounded the corner to the front of the building, she spied Ross. He was dressed in a plain black suit and black T-shirt, pacing nervously back and forth.

  “Hey partner, where’s your costume?” she called out to him.

  He rushed forward and gripped her arms. “For God’s sake, woman, do you know how late you are? The curtain’s going up any minute and I had to leave my date to come look for you and — ”

  “Date?” She and Asher interrupted in unison.

  Ross blushed. “Bruce.”

  Carly squeezed her best friend’s arm. “Good for you.”

  “Yeah. No kidding. He’s hot as hell,” Ross shot back, pulling away to survey Carly’s costume. “Wait a minute. Why the F are you dressed like a bride?”

  “She is one,” replied Asher, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Oh my God. Congratulations … can I see the ring?”

  Carly held up her broken arm and burst into giggles.

  Ross looked at it, rolled his eyes and then slapped Asher on the back. “That’s a huge ring, man. Very impressive.”

  Chuckling, Asher reached out to hug him. “Thanks.”

  “So I guess this means you’re not leaving tomorrow?” Ross asked as he pulled her into a bear hug.

  “Oh hell, no,” she shot back, “You?”

  “Not a chance,” Ross answered. “I already lined up a job in Phoenix for next month. It’s a drive, and I hate driving, but for the meantime Danny told me I could stay put here. You want to come do my set and props for me when I go to Arizona?”

  Carly’s mouth opened and she wrinkled her brow.

  He waved it away. “Never mind. We can talk about it later. You have a wedding to plan anyway. Oh, and about that … Bruce thinks — ”

  “Ross. Ross,” A frantic whisper came from the open double doors a few feet away. “We’re two point five minutes behind. I need to start the show but I won’t do it without you. Come on. Please.”

  Parker jumped up and down, trembling, a stopwatch in his hand.

  Carly tried to wipe the smile from her lips but failed. Leaning in to Ross, she whispered, “Drama Trauma.”

  “Totally,” he agreed. “I’m coming, dammit. And no, you can’t start the show without me.” He stomped to the door and stepped over the threshold. “Now you can start.”

  “What a diva,” Asher chuckled.

  “You have no idea,” said Carly, tugging on his hand.

  “I’ll have years to find out, though,” he murmured against her ear as they entered the theater.

  Carly smiled with satisfaction as she surveyed the gorgeous restoration. Walking down the aisle, hand in hand with Asher, she looked overhead at the glimmering ceiling.

  “What do you think?” she asked, and then corrected herself, “Not that I care too much what people think about me.” Asher threw his head back and laughed. A gaggle of old ladies turned to glare at him.

  “Again, sweetheart, we have years. Someday you’ll quit asking me that.”

  “You wish.” Carly stuck out her tongue.

  A hush fell over the murmuring crowd as the lights dimmed. Asher and Carly took their seats next to Ross in the front row and looked up. A spotlight appeared as the oleo curtain rose.

  Marilyn stood center stage in her magnificent wine gown, her regal gaze sweeping the audience. Applause and cheers burst forth, and she held court, loving every minute of it. When the adulation finally died away, she swept downstage and paused for just the briefest of seconds. Finding Carly in the front row, she gave her a lascivious wink and then raised her chin, again the consummate diva. A pin dropping would have made noise as the audience waited with hushed anticip
ation for Marilyn to speak.

  Asher clasped Carly’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together. She turned, noting the lust in his eyes as his gaze wandered over her. Squeezing his hand, she traced the edge of her open mouth with her tongue and winked.

  He leaned in close and whispered, “You’re a naughty bride.”

  She kissed the corner of his lips softly. “Just wait.”

  Happier than she had ever been in her life, she turned her attention toward the stage and beamed.

  About the Author

  After spending twenty years in professional theater as a costume designer, Laura Simcox abandoned the nomadic lifestyle to sit at a beat up enormous second hand oak desk and write. The result? Romance novels! Her favorite thing ever since she was, oh, about twelve. She writes contemporary, light novels and enjoys creating quirky characters and funny dialogue. Still, the love story is the focus and Laura has a huge soft spot for a sappy, happy ending.

  She lives in North Carolina with her husband (True love is real!) and her adorable, high-energy three year old son who is currently obsessed with pirates. And that’s cool, because she loves ’em too.

  She enjoys connecting with readers and more information, including links to Facebook, Twitter and others are on her website.

  Reach Laura at: www.laurasimcox.com

  A Sneak Peek from Crimson Romance

  Between the Sheets by Liv Rancourt

  No Secrets in Spandex

  Toni Jones

  Avon, Massachusetts

  This edition published by

  Crimson Romance

  an imprint of F+W Media, Inc.

  10151 Carver Road, Suite 200

  Blue Ash, Ohio 45242

  www.crimsonromance.com

  Copyright © 2012 by Toni Jones

  ISBN 10: 1-4405-5995-3

  ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-5995-2

  eISBN 10: 1-4405-5996-1

  eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-5996-9

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events, or locales in this novel are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. The resemblance of any character to actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.