“What are you doing? The desserts are in the oven,” Landon asked.
Clyde glowered at him, then shot back, “I see you haven’t learned to pacify your female any better.”
“What do you mean? I’ve gotten way better.” Landon argued, then turned to Lucas. “Right?”
“A little.” Lucas shrugged. “By the way—”
“Listen.” Clyde silenced them. “Tomorrow, I’ll watch them.” At their befuddled expressions, he continued, “I’ll shift to spirit form and follow them. Trust me, they won’t know I’m there.”
Lucas and Landon’s eyes lit with praise.
“That’s a good idea,” Lucas commented.
“But there’s three of them and one of you—not to mention my pups—” Landon’s eyes widened. He slapped his hand over his mouth when he realized he slipped again.
“It’ll be fine. They just reunited today. They’ll be like white on rice,” he said overconfidently. “Come on let’s get the dessert before they get suspicious.”
They grabbed the pies warming in the oven as they left the kitchen, he added, “By the way, Landon, here’s some more heavenly advice. If you don’t want her to do something she needs to do, then do it for her.”
Landon sighed, then they entered the dining room.
The rest of the night quickly slipped by. Jocelyn and Landon agreed to stay in one of the spare floors in Lucas’ building, so the sisters could head off on their shopping excursion in the morning. Before Clyde realized it, Jenna, Ashley and he were in the elevator headed to their rooms.
“Clyde, your floor is just as you left it, you can stay there.”
“Where’s Ashley sleeping?”
“I set up the floor above yours for her.”
I’m supposed to guard Ashley. Why would I stay anywhere except on her floor? “No,” he said definitively.
“No, what?” Jenna prodded.
“I’m staying on Ashley’s floor. In case anything…” His words died when he noticed Jenna’s perceptive gaze. She was up to something; he’d had the feeling all night from the way she kept looking at him. “What?” he barked.
Ashley grasped his hand softly, the touch soothing his growing aggravation.
“Oh, Clyde,” Jenna uttered then sighed.
“What?” He managed not to bark this time.
“There is plenty of room in this building. I figured you wanted your privacy since the last few times you’ve been here, you just kept to yourself, but if you want to stay with Ash it’s fine… Geez, why are you so on edge?”
“I’m supposed to guard her. Why would I leave her side?”
Ashley’s cheeks flushed, and he berated himself again for making her feel uncomfortable.
The elevator stopped on the ninth floor, and they exited. He watched Ashley as she scanned the apartment, her jaw dropping at the open concept kitchen, dining and living room area. To the immediate right was the kitchen, fully loaded with top of the line appliances, an island and several stools. To the left was the dining room with a table and six chairs. At the end was the living area. A large sectional sat in the middle covered with several red cushions and a 56-inch television.
“Come, Ash, I’ll show you around,” Jenna said brightly. Standing in the middle of the living room, she said, “We have cable. About three hundred channels and in that shelf,” she pointed, “There are DVD’s, too.”
His attention still on Ashley, he watched as she nodded. Jenna opened a set of double doors leading to a balcony.
“This is the balcony,” she said.
Clyde smiled when he caught sight of Ashley’s eyes widening. He was sure she’d never seen an eight hundred square-foot patio with lounge chairs, barbeque, bar and hot tub called a balcony before. They walked back inside and down a corridor.
“This is your room,” Jenna said, opening the door and allowing Ashley to step inside.
“Wow,” she muttered.
The beautifully decorated room had a large four-post bed, vanity, dresser and armoire. There was also a seating area with a coffee table and sofa and television.
Jenna then led them toward the far left side of the room. “The study is through here.”
He watched as Ashley opened the door to the study and again seemed amazed. Jenna grabbed her hand and led her to the other end of the large room and opened a set of double doors that led to the closet. He followed close behind.
“Oh my God,” he heard Ashley whisper.
“Joce and I bought some clothes and shoes for you ahead of time,” Jenna said as Clyde entered the closet.
Some? The large walk-in was full.
“Umm… You didn’t have to go through all this trouble,” Ashley mumbled.
“Ash, it was no trouble at all,” Jenna said then led Ashley toward the bathroom where there, too, was a large hot tub and shower.
“Jenna, this is amazing,” Ashley said. “Thank you for letting me stay here.”
Jenna’s eyes widened briefly. “Letting you? Ash, this is your home now.” She paused, tears welling in her eyes. “The entire building is secure. Lucas has cameras everywhere. Cain, Jacob and Benjamin live here, too. They are on separate floors. Anything you need, just let me know, okay?”
Jenna embraced her sister. “I’ll let you get some rest.” She turned toward Clyde, then said, “There are two spare bedrooms on this floor. You can take your pick.” She embraced him as well, then left.
He turned to Ashley and studied her smiling expression. The need arose to hold her against him and feel the warmth of her body against his. He batted it down and settled for asking, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, smiling.
He hesitated because he didn’t want to go, because he wanted to stay, but after several moments in silence, he had no choice. Reluctantly, he strode toward the door.
“Wait.”
He turned, smiling.
She closed the distance between them. “Thank you for everything, Clyde. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.
He bent toward her, wrapped one arm around her waist, the other around her back, then buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled.
Relishing the feel of her body melded against his, he forgot the worries consuming him. She soothed his ache with a mere touch, with a mere embrace.
Exactly what he’d wanted, exactly what he needed.
She then pressed her full lips against his cheek, kissing him lightly.
An innocent kiss. There was no passion behind it, but an unconscious consuming need, one he’d never felt, swelled inside him—desire. It was exciting, overwhelming and terrifying, blocking logic and reason.
All he wanted now was a single kiss. All he could think about was how her soft lips would feel pressed against his.
Marvelous, he concluded.
It was absurd to want what he did and feel what he felt for he was an angel. Carnal desires even as insignificant as kisses were for others, for all others except his breed, and yet he felt it so deeply it seared him.
The desire that gripped him didn’t release him even after she unhooked her arms from around his neck, and the warmth of her body melted away.
There he stood, immobile, battling the desire she’d sparked. He didn’t want to leave yet knew he had to before he’d acted out his longing.
He willed his body to move. Finally, he placed one foot behind the other, stepped back and strode away praying the yearning he had no right to feel for a woman who would never be his would soon subside.
Chapter 10
Ashley awoke rejuvenated and content recalling the night before. No longer alone, she had her sisters—or two of them at least.
Sitting with them at dinner evoked emotions in her she’d thought she would never feel after her adoptive mother died. Finally, she had family again. She belonged.
She got up, took a quick shower then headed into her closet. My closet, she repeated over and over again le
tting it sink in. Rummaging through her clothes, she searched for her usual: jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. When she found something suitable, she dressed, headed out of her room and found Clyde standing just outside her door.
“Good morning.”
At the sight of him, her heart betrayed her, beating a thousand miles a minute. He was so handsome, towering over her with his dark disheveled hair and intense bright sapphire eyes.
“Good morning,” she replied, hoping she didn’t sound as unnerved as she felt. “Were you waiting for me?”
“Jenna called around the time I heard your shower go off. She said breakfast would be served in ten minutes, so I figured I’d wait for you.”
“Oh… Thanks.”
“How do you feel?”
“Fine.”
“I mean…” He glanced away from her as if searching for the words. “How are you handling all this?”
She smiled brightly, touched by his concern. “Good. I know it sounds weird but I feel like…I haven’t been apart from them at all. I’ll miss my work and my flat, and I know it’s going to take some time to get used to all the changes, but with Jenna and Jocelyn I feel like it won’t be hard.”
His smile widened.
Once they reached the dining room, Ashley noticed everyone seated, chattering quietly.
“Hey, Ash!” Jocelyn called, running toward her.
Landon’s eyes widened, fear clear in his tone when he shouted, “Baby! Don’t run, please.”
Disregarding her male completely, Jocelyn embraced her then asked, “How did you sleep? Did you like your floor?”
“Great and yes, it’s amazing.”
“Hey, after our shopping trip maybe we can get in the pool. Lucas has a pool on the top floor. It’s gorgeous.”
Panic seized her immediately. Pool, bikini, not a good idea. “Well…” She searched for an excuse.
Just then, Jenna walked through the double doors leading to the kitchen with a large tray of pancakes and French toast. She placed them on the table and headed toward Ashley.
“Ash, good morning,” Jenna said, grinning. “How did you sleep?”
“Good.”
Jocelyn turned to Jenna and said, “I was just telling her we can take a dip in the pool later.”
“Joce, really? Maybe we should just wait to get over one outing to plan another,” Jenna said calmly.
Thank God for Jenna, Ashley thought, relieved.
“Why?” Jocelyn asked.
“Because we don’t know how long we’ll be out today,” Jenna insisted.
“But what if we come back early, then—” Jocelyn began.
Jenna cut her off. “She isn’t going anywhere.”
Jocelyn’s face flushed, then she snapped, “You’re just saying that because she’s staying here, so you get to spend more time with her.”
Landon took a step in his mate’s direction.
A moment later, Lucas materialized beside him and placed his hand on Landon’s chest. “We agreed. Let them settle it their own way.”
“You agreed, but your fated isn’t pregnant,” Landon barked.
Lucas’s eyes flared a deep crimson color spitting fire in Landon’s direction. “Jocelyn’s my sister, too.” His voice thinly veiled with anger.
God, he’s scary, Ashley thought then she felt the heat of Clyde’s arm around her shoulders.
With her mouth gaped open, still in shock from witnessing Lucas’s disappearing and reappearing act, not to mention his eyes changing colors, Ashley shifted her attention back to her sisters.
“Joce, you’re being unreasonable,” Jenna said, to which Jocelyn responded with a huff. “Cain can materialize you here anytime you want, or Lucas can or Benjamin can or Jacob can or you can drive.”
Laughter then rang out throughout the room, defusing the tension. “You see what you’ve been missing, Ashley?” Cain said, then laughed again. “Come on, let’s eat.”
Clyde pulled out her chair, and she sat then thanked him. He took her plate and placed two pancakes and two slices of French toast.
Lucas looking more relaxed asked, “So Ashley, what did you do in London?”
“I worked at a bakery.”
“Like it?” Lucas asked.
“Yeah, I loved it actually,” she said then took a bite of French toast.
“And what did you do in London besides baking?” the dark-haired, dark-eyed, troubled-looking Jacob asked.
She glanced in his direction and just as the day before was unnerved by his intense demeanor. The room hummed with it.
Lucas glared in Jacob’s direction, his eyes sparking red again. Jenna placed her hand over Lucas’s and his eyes returned to their natural shade.
“Um…well… That’s it really. I had only moved there two months before.”
Clyde grasped her hand, comforting her. Her eyes darted toward his. She noticed him scowling at Jacob.
Unfazed by either Clyde or Lucas, Jacob asked firmly, “Where were you before?”
“I was in Paris for two years I studied at Le Cordon Bleu. I studied both pastry making and cuisine.”
“No shit!” Cain chuckled.
She turned her attention toward him, a smile on her lips. She already liked Cain. He was the first to mollify any tension, and she got the impression he was the type of man who never angered.
“Maybe you can teach me a couple of things. I’ve been cooking for about three centuries. Your sisters say I’m pretty good,” he shrugged, “but I’ve never actually taken courses.”
She smiled. “I’d be happy to. Although if you’ve been cooking for that long I doubt there’s anything I could teach you that you probably don’t already know.”
“Trust me, there’s a lot I don’t know.” Cain grinned.
“I’ll tell you what, tonight we can make dinner.”
Cain shoved a forkful of food in his mouth, then said, “It’s a date.”
Clyde flinched then tightened his hold on her hand. She briefly pondered his reaction before she spotted Jenna’s eyes snapping to Clyde, watching him curiously with the same amused expression she had each time Clyde had gotten frustrated with her the night before. Luckily Clyde didn’t notice.
****
After breakfast, Ashley and her sisters hailed a cab and headed toward Fifth Avenue. She marveled at the cityscape, tall buildings and architecture, masses of people crowding the streets. She hadn’t paid much attention to the atmosphere of the big city last night having been too nervous with reuniting with her sisters. She started to understand why people loved New York City, the city that never slept. It was busting at the seams with people and life.
Jenna instructed the cab to pull over in front of the library. They exited and walked a few blocks. Reaching an upscale woman’s department store, they entered. Jocelyn and Jenna immediately strode toward a stand displaying short skirts.
“Oh my God! Look at this,” Jocelyn exclaimed, pulling the skirt off the stand and placing it over her jeans. “Ash, this would look great on you.”
“Oh…I can’t wear that.” Her voice sounded as uncomfortable as she felt.
Jocelyn lifted her brows. “Why not?”
“You have a very nice backside. It will look great on you,” Jenna added.
“Oh, I just don’t wear skirts or shorts.” At her sisters’ befuddled expressions, she explained, “I’m just not comfortable in them. Besides, you guys have already stocked my closet with a bunch of them.”
“The point of this shopping excursion is to bond, best way to bond is to buy stuff, and to buy stuff you need to try stuff on,” Jocelyn said on a smile.
“Oh, come on. You have to at least try it on,” Jenna insisted.
“But—”
“No buts, you will try it on,” Jocelyn demanded.
Ashley watched helplessly as her sisters grabbed five skirts, three shorts, two pairs of jeans, four dresses and countless shirts and blouses. Every time she picked out a long-sleeved blouse, they argued it was too hot to
wear long sleeves and winter was months away.
“There will be new styles by then,” Jenna said.
“Then we can come shopping again,” Jocelyn announced excitedly.
As they approached the dressing rooms, panic crawled up and down her spine. She debated what she should do about her predicament. Trying on the skirts, shorts, dresses or short-sleeved blouses would reveal the scars she’d kept hidden for so long. She didn’t want anyone to ever see them especially her sisters and especially now when they’d just reunited. It would lead to questions she didn’t want to answer, and she feared the rest of their day would be ruined by her past. Most importantly, she didn’t want her sisters to see her as different and couldn’t fathom them looking at her with pity in their eyes.
They entered a large dressing room at the end of a long narrow hallway, then Jenna and Jocelyn turned to her. Their expressions concerned.
“Are you okay?” Jenna asked softly.
“Yeah,” she lied looking away from her.
“We should have explained something to you yesterday,” Jenna whispered. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we can feel each other’s emotions.”
Suddenly it was too hot and too cramped in the dressing room. Feeling her face pale, she shook her head and denied, “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can, but you probably haven’t noticed because a lot has been going on, and I’m sure we’ve all felt the same—happy and excited.”
“We know something is wrong, Ash. Do you not like the clothes? You don’t have to try them on if you don’t want to. You don’t have to get them,” Jocelyn added.
“I…it’s just…” They are your sisters. They love you. They won’t judge you, her conscience advised. “I don’t wear this type of stuff because… I can’t wear this type of clothes…because…” Her words trailed off.
Ashley took a deep breath summoning courage then reluctantly, she removed her shirt and jeans, revealing the scars. She watched nervously as her sisters’ eyes trailed up and down her body. Their expressions saddened, and for the first time, she realized she could feel what they did. It mingled with her own emotion, relief. Finally, it wasn’t a secret she kept buried deep inside.
Jenna spoke first, “Do you want to talk about it?”
Heavenly Desire Page 11
