Love is Only a Whisper (Whisper Series)

by Wynn, Renee

  “You’re being ridiculous. My aunt and your mother are best friends. It’s impossible for us not to see other. What am I supposed to do, turn the other way when I see him?”

  “Out of respect for Melissa and his marriage, I’m warning you, don’t be alone with him.”

  “Warning?” Nicole bridled with resentment and anger. “You’re making a request not a command, right?

  “Damn, Nicole. Why do you turn everything I say into a battle of wills?”

  “Then you need to stop making it a battle. Brent has never been my lover. ” She threw back at him.

  “And he never will be. I’m the only lover you’ll ever have, so this conversation is pointless. You’re exclusively mine.”

  The macho response infuriated her to the point it brought her blood to a boil. She bit back a stinging response. “You’re really pissing me off.”

  He moved toward her. “Really?”

  “I won’t tolerate your attitude. You got to change your ways.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  She shook her head. “Ashton, you don’t know the first thing about change. Now control that’s another matter. You eat and breathe it.”

  “I promise to always relinquish control to you.” He held up two fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

  “You probably never were a scout.” She grinned against her will. “How is it that you can make me madder than hell and then turn on the charm and I let your nasty attitude slide? Brent always told me I was a sucker for smooth talk.”

  Ashton dealt her a dark look of exasperation. “Were you thinking of Brent when you were in my bed?”

  She gasped. She couldn’t believe he would ask such a question. Granted she’d told him she was in love with Brent. She knew now that she would have never slept with Ashton if she was in love with Brent.

  “You’re unbelievable.”

  “I won’t have him in bed with us.”

  Her spine stiffened with anger. “You’re crazy to think such a thing.”

  “Do you deny it?”

  “Yes! I deny it,” she shouted.

  “Good.”

  “Let’s get something straight, right now. Brent is your brother and my friend only. He has nothing to do with what is happening between us. Why can’t you see that?”

  “I want to make sure that it stays that way.”

  His arms circled her waist and he gently pulled her toward him. She went willingly. What was he doing to her? Just one touch and she succumbed.

  “Why are you acting like this?”

  “I’m possessive when it comes to you but I told you I would never hurt you.” His mouth closed to ear. “Do you believe me?”

  She sighed and allowed him to capture her with his touch. With both hands on his broad chest, she lifted her head. “What are we doing?” she asked.

  “Becoming one,” he said in a barely audible voice. “Making you mine...forever.” He dropped his mouth to hers with a hard kiss, leaving her breathless and moaning from the impact. Releasing her mouth, he swept her up into his arms and moved down the hall. “Bedroom?”

  Her heart quickened, and again images surged of the times they made and the uncontrollable passion returned so vividly in full force. Instead of running from it, she embraced it. “You know the way.”

  Stepping into the room, he placed her on her feet. Nicole’s pulse escalated at the handsome picture he made. He wore a pair of tailored jeans that clung to the muscles of his thighs.

  He quickly unbuttoned the black shirt that hung on his board shoulders. Nicole’s eyes ran over his chest and she inhaled painfully at the full view of the rippled abs in his stomach. She must’ve been blind because she never took the time to observe him when they made love the first or second time. Now she was taking her fill.

  He toed the soft Italian loafers off his sockless feet and unsnapped his jeans. The sound echoed in the room and then complete silence settled. She wanted to completely surrender.The pretense was over.

  Nicole pulled the rubber band from her hair and shook her head, letting the heavy strands fall past her shoulders in a ripple cascade of dark clouds.

  Holding Ashton’s gaze, she unbuttoned her shirt and peeled it over her breasts. She shimmed the skirt down her hips, letting it fall around her ankles and kicked it aside with her sandals.

  Ashton he watched her with hooded eyes. She took off her bra and let it drop to the floor. Then she took her time removing her black laced briefs. Nicole could tell by his clenched jaw that he was exerting massive control.

  But Nicole was determined tonight that she would be the one in control. She backed up slowly, the back of her knees touching the bed. She waited for his approach.

  She trailed one hand lightly down her stomach. She heard his swift intake of air. Lying back on the bed, her legs fell open but she allowed her feet remain planted on the floor.

  When her hand caressed her mound, he let out a strangled groan and swiftly discarded the remainder of his clothes. He moved between her legs and lifted them up around his waist, leaving her exposed to his will.

  “Forgive me, but I can’t go slowly tonight.”

  “I didn’t ask you to.”

  Rumbles of satisfaction sounded from throat as he leaned over and rained deep kisses to her stomach quickly licking her mound. Nicole squirmed and moved her hips toward his mouth.

  His kisses set her ablaze. She felt his finger— and then two—inside her clit. His other hand replaced his mouth as he massaged the sensitive area above her opening. His fingers continued to work slowly with deep strokes as Nicole writhed with every movement. She grasped his head closer between her thighs and felt the rush of her climax.

  Ashton’s fingers abruptly stopped. She moaned at the loss, reaching to bring him closer.

  “Not yet, baby. I need for us to do this together.” He moved her further up onto the bed and reached for the condom he’d placed on the side of her, which she hadn’t noticed until now. “Damn! The curse escaped his mouth. His hand shook to roll the latex on his engorged member.

  She reached for him. “Let me.”

  He stopped her. “No, sweetheart. If you touch me now, it would be over before we get really started. I want come inside you.” Quickly he finished the task and sheathed his shaft.

  She scooted further up the bed and he opened her legs wider. He eased his penis through the wet channel. Nicole inhaled short deep breaths as Ashton slid a couple of more inches in and then pulled , before repeating the movements.

  “Ashton, more…”

  “I’m trying not to hurt you,” he uttered as he started to ease into her again.

  She determinedly lifted her hips. She wanted him to him lose control and give her what she wanted.

  “Damn…Nicole.” His words were strangled and gruff. “Sweetheart, you got to let me control this.”

  “Not this time around.”

  She wrapped her legs tighter around his back and pulled him forward. He groaned and plunged deep. Ashton circled his hips; she closed her eyes and moaned at the sensation of inexplicable pleasure.

  “Do you want me to stop?” he asked. She opened her eyes and saw concern on his face.

  “Don’t you dare.”

  A slow sexy grin spread across his mouth, causing her to want him even more at that moment. She panted at the fire that ran through her body and clawed at his back. He moved with deep thrusts. She threw back her head into the pillows and screamed when her orgasm hit. Ashton joined the descent a moment later, groaning loudly as he fell along with her.

  Ashton collapsed on top of her and she wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders, welcoming his weight.

  “Baby, let me move, I don’t want to crush you.” Trembling, he pushed his himself up and eased out of her arms. He fell beside her with a long inhale and then released it slowly.

  She laid her head on his chest and ran her fingers through the fine hairs. “You okay.”

  He planted a kiss in her hair. The warmth and tenderness
of it caused her to blink back a tear. At that moment she realized she’d fallen in love with Ashton Sinclair. She remained motionless, waiting for her heart to escalate with pain and search for a hiding place but it didn’t. There was serenity, a calmness she’d never experienced before. It felt good.

  Ashton continued to caress her hair and leaned over her bestowing soft kisses to her forehead and face in between. “Isn’t that what I’m supposed to ask you?”

  She smiled. “I’m fine.”

  He captured her lips. “Happy Birthday, sweetheart.”

  Heat warmed her cheeks, cracking the shield around her heart. “You remembered.”

  “Of course.” He gave her a deeper kiss then slid from the bed, heading to the bathroom. He stopped and looked back at her. “There’s nothing I don’t remember about you.” Ashton winked and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

  She stretched. It was turning out to be a good birthday after all. She moved gingerly to the side of the bed. She glanced up with a smile when Ashton came back into the room.The stormy blaze of anger in his eyes wiped the smile from her lips. She stood slowly and wrapped the sheet around her. Something was wrong.

  The wet washcloth, which was undoubtedly for her, was in one hand the other held the pregnancy test she’d left on the tank of the toilet. She closed her eyes for a brief moment. She’d forgotten about it.

  “What the hell is this?”

  Chapter Eleven

  Silence shrouded the room. Nicole chewed at her lips, “Ashton…” She took slow steps toward him. He made no movement but glared with fury so powerful that she stumbled in her approach.

  Mouth twisted, lips pressed ominously together, he threw the washcloth across the room onto a chair, grabbed his boxers along with his jeans and slipped them on. Feeling vulnerable, she put back on clothes and briefs.

  All the time he watched her in silence, waiting like a lion to pounce on his prey. Trying to get some measure of balance, she opened the door to the bedroom. “I’m going to fix a cup of tea.” She didn’t want a drink but she needed time to figure in her head how to explain what he saw.

  “Tea?” he laughed, cruelly. “Is that the best you can do?”

  In the kitchen, Nicole filled the kettle, set it to boil. Even in the cloudy reflection of the stainless steel kettle she saw him watching her. To avoid facing him, she pulled a mug from an overhead cupboard and dropped in a tea bag. She glanced over her shoulder. He was leaning against the doorknob in the doorway, with his arms crossed. She turned back to the kettle.

  The only sound in the room was the low whisper of the water heating. Her hand shook as she poured the hot water into the cup, sugar and stirred with a spoon. She heard his approach.

  Finally, she could delay it no longer, she faced him.

  “I think we’ll be more comfortable in the den. She left the cup of tea on the counter and walked out. She heard his footsteps behind her. Once Ashton entered the room he headed straight toward the small minibar and poured a glass of the expensive brandy he’d purchased on their outing a week ago. He drained the contents in the glass and then emptied more liquor into the glass. Her back stiffened when once again he swallowed the contents in one gulp. Then he strolled to stand near her but he didn’t touch her. She stared, unnerved by his enigmatic expression.

  “I know you’re angry.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Really? How can you tell?” The words were riddled with sarcasm. “You lied to me.”

  She opened her mouth and clamped it tightly to keep from spewing out something she wouldn’t be able to retract.

  “You can’t find the words? Well, let me help you out. You’re pregnant.”

  “I didn’t know at first. I got my period but it barely lasted a day.”

  “Another lie.”

  “How dare you!”

  He slammed the glass on the counter. “I dare because when I told you I felt in my gut that you were pregnant you told me there was no way that you were. Wrong time of the month.” He mimicked. “Those were your exact words.”

  “It’s not uncommon for a woman to have bleeding or spotting during early pregnancy and assume it’s a period.”

  “You know this, how?”

  “I called a local ob-gyn office I found in the phone book. The slight bleeding didn’t last long. It never happened before, so I became concerned.”

  “It never crossed your mind to call me?”

  “Why would I?”

  “Damn, Nicole. I’m a part of this scenario.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  “Pardon me?”

  Nicole pointed at him. “Stop crowding me, Ashton. I needed to think before I said anything to you.”

  “Of course you did,” he said snidely. “You’re packed and ready to skip town. Did you think I was so blind by you that I didn’t see the suitcases on the floor in the bedroom?”

  She refused to add to his rant.

  Ashton continued, “Let me guess. You weren’t going to tell me, were you? I talked to you every damn day and night since I left here, and you never mentioned to me, not once, that you were pregnant. You would’ve left with my baby inside of you to parts unknown with me being no wiser.”

  “You’re overacting. I would’ve eventually contacted you.”

  “Thank you for small favors.” His tone was filled with chagrin.

  “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

  “How late are you?” The outline of a vein pulsed in his temple.

  “I don’t—”

  “Dammit, don’t lie to me.”

  “Almost eight weeks.”

  “So you knew when I left here you were pregnant?”

  “No, I didn’t. Stop trying to make me a devious person because I’m not.” She inhaled deeply. “As usual, you won’t listen. I admit I’m not ready to be a mother. And you’re certainly not ready to be a father but, I’m keeping my baby.”

  “How in the hell can you say that?” He shook his head, his expression scathing. “You don’t know a thing about me.”

  “I know you’ve never been with a woman longer than a couple days. If you’d made it to a month, it would’ve been a miracle.”

  “That has nothing to do with what we are discussing. You’re exaggerating. I’ll not be judged on my past.”

  “Look, Ashton, I don’t need—”

  “You don’t need what?” The edge to his voice was colder.

  “I don’t need you to be a part of the baby’s life.”

  “What you’re really saying is that you don’t want me to be.”

  “You’re putting words into my mouth.”

  “I don’t need to do that. But, I will fight if you try to deny me what is mine.”

  “A child isn’t a possession.”

  “I’m a possessive man, sweetheart. Get used to it. You’re mine and that baby resting in your womb belongs to me. That’s something that can’t be changed!”

  “Stop yelling. I won’t tolerate it.”

  “You won’t tolerate? Who the hell do you think I am? A man you can throw to the side? If you think that, lady, you better think again. You already made your damn decision without talking to me. You tell me now that you’re keeping the baby but what was your first plan, to abort my baby?”

  Nicole gasped. Feeling sick to her stomach, she projected a cool exterior but inside she was crumbling. What happened to the Ashton who sat on the bench with her and watched the ocean waves roll ashore? He had reverted back to the cold impenetrable man who took you down with a look and a direct swiftness, leaving nothing standing.

  She fought to keep from retreating inside the shell that was erecting around her. He was angry. She got it. But she would be damned if he was going to accuse her of planning to abort her own baby.

  Nicole held her hands protectively over her abdomen. “That thought never entered my mind. Not once. This baby is a part of me and yo—” She realized with each word her voice had risen. Nicole pursed her lips to hold back a scre
am.

  Unwittingly, tears formed and she struggled to keep them from falling. “I slept with you. It wasn’t something I planned. I accept responsibility. Furthermore, I found out today I was pregnant. I’ve been trying to digest the news and decide what my plan of action would be.”

  “You don’t need a plan of action. I’ll take care of everything.”

  She frowned. “This isn’t about you. This is my problem.”

  “You see our child as a problem?”

  “Stop putting words in my mouth,” she shouted, again.

  “Don’t do it.”

  “What?”

  “Make out like you’re in this by yourself. I won’t be shut me out of my child’s life.

  If you think you can, you better think twice.”

  “Don’t try to threaten me or try to manipulate me.”

  “The minute I came through the door you should’ve told me you were pregnant.”

  “Well, I should’ve done a lot of things, but I didn’t. If you remember we were busy.”

  “It doesn’t change the fact that if I hadn’t gone into the bathroom you wouldn’t have told me anything.”

  “I’m not on trial here. Okay, maybe I should’ve told you when you first got here but I didn’t. I haven’t told anyone yet. I haven’t said a word to Brent—”

  “Brent?” His dark blue eyes penned hers with fury. It would’ve made the strongest man stumble. Anger suffused his face. He looked ready to burst a blood vessel. “You were going to talk to my brother about something that is none of his damn business!” His booming voice echoed through the room.

  He ran a hand through his hair, finally resting it on his neck. Disbelief was written over every part of his face. “What the hell do you take me for, a weak-minded fool who would let his woman turn to another man? A man she claims to be in love with? I’ll not stand by and let you make a fool of me. If you believe I will you better think again because it’s not happening.”

  Nothing she could say would make him understand when it came to Brent. This had to stop. She’d been determined to control the conversation but when she mentioned Brent’s all his common sense and rational thinking went out of the window. He was like a powder keg that would explode any minute.