The Good Sister: Part One (28 page)

“I need to change my clothes for bed, but I’m not sure what I have to wear to bed is exactly warm and cozy. In fact, I might as well be naked.”

“You prepare for bed. Do not fret. I shall close my eyes as I tuck you in tight beneath the covers.”

“But what if I want you to see me?”

“Is this your wish, my lady?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Then it is my wish,” he replied.

I slid off the bed and over to the armoire. I placed one hand to the side of the armoire for support while my other hand fumbled about with my shoe. I finally pulled off my high heel. I placed my shoes into the drawer, grabbed the white sleeping gown, and headed into the bathroom. I paused for a brief moment.
Am I really going to show him my naked body?
I took off the black dress, brushed my teeth, removed the clip out of my hair, and watched my reflection in the mirror as my long golden curls fell. I grabbed the sleeping gown and slipped it over my head. It had a low shoe-laced neckline that tied, but it plunged to my navel. Nothing was obscured or hidden by the material.

I took in a deep breath, turned off the bathroom light, opened the bathroom door, and walked forward. There was no way to hide the tremble of my body.

“Do not be frightened,” he said. “Come closer.”

I stepped forward from the shadow. Ashton had not moved. He was sitting in the same place I’d left him.

“Move your hair, my dove.”

Slowly, I lifted my hand and moved my hair.

“Sweet Jesus,” Ashton said. “You outshine the heavens.” The swell of my bottom lip was caught between my teeth. He held out his hand. “Come here, my dove.”

I reached out and took his hand. Ashton tugged me two steps, pulling my body into his body. I was standing, he was sitting, but I was tucked between his legs. Ashton’s hands roamed down my back, cupping my bum.

“You are a vision,” he said. He kissed my mouth, my neck, ran his nose along my collarbone then stood up. He pulled back the covers, picked me up, laid me down, and tucked me under the covers. “May I join you?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said.

Ashton toed off his shoes where he stood, removed his socks, unzipped his pants, took them off and tossed them unceremoniously onto the bedside table. His belt, his shirt, his tie, and his suit coat were still strewn about in the parlor. He had not removed his boxer briefs, and they were bulging quite impressively. He slid in under the sheets with me. Ashton spooned me, encasing me within the protection of his bigger frame. I remembered wanting to curl up onto his body, and now I knew how it felt. It was just as I had thought, safe, secure, and then there were other feelings.

Alec knocked. “I’m coming in,” he announced, opening the door then quickly securing it behind him. “Everything has been locked down around the estate.”

“Good,” Ashton said. “The whole retched ordeal has shaken Trinity.”

“Yes. I’m sure,” Alec replied. “I will sleep on the loveseat, but I will move it to the door.”

“Fine,” Ashton said. He kissed the back of Trinity’s head.

Alec scooted the loveseat over to the door. “Do you have any extra pillows?” he asked.

Ashton pulled a couple off the bed. “Here,” he said, handing them to Alec, “and there is an extra quilt in the bathroom cabinet.”

“Thanks.”

“I should be the one thanking you, Alec. I am at a loss, and assure you I deeply regret what happened this evening.”

“It is not your fault, Lord Archer. You cannot control Gavin just as you cannot control the wind or the rain. Gavin is a force all unto his own.”

“No, but this is the last and only time Gavin will be within a breath of Trinity. That, I can promise.”

I peeked out from the covers to see Alec removing his shirt. His tall body was well muscled, but there was something wrong. His beautiful cinnamon colored skin was scarred. His chest, his stomach, and his sides were marred with deep slash marks. I wondered what had happened to him. Some of the scars were raised and puckered his skin while others were long, angry, jagged configurations.

Alec pulled off his boots. He didn’t remove anything else, and wrapped himself in the crimson colored quilt before lying down upon the loveseat. He placed his knife by his head. The fire illuminated the room quite well. With a breath, I closed my eyes. I felt Ashton’s hand comb through my hair, moving it from my neck, then his large hand upon my hip as he inched up the material of my barely there gown.

Ashton leaned into my ear and whispered, “I wish to pleasure you, my dove, but you will need to be quiet. May I have my wish?”

I nodded my head, and bit at my bottom lip. Ashton’s hands moved the material from my hips. Next, he located the laces on the front of my gown. He pulled the lace free, giving him access to my breasts. I shivered when his hand slid up my ribs then over my right breast. He cupped it, kneaded it softly before his fingers squeezed my budding nipple, rolling the nipple between his fingers. I arched into his touch, but kept quiet.

Ashton whispered into my ear, “You are perfection.” He took the lobe of my ear between his lips. He sucked before moving down the cord on the side of my neck, nipping, sending chills across my skin. “Exquisite,” he murmured. Goose bumps raced across my skin. “Turn your head for me, my dove. Allow me to take your mouth as mine.”

I turned my head per his request. I would allow him access to my mouth, and anything else he wanted. Then I remembered Alec was in the room. I turned to see Alec then back toward Ashton, unsure.

“Do not fret,” Ashton whispered against my lips before he traced the line of my lips with his tongue, outlining before plunging into my mouth, taking it, claiming it as his. I started to make a little mew of sound so he pulled back and placed his fingertip to my lips. He shook his head no. “Quiet,” he whispered and kissed me again, allowing his tongue to tangle with mine.

I placed my hand to Ashton’s face. Patted softly. He stopped kissing me. I touched his lips then arched my breasts into his touch. He shook his head no. Leaned down, and placed his mouth to my ear. His hair brushed against my face in a tickle of chocolate colored silk.

“We must be quiet.”

I turned, placing my mouth to his ear. “Please, Ashton. Put your mouth on me.”

Alec stirred. Ashton froze. Slowly he turned to look in Alec’s direction. In a smooth readjustment of his body, and mine, Ashton placed his mouth to my breasts, pulling one taut tip into his lips. Ashton swirled his tongue around the pink perfection of my areola then back over my gumdrop tip before sucking with a gentle rasp of his tongue.

I arched into Ashton’s mouth. I wanted to moan so badly, yet found the strength to hold it in. When I thought I could take no more, Ashton moved to the other breast and did the same, sampling me with his mouth. His hand glided over the curve and concave of my belly until he felt my navel, and rested there.

“Touch me, please,” I begged.

Ashton kissed the hollow of my throat. He nuzzled, skimmed his mouth back to my lips, and kissed me deeply. His hand slid over my woman’s mound, cupping. He stoked the fire of my need with every lash of his tongue. Finally, his index finger slipped between the satin flesh of my lower lips. His touch, sensational.

He touched between my legs. His kiss became deeper. As his tongue moved, his finger moved, mimicking a kiss to my clit. I pressed my hips upward into his touch. He slid his finger lower, finding the tight, untouched opening of my body. He swirled his digit around, gathering my moisture before sliding back up to my pouting tip. Ashton’s mouth claimed my mouth, while his finger worked my bud. He pinched my clit. This sent a shock through my body. I jerked, writhed. He stopped.

“Shh…” he whispered in my ear, “do not kick around, my dove. It is too loud.”

I shook my head in agreement. His hand cupped my throbbing secret. Ashton’s fingers worked their way back to my moist opening. He gently inserted the very tip of his index finger into my tightness. My fingers gripped his shoulder, unsure.

“Do you wish me to stop?” he whispered.

“No.”

Ashton kissed me. I relaxed. He swirled his finger into my honey. He inserted the tip of his finger into my wanting then retreated. He did it again, never going deep. He would dip, swirl … retreat. Dip, swirl … retreat. He kept up the slow pattern, setting me to blaze. My womanhood throbbed. Even when Reid took me with his mouth my private parts did not pulsate like this. I focused on this vibration, the deep ache, the wildness he stirred, the hunger Ashton made me feel. But I felt more than pleasure. More than need or desire or hunger. I might love him, but I couldn’t love him. I closed my eyes.

Ashton shifted, allowing his hard cock to ride my hip through his boxers. He supped at my breasts, and played with my womanhood. His fingers fondled and explored my sex. He circled my clit, applying gentle pressure, then more pressure. He tweaked it between his fingers. My body shook. He placed his mouth to mine. Kissed hard. His fingers circled my bud again and again. He gently pulled it. Circled. Rubbed. Worked it harder with a tap, flick, circular motion until my body had no choice but to give way to his touch.

Ashton absorbed my gasp. I wanted to call out his name in pleasure. My hips pushed forward. Placing my throbbing sex into his expert fingers, I clenched. Shuddered. I was coming. Ashton pinned my body with his. My feminine muscles undulated against his fingers. He moved back from my body a bit, placed his fingers up to his lips, inserted my taste into his mouth, and smiled the smile of a man well pleased. I wanted to ask him why he wanted to taste me, but I would not get the chance, not tonight anyway.

Ashton leaned into my ear. “The next time you come for me, it shall be upon my tongue so I may drink in your sweet nectar, my dove.” I quivered, imagining the next time. “It is late. Go to sleep,” he said, sweeping his hand over my curls, “go to sleep, my sweet and gentle beauty. Dream of happy things.”

****

I felt cold. Alone and desperate, I ran through the gray. Yelled out. Calling my father’s name. I’d lost him. There were black shadows looming in around me, ready to take me…

“NO!” I screamed, “Stop!” I kicked and flailed. I sat up in the bed. It was daylight. For a brief moment I was confused, unsure of where I actually was.

Ashton and Alec busted in my bedroom door.

“Trinity! What is it?” Ashton said, coming to my side, wrenching my body into his. “What is wrong? Why are you crying?”

“My beauty. What is wrong?” Alec said, standing at the side of the bed.

“I have nightmares,” I admitted. “I have had them ever since that day…” My fingers dug into the material of Ashton’s crisp blue dress shirt.

Ashton glanced over at Alec. “Will you give us a moment?”

Alec shook his head in agreement. “Trinity, I will be back.”

“Okay,” I mumbled. I pressed my face into Ashton’s chest.

Ashton combed his fingers through my hair. He rocked me within his arms, soothing me.

“Shh…” he murmured, “you are safe. It was only a dream. You are in my arms, my dove. I shall never allow any harm to befall you.”

My fingertips slid between the buttons on his shirt. I experienced the warmth of his skin.

“Don’t go. Please, Ashton. I will miss you.”

Ashton kissed my forehead. “My dove, I must go in order to secure your safety; however, I shall think of you every day until my return. Think upon our time apart as an interlude.”

“Will you call me while you are gone?”

“Is this your wish, my lady?”

“Yes. It is my wish,” I answered.

“Then it shall be done.”

****

When Alec and I entered in through the doors of the chateau, everyone was there to greet us. It was like the first day of my arrival, only this time instead of joy and curiosity there was worry as well as sadness upon their faces.

“What happened?” Jacqueline asked, taking ahold of my hand.

“Gavin showed up,” Alec answered flatly.

A swirl of murmurs and possible curses sprung out among my sisters.

“Let us go into the parlor,” Jacqueline announced. Everyone walked down the corridor, streaming into the parlor, reminiscent of a funeral procession.

Everyone took a seat. Jacqueline made sure I sat beside her. “Tell us, Alec.”

“Maybe we should have Trinity start, since I came in on the end of things,” Alec said, calmly.

Every eye rested upon me. It was as quiet as a tomb.

“I was in the parlor with Lord Archer when we heard a horrible commotion. Yelling, and things breaking. Gavin stormed into the parlor.” I paused for a moment, feeling the need to edit my story a bit. I had no intention of telling them what we had been doing in the parlor just minutes before Gavin’s arrival. “Gavin was dirty. Like it had been a while since he’d showered. He was completely disheveled, and I think he was high on something. He was acting crazed. He kept taunting Lord Archer about me. When Gavin started to threaten me, Lord Archer told him to leave, and assured Gavin he would never touch me. He told Gavin if he dared try, Lord Archer would kill Gavin with his own bare hands.”

Jacqueline smiled. “He told Gavin he would kill him?”

“Yes, and he meant it. I asked Lord Archer if he would have really harmed his brother, and he assured me he would have.”