Page 63 of Asher

She ran her fingers over her lips, still not looking at him.

“Sweetheart, I’m not your enemy.” He tugged her hands back down on his chest. “Feel that? It’s me, Marlowe. Just me. I’m here with you. Talk with me. Tell me what’s going on.”

“I…” She swallowed hard, then swallowed again. “It’s not that I don’t want a baby. It’s just that…” Her fingers fluttered on his biceps. “Do you really want them? Kids, I mean. We’re not even married, and we really just met, and you’re a guy, and guys always leave, and…”

Asher kept quiet, giving her time. Didn’t rush her. Wouldn’t put words in her mouth. Her pulse was already beating hard. Poor thing was panicked. She didn’t need to be bullied or shamed. She was doing a bang-up job of that all by herself. He offered a smile, hoping that was enough of a hint.

“Aren’t you mad at me? I mean, shouldn’t you be mad if I’m pregnant? If my implant doesn’t work and, umm…” There went her fingers again. “Would you, would you want it?”

“It? You meanour baby?” His mouth widened into a smile all by itself. What he wouldn’t give to have both hands and all ten fingers. “First.” He raised his only working index finger. “It’s ‘ifwe’repregnant’, not ‘ifI’mpregnant.’ Got that? You’re not the only naked one here. I’m as responsible as you are for what we just did together.”

Another finger joined the first. “Second, only losers turn their backs on their woman and children, and I’m not a loser. Your dad was, Marlowe. He left you and he let you down. I’m guessing every other man in your life did the same, right?”

She shrugged, too stubborn to admit it.

“And third…” Asher waited until he had her complete attention. “I love you with all my heart. Ifwe’repregnant,we’rein this together, andwe’regoing to be spectacular parents. Ifwe’renot…” He tugged her face down to his and all-out assaulted her mouth, kissing the ever-loving heck out of her. Nipping her lips.Licking her fear away. Kissing his love and devotion into her. By the time he pulled back, her lips were glossy-wet. She was dewy-eyed and breathless. “Ifwe’renot pregnant, we’ll practice till we get it right.”

She nodded again, her blue eyes wide and too big for her face.

“Pregnant or not, I’m the luckiest son of a bitch ever. I want to howl at the moon and celebrate with you. Only you. Now tell me, do you want this baby that we still don’t know you might be carrying or not?”

“I want it,” breathed out of her mouth. She looked down at his chest and damned if his cock didn’t spring into action. “But I don’t know how to be a mom. I don’t want to hurt her. I mean it. I mean… him.”

“Aww, honey, look how you mothered the women you rescued. You put your life on the line to save them, right?”

“Sure, but that’s different.”

“It’s not. That’s what good mothers do, Marlowe. They fight to protect the people they love, like I know you’ll protect our baby.” The more Asher tried to persuade Marlowe, the more he liked the idea of her being pregnant with his child. “Motherhood and fatherhood is what happens when you’re carrying your heart outside your body. Like you might be.”

She looked down at where their bodies were connected. “Are you…?” Her brows furrowed. “Do you feel that?”

Ah, he loved the wonder shining in her eyes. Proudly, Asher thrust upward. “Yes, I are, and yes, I do. Sorry, but I’m a guy and that’s how we roll. Practice makes perfect.” He gave her a wayout. “Unless you’re not ready. No stress, honey. If you’d rather—”

She reached down and circled what she could reach of him with two fingers. “Shut up and kiss me.”

Yup. Bossy. His kind of girl.

Chapter Thirty-Two

She couldn’t believe where she was, what she’d done, and who she’d done it with. Asher Downey had just rocked her world. What a way to wake up. Marlowe wanted to do it again.

It was her turn to watch Asher unravel. He wasn’t finished, yet. Well, neither was she. Making love wasn’t the turn-off she’d expected. She didn’t feel dirty or used. Her body was humming, truly vibrating. All over. She’d never felt so alive or loved. Connected, not just physically, but emotionally. Spiritually. Suddenly, she was a three-dimensional being, not an invisible nobody. She had wings, and she wanted to fly again and again.

He was glowing again, and that sleepy smile on his face was turning her on. All he had to do was lie there, keep smiling with those simmering green eyes, and let her do the work.

She’d finally undressed him. His clothes were on the floor, and he was as naked as she was. She pulled back to view her very own nude man. Asher’s body was as hard as it looked. Running her palms up the sides of his ribcage and over his chest, she discovered that where she was soft and round, he was more like living granite and rock-hard muscle. Not chiseled as much ascrafted by his career choice. Honed to perfection by the gear he’d carried when on duty. No tattoos as far as she could see, but this was just his front side. She couldn’t wait to see his flip side.

Marlowe ran her hands over the crisp hairs sprinkled across his chest. Tiny sparks of electricity radiated from him to her fingertips. Touching him was electrifying. Asher was broad-shouldered and long-legged, but that chest. Made a girl want to lick every inch of her masterpiece.

Slowly gliding down over that startlingly hard cock, she closed her eyes at the intense pleasure of sliding him inside of her. He was so big. So long. And he came with ridges. Nice ridges she was learning how to use to her benefit, and where they felt best if she rubbed just right… “There,” she hissed, wriggling him into the tremendously sensitive erogenous zone of hers. “Yes, Asher. Ah-h-h-h… right… there.”

“You like that?” he asked gruffly, working his hips, too. Letting her ride to her heart’s content. He was incredibly handsome. His eyes had grown big and black. His focus entirely on her. His fingers clutching her rump like he’d never let her go.

Marlowe nodded. “It hurt last time, but I kinda lost my mind and got caught up in making love with you.” Of being loved. Every bit of her body and soul had turned desperate and greedy. She couldn’t have stopped if she’d tried. Like now. Her heart was throbbing through her body. Her toes curled. She dug her fingertips into Asher’s magnificent chest and—

Asher was everywhere. Pounding into her. Holding her tight. Shifting that hand to her breast. Sucking her nipples. The effervescent firestorm in her blood commenced again. Her overheated body clenched down on Asher. Clamped tight. All by itself. “Whoa. Yes. Asher, yes!”

With one last furious thrust, his body bowed, and he growled, “Marlowe. Damn, yes!”

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