Sam felt panic build in his chest as her words. One month? One month was not enough time. He wanted more, had to have more. Maybe there was a way to bargain with Saul. He would gladly give up his life so Ashton could live. He would find a way, he had to. He pulled Ashton to him for one more lingering kiss before pushing her gently away from him. “I think you came in with some food, and as unromantic as it sounds, I am starved.”
Ashton was glad he’d changed the subject and lightened the mood. She put a smile on her face and nodded her head, “I went to the store and got us some food while you slept.” Standing by the bed she shuffled her feet and cleared her throat before she made her confession to Sam. “I, um, didn’t have any money, so I sort of barrowed some from you.” She looked down at her feet then back at his face. “And since I didn’t have a way to get to town, I sort of used your car, too. I hope you don’t mind.”
Sam was surprised that she should seem nervous telling him this. “You can borrow anything I have sweetheart. I fact you can have everything I have. Don’t ever doubt that.”
A smile bloomed on Ashton’s face, brighter then any sun Sam had ever seen. Bending over she lifted the soup and turned towards the door. “I’ll go warm this up and be right back.”
She made it all the way to the door before she stopped, came back, set the bowl on the stand again, and, leaning over, gave Sam a kiss on the lips that almost started his hair on fire. Ashton pulled back a mere inch and waited for Sam to open his eyes. When he did she had to smile, as the teal blue eyes were glazed with desire so thick, it took him two blinks of his lush black lashes to come back to her. He swallowed so hard that Ashton heard it, and her beautiful, deep green eyes turned darker as smoke swirled and promises were given with just one look.
“Just thought I’d let you know that I’m hungry too,” she said in a whisper that Sam had to strain to hear. Her breath caressed his lips and his blood boiled with desire.
He had never wanted anyone like he did Ashton, never needed anyone like he needed her, and all thoughts of food and injuries flew out of his head as he brought his hands up, meaning to grab her and never let her go. She stepped just out of reach and once again picked up the soup.
“I’ll be right back,” she said again. Tossing a saucy wink over her shoulder she left the room.
Sam sat for a second, mouth agape at her teasing, then shaking his head and smiling, he threw the covers off of his legs. He swung them over the edge of the bed and deciding to test the waters, slowly rose to his feet. His muscles felt weak, as if he had been in bed much longer then just one day. But he was not dizzy, so he figured he was doing pretty good. He had seen the clothes drop from Ashton’s arms earlier and now went to dig through them for something to put on. The clothes were not expensive, but would fit him to a tee, and were just what he wore when he was in his mountains. Still he did not put on everything, just the boxers, which made him smile as he pictured Ashton holding them up and deciding what to buy.
Slipping them on, he made his way into the bathroom to take care of business. He used her comb to get the knots out of his dark hair and used her toothbrush to get the bad taste out of his mouth. He just might have to apologize again to Ashton, this time for having breath that would drop a rhino at twenty paces. He washed his face, then turned to check his back in the mirror. He unwound the strips of cloth holding the bandages in place and surveyed the damage in the mirror. He was surprised to see the cut was stitched up and appeared to be healing well. The edges showed no signs of redness or infection, but the pull when he tried to raise his right arm left him no doubts that he was far from normal. Between Saul and Ashton he was sure that he owed them his life. Something he was not going to forget. He always repaid his debts.
Sam turned off the light and made his way back to the bed. He really did not want to get back in, as that would mean he had to admit he was still sick. Then again, he thought, that was exactly where he wanted to get Ashton. Not for a quick fling but to make long, slow love to her. He wanted to know her from the top of her dark head to the bottom of her feet. He wanted to imprint her in his mind and on his body. He wanted her to know him just as intimately. He wanted to get under the covers with her and never come out. He wanted.
Sam turned on the small bedside lamp and crawled back into the bed. The light it emitted was soft and low, lending an aura of privacy and intimacy to the room. The sun had gone down behind the western peaks, leaving only the small pool of light to see by. It was quiet, with only the sounds from the night coming in the open window of the bedroom. Sam didn’t want to share Ashton’s attention with anyone or anything, and he usually got what he wanted. He fluffed the pillows behind his back and smoothed the blankets over his legs. He looked at the door expectantly, willing Ashton to come back to him.
He was not disappointed as he heard her soft tread on the stairs. She walked into the bedroom carrying a tray with the soup on it, plus what looked like a sandwich, chips, and a small bundle of grapes. Two cans of soda were there also and Sam thought, bless you, as he realized he was as thirsty as he was hungry.
Soda was the last thing on Ashton’s mind, as she stopped in the doorway to look at Sam. The soft light from the lamp fell on the man in her bed, leaving the rest of the room in shadows. He looked dark and dangerous, as he waited for her to come to him. There was nothing else in the world for her, except the man in that pool of light. Nothing outside the circle that she was interested in. Damn, Saul, she thought again. This was going to be hard to resist. Her teeth almost itched with wanting to taste the flesh spotlighted for her.
Gripping the handles of the tray a little harder, Ashton moved into the room and placed it over Sam’s lap.
Uh-oh, Sam thought, as he looked at the tray. If he was not careful he would be tipping it over and making a mess.
“I thought I would join you,” Ashton said as she sat at Sam’s knees. She curled her legs to the side and reached for the sandwich on the tray. It was thick with slivered ham, lettuce, cheese and a hint of mayo. She took a bite and looked at Sam who had not made a move towards his dinner. Her mouth was full and she had to finish chewing before she could tip her head to the side and ask, “Is something wrong, Sam? Don’t you like the chicken soup? I’ve got others to choose from if you want something else.”
Sam looked from the soup to Ashton’s sandwich, and pointing at it he said, “Can I have some of that?”
“Are you sure you can handle eating something like this right now?” she asked. “I mean wouldn’t something easy on the stomach be better for you?”
Sam flashed her a killer smile and held out his hand for half. At her hesitation, he simply said “please?” and she folded. She tore the sandwich in half and handed it to Sam. He took a huge bite and closed his eyes in pure enjoyment. “This is wonderful,” he said as he chewed. He reached for the chips and happily munched his way through a handful, as Ashton watched with amusement at the pure pleasure on his face. His eyes sparkled and he smiled at her between mouthfuls. When he was finished he licked his fingers off and lay back against the pillows. He sighed contentedly, as he lay there enjoying the moment, then sat back up and attacked his can of soda. He tipped it up and drank like a man fresh out of the desert, not stopping until the last drop had disappeared down his throat. Returning the can to the tray Sam belched loudly and rubbed his belly. He was a happy man. His belly was full, he had a beautiful woman by his side, he was alive, and he was in love.
Ashton swallowed her last bite, then dusting her hands off she looked at Sam and asked innocently, “Can I get you anything else?”
Sam captured her eyes with his, licked his upper lip slowly, and in a husky voice answered, “Dessert.”