Chapter 3 #2
“Gemma didn’t want a funeral,” he said, once again changing the subject.
Again, I pivoted. “Okay, I’ll make sure Tyn knows.”
“She hated them. Didn’t think sitting in a stuffy church, staring at the lifeless body of a loved one, with people she didn’t know, made grief less bearable.”
When Gemma’s father died, there was a huge funeral because he was a beloved pastor in their community. And when her mother died, Gemma didn’t even go to the service.
“I get it.” I rested my chin on his chest. “Whatever you think is best, we’ll do.”
“She was so still,” he murmured. “I can’t get the image out of my head.”
I knew that feeling firsthand because I was the one who had to identify my brother’s body. “It’s hard,” I acknowledged. “But I promise you’ll be able to envision her healthy and happy eventually.”
“I hope so.” He placed a soft, lingering kiss to my lips. It was so tender, so sweet, my heart skipped a beat. “Thank you for not pushing me away when Tyn saw me holding your hand.”
“Well, you did have me in a vise grip,” I quipped.
A half-smirk, half-smile formed on his lips and my breath caught in my throat. It was so beautiful. He was so beautiful.
Shit, I might be in love.
The guilt I’d felt moments earlier was replaced with fear then. Because now I knew for sure that my heart was on the line, that I wouldn’t be okay if this thing between us ended.
He brushed his thumb across my cheek. “You’re so beautiful.”
“So are you,” I admitted, sucking his bottom lip into my mouth.
Asa deepened the kiss, rolling me onto my back. This was what I needed. His mouth. His body on mine. Him. He was an expert at foreplay, a master of my body . . . the keeper of my heart. And I wanted him. In a way I’d never wanted anyone else. Not even Rick.
It scared the shit out of me. It also made me feel alive.
All too soon, he pulled away from me, searching my eyes. “Let me make love to you.”
I sucked in a deep breath. It was the first time he’d said that to me. It confirmed that our 6514 Moment, as we called it, had indeed morphed into something more. Something different than intended.
He bumped his nose with mine, kissing me again. “Please.” He trailed more kisses over my jawline to my ear. “Please,” he murmured against my ear. “Rissa . . .”
He blazed a trail of kisses down my back, over my collarbone. Pulling my shirt open, he freed my breasts from my bra and sucked a nipple into his mouth.
Damn.
My body was burning with need, screaming for a release by the time his mouth brushed the waistband of my yoga pants. Slowly, he peeled them off, licking my thighs. When he nudged my legs apart, I was helpless to stop him because I wanted his mouth on me. In every way.
The first touch of his tongue to my clit lit me up like fireworks on display. Every inch of my body was a live wire, reacting to him. Only for him.
“Asa,” I breathed, as he brought me closer to the edge. His tongue and his teeth were driving me insane. “But Paityn—”
His eyes flickered to mine. “—Won’t hear you if you be quiet.”
Oh God.
Asa dipped his tongue into my pussy, then dragged it back up to my clit.
When he sucked it into his mouth and placed the tip of his thumb into my ass, I was done.
Lost in the haze of lust. Scrambling to grab a pillow, I held it against my face to muffle what I knew would’ve been an iconic scream of pleasure.
And I gave in to the orgasm, riding his face as pleasure swept through every inch of my body.
Collapsing on the mattress, I felt him over me, kissing his way back up my body, lingering on my breasts.
He snatched the pillow from my face and kissed the shit out of me.
I tugged his shirt over his head and pushed his pants off with my feet.
Then, he thrust forward, inching inside of me—so slow, so smooth that tears pricked my eyes.
His eyes fluttered closed. “You feel so good.”
“Yes,” I breathed.
“I dreamed of this when I was a kid,” he whispered, nipping at my sensitive skin. “I imagined making love to you so many times.”
I moaned as he thrust forward again, filling me in a way that made it impossible to think, let alone react to his words.
“I wanted to brand you, to possess you, to make you mine.”
Shit.
Every thrust, every word was doing exactly that. He was staking his claim with his hands, his mouth, his dick.
“I need this.” He sucked my bottom lip into his mouth. “I need you.”
“I’m gonna come,” was all I managed to say.
He smirked. “It’s okay. Come.”
And again, I was lost, drowning in the Asa Sea. I came long and hard, but he didn’t stop, didn’t even let me catch my breath. He kept moving, kept winding me up like a little rag doll until I came again, biting his shoulder to avoid giving us away.
Then, he was with me, growling my name against my ear as he fell over the edge.
Seconds later, he rolled off of me.
I struggled to breathe through the simmering fire still burning so hot inside. It was incredibly good. The best I ever had.
Glancing at him, I took in his profile. He stared at the ceiling, his chest heaving. I reached out and placed my hand over his heart. Asa smiled, holding it there as his heartbeat slowed to a dull rhythm.
“Rissa,”—he turned on his side to face me—“baby, I—”
The doorbell rang.
Jumping up, he slid his pants on while I bolted to the master bathroom. He handed me a washcloth and I took my first heaux bath in years.
“Asa!” Paityn screamed.
He ran out of the room. It took a few minutes, but as soon as I got myself together, I followed him. The room smelled like bacon and bread, signaling that Tyn was finished cooking.
I followed the sound of voices to the door.
They were talking to someone. Quickly, I rushed over, stopping when I recognized Karma on the other side of the door.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed movement.
Then, I spotted the baby carrier on the ground.
The blanket moved a little and I heard a soft cry.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Asa roared.
“Were you just going to leave the baby on the porch?” Paityn asked incredulously.
Struggling to catch up, I asked, “What happened?”
Paityn picked up the carrier. “The alarm system alerted me to movement outside. Through the camera, I saw her sitting the baby on the porch. When she walked away, I called Asa out and stopped her from leaving.”
My eyes drifted to the baby, then to Karma. “That’s crazy.”
Karma stuffed her hands into her jeans. “I can’t take care of him,” she cried, tears streaking down her face. “And Gemma wouldn’t want me to.”
Confused, I said, “That still doesn’t explain why you thought leaving a baby on a porch makes any sense.”
“I knew he would hear the motion sensors.” She paced the small porch. “I didn’t think the baby would be outside long and I didn’t want to talk to anyone right now.”
Paityn rolled her eyes. “I can’t . . .”
“You could’ve just called,” Asa said.
Karma stopped in her tracks. “I did call! It went straight to voicemail. Look, Gemma is gone. I wanted her. I didn’t want the baby without her.” She pinned Asa with a weird look. “I know what you did.”
Asa narrowed his eyes on her. “Get the fuck out of here,” he growled.
Surprised at the raw fury in his voice, I peered up at him, noticing his rigid posture, his clenched jaw and fists, the rage building behind his eyes. I squeezed his arm, offering him a silent lifeline.
“I knew you weren’t shit,” he spat.
Karma shook her head. “Wow. I told her you would try to turn her against me after we met last night.”
“And I,”—he smacked his chest—“told her to stop messing around with busta-ass niggas.”
I blinked. I’d never heard him raise his voice, let alone talk to a woman like this. “Asa,” I whispered.
He held up a hand but didn’t take his eyes off Karma. “I’m good, Rissa.” He sucked in a deep breath. “It was clear to me when I met you that you would break her heart. I’m glad you never had the chance.”
“Don’t talk to me like that!” Karma scolded. “Ezra is your responsibility and you know it.”
My blood ran cold as the blurry details came into focus—the way he’d reacted whenever Ezra’s name was mentioned, the way he kept changing the subject earlier. I opened my mouth to speak, but Tyn beat me to it.
“What is she talking about, Asa?” Paityn pressed.
Karma scowled. “He didn’t tell you?” She pointed at him. “He’s Ezra’s father.”
Paityn gasped. “Oh my God.”
Letting go of his arm, I retreated away from him. “What?”
Asa glanced at me and suddenly I couldn’t breathe. Because the truth was staring me in the face, no longer hidden behind his eyes. He shifted his attention back to Karma. “Get your shit out of her house,” he commanded softly. “Tonight.”
Then, he slammed the door.