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Chapter Sixteen
I sleep surprisingly well considering it’s been a long time since I shared my bed. I don’t count the night spent with Batfink. Not that we got much sleep; Ash was hell bent on making up for lost time, what with this being date number six and everything. I’m going to have huge, dark bags under my eyes today, but it was absolutely worth it.
“Morning, baby,” Ash murmurs, rolling over to grin at me.
“Baby?” I raise an eyebrow.
“I was seeing what fits. I like it,” he replies firmly, and I smile. I like it too.
He sweeps me under him so that I get to appreciate every hard muscle in his body.
“Again?” I groan, already feeling my arousal stir. I circle my hips up to meet his. I haven’t been this...insatiable in forever. Thankfully—or unfortunately—my sore libido is saved from going another round with the sexy firefighter by my stomach protesting loudly. We didn’t eat our takeout last night. Ash chuckles and drags me out of bed, promising to feed me and then see to my other needs. He winks at me, pulling on his clothes from last night and offers to shower with me after breakfast. Suddenly I’m panting for him, hunger be damned.
He laughs and disappears downstairs to start breakfast while I sort myself out.
“Erm, Jas, can you come down here please?” he calls me a moment later. Something in his voice has me reaching for my robe and flying down the stairs before I’ve even secured it. I race through to the kitchen, half expecting the place to be burned down, and slide to a halt when I see Ash standing at the back patrol doors, staring out into the garden.
“What the hell is that?” he demands, pointing to something I can’t see because his large form is blocking my view. I cross the room to stand beside him and look to where he’s pointing.
Across the lawn are five holes of varying sizes that have very clearly been freshly dug. The excavated earth is piled up behind each hole. They look like graves.
“Erm, maybe Jasper has a thing for digging holes?” I say warily. I don’t point out the obvious that they’re far too deep, large, and perfectly formed to have been made by an animal.
“Baby—” Ash begins, but one look at my face must warn him to stop. Instead he wraps me in his arms and guides me over to the table, seating me with my back to the mess outside so that I don’t have to look at it. He murmurs something about sorting it out later.
We tuck into breakfast in silence, the heat of our wake up spoiled somewhat. I don’t want to admit how freaked I am to wake up and find five graves dug in my garden, and I certainly don’t want to talk about it with Ash. He surprises me though, by asking about an entirely different topic I’m keen to avoid.
“So, you gonna tell me why you’re so adamant that the bond between the five of us isn’t real?”
I shift in my seat uncomfortably. Can I say no?
“You can tell me, it’s fine.”
“I don’t think there’s much point in denying it now anyway.” I shrug. After last night I know for a fact that I am bound to Ash. God only knows about the other...three. Ah crap, I really don’t want Linden to be considered in that equation. Ash gives me a smug look, and I kick him under the table, making him laugh.
“Well I can’t speak for the others, but I would be willing to lay money on the fact that I’ve just found my mate!” He beams at me like all his dreams just came true and not like this is fucking terrifying—which it is.
I mean, I like Ash—obviously—but am I ready to commit to someone for the rest of my life? My stomach twists into knots. Hell no, no, I’m not.
“Don’t worry, baby,” Ash says gently, reading my expression for what it is: freaking the hell out. “There’s no pressure. We’re still going to date and take things slow.”
I grin at him for reading my mind—or my emotions—and finish my breakfast much calmer than when I started it.
“But you didn’t answer my question,” he probes lightly. I glare at him and put my cutlery down with more force than intended.
“I just can’t see why one—let alone…” I hesitate to include Linden in the numbers once again, but swallow and continue, “Four...of you would be that into me.” I try to say this with ferocity but my voice breaks a little at the end. Fuck.
“Jas, baby, you’re beautiful.” I shake my head.
“You are. There’s no denying it. And while I might not know you amazingly well yet, I do know that you’re funny and smart, and the kind of person I would want to date.”
I blush. But duck away from his earnest gaze.
“He must have done a number on you,” Ash says quietly.
“Wh-what?” I blink.
“Whatever asshole managed to destroy your confidence and self-worth like that. He must have fucked you up real good.”
