Under the Bridge (13 page)

“Made by your mother.”

“So? That doesn’t make it menacing or
anything.” She resented his bringing it up. It was one of the few
special things her mom had done for her, and she didn’t need him
ruining it.

“How did you travel to Underhill?” he asked,
regarding her with patient eyes.

Uncertain what that had to do with anything,
she said slowly, “We went into the woods at the full moon. There
are a couple of trees there. The tops grew together, making an
arch.” It had been easier to get home from the other side; her
mother had explained that magic was more powerful in the fae world.
Indeed, she had felt more strength there than she’d ever known. It
had made it almost easy to defeat her mother and her “suitor”.

“Interesting that I can open any door and
find myself Underhill, don’t you think?”

What? He wanted an ovation? “Well, bravo for
you.”

His eyes glimmered. “How does your pooka
find his way there?”

She frowned. She’d always assumed he entered
through dreams, but never asked. She’d never wanted to go
there.

He studied the garden in silence for a
moment. “The moonlight becomes you.”

She blinked, ambushed by the unexpected
compliment. Were all trolls this bewildering to talk to?

He turned to her, regarded her frankly.
“Your lips are very pretty.”

She coughed on a laugh. “That’s one I’ve
never heard.”

“I always notice mouths—it’s a troll thing.”
He grinned at her laughter. “Yours doesn’t have much biting power,
but I think…” He leaned over and kissed her.

She would’ve expected a troll’s kiss to be
disgusting; rank and sloppy. This wasn’t.

Ash kissed like a man who knew what he was
doing. Gentle, but with a leashed passion, he drew her in. Chills
raced through her body, buzzing at the point of contact like live
wires. He took his time about deepening it, making her chase him a
little, drawing her in. When she started making needy sounds, he
accepted the invite, lifting her onto his lap, swallowing her
startled gasp with a heady kiss.

Too stunned to think, she
threaded her fingers through his hair, loathe to lose the lightning
he was stirring. She’d never felt so good, so
hot
. He consumed her.

He eased back, and she whimpered. She had to
straddle him to reach his mouth. He laughed, accepting her kiss,
but continued his retreat.

“What?” she gasped. Her arms were wrapped
tight around his neck, but she couldn’t pull him back. Dratted
troll strength.

“Mm,
liebling
,” he breathed. “You will
fuss at me later if I don’t stop.”

She scowled. He was
probably right, but she
ached
. Horrible monster.

A tremor shook her, and she buried her head
against his neck and hissed. It hurt, and she wanted to bite
him.

“I see,” he murmured, as if she’d berated
him. “I will be in trouble either way. Best I earn your good graces
now, then.” He drew off her shirt before she could blink and threw
it away. While she was still gaping, he opened her pants and
grasped the edges, pulling until the tough denim ripped and peeled
away like flower petals. He eased the legs down her thighs and left
them there. “Easy, pretty girl.”

She trembled as the night air washed over
her, caressing a body laid bare to him. She hadn’t expected…

Ash unsnapped her bra and tossed it, smiling
as he cupped her breasts. “Very pretty.” He suckled, and she
exploded, crying out as she rocked on his lap. One of his hands
came down and stroked her backside, the other her belly. She
moaned, shaking with shyness and pleasure. Should she stop him? It
felt so good.

His fingers slipped between her legs and she
gasped, twisting to escape the unfamiliar invasion. He kept her in
place with a firm hand on her derriere as the other made intimate
acquaintance with her wet heat.

“Shh,
liebling
. This is what you ache for.
It is why you were angry. I
am
sorry. I will make it good.” On the promise, his
finger began to probe her, slowly, in and out. She shuddered and
began to move. Trying to escape? Seeking pleasure?

Climax hit hard and fast. Also, the hardness
inside her seemed to grow. She looked down at his lap, but he still
wore his pants. “What?” she gasped.

He kissed her cheek, licked
her nipple. “You feel fuller inside,
ja
? I am stretching you a little.
You are very tight and small. I like it, but you will not when we
mate. Each time you come to me, I will take you
further.”

She shook her head. “We won’t mate. I-I
won’t come t—” Her denial ended in a cry of pleasure.

He smiled against her breast and didn’t
bother to answer.

When he finished with her—or finished her
off—she was barely able to stand. Her nipples were tender from the
rasp of his tongue, and she felt a little sore where his fingers
had stretched her.

Her clothes were mostly destroyed, and she
didn’t have the wits to fix them with the Old Tongue right then.
She looked around helplessly, panicked at the thought of Eyrnie
seeing her like this. It would be…awkward. At best.

She was afraid that Eyrnie would come
unglued.

Ash glanced at her and began to gather her
things. “He is not inside, but we smell like mating. We need a
shower.” He picked her up and strode for the garden gate,
unmolested by the dragon flower.

Billy squirmed in his arms. “Wait! How do
you know he’s not inside? I don’t want to shower with you.” She was
afraid of what she’d do if they did.

“Trust me.”

Hah! It was beginning to
dawn on her that she’d just given herself to a troll.
The
troll. She’d been
naked, and pleasured, and he’d mentioned a next time like it was a
given. She’d just given one of the most territorial creatures ever
an engraved invitation to bend her over the kitchen table any time
he felt like it. She had to fix this.

They were nearly to the upstairs bathroom by
the time she reached this frantic conclusion. Twisting, she slid
out of his arms and blocked the bathroom door. It was awkward being
naked, and she wanted to shield herself with her hands, but that
would make it harder to keep him out. “You’re not coming in.”

He smiled as he looked her
over. “Naked pixie, smells like sex. Are you too tender,
liebling
?” It sounded
like a subtle challenge.

She drew a deep breath. “I’m saying no.”

He tilted his head.
“
Ja
, I hear it.
One last kiss, then?” He didn’t wait for her answer.

He didn’t kiss her on the mouth.

Billy groaned and rolled over. The morning
light was creeping in, so she pulled her pillow over her head.
Dratted troll.

His last “kiss” had made quite an
impression. She’d managed to shower, and then slept like the
dead.

She felt her body quicken as she remembered
how his tongue had felt on her. His hand had gripped her rump,
holding her still while he enjoyed himself. The fact that she’d
liked it had seemed almost incidental; she’d nearly had to beg
before he’d grudgingly finished.

Lying in bed wasn’t helping. She tossed the
pillow off and slid off the bed, halting as she saw something lying
on a chair. A white rose lay across a pair of low-rider jeans. A
pair of pretty panties and a bra lay on top, along with a practical
black t-shirt. She had no doubt who had left these gifts.

She could smell something cooking as she
came down the stairs. Ash was barefoot at the stove, his shirt
hanging open as he flipped an egg. He looked like a “morning
after”. She frowned. “You’re underdressed.”

He glanced at her new clothes. “Looks good
on you.” He checked the oven, murmuring absently, “Pony wears no
shirt; why should I?”

She growled, but he was cooking, so she
didn’t push. Instead, she started to make tea…and hesitated. With a
sigh, she bypassed her regular tea and grabbed some Earl Grey.

She noticed Ash looking at her pleasantly
toward the end of the meal and frowned. “You owed me some clothes.
It doesn’t mean anything that I’m wearing them.”

He blinked mildly. “I wasn’t thinking about
your clothes.” His smile was slow, sly. “You tasted very sweet,
pixie.”

She blushed, unable to meet
his eyes. She didn’t want to talk about
that
.

“It is how I keep my mind on business, you
know. I tell myself that I will never taste that again if I…lost my
concentration. Now that I know your flavor, I will not forget
myself.”

She shot him a look. “You’re talking about
eating me, aren’t you?” It should have been more sobering, but for
the look in his eyes.

“I take my food very seriously,” he agreed,
but there was a smile lurking around his mouth. “I prefer to eat
you many times instead of once.”

She grimaced. Great, troll humor.

14. Lurking Under a Rock

“You seem a little off today,” Eyrnie
commented as he drove her to class. He’d been a little late that
morning and hadn’t come inside, so Ash’s behavior hadn’t been a
clue.

She winced. She hadn’t had time to think of
what she should tell him. Obviously, the details were none of his
business, but he might have a right to know that something had
happened. After all, he’d made it plain that he was courting her.
“Ash kissed me.”

The truck swerved a little, but it could have
been worse. After he’d righted it, he waited a long moment before
speaking. “I see.” It was tightly contained, but she could tell he
was very, very angry. The red light in his eyes kind of shouted it.
“Do I need to turn around and go beat him?”

She sighed. “No.”

He glanced at her sideways and then pulled
into a parking lot. “Define ‘no’. He got permission first?”

“No.”

More silence. “You liked it?” The steering
wheel creaked ominously under his grip.

“The details aren’t really your business, but
I thought it was fair to warn you. You were honest about your
feelings, so…” She didn’t care to add anything else. More words
would just get her in trouble.

“I see. You are aware he’s a troll, of
course. That he eats people.”

She made a face. “He reminded me this
morning. I know that.”

“So it’s about the sex,” Eyrnie said
flatly.

Her eyes widened. “We didn’t…I mean, there
wasn’t any…” She shut her mouth before she said something she’d
regret.

His eyes missed nothing. “I get it. He turned
you on, and you lost your head. You think he’s safe, and I’m
not…because you’re afraid to care for me.”

Billy gaped at him, unsure how he’d made that
leap. Worse, she didn’t know how to reply. He didn’t have any claim
on her; he was her friend. If he ignored her when she told him
that, what could she do?

He nodded to himself and got back on the
road. He wasn’t a very patient driver, though. He had a certain
gleam in his eye that she distrusted, too.

She had to find a way to guard her
dreams!

Eyrnie wasn’t there after school. He’d sent
her a vague text about a family emergency, apologizing that she’d
have to drive his truck home. From that, she assumed that he’d
traveled by the fae roads. That couldn’t be good.

Billy found Eyrnie’s spare key in the
magnetic box under the wheel well. Unlocking the door, she tossed
her stuff inside and climbed in, rolling down the window to release
trapped heat. She was concerned for him; this wasn’t the reprieve
she’d had in mind. Something was very wrong if he had to dash off
like this.

The ignition clicked when she turned it on,
but the engine wouldn’t turn over. She frowned and tried again.
Nothing. Was the starter going bad?

“Need a hand?” Jason glanced at her face, and
looked through her open window. He had his backpack slung over one
shoulder. “You were muttering.”

She sighed and turned the key in
demonstration. “I think the starter’s bad.”

“You got battery power? See if the radio
comes on.”

She turned the key the other way and the
radio obediently turned on.

“Yep. Looks like the starter needs to be
replaced. Where’s Eyrnie?” He looked toward the school at the herds
of students leaving for the day.

“He had a family emergency.” She’d have to
see what he wanted done about the truck. She could arrange for a
tow if nothing else.

“Need a ride?” He gestured to a yellow
lowrider with curling black flames. “The car’s out of the
shop.”

She smiled despite herself. The car suited
him. “Sure.” She grabbed her stuff and locked the truck, taking the
keys with her.

He unlocked his car and held the door open
for her, surprising her with his old-fashioned courtesy. His words
as he slid into the driver side were more like what she expected of
him. “Ah, alone at last.”

She snorted softly. “This is not a date.”

“Course not. If we were on a date, I’d have
brought flowers.” He looked over his shoulder as he backed out of
his parking spot.

“Oh, dear, I’ve been missing out,” she said,
deadpan. She didn’t want to pursue this topic any more, so she
changed the subject. “So, tell me about your car.” Thankfully, the
topic was enough to distract him all the way to her house.

Ash leaned in the doorway of her house as
they pulled up. Arms crossed, he regarded Jason with a mild
expression that made her uneasy.

“Interesting,” Jason murmured, noting Ash’s
bare feet and unbuttoned shirt. “He looks comfortable.”

She winced and hopped out of the car. “Yeah,
thanks for the ride.”