Taboo

Keywords: The, Ch., 12, Cowboy, Last,

*Chapter Twelve: Even Though*

The patch of moonlight on the cabin floor would have been enough to get dressed by, but she didn't bother. Instead, Sera pulled on her brand new robe, cinching it tight around her, and slid her feet into a pair of rubber-soled slippers. I could just turn the light on, she thought, glancing back at the empty bed next to hers. Candace isn't here...again. But probably Asher would be asleep, so there was no point in getting fully dressed when she'd be coming right back. And it was a very hot night. Even with the robe over it, she was much cooler in her t-shirt than she would have been fully dressed.

It was odd having new clothes, but really nice, too. And agreeing to accept the money had made it easier to convince Bernadette to stop paying her from now on. Sera had gotten to meet Bernadette's brother, who had brought the check—the one actually signed by their father—and she'd liked him. This was apparently a game the two siblings liked to play. Their father would do anything to keep his son's delinquent nature from ruining his own reputation. So whenever Bernadette's brother forged his father's signature for something, he would promise never to do it again in return for a favor—in this case, getting his father to sign Sera's check. According to Bernadette, her brother did this sort of thing about half a dozen times a year.

So now she had new t-shirts and jeans, socks and underwear, all sorts of practical stuff—and one not so practical outfit that both Candace and Bernadette had insisted she buy. The rest of the money had gone away in a bank account that Asher had helped her open. It was nice of him to help me, even though he's been so down lately, Sera thought, as she stepped up the stairs to his cabin. I know he and Joe Ralston are working together to figure out what to do about that Red guy. That's enough to bum anyone out. She knocked quietly, and a moment later heard him invite her in.

It was dim inside the cabin, with only a few flickering candles to provide light. The faint smell of sandalwood and cinnamon hung in the air. Asher was laying on his back, his hands tucked behind his head, staring at the ceiling. The flickering candlelight warmed his tanned skin to a golden-brown, contrasting starkly with the white sheet low on his hips. Yikes, Sera thought, sucking in her breath sharply, as she made her way over to the bed. I don't think he's wearing anything under there... She clutched her robe tightly around her, kicking off her slippers before climbing up onto the bed next to him.

"You should be asleep," Asher said quietly.

"Well, I can't sleep," Sera retorted, stung. "I was worried about you."

Asher turned his head to look up at her. "I know," he murmured. "Come here, Sera."

She crawled across the bed and settled against his side, sighing as he put an arm around her. Sera rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes and savoring the feeling of his warm skin against hers. Pressed up against him like that, the robe was really too warm for her, but she wasn't about to leave. He needed her; she could tell by the way he held onto her. Asher might not be very verbal about his feelings, but there were times, like now, when he couldn't hide them from her. Sera would stay as long as he needed her there.

"Nice robe," Asher said. His voice was lighter than it had been. "Looks cozy."

"A little too cozy," Sera admitted.

Asher shifted onto his side and stared down at her. She could see candlelight reflected in his dark eyes, and something else, something that made her tremble from head to toe. Slowly she propped herself up onto one elbow, and he settled back on the bed. Sera pulled her legs up beneath her and sat up, bracing her hands on his chest. Both Candace and Bernadette had teased her about 'comforting' him, but neither of them knew she'd been considering it. The heat of his skin and the rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her hands made her lightheaded. Maybe I should leave, Sera thought, before I do something stupid.

"Maybe you should leave," Asher said quietly, echoing her thoughts. "Before..."

Sera cocked her head curiously as he trailed off. "Before?"

"Before I help you get un-cozy," Asher murmured.

The tone of his voice made her shiver. She leaned forward, letting her eyes drift closed as she lowered her mouth to his. The scent of soap mingled with sandalwood and cinnamon, filling her with a sense of comfort. Asher's mouth was warm and welcoming, and he brought his arms up around her as she kissed him. Now I really am too hot, Sera thought, shifting uncomfortably in her robe. Despite that she sank down against him, parting her lips at the gentle insistence of his tongue.

Asher's hands wandered down her sides, finding the tie of her robe. He tugged, and had it open before she fully realized what he was doing. Startled, Sera pulled her mouth away from his and sat up. She was half in his lap, her robe sliding down her shoulders, her t-shirt having ridden up around her hips. She could feel something hard and hot under the sheet, pressing against her thigh. Asher gazed up at her, his dark eyes heavy-lidded, an expression of mild disappointment on his face.

"I was hoping you weren't wearing anything under that," he admitted, flashing a small, crooked smile.

Sera swallowed. "Are you wearing anything under this?" she asked, plucking at the sheet.

"No," Asher answered, his smile widening. "Is that a problem?"

Sera shook her head. He was right, she thought, shrugging off her robe. He really is a man...just quieter about it than most men. Yet she found she kind of liked that about him. It was thrilling, the way he slid his hands beneath her shirt and up along her back as she leaned forward to kiss him again. She kissed his mouth once, then his neck, finding sensitive spots with her lips. Asher smelled so good, and he made soft little groaning noises when she hit the right spot, that made her whole body tighten. Right there, Sera thought smugly, listening to his moan as she nuzzled behind his earlobe. I like being able to do that.

While she discovered her newly realized powers, Asher ran his hands along her back, his fingertips stroking along her spine and tracing little whorls across her skin. It was so soothing that she relaxed completely. At least, until his hands slid around to her stomach, then up to cup her breasts. Sera sat up, so startled that she couldn't even choke out a gasp. Worse, his hands felt so good and were so warm that she wanted to just sink against his touch. Although, she thought, biting her lip as his thumbs brushed over the tips of her nipples, that might not be such a bad thing.

"That's for being such a troublemaker," Asher explained, his voice soft and slightly ragged.

Behave, she told herself. Behave, behave, be—aw, hell. "If that's how you punish me," Sera said, "it certainly isn't going to get me to stop."

Asher chuckled. "I wish I'd known sooner," he said, grinning. "I thought you were supposed to be quiet and shy."

He continued to fondle her gently, almost too gently, really. Screw quiet and shy, Sera thought, straightening up. I've been quiet and shy my whole life...I want to be different for once! She caught the hem of her t-shirt and yanked it up over head, throwing it aside to meet Asher's wide, startled gaze. For a bare second she started to panic, realizing that she'd exposed every one of her awful scars; then Asher's arms were around her, and he dragged her down to him and kissed her hard. Nearly every thought went out the window then, but Sera had the presence of mind to pull back for a second.

"I guess I've got a thing for cowboys," she explained breathlessly.

"Should I be worried?" Asher sounded equally breathless. "There's an awful lot of those around here."

"No, there isn't," Sera assured him, her words slightly muffled against his mouth. "You're the real thing."

It was a new sensation, having her body pressed up against his like this. She closed her eyes and relaxed against him as they kissed. Asher followed the line of her body with his hand, down along her waist and over her hip. When her curled his fingers around the waistband of her panties and tugged, she knew what he wanted. Trembling a little, Sera sat up, sliding off of his lap. She turned away, listening to the rustle of sheets and the creaking of the bed, as she pulled her panties off. When she turned back, Asher was sitting up on the bed across from her, the sheet having slid off his lap. She felt her cheeks turning hot, but she turned and settled herself across from him, also sitting.

He was very patient. In the near-dark and near-silence they sat, exchanging gentle kisses and hesitant touches. Asher's hands were more assured than hers, and when his fingers traced the curve of her breast, or explored between her thighs, all she could do was sit there, shaking slightly and moaning. Sera was much more uncertain, following the natural lines of his muscles as she trailed her fingers down his chest. It was easy enough to kiss him, and she kept lifting her mouth to his, eager for more of that. But her hands trembled more the further down his stomach that they traveled.

Asher caught her hands in his and held them, gently rubbing his fingers over her knuckles. Relax, Sera thought, taking a deep breath. Relax, this is Asher, he would never—ooo! She shivered as his mouth suddenly found her earlobe. Much like she'd done, he moved down her neck, finding sensitive spots with his lips as he worked his way down. Except that unlike her, he didn't stop at her neck. Asher kissed his way down over her collar bone to her breast. Sera drew in her breath sharply as his lips closed around her nipple. She closed her eyes and sighed his name, all of her uncertainty rushing out of her.

When she opened her eyes again, still tingling from his mouth, she watched him lean over and retrieve something from a drawer in the bedside table. Sera's mouth went a little dry as she saw, in a flicker of dying candlelight, that he was holding a condom.

Keywords: The, Ch., 12, Cowboy, Last,