BEAST

  He gripped her hand and led her to the car. While they drove he touched his lips and nose and she would catch him smiling to himself. When he realized that he was being watched he blushed.

  “I’m not being vain, but I just can’t believe this face is mine.” He chuckled.

  She was watching him and hiding her smile. “You sorta look like that guy who played Thor, except with red hair.”

  He scowled. “No. You think?”

  “A little. But better.”

  Now it was his turn to roll his eyes. He glanced at her and gave her a crooked grin and she saw him, her old Christopher, so clearly in the new angles of his face.

  “God, I love you.” She whispered.

  The smile slid from his face. “Mom and Dad can wait…” He changed lanes and drove towards the next exit. “I need you now.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m finding a hotel. You need to eat, I need to shower and shave, but first,” he gave her a smoky look. “You need to cum. I know when my baby needs to cum.”

  Her eyes got big and she squirmed in her seat. Wow, he was talking dirty. Yum.

  They quickly located a Highway Inn which didn’t look appropriate for more than what they wanted it for. Christopher checked them into a small dingy room. Ashleigh pulled the comforter from the bed, allowing it to land on the floor where it surely belonged. When she turned Christopher was standing right there. He lifted her easily and sat her on the blankets.

  Christopher came out of his shirt and Ashleigh resisted the urge to run her hands along his muscular chest. He kicked out of his shoes and pulled off his jeans and boxers. She gasped. He was already so hard that his big thick shaft was nearly purple.

  Moving quickly she squirmed out of her clothes while he watched her. She was aware of exactly where his eyes landed on every part of her body.

  His eyes rested on hers. “I want to do this right…” he went down on his knees before the bed and she shuddered in anticipation, spreading her legs wide for him. The sight of her soft, wet flesh swelling from her brown lips caused Christopher’s salivary glands to go into overdrive. He loved Ashleigh’s pussy; the way it smelled, the way it looked the way it tasted. He quickly lowered his lips to her mound and he licked and sucked until she was whimpering and gyrating uncontrollably.

  Her hands slipped into his hair, but instead of gripping it she rubbed him gently holding him in place while she gyrated against his face. He rubbed his beard against her flesh and she arched to meet it. The friction was incredible! She suddenly bucked.

  “No! Don’t make me cum. In me baby, inside of me, please!”

  Christopher quickly moved up the bed until he was covering her body. She ran her hands over his taut body while he guided himself into her wet and ready opening. Ashleigh’s eyes closed and her lips parted.

  “Ohh…” She cried. “Oh, Chris…”

  Christopher squeezed his eyes closed fighting to control his strokes; steady, not too hard, not to slow. His baby liked it fast. He dipped his head and sought her plump brown nipple. He sucked her into his mouth and it was the move that brought her over the edge. Ashleigh gripped his back, her fingers dug in while her legs closed tightly around him.

  Christopher gasped as her hot satiny walls clenched around him, squeezing him and pulling him inside of her further.

  “Yes! Ashleigh, cum, baby!” He growled as he drove into her faster. He could feel her body shaking. He didn’t know if all women did that but his Ashleigh did. Her shaking intensified until she let loose one last shriek of pleasure. With that sound and the intense pulsing that gripped him, Chris allowed his own cry of pleasure to mix with hers.

  Christopher clutched the blankets in his fists and grunted his release into Ashleigh’s still pulsing body. “Oh my god…” He said as he allowed his body to collapse partially over hers. “So good…” he murmured.

  All she could do was lay there and stroke his curls and his shoulders and his back. He rolled onto his side and stared down at her. She reached up and silently ran her finger over the bridge of his nose, and then allowing it to dip down into the cleft of his lip before she traced his upper lip. Christopher closed his eyes, relishing the feel of her fingers on his face.

  “I love when you do that.” He whispered. He grasped her wrist lightly and returned her fingers to his lips where he kissed each fingertip. “I never thought I’d have this.”

  She inhaled a shaky breathe. “Me either.”

  ~***~

  Sharing his face with his family was like watching each of them open a valued present at Christmas. Christopher never realized how much his scars had so profoundly affected everyone until every single person that had come to his Mom and Dad’s house cried tears of joy for him. His mother was shaking and she kept touching his face. His father shed tears as well, but mostly because he thought Chris was Walt. And he kept saying that he knew Walt wasn’t dead, that his boy had come back. Christopher just buried his head against his father’s chest and let him think that he was Walt.

  By the time they got home later in the evening, Christopher was emotionally drained. He dragged himself into bed but Ashleigh wasn’t ready for sleep. She changed into shorts and a sports bra and then went into the workout room. Maggie yawned and hopped up on the weight bench and watched as Ashleigh got on the treadmill. It had been days since she had run but once the endorphins released into her system, she got lost in the joy of her muscles working; tightening and loosening with each pound of her feet against the treadmill. It became a song for her, this sound of her running. Ashleigh didn’t even remember that once upon a time she had thought women who ran the treadmill like she now did were peculiar. Once upon a time, Ashleigh had thought a lot of things.

  The next day Christopher made Ashleigh’s protein shake and dropped her off at work promising to pick her up in the evening so that they could go wedding ring shopping. Ashleigh gave him a lingering kiss and hurried down into the subbasement for her workout. This was her gym, hers and Christopher’s. It’s how she would forever think of this place. She didn’t even worry about that creepy guy showing up because she knew that Christopher’s team would be watching her and making sure she stayed safe.

  She entered the room, turned on the lights and then slipped a cd into the disc player; George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelics. She loved Christopher’s music but it was nice to mix some good funk into the workout. She turned to the treadmill and paused. Resting on the handles was an army fatigue hat and folded shirt. On top of the neat bundle was a folded piece of paper. She reached for the paper, looking around curiously. Written across it were two words; LITTLE TROOPER.

  Ashleigh grinned. She placed the hat on her head and unfolded the shirt. It had USMC written across the front just like Christopher’s shirts, only this one was a whole lot smaller. Ashleigh looked up at the little camera nestled in the ceiling and tilted her head at it in thanks.

  Lance and Ashleigh couldn’t wait until the end of the day so that they could walk out to Christopher’s truck to get a look at his new face. He wasn’t in his truck but standing out front talking to TK. Ashleigh immediately recognized the black man decked out in sunglasses even though she had never officially been introduced to him.

  While Kendra and Lance gushed over Christopher, Ashleigh gave her attention to the man.

  “Hello…?”

  “Lieutenant Kennedy, Ma’am.” He tilted his head at her and looked like he was ready to salute then he relaxed. “But everybody calls me TK.”

  “TK.” She smiled. “Thanks for helping me when that idiot wouldn’t leave me alone.”

  “Not a problem. Did you like the shirt and hat? The guys…well they wanted to give that to you.” He looked suddenly embarrassed.

  “I like it a lot.” She showed Christopher her gifts when he looked at her curiously. “Can you tell the guys thanks for me?”

  “I will. See you tomorrow.”

  “Uh…?”

  TK chuckled as he went into the build
ing. “I know, you won’t see me, but I’ll see you.”

  “Ok, that was creepy.” She mumbled with a chuckle when he was gone. But it was also sweet. After a few more minutes of gushing over Christopher, Kendra and Lance headed to the parking lot. Christopher looked after them thoughtfully.

  “I can’t wait until your belly is big like Kendra’s.”

  Ashleigh grimaced before it switched automatically to a smile. “That part is going to be hard but…it’ll be worth it.”

  Christopher stooped down to kiss her. “Yes it will. Ready to go do some engagement ring shopping? There are some nice jewelry stores right on this street.”

  “I am more than ready!” She decided not to say that she was born ready.

  Jewelry stores lined Main St. and it was a beautiful evening. The two walked hand in hand, staring into windows and discussing the finer points of diamond rings.

  Ashleigh wasn’t picky; she would have chosen the first ring that made her go ‘oooh’ except Christopher insisted they continue to look. They finally ended up at Tiffany’s. She wasn’t sure why he suddenly looked so nervous. He was the one that kept urging her towards this store.

  “Welcome back sir.”

  Ashleigh gave Christopher a quick look and he just smiled. He’d already checked out all of the rings then. Hmmm, interesting. She focused on the cases and went ooooh several times. And then she saw the ring of her dreams. Ashleigh’s eyes lit up and she looked at Christopher excitedly. He glanced down at the display that had excited her and gave her an amazed look.

  Ashleigh cringed. It was too expensive. She could find a different one to love. But the salesman was already there unlocking the case and slipping out the gorgeous ring.

  “This is our platinum, three stone Lucida. Would you like to try it on Ma’am?” Ashleigh could just nod. The salesman handed the ring to Christopher who took her hand and looked deeply into her eyes.

  “Will you marry me, Ashleigh?”

  She giggled. “I already told you that I’d marry you, silly.”

  “Yeah but it wasn’t official since I didn’t have a ring to put on your finger. Now I got the ring.”

  She smiled. “You have to buy it first. I believe that’s how it works, baby.”

  “I already did. This ring is yours.”

  Her brown face paled and Christopher slipped the beautiful ring on her finger. Ashleigh looked at it in surprise. She looked from Christopher to her ring, unable to find her words.

  “Thank god you picked the right one. But Lance and Kendra seemed to know that this is the one you’d want.”

  Ashleigh made a strangled sound and then she threw her arms around his shoulders. He chuckled and lifted her off the floor as she stared over his shoulder at the ring on her finger.

  “You had me worried the first time your eyes lit up at a wayyyy cheaper ring.” But it didn’t compare to the look she had when she had seen this one. To him, that look was priceless.

  Everyone in the store was looking at them and smiling. The clerk handed her a blue Tiffany’s bag with care instructions and thanked them.

  She looked at Christopher in amazement. “I can wear it out?”

  “I hope you don’t take it off, but yes. It’s bought and paid for.”

  “I won’t ever take it off!” She promised.

  Christopher’s hand rested her on soft hip as they walked out of the store.

  She was smiling brightly. “I can’t believe Kendra and Lance! They didn’t let on once!”

  “Ashleigh?”

  Christopher looked over at the tall black man that was heading for them. The smiled slipped from his face. DeAngelo. Shit, why did he have to show up to mar this perfect moment? He could have replayed this in his head over and over but not anymore. Now all he’d do is get pissed off.

  The man had hurried from across the street. Christopher studied his athletic form and knew that he was the type of man most women went for. He was a tall, good-looking, dark skinned guy with a well-kept build.

  “Ashleigh!” He said while coming to a stop right in front of them. “I can’t…believe it. You look wonderful!”

  Christopher looked down at Ashleigh who had a forced smile on her face. His arm around her waist tightened and it might have been a bit on the possessive side but…hell! How dare this old boyfriend come out of the blue and look at her like that!

  DeAngelo was staring at her with a wide happy smile on his face. It was a look as if he didn’t know that this was no longer his woman; as if he had every right in the world to look at her like that. Christopher had to clench his teeth because he wanted to punch him right in the center of his face!

  “Hi DeAngelo.” She said and the slightly older black man finally looked at Christopher. It wasn’t impolite but it was curious. “DeAngelo, this is my fiancé Lt. Christopher Jameson-”

  “Fiancé??? You’re getting married?” His eyes almost bugged out of his head.

  Ashleigh narrowed her eyes. No he didn’t!!! He did not just go there…

  DeAngelo looked down at Ashleigh’s hand and the big gleaming rock on it. His face fell and he met Ashleigh’s eyes once again.

  “Oh.” He said softly. “I know that you always wanted to get married.”

  Christopher shifted positions. This guy was really pissing him off. “I’m just lucky that no one snatched her up before me.” He said stiffly.

  DeAngelo looked at him and took in the way his hand rested comfortably around her waist, and not just that, but also the way that she leaned in to him. Ashleigh looked up at Christopher.

  “Honey, this is DeAngelo Murray, my ex-boyfriend.”

  Christopher tilted his head in a brief greeting. “Well if you’ll excuse us, DeAngelo, I need to feed both of my babies.”

  DeAngelo’s eyes bugged even further before he masked the look. “You’re pregnant. Congratulations I…” He sighed. “Are you happy?”

  Christopher glared at him and all he could think was kill kill kill kill…

  Ashleigh placed her hand over her belly. “I am. I’m finally happy.” Ashleigh led Christopher away without another word; without a goodbye. Christopher smiled to himself.

  ~***~

  The family reunion had been pushed back to allow Christopher’s bandages time to be removed. But Uncle Ray was anxious to get it underway while all of the school age children were off for summer break, so the weekend after next was designated family reunion time. But before Ashleigh could even think about joining Christopher at his family gathering she knew that it she had to rectify her own wrong in not formally introducing Christopher to her family.

  So on Saturday Ashleigh made plans for her own mini-family gathering. Her father wasn’t able to fly back up so soon after returning to Florida but invited them down to spend a few days, an invitation that they readily accepted. Ashleigh’s Mom, having just made the trip was unable to come back up but promised to return at Christmas, which just left her two sisters and their families. Ashleigh decided on Buca di Beppos for a family style dinner. Christopher didn’t understand why she didn’t want to have dinner at the house. He was willing to put together a nice barbecue and pull out the lawn furniture and put up a gazebo.

  Ashleigh just shook her head explaining that it was too much trouble when they’d be heading down to Cobb Hill a week later. The truth is that she wanted the ability to leave if they got on her nerves. Ashleigh loved her sisters, she just didn’t always like them.

  Christopher noticed that Ashleigh spent an extra long time selecting her outfit, looking at herself in the mirror, running her hands over her stomach and poking at her butt. She was…uh… callipygian; a fact that he hoped would never change.

  He moved behind her and kissed her neck. “You look beautiful.”

  “You think I look okay?” She had a worried expression on her face.

  “I’ve never seen you look more beautiful.” Which wasn’t the exact truth. When she was beneath him and her mouth was opened in a silent scream of pleasure, her eyes rolle
d to the top of her head and a pink flush flowed beneath her brown skin, it was a look that he found most pleasing.

  She seemed satisfied with his answer and they headed to the restaurant. Both sisters were so late that Christopher wondered if they would show. The two sat at the bar anxiously and Ashleigh kept checking her cell phone.

  “Why don’t you call them?”

  She shook her head adamantly. “It’s CP time. You don’t call. They’ll get here.”

  Half an hour late, the first sister showed up. Christopher and Ashleigh left the bar to greet her and the sister was still craning her neck, searching the room even though Ashleigh was standing right in front of her.

  “That heffa left…” She said. Christopher stiffened a bit at the use of the word ‘heffa’ but couldn’t help the smile when she finally looked at Ashleigh in confusion and then shocked recognition. Her expression was priceless, she almost recoiled. The woman squealed and grabbed Ashleigh in a hug.