Ashia (2 page)

“I know you’re not a stalker,” she reassured.

Reid frowned. “How would you? You should really be careful of believing what people say to you.”

“I have no worry of a human hurting me.” The woman waved a heavily adorned hand. Her rings gleamed with various designs and her bracelets clanked.

Did she just call him human?

“You are too cute to worry about my safety, Reid.” She tucked some hair behind her ear.

Reid frowned, wondering how she knew his name. As soon as he did, he realised who she was.

“Dr Leonard—”

“Ashia,” she interjected. “Call me Ashia. I’m already calling you Reid.”

“Okay. Umm… Liv is acting listless and I’m worried she’s ill,” Reid said.

Ashia’s smile widened as she flowed closer to him. There was no other way to describe the boneless sensual way she moved. She stopped so near she was in his personal space. Reid inhaled, his nostrils filling with a delectable scent. It wasn’t anything he could place, yet it reminded him of the smell of rain as it fell during a darkening twilight. Reid chuckled at his sappiness.

“You have a very good laugh, Reid.”

Reid was caught in her green-eyed gaze. “Umm…thanks.”

“You are very welcome, Reid. Now let me see what is wrong with your companion.” She turned her attention to Liv.

Free of her intense gaze, Reid shivered. Ashia was a lot of woman to take so close. Now more than ever he decided not to ask her out. He focused on Liv as Ashia checked her over. He appreciated the gentle way she handled Liv. Ashia turned her head. That was when he noticed the jewellery on the upper top of her left ear. Ashia moved to the other side of the table and he noticed a matching one on the right ear too. Instinctively he moved around the table and stood beside her. Reid touched the jewellery then bent to get a look. It was lovely. Delicate woven pieces of what looked to be gold and silver made up the cuff. Hanging from it was a piece that seemed to have some sort of writing on it. At the tip was a green gem that matched her eyes.

“It is a cartouche,” she said.

Reid turned his head. How had he got so near to her? He could feel her breath on his lips. Reid released the jewel and stepped back.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have touched you.” He slid his hands into his pockets.

“Is that why you are standing like that?” Ashia glanced at his hands then back to his face. “If so it’s unnecessary. You wouldn’t have been able to touch me without my wanting it.”

Reid frowned as he realised what she had said. Flustered, he glanced at Liv. “What’s wrong with her?”

Ashia explained but he was too distracted to register much of what she said the moment he realised it wasn’t serious. She wrote on a few pieces of paper and Reid accepted them without reading them. Ashia turned to leave but paused before the door, looking over her shoulder.

“What did you plan to say to me, today at the park?”

Reid responded without thinking. “Some lame thing about seeing you then I might have worked up the courage to ask you out.”

“You can cook me dinner at your house tonight, Reid Jacobs. I’ll be there at seven o’clock,” Ashia said then turned back to the door.

The way she had stated it sounded like a promise as well as a warning.

“Wait. What? How do you know where I live?” Reid took a step towards her.

“The writing on the cartouche states Amaunet.” Ashia’s reply didn’t answer any of his questions.

Reid watched, stupefied, as she left the room closing the door behind her. A soft woof caught his attention. He moved back to Liv and put his hand on her head.

“Seems that we’re having company tonight.”

Reid glanced at the papers she’d handed him and shoved the papers in his pocket then said to Liv, “I have a feeling Daddy will be babbling like a fool often in front of that woman.” Reid stilled.

They hadn’t even had dinner yet and he was already planning on her being around often.

“Yep, I’m delusional. One dinner with me, and she’ll run for the hills. Ah shit, I can’t cook. What am I going to make? Maybe I can buy something.”

Liv woofed again.

“You are absolutely right, no cheating by buying out. Google a simple recipe. It can’t be that hard to make something passable.”

With that decided Reid gathered Liv and headed out. As he walked through the reception room, he noticed Ashia speaking with the receptionist. She glanced up and winked, instantly making him blush. Shit, he was in over his head. He left quickly.

Ashia held back a laugh as Reid almost knocked over Mrs Garcia—one of her patients’ owners—as she came in. Before he slipped outside Reid glanced over his shoulder towards her and she widened her smile causing another delightful blush to stain his porcelain skin. He was really cute. His skin tone was offset by red hair that was extremely curly, which made his bright blue eyes that were covered by small wire-framed glasses more captivating. Reid was thin and gangly, taller than her by a few inches, but even under his baggy T-shirt and cargo pants she could see he had muscles.

The whole fascinating package that made up Reid combined to make his look what she had come to think of since being with humans as geeky cute. He turned her on, so she must like her some geeky cute.

Ashia returned to the back of the vet clinic. She hadn’t felt this revved in millennia. It was certainly strange that a human had put her in this state. She found she enjoyed living among the humans. She’d been bored and had wanted a change of scenery. Renpet—or as she was known to the humans, Devi—seemed happy with her life amongst the humans. Renpet was the goddess of time and immortality, and Ashia, had decided to come see what had intrigued her fellow goddess so.

Now she had her first human date. And with a sexy geek who she wanted to kiss very badly. Ashia chuckled, remembering his babbling about seeing her jogging in the park. She’d never even noticed him. Reid had been so earnest about not being a stalker, then protective thinking she was naïve. If only he knew she had had more experience looking after herself and had seen much more than he ever could. As she’d examined his dog she’d felt his eyes on her. His concern for his doggy companion had been almost tangible. His interest in her had been even more so. She’d felt him coming towards her. She could have stopped him from touching her cartouche, but she had wanted his hand on her skin. When his fingers had brushed along her ear and against the side of her neck it had taken everything she had to not turn her head and suck his fingers.

Reid’s inhalation had made her core throb. Desire wasn’t something new to her, yet Reid made her feel wanton. It was very unlike her usual control. Once Reid had been made aware of how close he had been he’d backed off. Ashia already knew she was going to see the fascinating man again. In her gut she knew if she had waited for Reid to actually ask her out he wouldn’t have, so she’d manoeuvred him into making her dinner. Ashia sobered as she remembered her parting words to him. She didn’t know why she had told him what her true name was. It wouldn’t matter. This was nothing but a dalliance with a human male who’d captured her attention. She pushed away thoughts of Reid and opened the door to see her next patient.

* * * *

Ashia parked her blue granite Avalanche before the house. The place totally suited Reid. The home was a quaint bungalow, with a jumble of furniture crammed on the front porch. It looked lovely and it, again she was reminded how it totally suited geeky Reid. Since her last patient had cancelled, she had finished over an hour early. She’d gone home, taken care of her puppies, then had gone to get ready to use up the excess time but even that hadn’t worked. She hadn’t been able to wait at home so she had just headed to his place.

Ashia opened the car door and got out. She closed the door, headed up the walk to the house then pressed the doorbell. The sound of barking came from inside the house then footsteps. She could sense Reid peeking out of the door and with her acute hearing, she heard him swearing softly. Ashia bit her lip, holding back a chuckle. A few moments later the door opened. Reid stepped into view and she couldn’t help but laugh. He looked like something had exploded on him. Bits of what looked like food were dripping from his hair and had stained his shirt and pants.

“The recipe said ‘easy’. They didn’t take into account the dummy in the kitchen factor.” Reid pursed his lips, his eyes twinkling.

“You’re so adorable,” Ashia replied.

Reid rolled his eyes.

She stepped forward and he backed up, letting her into the house.

“Go get cleaned up, and I’ll make us something for dinner.” Unerringly she headed to where she felt the kitchen was.

“Ashia.”

She paused, glancing back at him as Reid strode towards her.

Ashia stifled a moan at the lazy saunter of his gait. He stopped inches away from her. “A man doesn’t like being called cute or adorable,” he rumbled in his deep, bassy baritone.

Reid turned on his heels, strode towards the staircase and loped upstairs.

Ashia stared after his disappearing pert ass. She wanted to feel it in the palm of her hand. Her stomach had a weird fluttery sensation and she pressed her hand there to smooth her nerves. Ashia blew out a shaky breath and continued on to the kitchen to prepare some dinner. Reid might not like hearing he was cute or adorable but that was what he was. And sexy as hell.

She hoped she could control herself through dinner and get out of there afterwards. There were varying opinions on what was customary for human dating. From what she had read, one did not put out on the first date. Although it was acceptable to kiss if you felt like it. With Reid a kiss wasn’t going to be problem. The issue would be keeping herself from ravishing the man. That was another thing. Human women waited for the man to make the first move.

Ashia growled in frustration at these weird human dating rituals. She wanted to be with him in the shower. Ashia glanced towards the stairs.
Should I say to hell with it and join him?

Chapter Two

Ashia turned over the chicken in the pan. Thankfully Reid had only managed to make a mess of the veggies. She glanced at the blender in the sink. She’d found it on the counter with the lid off and a mushy mess that was some sort of vegetables all over. She couldn’t figure out why he’d had them in the blender.

“Oh…you didn’t have to clean up. I would have done it,” Reid said, coming up behind her.

Ashia glanced back, a soft moan escaping as she spotted him. He wore a blue button-down shirt open at the neck and matching shorts. Reid came around the island and she saw he was barefoot.

“What can I do to help?” Reid offered.

“You can chop the vegetables.” Ashia gestured to the vegetables on the cutting board that was on the island.

“At least this time I will remember to put on the cover.” Reid glanced at the sink.

Ashia viewed the blender then retuned her attention to him. “Why would you blend the vegetable for a stir fry?”

Reid flushed. “The recipe said to chop but I have a problem with knives.”

“Which is what?”

“They have a vendetta against me. They are always trying to slice off my fingers.” Reid showed her his hands.

A bandage was on his left index finger.

Ashia stifled a chuckle. “You do know you are the one who is wielding the knife. Show it who is boss.”

“Tsk. Tsk. No need to patronise me. Let me hear it. No one believes me when I say knives have it in for me,” Reid said mournfully.

Ashia did laugh at that. She turned down the heat on the chicken searing in the pan. She moved to the island and picked up the knife.

“You just have to show it who is boss. Like this. Hey, knife, no cutting me.” Ashia deftly cut up a few of the vegetables then put the knife down. “See. Now you try.”

Reid looked sceptical then shrugged, picking up the knife. He went to cut. Ashia stopped him by touching his arm.

“You have to say the words,” Ashia said.

Reid laughed then obliged. “Hey, knife, I know you have it in for me but no cutting me.”

Ashia chuckled. Reid started to cut the vegetables. He bit his tongue between his lips and his eyebrows were scrunched up as he concentrated.

“Shit,” Reid hissed.

Ashia took the knife from him then grabbed his hand pulling him to the sink. She turned on the water and put his bleeding finger under it.

“Leave it there a moment. Where are your Band-Aids?”

“There are some in the cupboard there.” Reid pointed to the cabinet left of the sink.

Ashia retrieved the first aid kit, overruling his protest as she dressed the small cut. After she was done she put the kit away. Turning back, she saw Reid leaning against the counter, glaring at his newly banded right index finger. He raised his left hand and scowled at both. Ashia moved close to him. He raised his head and showed her both fingers.

“See? Knife. Vendetta.”

“They definitely are out to get you,” Ashia agreed.

Reid laughed and she joined him. The laughter trailed off as their gazes locked. Ashia raised his right-bandaged finger and pressed her lips on it.

Reid groaned then went silent as he raised the left one. Ashia shifted her head and kissed that one too. Reid made that guttural sound again. Ashia shivered, and leaned closer to him.

“The chicken,” Reid said.

Ashia dropped his hand and hurried to the stove. Reid blew out a shaky breath behind her. Ashia smiled. She flipped the chicken then turned to face Reid again. He stared at her, hunger as well as wariness in his gaze.

“Have a seat while I cut up these veggies,” Ashia said.

Reid walked and took a seat on one of the stools around the island.

“I looked up the name you told me. Amaunet.”

She briefly stopped cutting the vegetables. ”Hmmm?”

Reid continued talking. “She’s a primordial goddess who is considered an Egyptian mother goddess. Referred to as the ‘Hidden One’. She belongs to the Ogdoad of Hermopolis. The Ogdoad is fascinating. I never knew such things existed. Them or even Amaunet. They are not as well-known as some of the Egyptian gods or goddess.” Reid paused, closing his eyes as if searching his memory. “Amaunet was regarded as a tutelary deity of the Egyptian pharaohs and had a prominent part in their accession ceremonies. It is said she is the personification of the life-bringing northern wind. The pictures of her are depicted as a snake or a snake-head on which the crown of Lower Egypt rests.” Reid opened his eyelids and studied her. “Why do you have jewellery with her name on it?”