Fiction: Tidal Wave
This is the fifth story from my prompt table at
10_themes The prompt for today is: Anger.
Ashlee and Coop are thrown together in marriage, will they find love?
This is the fifth in my Love and War series. I really hope you like it.
Title: Tidal Wave
Author: Jailynn
Character: Ashlee Wolfe, Guiding Light
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm just taking them out to play with for a while and will return the characters to their owners when I'm done
Warnings: AR/AU, part of a series
Summary: Ashlee and Coop deal with some feelings about her attack--- Prompt: Anger
Word Count: 2086
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Pictures appeared on the television screen while she held the remote loosely in her hand. Ashlee pushed the up arrow, changing the channel again. Growing frustrated with the lack of entertainment, she punched the power button and threw the remote toward the television. Her arm dropped onto her stomach and she let out a pronounced hiss. Pain unfurled throughout her body and she let her arm slide onto the bed next to her. Looking around at her bedroom in the mansion, she scowled. The place was beautiful, filled with flowers from her friends and family. The afternoon sunlight cased the space in light. To anyone in their right mind this would be the perfect day, spending time whiling away the hours in soft sheets and surrounded by blooms of every color.
Ashlee hated it. Ever since she got out of the hospital her emotions have bounced between being afraid of every little sound to relief she survived and finally to being pissed off that she didn’t do more. Ashlee eased out of bed, mindful of her bruised ribs and sore body to go stand by the window. She was angry about everything. She was angry that the robber got away, angry that she wasn’t more aware of her surroundings that day, angry that…that he picked her. She dropped her head onto the glass, gently wrapping her arms around her injured side.
It made her sick that she was actually mad that he didn’t hurt someone else, that he made her his target. What kind of person wished for that? What did it say about her that she would actually want this sort of violence to happen to someone else? Ashlee turned from the bright light of the afternoon, pulling the drapes so that the room was dark. A small bouquet of roses was on the table next to her. She fingered the soft peach petals, rubbing them between her thumb and index finger. Fragrance filled her nose, sweet and rich. She picked up the vase and held the glass in her hand. Staring at the beauty of the perfect flowers was too much for her and she pulled back her arm, flinging the glass across the room. It shattered, water and flowers spilling on to the floor, next to the door. She gripped her side as the pain ripped through her.
Her bedroom door opened a second later. Coop’s face was devoid of color; his blue green eyes searched her face for answers. Ashlee felt her chin tremble. Tears built around her eyes, making the world shimmer, making him look blurry. She turned away from him, ashamed by her anger and her tears. She never wanted him to see her like this. The glass shards crunched under his shoes as he moved closer to her. Ashlee dropped her head, her body shaking from holding in her emotions. She felt him come up behind her then hesitate. She looked over her shoulder to see where his mind was at but couldn’t. His eyes were downcast and his whole demeanor screamed ‘uncomfortable’. Ashlee was oddly relieved by that.
Coop’s eyes slowly came to rest on hers. “Are you…” he stopped and licked his lips. She watched his soft tongue roll against his bottom lip. He placed his hands on his hips, glancing back toward the broken vase and roses. “Are you okay? I mean did,” he turned back toward her. “Is there something I can do? Do you need anything?”
She looked away. His eyes were so intense, so filled with emotion. She hadn’t seen him like this except for that brief moment before she spoke at the hospital a few days ago. Ashlee wiped at the water that still rested on her cheeks, feeling foolish. “I…” she shook her head. “You can’t do anything to help me.” She moved around him to stand in front of the mess she made, completely missing the flash of hurt that flared in his eyes. “I don’t think there is anything anyone can do to help me.” She started to bend to pick up the pieces of glass when she felt his hand grip her arm, stopping her cold. She stared into his eyes, “Coop?”
“Why don’t you let me try,” Coop’s voice shook. “I’d like to try to help you.” She slowly straightened her spine. His warmth was radiating off of him and caressing her body. Ashlee bit her lower lip and swayed slightly in his direction. There was something about the way he was looking at her, touching her almost cautiously, that made her insides tremble. “Ashlee please let me in. I know you must need someone to talk to and I know that I’m probably the last person…”
“I would talk to you, Coop,” she interrupted, whispering. More tears started building behind her eyes and she looked away. “I just…I don’t like what I have to say and I wouldn’t know how to say it anyway.” Ashlee felt the first tear start to slide down her cheek and moved her hand to wipe it away then stopped. Coop’s thumb brushed the moisture from her skin gently. Her flesh tingled where he cupped her head in his hand. His caress was so soft, almost ghost like. His blue green eyes urged her silently to try and open up to him and she was shocked to find out she really did want to. Gathering courage from that well inside of herself, she pushed the words past her lips, “I’m mad that it was me.” Shame filled her once again, but she continued. “I’m mad that he didn’t pick someone else. I’m pissed off that I couldn’t have done more, that I let this happen. I should have been smarter.”
“You were brave,” he said. Pride filled her at the look he gave her then it quickly dissipated with his next words. “And you were stupid.” Her feelings of rage at herself, at the robber and at her situation quickly shifted to focus on him. She backed away, her bare foot stepping on one of the glass pieces. She hissed a curse, lifting her foot to see it bleeding from the gash. Ashlee hobbled over to the bed and Coop followed her. “Let me see,” he stood above her as she examined the injury.
She glared at him. The throbbing in her foot and her ribs was making her testy. “You don’t have to worry about it. Your stupid wife is fine. I just need a bandage.” She got up to walk to her bathroom, but he pushed her back down. Her glare turned that much fiercer at his action. “What are you doing? I need to clean the wound.”
“I know,” he held her down with his hand against her shoulder. “Stay there and I’ll get the stuff to clean your wound.” She watched him disappear into her restroom for a moment. He shifted things around. She could hear items being pushed to the side or laid upon the counter then Coop reappear with a box of Band-aids, two wash clothes- one wet and one dry- and some Neosporin. Ashlee eased back on the bed. He gently took her injured right foot in his hand, wiping away the blood from her skin around the cut. He looked up at her. “You were stupid only because you could have been hurt worst or even killed. Ashlee he had a gun, I…” he averted his eyes just when she wanted to look into them the most. “I just can’t believe you risked your life for a car and some money. You’re worth more than those things.”
She opened her mouth then shut it again, completely at a loss for words. This was the first real conversation they’ve had that wasn’t about the ridiculous marriage they found themselves in or about their attraction to each other. This is the first time Ashlee’s really seen Coop without a layer of bravado surrounding him. There was no cockiness to his stance, no overtly sexual innuendoes, it was just him and she found herself more attracted to him like this than she ever was before. She watched his movements. Long fingers applied the ointment to her cut leaving more than just medicine in their wake. He took a band-aid from the box and stretched the protective material over the sole of her foot. Ashlee’s stomach quivered and her body felt alive. Her nerves were strung tight, tension was at every joint.
He gently removed his hand from her ankle, letting her leg drop to the bed. Coop started to stand and she reached out, laying her palm on his arm. He stopped. Their eyes locked and the air around them grew thick. She licked her lips, rolling her tongue against the dry skin. The beautiful blue green orbs watched the action and she watched them darken in response. Ashlee’s breathing became labored, waiting for him to make a move. He leaned over her and she rested her back against the soft mattress. His fingers caressed her cheek where the bruises were turning a yellowish green. She hissed at the delicate touch. Coop quickly removed his hand, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she whispered before he could move away from her. Her hand wrapped around the side of his neck and her thumb touched the stubble along his jaw line. He shifted his body so that his leg was in between hers and his pelvis was against her own. His erection pushed into her hip. She could tell his manhood was hot and hard even through their clothing. Ashlee let her fingertips slide down his neck and felt his pulse jump at the caress. “Coop,” she said quietly a second before his lips brushed hers.
He tangled his long fingers into her blond hair, the pads massaging her scalp. She sighed then moaned as he slipped his tongue between her lips and swept it against hers. Ashlee pressed both of her hands against his throat, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. The silky strands slid through her fingers easily. Her heart extended and pounded in her chest. This kiss was nothing like the ones they’ve had before. All the other kisses have been based on lust and need and while she did feel those things, it wasn’t the driving force of this one. Other emotions fueled the fire between them.
Coop slid his hand down her body to rest on her hip, rolling her into him. The movement jarred her injured stomach and she hissed against his lips. He pulled back as if she burned him with the sound. Coop rolled away from her and unto his back. His chest raising and falling just as fast as hers was. She couldn’t seem to catch her breath. He turned his head toward her and closed his eyes. “Did I hurt you?”
“No,” she touched his chin, the hair prickling her finger tips. He opened his eyes back up. “You didn’t hurt me.” He nodded his head as if he didn’t believe her. She tightened her hold on his chin, looking him directly in the eyes so that there would be no mistake. “Coop you didn’t hurt me.” He nodded again and got up from the bed. She watched him pace the floor then head to the door. “Where are you going?” He stopped with his back toward her. She could see the tension in his muscles as he held himself quiet before her. “You don’t have to go.”
Coop turned half way so that she could see his profile. “Yes, I do,” he whispered then faced her completely. She inhaled at the storm of emotions clouding his eyes. “You’re hurt and I don’t want to hurt you anymore. I know if I stay I won’t be able to stop myself from touching you again.” Ashlee swallowed. It almost sounded like he was admitting something to her, but she was too scared to really hear his words. She wasn’t ready for that. “You know you aren’t the only one that’s angry, Ashlee. I’m angry too.” With that he spun back to the door.
“Who are you mad at, Coop,” she asked from the bed, unable to stop the question from leaving her lips.
“I’m,” his shoulders hutched, “I’m mad at myself. I’ll have one of the maid’s come up to clean the glass and flowers.” He opened the door and walked out before she could question him further.
Ashlee touched her lips and said, “Thank you.”
Well what are your thoughts? Feedback is always appreciated!