by Tia Siren
“You’re going back to New York without Jasper?” I asked, a little surprised she would leave him behind with her sick father.
“Just for a couple days. It’s a long drive, and I can make better time if I don’t have to stop every hour to let Jasper pee.”
“Oh, I guess I assumed you would be keeping your place so you had somewhere to run to when you got tired of the small-town life—again.”
She ignored my dig at her past. “I told you, the place is up for sale. I don’t know why you can’t get over the past. It happened. I’m back. Deal with it. I need to get things packed and ready for the movers. Then I’ll be driving my car back.”
“Do you want some help?” I blurted out without thinking about what I was saying.
I slapped my palm against my forehead. What the hell? I had no idea what came over me or why I offered to help her move. It came out before I even had a chance to think about what I was saying.
“You want to help me move?”
I had a chance to say no. I could have said I was only joking, but once again, my mouth betrayed me. “Sure. Why not? It gets my son closer to me.”
There was a long pause. “I’ll let you know,” she said, her voice filled with suspicion. “I need to get going, though.” Then she giggled. “I have an appointment at the bank.”
I growled and bit back the foul words I wanted to spew at her. She was not going to let me forget how she was screwing me over. She had won, and she was a terrible winner. I knew that from the many years we had been together. We had made a rule early on in our relationship that Monopoly was not a game we could play. We were both far too competitive. In fact, we couldn’t play any games unless we were on the same team.
She hung up the phone, and I stared at the receiver in my hand. That had been very weird. I was losing my mind. I had to figure out a way to get her out of my head before she completely destroyed me. I also had to work fast to try to find another parcel of land to buy. There was a slim chance I could save my deal with the developer, but I had to find some land that would be close to what I had just let slip through my fingers.
I couldn’t blame Ashley for suspecting something nefarious about my offer to help her. I could admit it did seem odd. We had been fighting two seconds before I’d offered to help her. I blamed her. She messed up my brain and made it impossible for me to think straight. As much as I wanted to hate her, she always seemed to manage to do something that made me want to be with her.
I booted up my laptop and started scanning MLS listings and checking the foreclosure sites. That was my best bet at finding a great deal on a property I could invest in and turn a nice profit on. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only guy looking to snatch up land for cheap. The competition was fierce. I expanded my search to nearby towns and couldn’t find a thing. A trip to New York could be a nice break. I had been working too hard and needed to get away, even if it was with my sworn enemy.
My eyes went to the paperwork on my desk that would have sealed the deal on the farm purchase. I would have made close to half a million with that deal. My mind refused to accept it was over. I had worked on that deal for months. I had already spent most of the money in my head, and now, after the manipulations of one small, extremely beautiful woman, it was all gone. My bank account would not get that healthy influx of cash. It was disheartening to think of what could have been, but I couldn’t dwell on it.
I had to keep moving forward. Maybe there was another farmer out there who was down on his luck and wanting to make some quick cash. One could only hope.
Chapter 21
Ashley
My stomach was a jumble of nerves. I had never left Jasper for more than a day at a time, but that wasn’t the only thing that had me a little unnerved. I was driving home to pack up my life and move away from the city I had fallen in love with. It was a huge change. My business was gone. I could still work as a freelancer, but I knew I couldn’t get the same kind of work in West Virginia as I did in New York.
Then there was the little matter of my partner for this road trip. I had agreed to let Brock tag along, hoping it would give us time to work out our differences and get everything out in the open. We had a son to raise and needed to figure out how to compromise. If I could avoid getting lawyers involved, it would be better for all of us. If we had to get an official custody agreement, things would get messy. I knew we could work it out if we could just air out the past and move forward.
I was in my dad’s truck after having returned my rental car yesterday. He swore the thing would make the eight-hour drive, but I was a little worried. I had roadside assistance on my phone and hoped if the thing did break down, it was within cell range.
Pulling into Brock’s driveway, I honked the horn. I didn’t want to go in. The last time I’d been in his house, things had gotten a little carried away.
He came out carrying a small duffel bag. When he saw me in my dad’s truck, his mouth dropped open. Opening the passenger door, he looked at me and laughed.
“No. No way are we taking this thing to New York. I don’t think it will make it to the state line.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Sorry, but I don’t want to rent a truck.”
“We’ll take mine,” he said firmly.
“What?”
“We’ll take my truck. It will be more comfortable. Does this thing even have AC? I’m not driving all the way to New York without air conditioning. Come on. We’re burning daylight.”
“Fine,” I grumbled. “Guess I’ll just leave the truck here.”
Secretly, I was relieved. I had the same reservations about the truck, and while the AC did work, it tended to cause the truck to overheat if it was used excessively. I climbed into the passenger seat of his truck and instantly appreciated the comfortable leather seats. The ride would be far more comfortable now, and I wasn’t too proud to admit it.
He backed out of the driveway and headed toward the highway. We stopped at a convenience store to fill up the tank and get some junk food. It had been a really long time since I’d taken a road trip. I was kind of looking forward to it. I hoped Brock would prove to be good company.
“Any particular type of music you like?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I’m good with most anything. Maybe not heavy metal, but whatever you want.”
He nodded, and I wasn’t at all surprised when he set the satellite radio to a country station. Some things never changed. We rode in silence for the first thirty minutes or so. The silence was making me uncomfortable and the truck suddenly felt too small.
“This is a nice truck,” I said, looking for anything to fill the silence.
“Yes. It’s one of the things I spent my hard-earned money on because I like to ride in comfort, with a little style, while still being able to haul my fishing gear and go off road.”
I knew why he had answered the way he did. He was referring to my comment yesterday about his need to buy fancy things as status symbols. I hoped this trip would give us a chance to mend the fence between us, but if he was going to bring up the failed deal, it would be a waste of time.
I didn’t answer and decided the silence was preferable to his snarky attitude.
“Is Jasper excited to be moving out here?” he asked after some time.
I nodded. “He is. I’m glad this all happened before he made too many friends in school. I don’t think he is going to suffer any major psychological problems,” I joked.
“How does he do in school?”
“He only has kindergarten under his belt. He did fine, but he did struggle to make friends.”
“What? Why?” he asked with a great deal of concern.
“Nothing bad. Jasper is very mature for his age. He didn’t get picked on—I don’t think—but he tended to be a loner, preferring to dig or practice his reading. His teacher did tell me she wished he was more creative, but I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing,” I said. “I like Jasper just the way he is.”
�
��So do I,” he said firmly. “That teacher doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
I smiled, appreciating that he defended his son.
We talked about Jasper and what he liked and didn’t like. I was glad Brock was interested in learning as much as he could. It proved to be a safe topic as well.
I yawned, causing him to yawn, too.
“Ready to call it a day?” he asked.
“I think so,” I mumbled. “We’re close. We can stop for the night and drive in tomorrow—if that works for you?”
“It does. I’m beat. I could use a bite to eat and a hot shower.”
“There’s a place,” I said, pointing out a Super 8 with a Denny’s in the same parking lot.
“Works for me,” he said, taking the exit.
We got separate rooms and agreed to meet in fifteen minutes to go get some dinner. It was almost seven by the time we were done eating. We walked back to the hotel in silence. He went to his room and I went to mine. I was pleased he understood there could be no funny business.
The next morning, we ate breakfast before climbing back into the truck.
When we arrived at my loft, it felt strange to bring him into my domain. He walked around the place, looking at all my pictures and touching my things. It felt extremely intimate.
The realtor showed up, and after a quick tour, it was decided I would leave my furniture behind except for Jasper’s bed. My furniture had all been bought second hand. I wasn’t really attached to it, and it would make it a lot easier and cheaper for me to move. Brock helped me pack up. I took care of my room while he took care of Jasper’s.
By the time we were finished hauling boxes downstairs, we were both exhausted. The realtor would have a cleaning service come in and then they would stage the loft. I didn’t care. Whatever got the place sold quickly at top dollar was what I needed.
I’d already had my car picked up. It was a leased vehicle. I figured I would need a four-wheel drive anyway. My little sedan had been great for the city streets but wouldn’t be so great for the dirt roads around town. It was another piece of my life I was letting go.
As I stood in the open front door, looking at the place I had called home for the past couple years, I felt a little sad. It was the end of a chapter of my life that I would miss.
“You okay?” Brock asked.
It was really the first he had spoken all day. He had been strangely quiet as we’d packed everything up.
“Yeah, I am. I will be. It’s a little strange to be leaving it all behind.”
I expected a snide comment, but he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me in close. “You’ll be fine.”
We left New York, managing to get through traffic, and made it back to the same hotel we had stayed at the night before. We spoke very little, both of us exhausted after a long day of packing and hauling.
We got separate rooms again, but this time things were different.
“Tired?” he asked, standing outside my door.
“A little. You?”
He shrugged his shoulders.
I opened the door to my room, walked inside, and turned back to look at him. He hesitated and then stepped forward. I moved to the side to make way, then shut the door and turned to him. Without saying a word, he stepped toward me, enveloping me in his arms. Mine seemed to automatically wrap around him.
As I laid my head against his chest, I turned to look up at him. He kissed my nose and then gently kissed my lips. His hand moved up my back, gently rubbing and stroking. The kiss intensified, but he made no move to take my clothes off.
He wanted it slow. I could do slow. I kissed him back, relishing the feel of his body pressed against mine. He was all warm and hard, which made me very hot. I felt like my insides were melting as he deepened the kiss. I could feel his erection and couldn’t resist the need to touch him. I ran my hand between us and stroked him through his cargo shorts.
He moaned, and I took that as the all clear to continue.
“Bed,” he whispered.
That single word was enough to set my pulse racing. We walked to the bed, each of us taking off our own clothes. When I turned to him, he was completely naked.
I grinned. “You’re fast.”
“You’re slow,” he said before pouncing.
His hands pulled off my bra, his mouth going straight to my breasts. My nipples were hard and jutting out. I stood there in my thong, enjoying the feel of his mouth on my breasts. He pushed me to the bed. I sat down on the edge and he pushed me back. He crawled over me, kissing my belly while running his hand between my legs. He moved downward, grabbed my thong with his teeth, and gently tugged.
His hot breath on my pussy instantly made me wetter. He grabbed my thong and yanked it down my legs before diving in and lapping at my pussy. I screamed and arched off the bed, the touch unexpected and delicious.
His palm pushed my stomach back down while he continued to run his tongue over my clit before pushing inside me.
“Brock!” I shouted a moment before the climax tore through my body.
My legs were trembling by the time he climbed over me. He used his strength to push my body all the way onto the bed. He grabbed each of my hands, holding them and pinning them to the bed on either side of my head. I opened my legs, inviting him between them. He gently lowered himself over me. I could feel his hard cock at my entrance. I waited for him to push inside. Instead, he kissed me. It was a gentle, slow kiss that was different from our typical fast and furious lovemaking.
He stared into my eyes as he pushed inside. My mouth fell open in sheer ecstasy. He pushed in deep and seated himself inside me, staring at me the entire time. I leaned my face up and kissed his chin.
With slow thrusts, he brought me to another climax that left me panting and trembling. He wasn’t done. He rolled onto his back, taking me with him. I sat up, his dick deep inside me, and rocked slow and easy back and forth. I took my time riding him, just like he had taken his time riding me. It was an exploration of one another’s bodies. His hands were on my breasts, tweaking and kneading, before running down my ribs and up my stomach to pinch my nipples. Each tug took me closer to the edge.
I felt it building and started to move faster. I rocked, driving my body hard against him. He dropped his hand to where we were joined and began rubbing at my nub. The spiral that started deep in my toes swirled and tingled its way through my body in a slow, glorious, and all-consuming orgasm.
“Ash,” he grunted before pumping up and into me with his own climax. I leaned down and kissed him before rolling to the side.
Neither one of us said a word as our breathing slowed to a normal pace. I didn’t want to say anything and ruin the moment. It was something I wanted to treasure. It was just for us. We could block out the real world for now.
We fell asleep with me tucked against his side. I was completely satiated. Moving to get under the blankets was not an option for my exhausted body.
Chapter 22
Brock
It all felt so right and so familiar. Waking up with Ashley’s body draped over mine was something I had grown used to once before. It had been one of the things I had missed most when she’d left me. Waking up alone every day had been hard. She hadn’t been gone long before I’d started trying to fill the hole she had left in me with a series of one-night stands, but somehow that had never satisfied me. I eventually quit trying with women, focusing on becoming a successful businessman instead.
Last night had left me feeling very satisfied, but I was hungry for more. I wanted to repeat this morning over and over. I remembered when this was normal, but it wasn’t anymore. I had to accept that. She had made it very clear we could never go back to the good ol’ days. I listened to her softly snoring before I began the process of extricating myself from her. I slid my leg out from under hers and then very slowly moved my arm out from under her head, gently setting it on a pillow instead.
There was no way I wanted to be there when she woke up. I
knew she would be one cranky woman when reality struck, and I would be blamed for last night. Every time we’d had sex, she had initiated it. I never pressed, knowing it would only push her away. But I wasn’t an idiot, and if there was a chance of sex with her, I wasn’t going to pass it up.
I pulled on my underwear and shorts, then picked up my shirt and shoes before grabbing my bag that I’d dropped by the door last night. I tiptoed out of the room, closing the door slowly behind me to keep it from slamming and waking up the sleeping bear. Crossing the hall, I entered my own room and jumped in the shower before heading down to my truck to toss my bag in.
I stopped to see what the continental breakfast had to offer. There was an assortment of coffee blends, so I poured myself a cup of what I hoped was the strongest and took a sip. It wasn’t exactly the best quality, but it would do. The donuts I found were a bonus. I poured an extra cup for Ashley and pocketed a handful of little creamers and sugar packs.
Hopefully, the coffee would erase her memory of last night. I could pretend it hadn’t happened to preserve the peacefulness of the trip home. I knocked on her hotel room door, half expecting her not to answer. She had apparently just gotten out of the shower.
“Hi,” I said a little awkwardly.
“Hi.”
I stood there like an idiot, waiting to see if she would invite me in. Thankfully, she pulled open the door and gestured for me to come in. I glanced at the messy bed as I made my way to the small table in the room.
“Grabbed you a coffee from downstairs and”—I pulled out the cream and sugar and put it on the table—“wasn’t sure how you liked it, so I grabbed it all.”
“Thank you. I could use coffee. This is a good start. We’ll have to stop for more, though. I need some of the good stuff.”