Romance: The Bad Boy Affair: A Second Chance Romance

by Veronica Cross

  Warning: Due to mature subject matter, such as explicit sexual situations and coarse language, this story is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older, and all acts of a sexual nature are consensual.

  Taken by the Unknown

  Chapter 1 – Ashton

  The wind howls. A porch-screen door slams over and over. Rain falls in sheets as lightning illuminates the pealed green painted exterior of the old farm house. Upstairs, 23-year-old Ashton Alexander cuddles up under a thick old quilt while getting lost in her favorite book. A romance novel about a tall quiet cowboy who sweeps a northern socialite off her feet. The novel is growing worn with dog-eared pages. Glistening abs seen through a cowboy’s unbuttoned shirt splash the front cover.

  “Lucius ripped off her lacey bodice, revealing her heat flushed bosom. His weathered worn lips kissed roughly down her silky curves. She craved for him to be inside her.” Ashton bites her lip after quietly whispering every word of the book. She’s never had much luck with the opposite sex, or people in general.

  Nightly she finds herself living vicariously through her guilty pleasures: damsels in distress, knights in shining armor and sexy bad-boys-turned-good, to name a few.

  Her thick red hair is pulled behind her reading glasses into a makeshift ponytail. She rubs her fingers slowly over the nape of her neck. Her imagination plays out the page turning foreplay in her books. She yearns for a man to take her like that.

  “The once sweet socialite kneels down and undoes the rugged cowboy’s six shooter and chaps only to reveal his…”

  KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. Startled, Ashton almost jumps out of her covers. She hides her book in a frenzy and pulls the covers around her.

  “What is it?” Ashton says twice, the first time barely being able to get out until she cleared her throat.

  “It’s Autumn Spirit, Pop says she’s ready to give birth” Faith, Ashton’s slightly younger sister, yells from the other side of her door.

  “Okay, okay… Hold your horses,” Ashton says, cracking herself up.“Ha ha, not funny,” Faith says while turning the door handle. “Why’s the door locked, anyway?”

  Ashton looks over at her romance book wedged in the side of the bed and yells to the door, “Something about nosey little sisters would be my guess.”

  She pulls the quilt off of her and places her reading glasses on the large wooden dresser next to her bed. Ashton, wearing only a t-shirt and panties, looks for jeans and a hoodie.

  Faith keeps knocking to playfully agitate Ashton. Ashton puts on her hoodie and glances out her window, overlooking the stable. Lightning strikes in the distance outlining the structure in the black of night. The rain hasn’t let up. She hears Faith knock again and quickly grabs another hoodie. She opens the door to Faith in mid knock and throws a hoodie at her shocked face.

  “You’re helping.”

  “But hey… I don’t know a thing about… It’s raining out there.”

  Faith pleads with Ashton, who runs past her down the stairs.

  “It’s not my responsibility”

  Ashton stops at the bottom of the stairs and jerks a look back at Faith. “Well, today it is.”

  Ashton heads to the front entryway. She grabs her boots and puts them on. Trench coats, jackets, trucker hats and cowboy hats hang from various coat racks by the door. The outside screen continues to slam from the wind.

  Faith makes it down the stairs in her purple t-shirt and slippers, still holding the hoodie Ashton threw at her. Her hair is blonde and frazzled from the drying.

  “I’ll help out under one condition.”

  “Okay, I’m all ears,” Ashton reluctantly says, while putting on a trench coat.

  “You go out with me tomorrow, no questions asked!”

  “Fine.”

  Ashton rolls her eyes and slides some boots to Faith.

  “Let’s go help Pops.”

  Chapter 2 – Autumn Spirit

  A white, spotted black mare exhaustively stares at Ashton while she combs her mane. Autumn Spirit has been ready for birth for weeks. It’s been a long pregnancy even for a horse, and Ashton is glad it’s finally time. The weather wasn’t helping, though. Hours earlier, Ashton had to use all her tricks and energy to calm Autumn from the outside thunder. Faith didn’t last as long. She’s passed out sitting on a bale of hay in the next stall. Ashton’s tired, but her animals are the only thing she loves more than her books.

  “It’s okay, Autumn, it’s okay. You’re going to be a mama, soon.”

  Ashton kisses the mare on the nose.

  “I bet your baby is going to a free spirit like you.”

  The barn door slams open. Ashton’s father plows in and labors to shut the door against the screeching elements. The door closes and with it the howling wind and cold breeze follows. He walks over to a wooden stool under a hanging lantern and undoes his trench coat with one hand. He reaches into an inside pocket to a grab a thermos with the same hand. Ashton’s father is a man with little emotion, despite his constant frown. He’s worked his farm his whole life, but after a tractor accident he’s had to reluctantly step back his role. He’ll be cursed for the remainder of his years with a gimp hand and a stiff walk. He motions the thermos to Ashton.

  “It’s warm, Darlin’. Where’s Faith?”

  Ashton motions her head to the nearby stall. “I guess I shouldn’t have expected too much more.”

  “Well, honestly I’m surprised you got her out here.”

  “True. Though, I may have sold my soul to do it. We’ll see tomorrow night I guess.”

  “Well, don’t be too hard on her. She’s just not like you, Ashton. Heck, she’s not really like any of us. Between you and me, if I didn’t see her come from your ma myself, I’d swear she’s adopted.”

  “Yeah,” Ashton laughs, then turns serious as she continues to comb Autumn. “I miss mama.”

  “I do too, kiddo. I miss a lot of things.” Ashton’s father looks down at his useless hand. “But I miss her the most.”

  “I love hearing how ya’ll met. At the Drive in. You spillin your drink all over her and her date. And you getting decked. What I would have given to be there.”

  “Yeah, your ma was always a sucker for taken care of wounded animals.”

  “So that’s where I get it from.” Ashton pats Autumn gently.

  Ashton’s dad maneuvers the thermos open and pours the steaming drink into its cup lid. “I called the vet. If the storm clears up, he’ll head out in the mornin’.”

  “Don’t know if she’ll last that long.”

  “So, Faith is making you get out tomorrow. That’s good Ashton. I want you to get out.” He brings Ashton the warm drink.” You shouldn’t be stuck here your whole life with this old man.”

  Ashton takes a sip of the cup from her dad. “Water!”

  “No, it’s hot chocolate, sweetie”

  “No, Autumn’s water broke.” Ashton puts her cup down and hollers for Faith. The horse whinnies and starts to sway back and forth. Ashton tightens the horse’s rein against the nearby post.

  Faith wakes up with a rush of energy.

  “What’s going on?”

  Ashton grabs her rubber gloves.

  “Time to deliver a foal.”

  Chapter 3 – The Lake

  An aged, white Chevy barrels down winding dark country roads. Mud from the truck’s wheels fling past its slightly open windows. Country Rock music blares from inside. Faith barely pays attention to the road as she applies lipstick on pouty lips through the reflections of a bedazzled visor mirror. She mostly steers with her knees, much to the horror of Ashton, her red-headed best friend of the same age, sitting shotgun. Ashton wears her emotions on her face. She’s always been nervous by Faith’s driving, and even more nervous about their destination - “Make-Out Lake.”

  In an attempt to distract herself from what feels like impending doom, Ashton turns the radio down and tries to figure out what Faith is get
ting them into. “You know I’m not a fan of your surprises.”

  “Well, big sis, as much as I loved seeing Autumn’s little filly being brought into this world, (I’ll have to burn all those clothes, by the way) so you owe me.”

  “Whatever, you slept through half of it. I should be at the stable right now. That’s gotta be more important than what this is.”

  Faith blots her lips, puts away the lipstick and gives Ashton a mischievous grin.

  Ashton presses further. “Let me guess, boys from the other side of the river and beer?”

  “Don’t act like that’s a bad thing. Better than you sitting at home reading one of those worn out romance novels you love so much.”

  “God forbid you pick up a book. Can’t stay out too late, anyway…have to prepare our stock for the State Fair. Besides, the boys around here are so lame.”

  “Even Bobby Darren?” Faith teases, knowing he’s Ashton’s biggest crush.

  “Well, he’s alright. Is he going to be there?”

  “It’s Danny’s, his brother’s birthday. He’ll be there, and I’m sure the usual bunch of troublemakers.”

  Ashton can’t contain her smile as she looks out the window staring at the stars. She’s always liked Bobby - high school quarterback, a disarming smile and soft black hair she’d love to run her fingers through. She always acted uninterested, but Faith knew her too well and would catch her staring at him on the sidelines during the games and at practices. She especially took notice whenever he took his shirt off, which he always seemed to do during practices. Good thing for Ashton the bleachers were her favorite place to read from. Faith didn’t mind the bleachers too much, either. For her, it was under the bleachers that held her favorite hobby.

  “Sex!” blurts out Faith.

  “What?” Ashton snaps out of day dreaming about Bobby.

  “When’s the last time you got laid, anyway?”

  “Geez, Faith! I’m not like you. I don’t kiss and tell.”

  “Well, I hope you shaved and didn’t wear your granny panties tonight.”

  “You know you don’t have to say everything you think.” Ashton blushes and shakes her head in disbelief.

  “You know that’s why you love me.” Faith jokes, as she shifts gears and starts to bring the truck onto the lake road.

  Thousands of stars reflect over the large black lake. The smell of burning embers permeates the air as a bonfire glows in the distance. Laughter and music echo through the trees and over the water. As Faith and Ashton pull closer they see a group of guys roughhousing and girls watching from nearby. Faith pulls her Chevy next to a collection of big-wheeled trucks and comes to a stop.

  Faith reaches into the glove compartment past Ashton and pulls out a leather-bound flask of alcohol. She takes a swig and hands it to Ashton. Ashton doesn’t like parties, doesn’t like boys showing off and doesn’t like pretending to be someone she isn’t. But she hates saying no to Faith even more, so she takes the flask and reluctantly takes a sip. She chokes as it burns her throat. “What is this, gasoline?!”

  “It’s Daddy’s moonshine, but don’t tell. So, you ready to get your flirt on? Here’s your chance to let Bobby know you exist.”

  “I’m just here for the ride. I don’t have any expectations.”

  “Right,” Faith says with disbelief as she gets out of the truck. “Well, Debbie Wilson has been broken up with Bobby for months now, so you have a chance.”

  Ashton can see Bobby through a slit between truck windows. He is sitting in front of the bonfire. The flames glow around his chiseled t-shirt covered physique, which seem to have become only more defined since high school.

  Faith, wearing a tank top and daisy dukes, opens Ashton’s door and pulls out the dazed Ashton, who can’t take her eyes off of Bobby. She looks Ashton up and down and sighs. Ashton shrugs and asks, “What?” Faith ignores her and starts unbuttoning Ashton’s plaid shirt. She ties its shirt tails into a bow making a make-shift tank top. She pulls down her shorts, just a little, to expose more of her midsection. She then unbuttons the top to give Ashton more cleavage. After jostling with Ashton’s hair she exclaims, “Perfect…sluttier.” They head to the group around the bonfire.

  “The Forty…thirty…the twenty…touchdown!!! The crowd goes wild!!!” Bobby jokingly reenacts a championship high school game for the gathering of girls and guys.

  “That was making up for the first quarter when Neederman couldn’t hike you the ball for the life of him,” laughs a jock friend nearby. The crowd laughs.

  “That’s right, Neederman. I totally forgot about...” Bobby’s thought is interrupted once he sees Ashton coming his way.

  “Hey, guys,” Faith yells as her and Ashton move up the sand to the bonfire. The guys shout back to Faith with excitement.

  “Oh no, trouble is here,” says Teddy, a blonde guy in the group wearing a rock and roll shirt.

  “You remember Ashton? She went to school with us,” Faith says to Bobby, who doesn’t remember Ashton, but wishes he did.

  “Oh yeah, of course! Thanks for coming. We got drinks over there. You know the guys: Willie, Teddy, Bronk and my brother and birthday boy, Danny. Then there’s Shelly and Allie from the good ole’ days, too,” Bobby belts out, trying to be overly hospitable to Ashton, who’s caught his eye.

  Faith yells, “Happy Birthday” to Danny and heads over to Teddy, leaving Ashton by herself. Ashton tries to keep her anxiety from going through the roof. Parties and gatherings weren’t her thing. She smiles nervously at her crush. Bobby offers her a drink from a nearby cooler.

  “This is exactly what I need right now - a little liquid courage,” she thinks to herself. Ashton takes a liquor tea mix and Bobby pulls out a cold beer for himself.

  Music is turned up from a nearby truck. The group dispels into smaller groups and a few couples pair off. Embers from the bonfire dance in the air. Faith and Teddy have disappeared to the bed of his truck, and Ashton finds herself sitting on a log next to Bobby Darren, laughing and smiling at just about everything he says. Bobby’s brother, Danny, is on the other side of the bonfire, talking about trucks with a few friends.

  “So what are you up to nowadays?” Ashton asks to keep the conversation going. “Guess life’s a little different when you’re not winning titles.”

  “Yeah, have to work a little harder now, I guess. When I broke my arm, that was kind of the end of everything I had in mind for my future. “

  “That’s right. Sorry.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Danny says it was the best thing for my ego. Apparently, my head was getting too big.” Bobby starts to talk louder for Danny to hear. Danny smiles from a distance, sensing he’s being talked about. “So what about you?”

  “Just working on the family ranch, helping with the animals, preparing for the State Fair this weekend. I keep meaning to leave the farm and do something else. I guess I lacked the ambition to do much else. I want to, but I like animals. It’s the only life form I really understand,” Ashton rattles out. She tends to talk a lot when she’s nervous.

  Bobby smirks as he scoots closer to Ashton. “So, no luck with us humans, I guess? No boyfriend?”

  “Not so much,” Ashton takes a quick drink. She’s never been this close to Bobby, at least not in real life. Plenty of times she’s fantasized about his hands running through her hair. She’s salivated over the idea of pressing her hands on his hardened chest. She’s dreamt about devouring his lips.

  “Really, I doubt that. I bet you have to beat the guys away.” Bobby brushes Ashton’s hair from her face and behind her exposed neck. Her body tingles with anticipation. He can’t help but glance down at her body, noticing her exposed cleavage. Even Ashton had to admit Faith’s quick wardrobe fix made her look sexy. His lips get closer to her as he talks. “I think I remember you watching me from the stands during practice.”

  “Uh, hm. Talk about EGO. I may have glanced over while reading,” Ashton fumbles over her words as she watches Bobby move his firm hand ov
er her exposed leg. Bobby leans in to kiss Ashton when…

  HONK! HONK! A red Corvette blares its horns from across the lake. Bobby looks up and shakes his head in disbelief. “Sorry, Ashton.”

  “What? What’s wrong?” Ashton beckoned in frustration. She was so close to a kiss from Bobby.

  “It’s Debbie,” Yells Danny who’s excited to see another person arrive at his birthday celebration.

  “It’s my Ex. She’s always about the drama. Let me talk with her. I’ll be right back.” Bobby kisses her on the cheek and walks away.

  Ashton watches Bobby walk over to the Corvette that pulled up behind the trucks. Ashton grabs another drink. She looks around and feels alone. Just about everyone else has paired up and left into make-shift tents, truck beds, sleeping bags and the corners of the woods. She glances over at the truck she saw Faith go over to and sees it shaking up and down. Ashton shakes her head in disbelief.

  “Story of my life,” Ashton thinks to herself. She looks up at the night sky and sees a shooting a star. She’d make a wish on it, but didn’t see the point. It doesn’t look like luck would be on her side her tonight, either. She decides to spy on Bobby to see what’s taking so long.

  Ashton slowly creeps toward where she thought Bobby went. She didn’t know what to expect, as she walked back. Different scenarios played through her head. The one she liked most was Bobby telling Debbie that he found someone else and ended with his ex-driving off. What she saw was much worse.

  Bobby’s pants were around his ankles, and Debbie was passionately moaning on the hood of her car. Ashton felt a mix of betrayal and curiosity. Her heart ached, but she was so aroused seeing Bobby’s muscular thighs thrusting into Debbie. She couldn’t help but stare. She had to force herself to look away. She quickly made her way back to the log. She pulled back a whimper and held back her tears. Danny watches from nearby and pretends not to notice. He smiles and looks away. As she started feeling sorry for herself, a fleeting thought raced through her mind. How about Danny?