by Lynn Rider
Ashton looked deflated as he leaned against the counter and scrubbed his face with his hands. “Fuck, fuck,” he mumbled into his palms.
His face eventually lifts and his eyes locked with mine. “What are you thinking, Ashton?” I asked nervously.
He sighed with frustration. “I don’t know.” He stood holding the counter without saying a word for several long minutes. “Leave the details. If I can make it, I will,” he finally said.
“Have you made any progress on the file I gave you?” Jim glanced in my direction before looking at Ashton. My heart cracked a little because I knew he was talking about the house.
“Yes.” Ashton looked at me briefly before pushing off the counter. “We’re going to pass.”
Jim looked surprised as he nodded. He offered me a weak smile before closing his briefcase. “The file is in my car. I’ll walk you out and sign the form to rescind the offer. Goodbye, Meagan.” Jim said politely as he placed a piece of paper on the counter with the details of the doctor appointment.
Ashton gave me a soft kiss on my head before he left with Jim. I almost shouted to stop them, but I couldn’t. I loved Ashton and knew that I couldn’t live without him. Today.
Ashton returned a few minutes later. “Let’s go,” he demanded as he grabbed his phone and wallet.
“Where are we going?” I asked nervously.
“To get lost, come on.” He walked toward the door and I quickly grabbed my sweater and purse, stepping in behind him.
“Where are we going to get lost?” I asked curiously.
“You wouldn’t be lost if you knew where you were going,” he said with a crooked smile. He opened the passenger door to his Maserati and I slid into the low seat. “You have anywhere you need to be in the next twenty-four hours?” he asked before starting the car.
“Twenty-four hours?”
“I want us to get really lost.” He smiled again as he started the car.
“In that case, why only twenty-four hours?” I teased.
His smile widened as he looped his hand around my neck and pulled me toward him. When his face was only an inch away, he paused. “I like your way of thinking,” he said faintly before he pressed his lips to mine, coaxing my mouth to open further with the thrust of his tongue. Our tongues danced for several minutes as heat flooded my body. I moaned quietly as he pulled away with a tug on my lower lip and a gentle kiss to the corner of my mouth.
“There’s my Meagan,” he said, sounding pleased.
“There’s my Ashton,” I breathed through a ragged breath.
He laughed as he backed out.
Once we were past the congestion of the city streets, Ashton glided his sports car onto I-95 north. He reached over and grabbed my hand, laying it across his thigh. I subtly rubbed the fabric of his jeans. “I love you, Meagan.”
I shifted my body sideways and rested the side of my head against the head rest. “I know you do and I love you. We’ll get through this, Ashton, it’s just a big adjustment,” I said quietly as I watched his beautiful side profile.
“I sure hope so because I can’t lose you now that I have you.” He interlaced our fingers, lifting our joined hands to his mouth and gently kissing it. “Now let’s get lost.”
He smiled deviously as we passed a sign saying Connecticut.
Ashton slowed the car to a crawl as we drove down the main street of the little town. I smiled and stopped myself from asking him where we were, knowing he’d only say something about not being lost if we knew.
We passed a florist, a pharmacy and a hardware store. Each had large glass display windows making me feel like I’d stepped back in time. Cars parked at an angle along the curb filling almost every space. The busy little town was alive, but not congested.
“Hungry?” Ashton asked.
“I could eat.”
Ashton parked in front of a pizzeria. It always surprised me how graceful his large form could be as he climbed from the low seat of his car and made his way around the front to my door. A burst of cool air assaulted my body causing goosebumps as it whirled up my skirt when the door opened. An involuntary shiver rippled through my body as I stood.
“Cold, babe?”
“Yeah, it’s getting chilly.”
He wrapped his arm around me and led me into the pizzeria.
“So where to next?”
“Don’t know. You ever been to the Cape?”
“No, never.”
“Well, let’s head that way and see what we see.” He smiled before sinking his teeth into a huge piece of pizza. I followed his lead.
“So we didn’t talk about the photo shoot. How did it go?”
He grunted. “I had to wear fucking face makeup and eyeliner.”
I broke out into laughter as the vision of an eighties’ rocker flashed through my mind. He cocked his head sideways and offered a crooked grin.
“I’m sorry. I just can’t imagine you with makeup.” I snickered again.
“Oh, you won’t have to. It’ll be on new stands the month after next. You’ll see it.”
“I’m sure it’ll look natural.”
“There’s nothing natural about wearing a pound of fucking makeup on your face,” he said flatly before laughing. “You ready?”
“Yep.”
“Let’s walk some before we get in the car. I think I saw some clothing stores this way.”
“Okay.” I snuggled in next to him. People passed us, but not one even spared a second glance. “You see how no one recognizes you here? I’m telling you, I think Dave attracts more attention.”
“Who Dave? He blends right in.” He laughed.
“On a football field maybe.”
Ashton laughed heavily. “Let’s go in here.” He opened the door to a woman’s clothing store. A small rope with bells hung from the door, signaling the shopkeeper of our arrival when we entered.
“Can I help you, dear?” An older grey-haired woman asked as she exited the back room.
“I’m looking for something a little warmer than what I have on.” I looked down at my exposed legs.
She smiled warmly. “Yes, a little cool front has moved in this afternoon. Let me see what I have. You’re rather tall, but I’m assuming a size four otherwise?”
I nodded. Ashton idly followed us around as the woman piled pants and jeans into a fitting room then led me and Ashton to the back.
“Young man, you can sit out here.” She pointed to a chair across from the fitting room curtain.
Ashton eyes widened a little in disbelief, but then conceded with a boyish grin in her direction as he sat obediently.
“Let me know if you need anything,” she said sweetly as she pulled the curtain closed. I giggled.
“I hear you in there snickering.” I could hear the smile in his voice.
“She’s sweet,” I called out.
He grunted in return which made me laugh harder.
I modeled everything the woman had selected. Ashton gave me a simple nod or shake of his head each time the curtain opened. Once I’d surfaced with my shake of the head pile, I tried to decide what to buy from the other pile. As I stood there, the muted sound of Ashton’s phone ringing from his pocket stopped the deliberation.
Ashton pulled his phone from his pocket. “Austin,” he explained, holding it in the air. “Hold on, bro,” he said quickly before he took the entire cluster of clothing from my grasp, carried them out front, and placed them down near the cash register. He pulled out his wallet and handed her his black American Express before he proceeded to the loveseat at the front of the store to take his call.
We watched him move wordlessly, then looked at one another and laughed. “Is he a celebrity dear?” she asked me quietly as she folded the clothes into a bag.
“Yes. A musician.”
She nodded, looking at Ashton. “Is he the one?” she asked me lovingly.
I was taken aback by her question, glancing at Ashton before returning my eyes to hers. “Yes,” I answered soli
dly.
“You make a beautiful couple. I put a little something in the bag for later … on the house.” She winked. “I may be old, but not too old to recognize what true love looks like in the eyes of a young couple.” With that, she gave me a sincere smile and handed me the bag and Ashton’s card.
It was late afternoon by the time we arrived at the Cape. I watched out the window again like a small child amazed at the historic homes in the ocean front communities.
“Wow, look at that one,” I said as I took in the grandeur of a two-story Cape Cod style home.
“You like that one?” He smiled, ducking lower across my lap. The property was elevated over the street with a rock wall and perfectly landscaped gardens in the small front yard. Although it was close to the street, its backyard was the beach.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” I asked in awe.
He pulled along the curb and set the emergency break. “Stay here.”
He climbed from the seat and ran up the front walkway. I shifted in my seat to see what he was doing, but he was gone. I circled the area with my eyes and couldn’t find him anywhere. After several long minutes the car door opened and he jumped in the seat with a big smile. His smile was contagious as I began smiling for no real reason.
“Why are you smiling like that?” I giggled.
He looked over at me briefly before he quickly turned the wheel and did a one-eighty in the street, hit the gas and turned into the driveway of the house.
“Honey, we’re home,” he stated with a wink.
“What?”
“He pointed to a sign next to the house. “Andersen’s Bed & Breakfast” was proudly displayed in gold letters against the deep burgundy sign. How did I not see that before?
“Ashton?”
“Yep, let’s get our makeshift luggage inside so we can go buy whatever else we need before sunset.”
He opened his door and I hopped from the car without waiting for him, grabbed my shopping bag and started toward the porch.
“Damn, woman, you excited?” He laughed.
“I’m thinking of quitting the band,” Ashton said.
I was cradled between his legs as we sat on the deserted beach to watch the sunset. I turned in his arms to see that he was serious. “Why?” I asked anxiously.
He shrugged and looked out toward the water. “I don’t know, it just seems like its run its course and it’s time to move on.”
I searched his face before turning my attention back to the descending sun. “Have you talked to the guys about it?”
“Kyle. He wasn’t too happy about the idea. He told me not to make any crazy decisions right now with all that’s going on.”
“That sounds like good advice,” I said solemnly, thinking of what changes the near future may bring. Ashton tightened his embrace and rested his head on my shoulder as if he were thinking the same thing.
“What do you think of the house? Mrs. Andersen seems really nice,” he said, changing the subject.
“She is. I don’t think she knows what to think of you. It took everything she had in her to peel her eyes from your tattoos when you pushed up the sleeves of your shirt.” I laughed softly, recalling the image of the grey haired lady’s eyes widening at the sight.
“I think I had the same effect on you, too,” he said proudly, pulling my hair to the side and nibbling on my ear. I leaned into his firm chest that supported my back, comforted by his touch.
“I say we go back to the house and climb into that bed and stay there for the next day,” he said huskily as he placed simple kisses down my neck. I nodded in agreement and tried to pull away, but he tightened his hold. “Or we can start out here.”
His hand skimmed under my sweatshirt to my breast and he rubbed my nipple through the thin fabric of my bra causing it to perk into a tight pebble. He gently squeezed, causing a shot of pleasure to run straight to my center. He continued kissing my neck as his other hand snaked into my sweatpants and toward my panties. As his fingers traveled lower at an excruciatingly slow pace, I unfolded my legs in anticipation of the eventual contact.
I leaned back when they ran through my folds, teasing my clit. Ashton inserted one finger and then two before slowly sliding in and out. “You’re wet, Meg,” he whispered against my skin. My body instinctively rocked into his hand. “And so eager.” His ministrations quickened and his thumb found my clit.
“Ashton, you have to stop. I’m going to come out here.”
“Come for me, Meagan. I want to feel it with my fingers inside of you.” His fingers slid deeper as the pressure on my clit increased. I bit down on my lip and a moan slipped from my throat as my body peaked at climax.
Ashton held me tight for several minutes, allowing my body to recover and my thoughts to clear. As I shifted my weight, I felt the steel-like rod press against my back. I reached between us and stroked it through the soft sweatpants he was wearing.
“Do you want to go to the house for me to take care of this or do you want me to assault you publicly too?” I teased.
His smile widened as he sat back putting both palms on the blanket behind him. He looked up and down the dark beach before responding. “Assault away.”
I hesitated at his confidence. It was now up to me to figure out what was safe so that we didn’t get arrested on a public beach. I untied the string on his sweatpants and lowered the fabric enough to allow his dick free. I slid one leg from my sweatpants and panties, climbed over his body, and lowered myself over his dick all the way to the root. I pulled the corner of the blanket from the sand and folded it over my exposed leg.
Through the faint moonlight, I could see his expression of pure pleasure as I began rocking. I rode him slowly, rolling my hips as I felt his thickness growing. His hand lowered between us, rubbing my clit to match my strokes as his other hand rested on my hip, guiding the pace.
I heard the sudden intake of his breath as I quietly came. The gentle squeeze of his hand on my hip told me he was climbing. His dick stiffened and I slowed my thrusts to a rocking motion, allowing him to pump into me as he came.
“You’re amazing,” he said quietly as he wrapped his strong arms over my body and held me tight. After several minutes, I slid him out of me and fixed my clothing. We nestled together on the beach for a little while longer before starting toward the house.
“Wow, Meagan. We could’ve been arrested for that scene.” He laughed as he grabbed my hand and led me up the beach.
“What?”
“Having sex on a public beach, that was very risqué.”
“You told me to assault you,” I said stubbornly.
“Yeah.” He laughed. “I thought you were going to give me a handjob, not climb on top.”
“Are you serious?”
“Serious, babe. You’re full of surprises.” He looked down at me with a cocky grin as we approached the gate of the bed and breakfast.
I woke before Ashton and slipped outside to the private balcony of our suite to watch the sunrise. I relaxed with a blanket in the chaise lounge alone with my thoughts. With the exception of yesterday morning, it was a perfect day. We were great together when we don’t allow the outside world into our relationship. I snickered under my breath as the advice from Kate came to mind.
‘Decide if your relationship is right for you by the private time you spend together. We’re so strong together when we’re alone that we find humor in anything that’s said about us now.’
That was what I needed to stay focused on.
A lonely jeep caught my attention as it drove along the beach close to the water line.
“I didn’t exactly bring the right car for that,” I heard Ashton’s voice from behind me.
I looked up to see his tall frame standing there with two cups of coffee. He set the coffee on the side table before sidling in behind me on the chaise. I settled my back against his chest and handed him his cup back. The jeep was long gone now and only the sound of crashing waves could be heard.
“Do
you think he was a lifeguard or something?” I asked.
“No, he probably just has a beach permit.”
“A beach permit?”
“Yeah, they offer passes to drive on the beaches here.”
I sat up, pivoting in his direction. “Are you serious? We could have been run over last night as we were out there having sex?”
Ashton nodded with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I playfully punched his tight abdomen. He feigned hurt before his grin widened.
“I didn’t want to kill the mood. You were kind of frisky.” He caressed my face with his hands, and I climbed on top, straddling him. “There are no jeeps up here,” he said softly as he pulled my head toward his and kissed me.
“GOOD GOD, WOMAN, where in hell have you been?” Leah reprimanded me.
“I know, I know. Did Luke pass his driving test?” I joked.
“Shit, he’s married now. You missed the wedding.” She laughed.
“I’m sorry, Leah. So much has been going on. Can I come up and bring lunch?” I pleaded.
“You know you don’t even have to ask. I’ll see you soon.”
‘Going to Leah’s this afternoon’
‘Okay. Going to hang with Austin. He missed me:)’
‘I love you’
‘I love you more today than I did yesterday’
‘Ditto’
When I arrived at Leah’s and got out of my SUV, I paused in her driveway, looking at the thick hedges that bordered her house and the one that Ashton wanted to buy. A small pang of hurt stabbed at me over what could have been.
“What’s the matter?”
“You scared me,” I replied with my hand over my heart.
“I’m sorry, but you looked sad.” Cliff laughed as he neared.
“It’s a long girly story. I’ll spare you the details and let Leah give you the highlights later.” I smiled and curled into his embrace.
“She’s missed you, you know? Where’ve you been?” he asked as we made our way up the path toward the house.
“Again, details and highlights later.” I shrugged and laughed as he held the door open and nodded.
“Luke, I would like you to meet your Aunt Meagan,” she teased as I walked into the kitchen.