by Ashlee Price
“What do you mean?”
He was getting angry and she had already had the emotion. “Sebastian, you were right. He is bad. He gave me some tea and then I woke up barely dressed with one of the girls talking a little nuts. I think they were actually trying to sell me or something. Can you believe that?”
Grahm could, but he wasn’t going to let her know that he knew. There was a sense of guilt that he didn’t go get her when he had about it from Jerry was very real. He felt like he should have done more. “I am just glad you are out of there Ashley. I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you.”
She nodded and then grimaced. Her mind couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened or how stupid she had been not to look into the commune more. It had been one of her spur of the minute decisions to get away for a little while, that she hadn’t thought it all through. She hated to think what could have happened.
There was also the very real need to make sure that no one else was drugged. When she thought back, she could remember the dull look in Ana’s eyes. She was not the only one that was being drugged and Ashley knew that she had to do something about it. When she said that to Grahm, he had a very quick solution, but she shook her head. I wouldn’t have been right.
“You can’t just go over there with a gun Grahm. I swear men would kill each other off if women weren’t around. We need to call the cops and just get the guys arrested.”
“You’re right, but I don’t think anyone would miss them.”
She shook her head again. While it may have sounded like an impassioned decision, it wasn’t. Ashley had a feeling he would do just what he said to end the problem. A flash of when she had first met him and the gun he had pointed at her. “No. That’s not the way Grahm. Can you take me down to the police station in town? We should let them take care of it.”
Ashley started to get up and he nodded towards her clothes. “Why don’t I get you something in town before we go? You stay here and have breakfast while I get you a few things. I don’t think they are going to have those hippy dresses at the shop.”
Ashley shrugged. She wasn’t feeling very much love and peace at the moment. “Whatever you can find will be perfect.”
***
Grahm liked the new look and the curves that were revealed with the jeans that he bought her. She looked different, more like she belonged there and he liked that. He wanted her to stay. Ashley was resting in one of his spare bedrooms. They had just gotten back from the police station and she was tired. It had been over an hour that it took to make her statement, but the tiredness that she felt was more because of the relief that she finally felt. Grahm wished that it had been his body she had fallen asleep against. He had gotten too used to her so quickly.
He went to work thinking about her, wondering if she was going to stay. She would have no reason to. Ashley would go back home soon, out of his life and he would never see her again. The very idea made him depressed. Grahm wanted her to stay.
Heading back to the house, it smelled good when he opened the front door. She was making dinner and it didn’t even matter what it was. “Hey. Thought I would make you something since you were kind enough to let me stay here last night.”
“You are welcome to stay as long as you want Ashley.”
She looked down and smiled. “I will be out of your hair this evening. I was looking in the phone book and there is supposed to be a small hotel in town. Thank you for being there Grahm. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t helped me. I am glad we met.”
He didn’t want her to go, but didn’t know how to make her stay. “You should stay here tonight. I have the extra room. I am always looking to hire farm hands if you weren’t ready to leave yet.”
“No I couldn’t impose.”
“It would be no imposition, really. I like having you around and I can teach you about horses.”
She bit her lip, unsure. Ashley wasn’t ready to go home, but she wasn’t sure she could stay there. It was the pull between the desire to stay in California or admit defeat and go home. The idea of working with horses was hit or miss for her. She was still afraid of them, but maybe she could get over her fear and learn something. If she was honest with herself, she liked the idea of staying there with him. There was something about Grahm that made her feel safe, but also a little breathless when the dark look went in his eyes.
“I don’t know how much help I would be with the horses. They are big and kind of scary.”
“They are really quite gentle. Stay awhile and I will have you riding like a real cowgirl.”
She laughed a little and put out the spoon from the sauce for him to try it. Watching his lips wrap around the spoon made her look down with a red face. Her mind had gone to all the naughty things she would like him to do with his mouth. “It’s good.”
Ashley nodded, her eyes moving away from temptation. “So are you avoiding the subject or need time to think about it?”
“Let me think about it over dinner. I am just not sure why you would want to hire me. I have no experience on a ranch or with animals.”
Grahm was going to say something, but stopped himself. He knew he had to go slow with her. She had just had a really bad week and he knew that she needed time. But he didn’t want to wait.
Moving towards her, he closed up the few feet that was between them and moved her head towards him with a grip on her chin. His lips moved to hers and Ashley’s body sagged into him. She had not been expecting it, even though she had hoped he would kiss her. It was better than she had hoped for. His lips were softer and Grahm’s hard body pinned her against the stove. She could feel the heat behind her from the burner, but her arms wrapped around his neck, lips parting to allow his tongue into her mouth.
With a soft moan, Grahm took her open mouth as a submission and the grip on her waist was increased. Ashley felt the hard lump growing between them and pulled away breathlessly. Grahm wanted more, she could see it in his eyes, but he moved back to give her some space. “Sorry, I have wanted to do that since our ride together last week.”
Her hand went to her lips and she stared back up at him. “No need to apologize. Are you ready for the dinner?” He nodded, both knowing that she was changing the subject.
Chapter 9
Ashley agreed to stay and work on the ranch with Grahm. They hadn’t kissed again, but she was really hoping that he did soon. They worked closely together a lot and the more she was around him, the more she wanted him to touch her like he had before. The look was there several times, but he never went through with it. All he had to do was ask, command it and she would do anything he asked of her.
“So do you want to go for a ride after you brush the last one? I have already fed all of them for the night.”
Ashley agreed. They had started riding every evening after they were through and it had quickly become one of her favorite times. She was comfortable enough to take her own horse now, just weeks after coming to the ranch, but she still wanted to ride behind him. There was something in the way he felt next to her and it was the only time of the day that he would touch her. Grahm avoided her when they got too close, but there was no way that he could avoid her when they were on the back of the horse.
He caught the devilish look in her eyes and worried that she was bound and determined to drive him crazy. He knew as well as she did that she could ride on her own, but she kept insisting they ride together. All the good he tried to keep her off his mind, he couldn’t deny that she was pushing for more. He wondered if enough time had passed since the unpleasantness at the commune.
“Why don’t you take out Dollie? We both know you are ready to solo ride. The only way you are going to get used to it, is to just do it.”
Ashley pouted for a minute, but recovered and smiled. She had wanted to feel his strong arms around her. “I was hoping that we could ride together. I feel safer when you are with me.”
Her voice was soft and he couldn’t have said no to
her if he had tried. For someone who was always in control, Ashley made sure that she got her ideas out as well. “If I let you ride with me, you will have to promise not to wiggle as much.”
She nodded, but smiled in a way that made him swallow hard. Ashley was up to no good and he could see it in her eyes.
Grahm helped her up first and then waited until she had scooted up enough that he would fit as well. Her body nestled in against his and he closed his eyes to the feel of her round ass against him. That was what he feared more than anything, feeling and wanting her far too much. His arm went around her and pulled her up closer, hard enough to make her gasp before he dug his heel into the side of the horse and felt the animal take off with them.
Her head laid back on him and she didn’t have the same death grip she had had the first time that had rode together. Ashley also was used to the gait, her body moving with his and the animal, all together in one fluid motion.
Grahm stopped when his body was going to explode and they were at the top of the small ridge on his land. They sat down together and looked out at the sun setting. It had become their spot and Ashley was content to sit with him and watched the beautiful colors fill the sky.
“I am going to miss this place when I leave. It is so peaceful here Grahm.”
He nodded, but still didn’t want to think about her leaving. Before, he had stopped her by offering her a job, but he knew that he would have to bring more to the table if Ashley was going to stay long term. His mind reeled with what those possibilities meant, but he wasn’t ready yet. They weren’t ready yet. He was sure that there had to be more time, but he didn’t need it. Grahm knew that he always wanted her to stay.
“It is peaceful here. I have lived here my whole life and you have helped me to appreciate it more. I get to see it from your eyes.”
“I swear they don’t have sunsets like this back home.”
“Do you miss it?”
Ashley shrugged and then laid back to get a better view of the sky. It was like a changing painting and she could sit out there for hours. She looked over at him and smiled. “Sometimes. I am not looking forward to school, so I sometimes wish that summer would never end.”
“It doesn’t have to. California is warm most of the time here.”
She didn’t say anything. He had been slipping the future into more and more conversations. “I think I would miss the snow.”
“Then I could take you wherever you wanted to go. Go to the mountains and there is plenty all year long.”
Ashley giggled and then turned back towards the sky. “I have to go to school. I was already accepted back home.”
“What do you want to do?” Grahm lay down next to her, their arms touching.
“I don’t know, but it just seems like the thing to do. Do a little a little college. I was thinking of getting into sustainable farming, but I have lost my taste for it. I don’t think I can bring myself to go to another commune.”
“I can see that. So why are you so determined to go right away?”
“I guess because it was the plan for so long.”
“Plans are meant to be changed Ashley.”
She snuck a look at him and then moved to her side. “What are your plans?”
“I don’t make plans. Things never turn out the way they are supposed to, so why have any expectations? You were here for an adventure, how did that turn out?”
“You may have a point there, but I got to think about my future.” Future, now she was thinking about it as well. She sighed to herself and went back on her back. There seemed to be so much unsaid between them. “You ready to go back? It’s starting to get cold.”
He made a noise next to her. It was one of aggravation, but she tried to ignore it. He was the one that wouldn’t make a move. She didn’t know what to do to further it along, starting to think that they were destined to play this tug of war until she went back east. Ashley pretended that she didn’t notice and got back on the horse without his help.
“I see you have gotten used to riding. Are you still afraid of horses?”
She was shivering when he pulled her up against him, her insides trembling. “Not anymore.”
Chapter 10
“I just want to meet her. She has been staying with you for almost a month and me and Vee still haven’t been invited over. What happened to Sunday dinners?”
Grahm knew he was holding off on engagements with his friends. In a way he didn’t know how long he had with her, so he wanted to make sure that he spent as much time with Ashley as possible. There was also the conversation about what they were to each other.
Ashley and him weren’t intimate, only one kiss a long time ago, but there was something other than friendship there. He felt it every time they were close and he knew that she felt it too. “Things have just been hectic at the ranch.”
“I thought that was why you hired more help.”
Grahm sighed and looked off. “Why does our breakfast always turn out like this?”
He shrugged. “Because that is the only time I see you anymore. I just want to know who it is that has taken away my best friend. Are you guys together now or are you still pretending that she is just your employee?”
Jerry was pulling no punches and Grahm sat back. What were they? He didn’t even know. “I don’t know if we are together. We are, but aren’t.”
He looked stunned at the answer. His friend was always the one that was sure of everything. It was strange to hear that he was so out of touch with what was going on. This girl, whoever she was, had done a number on him. “I don’t even know what that means Grahm.”
Grahm didn’t know either, but verbalizing it made it worse somehow. He needed to know what they were to each other, what he was to her. Even if he didn’t like the answer, he had to know. Was he just spending his time pining over a woman that didn’t even want him in that way?
“Hell Jerry, I don’t either. Most women I would have them pegged already. Ashley is different.”
“She is definitely making you different. I don’t think I have ever seen you so flustered before. What is she doing to you?”
“Nothing. Unfortunately.”
His friend kind of chuckled and sat back. “Now it is all making more sense to me. You are coming home to a wife, but not getting the best part of it, huh?”
The conversation was immediately more uncomfortable. Talking about it, made it that much harder to cope with. “Yes.”
“Maybe you finally met your match. I told you it would happen.”
“Maybe.” Or maybe Grahm had just lost his touch. He wouldn’t say that out loud, but he wondered. He left the restaurant with a clear need in his heart. He wanted to know what was going on between them.
***
“Welcome back Grahm, how was Jerry?”
“He’s good. What are you doing up so early?”
Ashley was not a morning person and for her to be up this early never happened. “I was talking to family back home. Mom was always up early.”
His heart started to sink. Summer was winding down and her school was going to begin soon. She was probably already planning her trip home. “Oh?”
“Yeah, she was telling me how it is already starting to get cold at night. I forgot how cold Pennsylvania is in late August. There will be snow there soon.”
All of the courage he had gotten from his talk with Jerry was gone. “So how is everyone there?”
“They are all good. Mom was asking when I was coming home.”
Grahm waited for her to tell him as well, but she didn’t, instead leaving it open ended as she walked back into her room. “So what kind of work do we have to do today?”
He was always sidetracked by her changing the subject so quickly and often. Grahm was starting to think he would never understand her. “Um, we need to go pick up 10 heads for the expansion and then bring them home. We have to go to Eureka and it is going to be an overnight trip. Are you up for it or do you want to stay here?”
&n
bsp; “I would love a road trip.”
Happy to see her smile again, he had to suddenly fight the urge to kiss her. There was something in the way that she looked at him. “When do you want to leave?”
“Now, but get anything you are going to need in the morning, change of clothes.”
“Okay, just give me a minute.” Ashley took off back into her room and was back out in almost as short of a time as she had promised. She was carrying one of her smaller bags and waited for him to grab his own. It was supposed to be work-related, but the jitteriness Ashley was feeling had nothing to do with work.
Chapter 11
They drove for most of the day and as they were getting close to their destination, Ashley dozed off against him. In the truck the rough ride pulling the trailer made her jostle more and she had almost went on his lap a couple of times. Grahm tried to take it all in stride, but nothing was going the way he wanted it to go. He was supposed to have come back that morning and had a talk about where they stood, what she was doing, but instead he had chickened out. Now her soft body was against him once more, her perfume in his nostrils and he was no closer to knowing what he had set out to find out.
He tried to wake her up as they got close to the hotel, but she just snuggled closer. “Ashley, come on.”
“Are we there yet?”
“Yes. We are at the hotel.”
Grahm put the truck in park and shut the engine off. He helped her out from his side and they walked into the reception together. Ashley had taken his hand and it felt tiny in his own. When they got to the front, Ashley spotted a soda machine and went to get them a couple of drinks to take up with them. When she got back, he was walking towards her.
“We are going to have to share a room. The place is booked, is that okay?”
She nodded, but didn’t remember that many cars in the parking lot. Ashley asked how many beds there were and it didn’t come as much of a shock when he said there was only one. She had a feeling that it was finally going to be time for them.