A Long Goodbye (25 page)

“No,” he shook his head. “What are you getting out this, boy?”

I smiled at Winslow and then held a firm face to look at Trevor. “Ashton not marrying a scum like him. That’s what I’m getting. You’re so worried about your political career you haven’t spent enough time watching the ones you trust. Instead of having me follow around your very trustworthy daughter, it should’ve been him the whole time.” I paused and took a breath as I stepped in front of him. “Should I tell him who Toby is, or do you want that honor?”

Trevor took the first swing and it was a pretty good one straight to the face. But, that was the only one I was letting him get in.

A few hours later, I headed out after having an all-out battle in my office with Trevor. Jason had come in and stopped it before Trevor needed an ambulance. Winslow just stood there for a few minutes, staring at my phone, before he walked out that door, leaving his puppet Trevor in a losing battle.

It shouldn’t have surprised me to find my tires slashed, and the windshield busted in when I left the office later on. Trevor could do whatever he wanted to me, as long as Ashton was left alone. Jason dropped me off at home, but not before grilling me.

“You ready to tell me what that was all about?”

“It’s about Ashton finally being Ashton.”

He shook his head. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Nothing. Listen; tell mama I’m taking off for the night. I’ll call and update you when I know something.”

“Where you going?”

“To get Ashton. Where do you think I’m going?” I circled the bike propped up against the barn. I pulled back the old ratty tarp covering it up.

“You actually riding that thing?”

“Yeah, I am. It’s time.” My insides were tied in a knot as I stared at AJ’s Harley. I had convinced myself for so long that it was his, and now that he was gone, I had no right to enjoy it.

Jason walked over to me. “You sure you’re all right getting on that thing?”

“Yeah, this is the way AJ would want it to be. I know that now, hell I knew it then, I just hated having that reminder that he was gone.”

He slapped me on my back. “Go get her. We’ll figure everything out later.”

I ran inside to grab the set of keys and helmet before I talked myself out of it. I had to get to Ashton and when I straddled his Harley, I felt a sense of warmth come over me like AJ was right next to me. This bike brought on a sense of peace that only my Grace had the power to do. It took me ten minute to start her up. A tear fell from my eye remembering the last time I saw AJ riding this hog. We were on deployment and Kara was on the back of it, and another guy and I followed them to Myrtle Beach for the weekend. It’d been almost three years since that night happened. He was most proud of that night, since he thought that was the night when Kara got pregnant.

It felt good to feel alive again. Like I had something to fight for, someone to run to, I couldn’t wait to get to Grace.

Two hours later, I turned off the bike and walked it to the side of the house. Once it was parked, I quietly made my way to the rear of the home that faced the beach. I breathed the salt air in and took in the moonlight bouncing off the ocean. After picking the outside rusted lock, I glided the patio door open as quietly as possible. I watched her house for a few hours and I knew Lu was with her. And I was glad that they found a way back to each other. I knew they would. But, I wanted to get Ashton alone and not deal with Lu, so I waited until nightfall and all the lights were off to make my move.

I had every intention of letting her go, but after everything that I found out about Trevor Owens from Josh, I just couldn’t stand by and let it happen. I needed one more chance to get her to love me again. I was ready to lose everything my family had owned for a second chance with her.

The house was dark other than a small nightlight coming from the kitchen, but since I’d kept an eye on them from the beach through the huge glass window, I saw the room Ashton went into. As soon as my foot hit the first step, the echo of an old rickety stair squeaked from underneath my boot. I flinched, and then decided the hell with it. Quickly, I hoofed it three steps at a time trying to hide any noises. If anything, I could reach her room before Lu came out and reamed me a new ass.

Luckily for me, she wasn’t the wiser. Ashton’s room was down the long corridor to the left of the room Lu went in. Which was a good thing since I didn’t want to be quiet if she let me in. I twisted the knob to open her door, noticing her figure tucked under the blankets with the guidance of the moon coming in through the window.

Quickly, I stripped my boots off and made my way over to her bed. She had soft music playing in the background from her radio that I knew she liked to fall asleep to. I was so afraid of messing everything up; afraid of pushing her too far, but I just wanted to feel her mouth on mine again. To wrap my arms around her and breathe her in like my soul depended on it.

Carefully, I took the necessary steps until I was looking down at her. Her hair was cascading over her shoulder, her hands tucked under her face as she lay on her side. I took a huge breath in, and then let it back out several times. “Ashton,” I called out softly.

She jumped up and started to scream, but my hands were there before she could make too loud of a noise. “It’s me. Dane.”

Her body softened under mine, so I removed my hands from covering her lips. “What are doing here?” She asked sitting up. When she did, the cotton sheet slipped down, revealing her little nightie that she was wearing to bed. It was white, sheer and lacy, so feminine, and so perfect on her. She saw me looking, but she didn’t try to cover herself. “Woody?”

I shook off the trance she had me under. “Jesus, Grace, I just wanted to see you—to talk to you, if you’d let me.” My hands were itching to reach up and grab a hold of her, but instead I grabbed onto the bottom of my tee and wrapped my hands tightly around the hem trying to hold on for dear life.

This she noticed too.

She slipped her pretty little hands under my shirt, pulling mine out, until our fingers were meshed together. “Woody, what is it?” She whispered, pulling me closer.

“There’s one small flaw in your escape plan, Grace.”

“There is?”

“Yeah, you forgot to let me in on it,” I told her. I leaned forward, her arm draped over my back, the other gently caressing my face. I kissed her softly, and then more urgently when she didn’t protest. We kissed for a long, long time without moving for even a second.

I couldn’t speak for Ashton, but I knew why I didn’t want to move. I was so afraid that if I did, she’d tell me to leave and push me away, or that she’d tell me that she didn’t love me anymore. I didn’t think I could bear hearing that. I knew deep down that I didn’t deserve a second chance since I lied to her about who I was, but I prayed she had it in her heart to forgive me.

She pulled away first. She swiped under her eyes and I knew what was coming next, and I felt horrible for being the cause of those tears. “What, Grace? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know if I can do this, Dane? You hurt me,” she whispered.

“I know, but I came here to tell you something real important. And I know I should’ve told you weeks ago, but I didn’t for fear it would only upset you more.” I sat on the edge of the bed, while Ashton scooted over to give me space.

“Hell, I knew it that first night in the back of my truck. If I could kick my own ass I would for not telling you sooner.” I swallowed, so nervous at what she’d say, or would do when she heard those three little words. Words I’ve haven’t uttered to another woman in years. I knew now what true love was, and I had never even touched the tip of the iceberg before I met her.

 “I love you, Grace.”

Tears streamed down her face, and were only noticeable because of the moonlight-streaming in. “What did you say?” She asked so softly I almost couldn’t quite hear her.

“I know I can make you happy, Grace. I may not have the money, the big house with a pool in the yard, but what I do have is a really big heart and I swear to you it’s all yours, Grace. We’d have a good life. It won’t be perfect; hell, I know this. We’ll fight like hell once in a while, but I promise you, I’d never let you go to bed mad at me, and I’d never ever let you feel less than the beautiful woman you are to me. If you can just…”

“Woody?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you gonna kiss me again, or what?”

My heart stopped racing, my head felt quiet again and unable to hide my joy I gave her what we both wanted. I kissed her with everything that I had.

CHAPTER 45

ASHTON

I reached up to touch his face, tracing his scar in the darkness. Nothing could prepare me for the emotions that rolled through me. It was as if my heart split wide open and Dane flooded it with his words and then put it back together. People say all the time that when you find the person you’re meant to be with, you know right away, like there’s an instant connection. I felt that the first night under the stars with him. I knew he was the man I was supposed to be with.

Dane growled and rolled on top of me. My stomach was pressed up against his perfect rock hard abs, his erection digging into my thigh. I pulled him down and captured his mouth with mine. I closed my eyes trying to savor the moment as Dane’s hands explored my body, never taking his mouth off mine.

Then slowly, ever so slowly his mouth traveled south until his tongue ran over the silk of my nightie covering my breasts, causing me to moan loudly. Dane groaned a sound of pleasure and moved his body until it was covering mine.

He kissed my mouth, my nose, my eyelids, my chin, and then my mouth again. I parted my legs slightly wanting him inside of me. “Make love to me, Dane,” I begged not wanting any more foreplay. I needed him to be as close as possible to me-now.

He graced me with a quick kiss on the chin, his finger running down the sides of my stomach, lifting up my nightie, pulling my panties down and off.

“Marry me, Grace,” he whispered.

My eyes flew open and I sat up. “What?” I froze unsure if I heard him correctly, or if it was all my crazy imagination.

His head dipped south again, raining sweet kisses up and down my stomach. I yanked on his hair a little, still waiting to hear if I heard him right. “Did you just ask me what I think you did?”

He grinned, wickedly. “I love you, Grace. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

My hand flew to my mouth. “Oh my God, Woody!” My entire body started to tremble, tears rained down on my cheeks.

“I thought I asked before with that whole speech but, I guess I wasn’t clear. Baby… Marry me?”

I couldn’t speak. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if I was awake and this was all some big trick on my mind that would I regret waking up from.

I nodded just in case, but managed to squeak out my answer “Yes.”

Woody captured my mouth with his passionately, and then he was inside of me. I wrapped my legs around his waist wanting all of him. Woody pushed harder, quickening the pace until we were both panting hard. He stiffened a moment later, and I felt the warmth of his release inside of me. Unable to hold on anymore, I screamed out his name and I let go with him.

I was still wrapped around Woody even as the clock read 2:25 in the morning. Neither one of us could sleep. We kept talking about where we wanted to get married, and where we would live, and honeymoons and babies. I was never so happy in my whole life. It was the most intense and terrifying feeling that I’d ever experienced.

Woody was running little circles on my belly button when he lifted his head off my chest. “Your father’s looking for you.”

“Let him keep looking. I don’t care anymore.” Deep down I did, but I was not going to let him take Dane away from me again. I’d die before I let that happen.

“Ashton.”

I kissed the top of his head. “Call me Grace. I love that you are the only one that does.”

“Okay, Darlin’.” He picked my hand up in his and kissed my knuckles. “You need to know it won’t be long before he figures out that you and Lu are holed up here. He told me he called some of the neighbors, but no one answered. It’s only a matter of time, Grace.”

“By the way, how did you know I was here? I never told you about this place.”

Woody sighed deeply. “I never took off the tracking device on your cell. I always know where you are, baby.”

I flicked his forehead. “I should be mad at you, but I can’t seem to muster up any hard feelings for you. Consider yourself forgiven.”

Woody propped himself up on his elbow. “Are you sure you can’t find some?”

“Why?” I asked, confused.

“Because, baby I have a feeling I’m going to like make-up sex with you.”

I chuckled. “I don’t need to pick a fight in order to blow your mind, Dane Woods.”

“No?” he questioned, smiling widely.

I yanked him up under his arm. “C’mere and I’ll show you how much fun I can be.”

CHAPTER 46

DANE

Ashton and I had been outside drinking coffee on the deck that overlooked the ocean since we’d gotten up this morning. She had her back pressed up against my stomach as we sat on the lounge chair together. She tried to lie down on the lounge next to me, but I wasn’t having any of that. She was mine now and I didn’t want any distance between us. We wasted too many weeks apart, when everyone else was winning but us.

There was something so peaceful about listening to the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore holding onto Grace. She’d said yes to my proposal without a shadow of a doubt last night, but I knew we had a few things to clear up before I got my hopes up too high. Because I’d like nothing more than seeing that beautiful face rocking on my mama’s porch swing every night waiting for me to come home.

And then Lu walked out, interrupting me from dredging up the inevitable: her father’s lack of approval, my family’s land, and one asshole named Trevor.

“Well, Ash, I guess we don’t need my plan to get him back after all,” Lu said, smiling to Ashton and then she turned to me. “It’s about time you got here. I was about ready to come kick your ass.”