Treading Water: Coming Home Part 23

"I'll tell him he's on his own."

"We'll go home tomorrow."

"Thank you."

Chapter 10.

Because she wanted to be in her office with her things, Ashton followed Jill's directions and drove to Kate's estate in Hendersonville. He hadn't been out this way in years and couldn't help being impressed by the home Kate had built for herself as well as the one where Jill resided.

Hers was much smaller than her sister's, but the post-and-beam house suited her perfectly, Ashton thought as he followed her inside. He'd intended to drop her off and head home, but now that they were here, he found that he was unable to leave her alone and upset.

Inside, she turned to him and gave a wary smile, as if she too was uncertain of what happened now that they were home and back to reality.

Ashton was comforted to know he wasn't the only one unsure of himself. After the closeness they'd shared over the last few days, however, he refused to allow her to put distance between them.

He glanced around at the cozy living room, the fireplace, the overstuffed sofas, the bookshelves. Her sister probably paid her a lot of money to manage her career, but nothing about Jill's home was showy or ostentatious. "I like your place."

"Thanks. I like it, too, not that I'm here very much."

He watched as she glanced at the clock on the cable box before she returned her gaze to him.

"I know you want to get to work. Do you mind if I take a look around outside?"

"Oh, so you're going to stay?"

"Is that all right?"

"Sure, that's fine. I just figured you'd have better things to do than kill time while I work."

He couldn't stand to go another minute without touching her, so he put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I've got nothing I'd rather do than wait for you to get your work done so we can get back to having fun."

"I thought..."

"What did you think?"

"I didn't expect you to want to hang out, especially here. At Kate's place."

"I want to be wherever you are." Tipping his head, he kissed her so softly their lips barely made contact. When he pulled back, she leaned forward, looking for more. "Later." Smiling at her growl of frustration, he gave her a nudge. "Go get your work done. I'll be here when you're finished."

"Don't get into mischief. Kate would never forgive me."

"You're already sleeping with the enemy. What other mischief could I get into that would top that?"

"I have a feeling you're endlessly resourceful when it comes to mischief."

"That hurts my feelings."

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and left him laughing in the living room as she sauntered into the kitchen.

Watching her go, he took a moment to appreciate the view of her very fine a.s.s in tight denim. He'd wanted to see her out of the prim business suits she favored. He'd wanted to see her a.s.s in denim. He'd wanted to see her relaxed and at ease. He'd gotten all of those things, but nothing could've prepared him for the many faces of Jill Harrington-relaxed, happy, s.e.xy, aroused, sated, amused, annoyed, undone.

That last one had been tough on him. Seeing her upset over the mess her sister and his father had made of things had been hard to watch. He left her house and headed for the path that led toward Kate's place. Knowing the diva wasn't in residence gave him the freedom to poke around a bit.

Her home was gorgeous and sprawling, with windows of every shape and size. The A-frame log cabin must've been four thousand square feet, at the very least. What one person needed with all that s.p.a.ce was beyond him, until he remembered Buddy once saying that Kate had built a recording studio at the house so she could spend more time at home.

Behind the house was a four-stall garage and beyond that he found stables. Anxious to see Thunder, he stepped inside and let his eyes adjust to the dim light.

"Help you with something?"

The voice behind him startled Ashton as he turned. "Hi, there. I'm Ashton Matthews, a friend of Jill's."

"Gordon, the groom."

Ashton shook the older man's outstretched hand. "Mind if I say h.e.l.lo to Thunder? He's an old friend."

"'Course not. Make yourself at home, son."

"Thank you."

"Third stall on the left."

Ashton had already zeroed in on the dark, handsome thoroughbred that had once belonged to his father. He walked past a white horse and a chestnut roan before he got to Thunder's stall.

"Hi, old guy." Ashton held out his hand for Thunder to nuzzle. "Remember me?"

Thunder's nicker made Ashton laugh. "Yeah, it's been a while. Has Kate been taking good care of you?"

The question was rhetorical because he could see that Thunder had the biggest stall, a fresh lining of shavings, plenty of oats and water in his feed bin, and his coat shone from regular grooming.

As Thunder nuzzled his hand and then his face, a surge of emotion caught Ashton off guard. Seeing Thunder again took him right back to the dark days after his father and Kate got together, when his dad had lied to him about their relations.h.i.+p because he knew his son, older than the girl he was dating, wouldn't approve.

Ashton vividly remembered the day he'd put all the pieces together and stormed into his father's bedroom, catching him with Kate. He'd been blinded by anger and hurt. He'd said things his father never should've forgiven. He'd gone home and called Kate's dad to tell him what was going on in Nashville. He'd hurt a lot of people with his impulsive actions.

A couple of days later, Kate had confronted him in the parking lot of the condo complex where they'd both lived. She'd looked at him with those distinctive blue eyes, which had been large and wounded.

"Why'd you have to call my dad?" she'd asked.

"Why'd you have to screw mine?"

He winced, still ashamed after all this time that he'd said that to her. She'd been an eighteen-year-old girl and he a man of twenty-five. His father had raised him better than that, and the shame of it had stayed with him for a long time.

He'd been so angry at both of them-and so very hurt. The rift with his father had been the single most painful episode of his life. He'd been far too young when his mother died to remember the cataclysmic impact of her loss. But losing his dad, even for a short time, had devastated him. Nothing, not even the knowledge that his dad was back with Kate, could make him want to relive that dark period.

The chain of events that followed the breakup with Kate had led to his dad packing up and leaving Nashville for St. Kitts, where he'd lived ever since, far away from his only child. Ashton wondered if he'd still be an only child now that his dad and Kate were together again. She was a young woman who'd probably want kids of her own. Would his dad accommodate that? How did Ashton feel about baby siblings at his age?

"What do you think, Thunder? Should Dad and Kate have kids?"

Thunder nuzzled him, and Ashton would swear that the horse was all for the idea.

"Figures you'd take her side. You always did love her best."

"'Scuse me," Gordon said. "Thought you might like some carrots."

Embarra.s.sed to have been caught in a conversation with a horse, Ashton said, "We'd love some." Ashton took the proffered carrots and held them up for Thunder to see. "Hungry?"

The horse snapped one of the carrots out of his hand before Ashton knew what hit him. "That was crafty," he said, laughing. "I heard you were getting old. Not too old for hijinks, I see."

Gordon laughed as he walked away. "There ain't nothin' old about that fella."

The same might be said about his dad, Ashton thought. Even though he was in his mid-fifties now, he looked and acted like a much younger man. While Ashton wasn't thrilled to hear that his dad and Kate were back together, he wanted his dad to be happy. And though the relations.h.i.+p had caused a lot of heartburn the first time around, standing before the horse they all loved, Ashton vowed to do his best to understand this time. He would try his hardest to be friendly to Kate and to welcome her into their lives.

Since he wanted his dad to do the same for him with Jill, how could he do any less for his dad? He fed the rest of the carrots to Thunder and ran a hand over the horse's silky muzzle. "I'll be back to see you again soon."

Ashton left the stables and took a long walk in the woods, circling back around to Jill's place more than an hour later. Not wanting to disturb her when she was working, he let himself in, took off his coat and was heading for the sofa when she appeared in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Oh hey, you're back. I thought you might've left." She looked pale and tired, which made him mad. She'd been so relaxed in California.

He went to her, put his hands on her shoulders and ma.s.saged away some of the tension. "I told you I'd wait for you."

"Still... You must have something you'd rather be doing than waiting around for me."

He shook his head.

"Oh."

"You're cute when you're caught off guard."

"Then I must be very cute, because you catch me off guard all the time."

"You're very, very cute, and I like to keep you on your toes." His hands moved from her shoulders to her face, and for the longest time, he just looked at her, drinking her in like the hungry, needy fool he became in her presence.

She licked her lips nervously, drawing his attention to her full bottom lip.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Still zeroed in on her enticing mouth, he said, "Because I can."

"What does that mean?"

He smiled and kissed her forehead, her nose and then her lips. "It means that for so long I had to subsist between meetings, hoping to catch a glimpse of you here or there. Now I get to look to my heart's content."

Her face heated, which pleased him no end. Knowing he got to her, that he affected her the way she affected him... His thought process was derailed by the feel of her soft hands slipping under his s.h.i.+rt to make contact with his back. He went from hungry and needy to desperate the second her skin brushed against his.

"Did you get everything done?" he forced himself to ask.

"Not everything, but I made some good progress. I got a couple of interviews booked for Kate that should help to put the story into her own words. Now if she would only return my calls."

This was said with a hint of aggravation.

"She will. When she's ready."

"I hope she's ready soon. I need her to get her a.s.s back here and deal with this."

He nuzzled her fragrant, silky hair, captivated by her scent and the way she fit so perfectly in his arms.

"Ashton?"

"Hmm?"

"What're you doing?"

"Holding you." Was it his imagination, or did she snuggle closer to him? "Do you want to go out to dinner?"

He felt her shake her head against his chest.

"What do you want to do?" he asked, hoping with every fiber of his being that she wanted the same thing he did.

She ran her hand down his arm and curled her fingers around his. "This," she said, tugging him toward a hallway that he prayed led to her bedroom.

Thank you, Jesus.

Her room was practical yet feminine with frilly curtains and a patchwork quilt on the bed. Ashton didn't waste much time taking in the decor, especially after she tugged her s.h.i.+rt up and over her head. Standing before him in a peach silk bra over pale, creamy skin, and her dark hair loose around her shoulders she looked like a G.o.ddess. His hands curled into fists at his side as he held himself back from grabbing her and taking her with the force of the desire that pounded through him. She tugged at the b.u.t.ton to her jeans, and he was frozen, utterly unable to move as he watched her.

A small, s.e.xy smile curved her mouth. She knew exactly what she was doing to him, undressing slowly in front of him. She s.h.i.+mmied out of the jeans to reveal a peach silk thong that matched the bra. He'd been with her when she bought the set in California, but he hadn't appreciated then how glorious it would look on her. He certainly appreciated it now.

When she reached behind her to release the bra, he finally found his voice. "Wait." The single word came out much harsher than he'd intended.

Her hands fell to her sides, and a hint of uncertainty appeared in her expression.

"Let me."

He started at her hips, his hands sliding over her ribs and up to cup her b.r.e.a.s.t.s through the bra. He watched, transfixed, as her nipples pebbled, and bent to suck one of them between his teeth, which made her gasp. Her fingers combed through his hair, pulling him closer.

Ashton didn't have to be asked twice. He tugged her in tight against him, releasing the bra with the snap of two fingers behind her. Nudging it off her shoulders, he kissed and licked and suckled her smooth skin. He was addicted to her scent, her taste, her smoothness.

He'd intended to take her slowly, to draw out the suspense for both of them, but the instant her b.r.e.a.s.t.s sprang free of the bra and pressed against his chest, all his finesse abandoned him, and the need took over. It had been hours and hours and hours since he'd last held her and kissed her. Thinking of the way she'd bent over him and taken his erection into her mouth on the plane sent a surge of desire to his already hard p.e.n.i.s as he devoured her in a series of kisses that left him dying for more.

From the first instant she walked into his office, he'd known she was going to change his life. He could admit that now that he had her pliant in his arms, straining against him, using her body to tell him what she wanted. Before he'd had the opportunity to be with her like this, he'd been afraid to own up to the effect she'd had on him that first day.

He used to wonder how he'd survive if he never got the chance to show her what she did to him just by walking into a conference room, full of purpose and intent, endlessly efficient. He'd suspected all along that underneath the cool veneer was a hot, s.e.xy woman. Now he held living proof of just how hot and s.e.xy she really was in his hands, and he was filled with relief and excitement-and overwhelming desire.