A Long Goodbye (11 page)

He grinned and I knew. “Couldn’t miss them, Sir.”

CHAPTER 17

ASHTON

“Okay, girl you need to spill everything about that boy, and I swear if you leave out the dirty parts, I will no longer be your friend,” Lu teased.

I felt the smile form even though I was trying hard not to show how deep I’d already fallen for Woody. “A proper girl doesn’t kiss and tell, Lu. You know that.”

She waved me off. “Look, who are you talking to baby girl, because I live for talking about boys and sex.”

I leaned in so no one could hear our conversation. We were sitting at a bar surrounded by so many people I could barely see the stage. Some want-to-be country singer was going on at eleven and Lu wanted to come down and watch. “Lu, do you ever stop and think about the guys you sleep with?”

Her eyebrows went up at my question. “Not really, why?”

“Cause I do. I mean I haven’t slept with Woody yet. I want to, Lu. I really like him. I don’t know what I’m going to do when he leaves. I can’t explain it—it’s like I found someone who wants me to be me and not who everyone expects me to be. You understand?”

Lu grabbed my hands in hers, staring into my eyes. “Baby girl you don’t even know his real name. How could you feel so strongly about him?”

“I know that, Lu. I’m not kidding, he’s different. He’s the perfect man for me. I can feel it all the way down to my toes. I can’t really explain it, Lu. I just know.”

Lu looked at me in disbelief, then handed off the lemon drop shooters we had ordered. She clinked my glass. “Honey, every guy wants you to believe that until they get those high priced silk panties of yours off and on their floor.” Lu followed her little speech by slamming back her shot.

Quickly, I tossed mine back. “You mean to tell me that you never wanted one of those boys to come sniffing around for a second shot?” I asked because I knew deep down Lu wanted a man in her life. She just needed to learn to trust first.

“Ashton, no one has ever tried because I make it clear what I’m looking for, and what I’m not looking for is some man to control me and run my life. Not when I can fuck it all up on my own.”

I rolled my eyes. She had her shit together, she just never tried hard enough. Sometimes I was convinced she was going to down the same nasty road her mama took. “That’s not true. What about Charlie Lucca? I know you liked him.”

Lu held up her hand to signal another round to the bartender. “Pfft…I blame Jack, Johnny and Jose Cuervo for that second time happening. He caught me on an off night.”

“He’s so adorable and I know he likes you.” I knew for a fact he was so sweet on LuLu that he didn’t feel the need to hide his feelings he had for her. The whole town knew he was holding out for her. Hell, if you asked him on any given day he’d tell you he thought she was the best woman he’d ever met.

“Ashton, I’m not the swing on the front porch, drinking sweet tea, marrying type like you are. And that’s okay.”

The drinks were set in front of us not a moment too soon. I was ready to get my buzz on. “Yeah, you are. You just know any better.”

And boy, if we didn’t get our buzz on good over the next few hours.

CHAPTER 18

DANE

“We gotta stop meeting like this,” I said with relief in my voice when I walked up behind Ashton and Lu sitting at the bar of a popular tourist trap kind of place.

Ashton swung around, almost falling off her stool when she did. My hands settled her back down, not moving from her waist until I was convinced she wasn’t going to land on her face the moment I let go.

“Woody,” she slurred, her eyes roaming over me until she looked back into my eyes. “Why aren’t ya wearing those sunglasses tonight?”

I shook my head. “Don’t need ‘em tonight. How much have you had to drink?” I asked, knowing full well Lu was drunk but still kept her eyes on me like she was pissed that I showed up out of the blue.

I was just about to sit down when Ashton jumped up out of her seat. “Finally!” She smiled at Lu who gave Ashton a quick thumbs up for some reason, and before I could ask what was going on, Ashton was pulling me onto the small dance floor. “I requested this song hours ago and they’re finally playing it. It’s my favorite.” She swung her arms around my neck, tucking her small face under my chin. “Dance with me, Woody.”

Hell! The scent of her sweet honeysuckle hair hit my nose as I rested my chin on top of her head, gently swaying her back and forth as the latest hit played in the background. Unable to pull away from her and in all honesty not wanting to, I just held her tightly in my arms. I knew she was drunk and I wasn’t sure where tonight was going to go, but damn if I didn’t want front row seats. One-half of my brain knew I was treading on thin ice showing up like I did, but I needed to find her and make sure she was okay. LuLu sat at the bar with daggers in her eyes as she watched us, which should have bothered me more than it did. At the moment, I didn’t care what Lu’s reasons were.

Ashton pulled back, but still kept her arms around my neck. “I don’t ever want to stop dancing with you,” she said right before I couldn’t take anymore. I dipped my head down and pressed my mouth to hers. She didn’t hesitate to kiss me back, and not one of us seemed to care we were making out in the middle of the dance floor. The song came to a stop so I held onto her hand, dragging her over to the DJ booth. I pulled out a fifty and handed it over the Plexiglas partition to the DJ, “Play that song five more times,” I shouted.

He nodded taking the money.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Ashton said, but I could tell by the way her face lit up she was happy I did.”

“Yeah, I did. You just said two minutes ago that you didn’t want to stop dancing with me. Bar’s closing in a half an hour. I figure five times ‘round should cover it.”

Ashton smiled as she followed me back to the middle of the floor. I picked up her hands, placing them back around my neck, and then rested mine on her hips. “You look beautiful tonight,” I told her because she did. She had on a way too revealing white dress that barely had a back to it, showing off her finely tanned skin. Slowly, I lifted my hand until I was touching the small of her back. When I slipped my hand lower, Ashton shivered like she always did when our skin came into contact. And I loved that it drew that reaction from her every time.

 By the fourth time Tim McGraw blared through the speakers, I thought there might just be one particular D.J. getting his ass kicked by some rowdy ass guys at the back table. But, he just kept playing it, sending it out each time to the pretty lady in the white dress on the dance floor.

“Woody?” she murmured in my ear just as the song faded out.

“Yeah, Darlin’?” I wrapped her up tighter knowing it was the last time the song was going to be played.

“I want to go home with you tonight,” she whispered and I could hear the nerves rattle in her voice. I wanted to take her back to my room and show her what a real man could give her, but how could I?

“Grace, we’ll take Lu back, but then I’m taking you somewhere else, okay?”

“Why?”

“Trust me on this one. You’ll like it.”

CHAPTER 19

ASHTON

He said nothing as we drove out to that same little dirt road we had found the other night when we slept under the stars. I kept my mouth closed too, not sure if it was all the alcohol, or just plain nerves knowing that I may finally have a man that I wanted between my legs. I laughed under my breath knowing that I sounded like a slut, but hell, the suspense of what Woody would be like in the sac was killing me.

A man I was sure just as sugar was sweet, that he was about ready to rock my world. And selfishly, I’d kinda hoped it would be more than once.

Once he had his truck parked, Woody sat up pin straight, gripping the wheel tightly as he stared out the front window. I had no idea what he was thinking, but I could tell it was something he was battling with inside. Carefully, I reached over resting my hand on his shoulder. He didn’t move a muscle, just kept staring out the window.

“Grace, has a man ever loved you right?

“That depends on what your right and my right is?”

Woody turned toward me and pulled me across the seat until I was straddling his lap. Excitedly, I licked my lips trying to find some kind of moisture seeing as I was parched with anticipation. Woody ran his hands up my thighs, lifting my dress up so my panties were pressed against his jeans. I shivered as his hands glided over my skin unable to hide how he made me feel.

“I love that,” The words came out so nonchalantly it took me by surprise when he said it. I dropped my forehead until it rested on his.

“What do you love?” I whispered, anxiously waiting to know his answer.

He swallowed, but kept his eyes on me. “Every time I touch you, I feel you shiver. Every single time, Grace. I don’t even know if you’re aware of it, but it does something to me.”

I pulled back. “Have you been with a lot of girls, Woody?”

His eyebrows shoot up just as I pulled back and asked him a very personal question. But seeing how we were most likely going to get real acquainted, I figured I had a right to ask. “That depends on what you think a lot is.”

It was time to come clean, because frankly I wasn’t too sure if I was any good in bed. Sure, they told you that you were during, but seeing how I lied about my orgasms each time, I was confident they could’ve lied about me being skilled. “I’ve only been with two people. That’s it. Two! Heck, I think Lu slept with two guys back when we visited our friend in college one night, and here I am with only two men in my whole stinky life.”

“That’s nothing to be ashamed about, Grace.” Nervously, I looked away deciding the outside was more appealing since I knew I was red as a beet from embarrassment. “Look at me, baby.”

I turned back to face him. “What?”

Woody brought my head down until my lips were pressed against his. The kiss seemed to last forever and then finally we came up for air at the same time. I blew out a breath. “I…”

Woody’s fingers pressed up against my lips, keeping me from talking anymore. “Shh, Grace.” Gently he kissed me again, but didn’t linger there too long like I wanted him to. “I’m going to make you feel like the woman I know you want to be tonight.”

Woody ran slow burning kisses down my throat down to my breasts. “Woody,” I moaned, as I threaded my fingers through his hair.

Woody’s eyes raked down and back up until they met mine. “Scoot off for a second. I got a little surprise for you.” Scoot off? I was pretty sure I wanted to scoot on and stay put for the rest of my life, or at least the rest of the night. But I did as he asked, because what girl in their right mind didn’t like surprises from a man like Woody?

Woody hopped down and around until he was standing by my side with the door open. He reached out to help me down. Just as my feet hit the ground, Woody’s hands firmly planted around my waist and I could feel his warm breath on my face. Too nervous to speak first, I just stared at his chest until he lifted my chin with his finger. “I got one big warm blanket, one full moon and a billion stars to make love to you under, but I’m asking before I take what I want. Is this what you want?”

“Is this just going to be sex? No emotions or what?”

“Grace we have two days left together until we part ways. I promise you while this lasts it will not be just about sex.”

My head went down not wanting to hear anymore.

“Darlin’.” He tipped my chin back up forcing me to look into his eyes. “I just need to know that you understand that whatever we have right now and for the next couple days is all I can give you. If you can accept that then no one gets hurt in the end.”

I knew every word that was going to come out of my mouth was going to be one big fat lie and I prayed he couldn’t read my thoughts. I knew from the first time he touched me that someday he would hurt me, even if he didn’t know it. I put on a fake smile. “I’m a big girl, Woody. I’m pretty sure I can handle a few torrid nights with you and walk away.”

Woody stared down at me almost looking disappointed at my answer, but then he moved to the back of the truck to grab that warm blanket he had talked about. I tried channeling LuLu to give me some slutty inspiration as I watched him lay the blanket down on the ground. Reaching behind to my neck, my fingers undid the tie holding my dress up, until it puddled down to my ankles in the grass. A little part of me wanted to at least place it in the truck so it wouldn’t get dirty, but then I thought that might kill the mood Woody was trying to create.

A low growl came from Woody’s throat when he looked up. “God damn you are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

I strolled over putting one foot in front of the other as I’d been taught back in my pageant days. “You’re just saying that because you’re about to get lucky.” I knew I had a nice face and great eyes, but a little part of me was always insecure with my full figure. I wasn’t heavy by any means at a size six, but men usually flocked toward the skinny ones, not the ones like me.

I hugged my chest. “Are you sure you like what you see?”

“Grace I’m going to tell you a secret about men all right.”

“Sure,” I said standing there in my matching panty set shaking inside like a scared kitten.

“You are the kind of girl that men dream about. We don’t want skin and bones; we want curves. We want a real woman. And, baby trust me when I tell you this--
you
are my dream girl.” He held out his hand for me to go to him.

Hearing his words, I confidently waltzed the few steps until I was right in front of him. “I think you’re a beautiful man, Woody.”

He smiled for only a heartbeat before he pulled me in to his arms. Slowly he eased me back onto the blanket, hovering over me. We were both panting, staring, as if we were waiting on one another to make the first move. I needed him to do something.

Anything.

“You make me want to be a better man, Grace,” he said right before he must’ve decided it was about that time. His mouth skimmed every part of my face until they started to lower. Woody knew exactly what to do to make me shiver in my panties. He lingered and teased just the right places with his tongue to the point I moaned his name out loud. Shifting off of me, Woody veered a little lower, kissing all the way down to my belly. His fingers glided slowly, teasing me, and the edge of my soaked panties with his very skilled hands. If he hadn’t guessed yet, I was wetter than the pond we were sprawled out next to.