A Long Goodbye (15 page)

“I will, but Woody, if a slow song comes on, you better meet me out there.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” Woody grabbed my chin and kissed me hard before he swatted my backside as he softly guided me toward Lu and Brian.

It wasn’t long before a slow one came on and Woody was true to his word. He’d come out and found me, pulling me away from Lu. Something about being in his arms made me feel safe and content, so I just let him rock me back and forth.

I felt a tap on my shoulder pulling me from my daydream of Woody and me together forever. Lu was standing there when I turned around. “I need to go to the bathroom. C’mon,” she pleaded. Woody grabbed me a little tighter than normal and Lu noticed. “It’s just the bathroom, Woody. I’ll bring her back.”

Woody glared at her as if he was warning her about something. “Make sure that you do.”

Lu pulled me out of his grip and toward the side of the bar where the bathrooms were located. I looked over my shoulder to see Woody stepping back up to the bar with Brian. Chris disappeared after he met a girl who was drinking Vodka and red bull like it was water. One minute they were on the dance floor, the next they were gone, leaving us the happy foursome.

We were both freshening up at the mirror when Lu blurted,  “I’m going to take him back to the room tonight. I hope you or Woody don’t have a problem with that.”

I splashed a little cold on my face and looked at her. “Lu, honey you don’t even know him,” I warned her, hoping she see sense.

“You mean like the way you didn’t know, Woody? But he’s sharing a bed with you.”

I frowned. “That’s different.”

Lu got in my face, which was something she rarely did.

“The fuck it is.”

I went right back at her. “I’m just looking out for you, Lu,” I raised my voice, which landed us a few gawkers.

“You should really look out for yourself and not worry about who’s sleeping next to me.” Lu got in the last word. She always did. She stormed out of the bathroom, while I was left with several people shaking their head and tsking me.

Woody was right outside the bathroom door by the time I pulled myself together. I wanted Lu to have fun, I did, but sometimes she didn’t make the best of judgments. Brian seemed nice enough and I knew she was a big girl. And we’d be there if something did happen, so I brushed it all off and walked out with my head held high.

“Everything all right?” Woody asked when I walked up to him.

“What do you think of Brian?”

Woody pulled me in and dangled his hands over my hips. “He’s not my type.”

I gazed up at him. “I’m serious, Woody. Lu is taking him back to the room tonight. Do you think we should let her?”

He kissed the tip of my nose and smiled. “I’m pretty positive that girl can take of herself and Brian seems fine.”

I started shaking my head, but Woody tipped my chin up. “I wouldn’t let it happen if I thought something more was happening than a one-night stand, okay?”

Woody ran a finger down my neckline until it reached my cover-up. He ogled my chest as he held the flimsy cotton out an inch then locked eyes with mine. “Besides you and I have something to do.”

I grinned and tapped my chin pretending to be clueless. “Hmm, you might need to remind me, because I can’t remember right now.”

Woody scooped me up in his arms as if he was carrying me over the threshold and carted me right out of that place and across the street to the beach. Once we hit the sand, he placed me down and pointed. “I’ll race ya,” he whispered as he kissed my cheek, but then took off like a shotgun.

I screamed the whole way for him to stop, but he didn’t listen, so I forged ahead, sand kicking up behind me without bothering to take off my cover-up. I lapped into the water while the moon lit up Woody’s face. He must have gone under while I was running because his hair was wet and slicked back. I stopped once the water slapped up against my ankles.

Woody placed his hands on his hips, smiling. He held out one of his hands. “Get your ass out here before I come get you. And, Grace, trust me when I say you should come to me.”

“I’m coming,” I said loudly, looking down at the water debating if I really wanted to do this.

“What’s wrong?” Woody yelled out.

“I think you might need to come get me,” I admitted.

“I’ll come get you, but first tell me what’s wrong?”

“I can’t see for fish, or crabs, or what about sharks? I watched this episode on Shark Week that they do their hunting at night and sometimes come pretty far in.”

Woody swam until he stood back up and hovered over me. With his one finger, he lifted my chin. “Darling, I’ll kill anything that even touches those pretty toes of yours. Now jump on and let’s go for a swim.”

Woody cupped my ass and hoisted me until I had no other option but to wrap my legs around him. And he took me swimming.

CHAPTER 26

DANE

Ashton was soaked and tasted like the salt water we just swam in. Every inch of her, from her lips to her shoulder, and down to her stomach, as my mouth roamed her body. She’d been nervous to come sit by the lifeguard stand, but if we were knocking that one off the list tonight, I wanted her to feel comfortable. And the lifeguard stand area was deserted compared to the water’s edge.

You could see the glitzy lights of Ocean Avenue and hear the people having fun; music was strumming, and as it echoed off the water, it caused a slight vibration in the sand.

“Woody it’s too sandy,” Ashton murmured in my ear as I sucked on her neck. I was never one for hickeys, but I wanted to mark my territory like a dog marked his.

I pulled my mouth away from her luscious neck and pecked her lips. “Girl, we are on a beach. What did you expect?”

She cocked her head. “I don’t want to get sand up my ass and you know,” she paused. “Other places,” she whispered.”

“Come here,” I grabbed her, my hand pulling her up and on top of me, until she was full on straddling me.

“I will gladly take one for the team if it means being inside of you right now.” I lifted up her soaked dress until it was up past her waist and just her bikini bottoms were rubbing against me. Her fingers came down and I heard the ripping of the Velcro from my swimming trunks come undone. She sat back some in order to slip her hand inside and my dick sprung free and out of the confinements of the suit.

I reached inside the pocket of swimming trunks for the condom, but it was gone. “Fuck, baby, I lost the condom.”

Grace rubbed up against me, kissing my mouth. “It’s okay, Woody, I’m on the pill.” I almost questioned why, but then I didn’t care. I just wanted inside of her.

“Grace, do you want me to take your bottoms off, or just push them aside?” Grace was panting heavily as she leaned her forehead against mine.

“I don’t care, do whatever you want. Just be with me.”

I opted for the second option since it was a timesaver. Grace was moving faster than I wanted because I wasn’t going to make it long if she kept it up.

“Baby slow down a minute,” I said as I kissed her lips.

“Shit! Woody I think someone’s coming. Pull out.” Grace started to get up, but I pulled her back down gently.

“Grace, I’m not about to pull my dick out of heaven because some drunks are walking on the beach.

“But, Woodeee,” she pleaded.

I held my hands tightly on her hips. “Baby no one can tell,” I assured her gliding her skirt back down to cover her ass up.

“But they might see me bopping up and down.”

I laughed out loud. I couldn’t help myself. There I was on a beautiful beach, inside of a beautiful woman, and laughing my ass off; but somehow, I still managed to stay rock hard inside her.

“Don’t you laugh at me, Woody.”

I cupped her face and tapped her lips with mine. “I’m sorry, Baby, I swear it. It’s just that I can’t believe you referred to fuckin’ me as boppin’ up and down like you were riding some damn pogo stick.”

“Shoot! I’m sorry.” Grace ground down on me slowly, making me moan her name as I buried my face in her neck.

“Don’t be sorry. I love that about you.” She flinched when the word love spilled out of my mouth. “Fuck those people, Grace and just let yourself go, okay?”

And damn if she didn’t let herself go. Grace went out with a bang that I knew turned some heads up on that street.

~~~

It was only a matter of time before Lu was going to corner me and drill me with questions. Ones that I really didn’t want to answer, but knew I had no choice.

Ashton had headed out to Lincoln Road to get some shopping in since Lu hadn’t emerged from her room since the night before. Once we left the beach, Ashton insisted on knocking on her bedroom door to make sure she was safe and sound. Lu graced us with a sheet wrapped held up to her chest, grinned and shut the door giggling like a schoolgirl.

I was sitting out on the balcony drinking my black coffee and taking in some sunshine when I heard the door slide open. I could’ve gone shopping with my girl, but I knew I had to take care of Lu before she did anything stupid. It wasn’t often I got a chance to be with her alone, so I took that small window of opportunity.

She sat down, placing her cup on the balcony table, and then tucked her feet underneath of her. Not once did she look my way, or say good morning like she usually did. You could cut the tension with a knife it was so thick. I hated tension, so I was going to be the one to hack through it.

“Brian leave?”

“Yep,” she said and then took a sip of her coffee.

“Did ya have fun?”

“Yep.”

“All right look here, Lu, let’s just do this so we can move on with the next five days without you wanting to kill me. There are only so many times Ashton’s going to let it pass by like there’s nothing going on between us.”

Finally, she turned to meet my eyes. “Okay, buddy I want to know right now what the hell is going on? If I think for one-second you’re lying to me, I’m telling her everything.”

I took a deep breath and then let it out. “Bottom line is her daddy hired my brothers firm to follow you two around. He wanted to make sure nothing happened to her and Jason gave me the job since he was loaded down with other cases.”

“Shit! That guy is an asshole,” she paused. “All right, so why lie to her anymore? Let’s just tell her the truth.”

“There are a few reasons why I don’t want her to know.”

“And those would be?” She demanded.

“One, she loves her daddy and I don’t want to hurt her with the fact that that man doesn’t trust her. He means the world to her. Two, I make a big bonus if she doesn’t find out, and no, the money isn’t for me before you ask. Three, I really want to be here to see her have fun before she’s handed over to the asshole Trevor Owens.”

“How do you know about him?”

“It’s my job to know, Lu. Can you keep this secret from her, or not?”

“I don’t know. Look, I need to tell you something, and don’t freak out, okay?”

I nodded.

“Ashton’s falling hard for you, and I admit I’m not a fan of your little brother, Josh, seeing he fucked me then dumped me.”

“I’m not like Josh, Lu. I’m completely the opposite. I’m loyal to a fault. Ask anyone that knows me. As far as how Ashton feels about me, I’m not sure what to do with her feelings about me. I really like her and I really want to keep seeing her. I know if she finds out about me she’ll probably never forgive me. I’m asking you for the next few days to play along and let us both have whatever it is that’s happening. She came on this trip for a reason. Let me be that reason.”

“You mean you’ll walk away, and I’ll be left cleaning up after your sorry ass, and she’ll be marrying fricking Trevor Owens. Ugh! God, I hate that boy.”

“It’s how it’s gotta be, Lu. I have to walk away for some time, but I’ll come back for her when I feel I can. And trust me. I ain’t letting her get married to that asshole. I’ll break down the church door before that happens.”

“She won’t forgive you, Dane. I know her. If I don’t tell her about you, I risk losing her friendship. She’s the only person I love. Hell, she’s the only person that loves me back.”

I chuckled. “You know that’ll never happen. You two are thicker than thieves.”

“Even thieves have feelings, Dane.”

“All right, listen up. I’m staying, but I’m taking off a day early to head home. Winslow has no idea that I’m ducking out on this job early so keep it zipped about that. While Ashton’s sleeping, I’m going to walk out, leave a note or something. After a little while, I’ll come and tell her everything, but I’ll leave your name out of it. It’s just a few weeks or so, and then we’ll move on from there.”

Lu was shaking her head violently.” Uh-uh, Dane. No way are you slipping out without saying goodbye to her. She’ll freak.”

I stared out to the ocean, drinking my coffee while I let the idea of leaving Ashton sink in. I glanced over to Lu. “I’ll say goodbye in my own way. Trust me; this will be easier than a painfully long goodbye on Saturday.”

“This whole fucking trip has been one painfully long goodbye, Dane.” She grabbed my arm as I stood to head back inside. “She better not find out I knew, or I swear I’ll hunt you down and rip off your balls.”

“Classy, Lu. Real classy,” I snapped. Just as I opened the door, a shot of cold from the air-conditioner hit me and I turned. “Your secret is safe with me. I promise.” I walked inside and toward the room that I shared with Ashton to jump in the shower before she got back.

CHAPTER 27

ASHTON

Woody came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist just as I entered the bedroom. Boy, was I glad I cut my shopping trip down to one store.

I placed the bag down of a pair of boots I bought while I was shopping next to the side table by the bed. Woody watched me carefully as I scanned his chest wondering what all those tattoos were for. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah,” he said as he walked toward me.

“What’s with all that ink?”

He dipped his head down and then back up. “What do you mean?”

I shrugged. “Why do you have so many?”

“Every single one of these means something to me, Grace.”