Affairs & Atonements (15 page)

Ashton picked up his mug to his lips, drawing in the cool liquid into his mouth. He didn’t want to release Christy from his heart. He wasn’t ready. But then, would he ever be?

*****

Christy walked about the house, switching out the lights as she veered through it. Marshall should be asleep, she thought. It was close to midnight. She must not have heard him walk back in. She wondered if she should check up on him just in case she locked him out, and then decided against it. He had evidently looked worn-out when he had arrived to dinner. The last thing she wanted was to disturb him.

She turned the knob to JR’s room, treading softly towards his bed. He was sleeping on the edge, one hand dangling over it. She pushed him as gently as she could to the center of the bed and re-adjusted his pillow. She neatened his covers over him and then sat on the edge, threading her hands through his hair as she gazed down lovingly at his face.

He was so much like his father. His nose, his eyes, his hair. Everything about him reminded her of Ashton. If Ashton did want to commit to their marriage, should she allow him another chance? For JR’s sake?

She sighed. The truth was she was scared.
There, I admit it.
She tucked her head down tiredly into JR’s small shoulders. The Pryors and the Huntleys never did have a great relationship. And seeing that Marshall and Linda’s marriage had collapsed, she was far too afraid of confronting the same problems. It was safer as it was now. She and Ashton were already living separate lives.  There was no good reason for them to stay together. None that was worth the risk of her son going through the emotional trauma that usually accompanied a divorce. If she stayed with him, she knew it would be difficult for her to simply walk away later. What was more tragic than staying in a bad marriage? She didn’t want JR developing a fear of commitment and love as she had done- witnessing one failed marriage after another.

She laid a small kiss on her son’s cheek. He was deeply asleep, traveling his world of dreams. She wanted to give him the best. And the best would be to allow him to enjoy his parents separately- where they were contented and peaceful in their own little worlds, where they each could give back to him the happiness he rightfully deserved.

Her phone buzzed and she immediately sprung out of JR’s room, hoping it hadn’t disturbed him. She frowned, wondering who it could be at such an unearthly hour. She glanced down at the caller ID and noticed with great annoyance that it was her husband.

“Hello,” she answered into it. “Ashton?”

“Christy,” he croaked. “Oh baby… Christy.”

“Ashton, are you drunk?”

He laughed. “As a skunk, babe. Or is it a newt?”

“Ummm… neither. Can a newt drink?” She heard someone mumble sloppily.

“Of course, they can. Everyone drinks. We all drink. Get drunk. Be happy! No worries!” Ashton said clumsily.

“Ashton,” she said, trying to get him to focus on the conversation with her. “Where are you?”

“I am… where, where am I?”

“Ummm… O’ Reilly’s Bar,” the other man said.

“O’Reilly’s… Bar. You have to come and get us.”

“No, I won’t go and get you.” She almost screamed into the phone. “You will catch a cab and come straight home. Do you understand?”

“No, no, no,” he grumbled. “Damn. Why won’t these women ever listen?”

“I don’t know. Baffles me too. If you find out, you must tell me. You hear me, Pryor! You must tell
me
!” the other man screamed at him.

“Ok…ok. You need to let go of my collar so I can speak to my wife.”

“Sorry, sorry. Is that ok?”

Christy rolled up her eyes. Evidently, the other man, whoever he was, must be straightening Ashton’s collar now.

“Yes, fine. Thank you,” muttered Ashton. “I’m speaking to my wife.”

“Ashton?” Christy tried again.

“Listen, wife,” Ashton began and the man chuckled. “You must come and get me. I can’t drive… I will get a DB… umm U and I… something like that.”

“Yes, no drinking and driving,” the man said. “It’s highly… very, very, very… highly dangerous.”

“Shhhhh… no drinking and driving,” said Ashton. “You come now, woman.”

“I don’t think so,” Christy replied sternly.

“Oh, but you must because…”

“Marshall,” the other man said. “Marshall needs to travel back to Bennett tomorrow morning.”

“Yes… yes,” drawled Ashton. “Marshall… you need to come get Marshall too.”

Christy slapped her forehead in disbelief. Marshall wasn’t in his room?

“Are you drinking with Marshall?” she asked, racing up the stairs towards Marshall’s room. She turned the knob and it was unlocked. She stepped inside carefully, just in case Ashton was completely out of his drunken mind. But she could already sense there wasn’t anyone in it.

“Yes. Come and get me and Marshall.”

“Stay right there,” she growled. “I’m coming to get you both.”

She followed the tail-lights of Margaret’s pick-up, maneuvering her crew cab expertly in the dark. She gave one angry glance at Ashton sleeping in the passenger seat, his head braced against the window.

They turned right into their driveway and parked alongside each other. Christy leaped out first.

“I’m really sorry about waking you up at such a late hour, Margaret,” she said. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Don’t you worry about it, honey.” Margaret rubbed her arms gently. “Men will be men. And I know you don’t agree with what Marshall has done, but I’m glad he took Ashton out. Sometimes, they just need to sort things out over a glass of beer.”

“A glass- yes. They drank a ton, Marge,” she grumbled. “I didn’t want Marshall going getting drunk right before traveling to Bennett. What would Beth say? That is why I opened an expensive bottle of Chardonnay.”

Marshall slammed his door behind him. “No disrespect to Chardonnay, but wine doesn’t cut it as much as beer. So am I forgiven?”

“Yes, I guess.” She scowled.

“Really? Love you sis.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly, giving her a small hug.

“Oh, you knew I would forgive you, you smart-ass.” She slapped him away. “Now, go to bed, you slobbering drunk. You’ve got an early flight tomorrow.”

“Yes, yes.” He put an arm around Margaret and kissed her on the temples. “Come on, darling. Let’s go to bed.”

“What about you?” Margaret asked Christy. “Aren’t you coming?”

“I might stay with him for a little while.” She gave a small nod towards Ashton still sleeping in the crew cab. “Just to make sure he is okay.”

“That would be good,” said Margaret. “He looks as if he’s completely out of it. He could get sick.”

“The man cannot hold his liquor. Totally executive. Not like us hard-hats.” Marshall chuckled.

“That’s not something to be proud of, Marshall,” Christy growled.

“I think it is.” Marshall perked up his chin proudly and defiantly.

“But what in the world did you give him to drink?”

He scratched the crown of his head. “I don’t know. There was this list and we just worked our way down it.” He chuckled again. “The man
cannot
hold down his liquor.”

“Oh, for god sakes, go to bed, Marshall,” Christy let out tiredly.

“Come on, beautiful,” he said, pulling Margaret along with him.

“Listen, honey,” Margaret said quickly before he could drag her any further. “Why don’t you sleep-in tomorrow? Don’t worry about, Marshall. I’ll take him to the airport.”

“But, Margaret-”

“Tut. You deserve it. You’ve been working late and this midnight trip is not going to do you any good. You need that extra sleep when you can get it. As for Marshall, he’ll be asleep on his flight back to Denver and then he’ll get another good nap on his bus to Bennett. He’s gonna get all the time he needs to sleep off his inebriety before he even meets Beth.”

“Thanks, Margaret.”

Margaret smiled and glanced at Ashton. “You better get him to bed too.”

“Marge, come on,” Marshall called out to her. “I ain’t letting you walk in the dark alone, beautiful.”

“I should go before he wakes the entire lodge up,” Margaret giggled. “Goodnight, honey.”

*****

Christy opened the passenger door of her truck and sighed as she looked at Ashton.

“Ashton.” She shook him but all he did was groan. “Ashton, you’ve got to help me a bit, okay?”

She tugged him out of the vehicle and then shouldered him as she slammed the door shut. She pulled in another deep breath before heaving him into the lodge and up the stairs to his bedroom.

She threw him onto his bed and slumped down beside him, trying to catch her breath.

“Christy,” he mumbled.

“Yes, I’m here.”

“Come here.”

She frowned and leaned towards him. Was he sick?
God, please let it not be alcohol poisoning.
Should she call for an ambulance?

He pulled her onto his chest, caressing her face. “I love you.”

She froze, her skin prickling at the sounds of his words. Her eyes welled with her tears.
I love you too.
She laid her chin on his chest, her body suddenly heavy and immovable. She wanted it to be real. She felt his heart beat against her face, the warmth of his body enveloping her. She felt comfortable. It’s where she belonged.

She sniveled, shaking her tears away. She sat back up and began unbuttoning his shirt. “Yeah, sure you do. Let’s see if you feel the same way when your senses return to you tomorrow. Yep, you’ll be racing back to Naomi. Na-ooooo- mi.”
Why did all models have to be called Naomi?
She scrunched her nose. “If I had some fancy name like that, perhaps you’d have given me a second look too, wouldn’t you?”

She peeled his clothes off one at a time, trying not to pay too much attention to his now near-naked body and what it was doing to the heat rising in the core of her womanhood. She left his drawers on, saving what was left of his dignity.

“I can’t believe you drank yourself out of your mind,” she muttered, trying to mask the sexual hoarseness in her voice. She glanced down at the bulge in his skivvies and she felt the wetness between her thighs creaming the crotch of her panties. She groaned and pulled the covers over him. He wasn’t helping make this any easy on her.

She unbuttoned and pulled down her jeans. She pulled her top off and then unhooked her bra from under her nude camisole. She had to sleep with him just to be certain he would be fine through the night. At least, that was what she was telling herself as she slipped under the covers beside him.

She turned, keeping her back faced to him. He was too much of a temptation for her. She only hoped she would get some sleep without consistently being disturbed by her sinful visions of them doing more than just sleeping together.

“Christy,” he moaned and in one swift movement, he pulled her into his arms, his legs thrown over her hips.

She was now looking directly at his Adam’s apple. She watched it move slightly as he swallowed and she couldn’t resist feeling it with the tips of her fingers. They traveled slowly up his throat to his jaw, where they rested, caressing it, feeling his stubbles prickle against them.

He moved, resting his chin on her head. And she smiled, snuggling into the curve of his neck.

*****

He awoke with an urgency to urinate and he reluctantly rose out of bed. He ruffled the crown of his head sleepily as he headed towards the bathroom. His gaze fell upon the black and white forestry wall paper while he relieved himself. It was mysterious, possessing elements of intrigue and adventure.

He scratched his chin. He wasn’t sure if he wanted adventure in his bathroom. He preferred something more relaxing and hypnotizing. He wondered if Christy had anything to do with the choice of wall paper. It certainly exhibited her tastes.

He sighed. They were so different. Rarely did they share anything similar. If he was attracted to one thing, she liked the other. Naomi, on the other hand, lived in the same world as he did. He wasn’t sure if he could settle for the simplicities of life which Christy craved. Perhaps, she was right. He should just let her go.

He pulled his briefs back up and ambled lazily towards the bed again. He stopped short, for the first time noticing the woman sprawled on his bed. Her hands were tucked under her head and her long dark hair was splayed over his pillows.

He leaned back tiredly onto the door frame of his bathroom, watching her. Was there any woman more beautiful? He stood there at a distance, afraid to touch her in case it was indeed a dream and she’d flitter away into nothingness. Probably, he was still drunk and she was just his visions, his hallucinations.

But what if she was real? He’d most likely wake her up and she would lecture him on how wrong it was and run away like she always did. And he didn’t want that. He wanted her on his bed- and under him, if it was possible.

He returned to the bathroom. He stunk of booze and stale morning breath. He glanced at himself in the bathroom, lifting his chin up to have a good look at his stubbles.

This was the first time he had woken up next to her and he smelled almost repulsive.
Time for a shave, Ashton. Or you’ll be guaranteed to lose her this time.

*****

The bed creaked and she felt the left of the mattress depress. She blinked open her eyes, catching sight of the morning light seeping in through the blinds. She smelled fresh lime and male musk mingle in the air, and she pulled in a deep breath of pleasure, sending erotic waves directly down to her core.

She turned to find the source and smiled. “What time is it?”

“Well after nine o’clock,” he said. He lay on his side, his eyes roaming over her face, his head braced in his hand. “Did I wake you? I tried my best to not disturb you.”

“No. It was my bio-alarm clock rather. Why is it so dark then?” 

“I think it might rain.”

She bit her lower lip, staring back at him quietly. “I should go.”

“No, don’t.” He moved quickly, his hand sweeping over her waist, his body moving over hers.

“I have to. Marshall-”

“Marshall’s flight was at eight-thirty. He must be in the air just about now.”

She palmed her forehead, regret sweeping over her. “I should have turned my phone alarm on. I should have been there when he left.”

“You should have done nothing.” He moved her hand away from her face. “Marshall knows you love him. And he also knows how much you need to take some time-off for yourself for once.”

Her eyes met his and she was immediately caught in his gaze, having no will to shake him off.  “You shaved,” she whispered. Her fingers caressed his jaw, feeling the smoothness of his skin.

He moved slightly, adjusting himself above her and a droplet of water fell to her cheek. She broke her gaze, noticing the dampness clinging to his hair. She ran her fingers through his dark mane, relishing its coolness.

He lowered his head, his lips softly touching hers.

I don’t need this. I mustn’t let him do this to me. I must stop feeling… feel-

She opened her mouth and let him in. His tongue probed delightfully inside, playfully wrangling with hers. Her fingers tangled tightly into his hair, pulling him further into her.

He pulled her camisole up and above her head. Her breasts fell in full view and he grasped it, kneaded it, played with it before teasing her nipple with his teeth, tantalizing her areola with his tongue.

She arched with pleasure, her core growing wet and dripping, eager to have him inside her. She reached out for his cock, tugging it out of his skivvies. She wrapped her palm around his erection, squeezing it gently, running her hand up and down his length.

He groaned. “Christy, stop,” he begged. “Not like this. Not today.”

He unclasped her hand from his member, laying soft kisses on her palm. He trailed down to her womanhood, leaving a path of wet kisses until he found her throbbing clitoris. He pushed her thighs apart, running his tongue along her slit, taunting her clit until she pleaded for him to fill her.

He guided himself into her and pushed himself to the hilt. She cried from the erotic pleasures it did to her mind, imploring him to take her harder, faster, and deeper.

*****

She lay on his bed, looking up at him as he played with her hair splayed about her.

“I wasn’t too rough, was I?” he asked.

“No.”

“You just look awfully quiet. Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?”

“No,” she whispered. She pulled in a deep breath and tried to slip to the side from under him. “It’s late, Ashton. It’s time I get some work done.”

“For heaven’s sake, Christy. It’s about to rain. Can’t you take a day off for once?”

She pushed him off and pulled on her clothes as quickly as she could.  “No, because this is my business and my home. There is no one else to make sure that everything runs smoothly as it should. You’ll go back to being the fancy advertising executive while I’ll be left holding the dust-pan, cleaning up all the dirt after this rendezvous.”

“What does that mean?” He frowned.

“It means you can afford to have an affair because you’re on vacation, Ashton. I’m not.”

“Hey, wait a minute!” He jumped out of bed stark naked, rushing up to her and blocking her pathway before she could exit his room. “I didn’t force you to sleep with me. You wanted it just as much as I did.”

“Yes, I did,” she replied sharply. “But the dream is over and we’re awake and back to reality. Now, could you please get out of my way? I have things to do.”

“Right. Of course,” he muttered angrily. “Yeah, sure. I get it. This was just a lay and we were conveniently available. Thanks. It was great, just so you know.”