Chapter 20
twenty
Lachlan
“ C an I please stay up late?” Rose whines as I have my finger pointed toward her room.
“Nope.”
“But—”
I cut her off before she can try any bullshit reasoning. “No. You were up late last night after a long cheer practice, and tomorrow we’re going to the Strawberry Festival, and then your competition.” Much to my dismay.
Ainsley was explaining to Rose why she was going to miss her cheer competition, and my daughter decided that if we all went together, no one had to miss anything. This way, Ainsley can help the Admiral after the festival, and then we can go to the competition first thing in the morning.
Protesting would’ve worked if Ainsley didn’t team up with her and then send me a text promising that tonight I could do whatever I wanted to her if I agreed.
Of course I agreed.
Like a fool. But a fool who is going to be very happy in an hour or two.
“Okay,” she says with her lower lip jutted out.
“Come on, let’s brush your teeth, and I’ll read you a book. ”
“Can Ainsley do it?”
“Do what?” I ask.
“Can she read me the story tonight?”
I glance over at Ainsley, who smiles. “If it’s okay, I’d love to.”
“Of course it’s okay,” I say quickly. While this is something I always do with Rose, I’m not going to complain that she’s finding friendship with Ainsley.
Ainsley turns to Rose. “I’ll meet you in there once you’re ready.”
Rose rushes into her room to get changed and then to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Ainsley comes close, nudging me with her hip. “Do you have any ... plans for tonight?”
I lean in close. “For you?”
She nods.
“I think half of the fun is making you wait and wonder.”
If she only knew the plans I had for her, she might decide to sleep somewhere else.
Ainsley grins. “Half the fun is watching you come up with a plan.”
“You forget, I know how much you hate not knowing things.”
There are perks to this arrangement. For one, I know her very well. We don’t have many secrets from each other. Now we have even fewer.
One thing I’m sure of is that Ainsley does not like being left in the dark. She wants to make the plans—always has.
“I’m learning that there are some things worth the anticipation.”
The water is still running, which means I have a few seconds to show her just how much anticipation can heighten what’s coming later. I move my hand behind her, where I can just barely run my thumb along the small of her back. She shivers, and I lean my face close to hers, where our lips could touch, but I don’t seal the deal. “I promise tonight the only pain will be from how long you wait before I make you come.”
“Daddy! Ainsley! I’m ready!” Rose yells as she runs out of the bathroom, and we break apart so fast it’s like we weren’t even together.
Ainsley moves quickly, walking toward her. “I’m so excited. What should we read? Do you have a favorite? Your pajamas are so cute.” She fires the questions off in one breath.
Rose smiles up at her, taking her hand. “I’ll show you everything.”
“Hey, pip-squeak,” I say with a wide grin. Rose turns around, her brown hair spiraling like rays of the sun. “Do I get a good night hug? Since I’ve been relieved of duty tonight.”
She releases Ainsley’s hand and rushes over to me. I pull her into my arms, squeezing her and kissing the side of her head. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you the most of anyone.”
Rose giggles and hugs me tighter. “Is it too tight?”
I make a gasping noise, feigning that I can’t breathe. “No.”
She releases me and takes my face in her hands. “Daddy, you have to breathe.”
“Oh, sorry, you’re just so strong.”
“Because I’m like you.”
I grin. “Don’t snore so loud you wake the bears.”
She sighs dramatically. “I won’t.”
I made up a story about a little girl who snored so loudly she woke all the animals in the forest. They came to make sure she was okay, and the bear liked her so much he moved in. It was silly, but Rose loved all the sound effects of the animals I acted out.
“Good night, my little Rosebud.”
“Good night, Daddy. Come home safe if there’s a fire,” she says as she heads back toward Ainsley.
“I always try.”
She grins. “Try the hardest.”
I wink and Rose laughs before taking Ainsley’s hand. “Come on, Ainsley, we have books to read!”
“Books? How many do you want to read?”
Rose’s laugh is deep, and warmth grows in my chest. “Until I fall asleep. ”
An hour later Ainsley emerges from Rose’s bedroom. I’m on the couch, watching the game, when she plops down next to me. “We read eighty-two books, and she would’ve had me keep going.”
I chuckle. “Eighty-two, huh? You’re a speed reader.”
Ainsley smiles. “Okay, maybe it was less than that.”
“You never were good at math. Is she asleep?”
“I don’t think so, but she’s fading fast.”
I lift my arm up. “Come here.”
Ainsley nestles in next to me, head resting in the crook of my shoulder. Her body fits so damn perfectly with mine, and I wish we were other people. Ones who could have a future instead of this short blip in time.
“How many rounds of this do you have left?” she asks, looking at the baseball game.
“Rounds?”
“Yeah, like the ups and downs.”
“Innings?” I ask, trying not to laugh.
“Whatever, I get my sports mixed up.”
I laugh softly but pull her tighter. “There are four innings left, but we’re not going to have time to watch them.”
“No?”
“No, sweetheart, we’re not.”
Ainsley’s brown eyes meet mine as her lips turn up. “What will we be doing?”
“Each other.”
“I like that plan.”
“I hoped you might.” I grin. “The sitter will be here in two minutes.”
She sits up. “Sitter?”
“I want to take you somewhere.”
“Where?”
Once again her curiosity is going to make this so much more fun. Delaney knocks once and then enters.
“Sup?” she says, dropping her bag .
“Thanks for coming over. We’ll be gone a few hours,” I explain.
Delaney shrugs and then heads to the couch. “It’s fine. I’ll be here in case Rose wakes up.”
“Thanks again.” She gives me the peace sign, and Ainsley follows me into the kitchen. “Grab a blanket.”
“Okay,” she says apprehensively.
She comes back out a few minutes later, and I take her hand as we head out the back door.
“Where are we going?” she asks with a giggle as I pull her along.
“Just follow me.”
Ainsley lets out a long sigh but does as I ask. We walk through the main field and then down the path that I know by heart. When I moved into this house, I had no idea there was a secret path. Rose and I were doing some exploring, found it, and then realized it took us to the falls.
I help her over the log and then down the steep hill before she gasps.
“Oh my God.”
I smile because the falls are beautiful anytime, but at night, when the moon is bright and the stars are everywhere, it’s breathtaking.
“Welcome to Ember Falls.”
Ainsley’s eyes are wide as she looks around. There is one large waterfall off to the left, and to the side of it are five small ones. The big one has a pool at the bottom where we love to swim.
“This is incredible.”
“It’s my favorite part of the property.”
I lay out the blanket and extend my arm to indicate she should sit. She does, leaning back on her elbows, staring at the falls.
“I honestly didn’t know you guys had a waterfall. I thought I heard something at Killian’s, but I figured it was in my head.”
“Why did you think the town was named this then?”
“I don’t know. I thought maybe someone fell in a pile of ashes or something and thus the town was named. ”
I snort. “It would be plausible, but no, these are the falls.”
“How have I been here this long and no one ever talks about it?”
I move toward her with a grin. “That’s part of the town rules.”
“Town rules? To not talk about the fact you actually have a waterfall in the town?” She sits up, crossing her legs.
“We take an oath.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yes, and we all know how well people keep their vows on anything these days.”
That much is true. Still, there are some things that people will honor, and this is one. “There is a legend about these falls.”
Now she looks incredibly interested. “Do go on.”
“The story is that over two hundred years ago, the settlers of Ember Falls wanted this place to remain a secret. The waterfalls were said to have healing powers, but they were a greedy bunch and worried the magic would run out if too many people knew.” She shifts closer. “The falls are on two private properties, and those two farmers wanted to keep people off their lands, so they told no one. It wasn’t until the first farmer got sick—he was told there was no hope and he couldn’t survive the illness, but his wife believed in the power of the falls. She had her sons carry him down to the falls and bring him in. Two weeks later he was back on the fields, plowing and farming.”
“No!” Ainsley gasps. “He was healed?”
I nod slowly. “Also, the two sons who went in the water had their scabies clear.”
She makes a face. “Umm, eww.”
“After that, the town made a vow that they’d protect the falls and its magic.”
Ainsley leans forward. “And what exactly is the vow? Because I’m pretty sure you’re breaking the rules by telling me. A journalist.”
“Are we on the record?”
“Absolutely not. ”
“Then I think my secret is safe. The vow is that we let no outsiders know, and you, sweetheart, are definitely one.”
“Thank you for bringing me here,” she says softly. “For trusting me with the town secret. I promise I won’t betray the trust you’ve bestowed upon me.”
I trust her more than I’ve trusted any other woman. I honestly don’t remember a time before she was in my life. I remember all the moving, not having friends, my mother being sad and alone, but not people. Not life, just as though it’s fragments of time I tried to forget.
Then I met the MacKinleys. Things were never the same after that. Caspian was like a brother to me, always there when I needed him, and Ainsley was ... well, Ainsley. She was always around, always driving us crazy and tattling anytime we left her out.
She followed us, did things she definitely shouldn’t, and we’d get punished after we were caught.
Then we got older, and I went off to college. When I came back, she wasn’t a little girl anymore. She was stunning, and I did everything I could to shut my feelings down, but I couldn’t.
And once again I’m unable to resist her.
“I want to make love to you in these falls, Ainsley. I want to strip you down and take you while the water rushes around us. I’m going to show you magic in every way.”
Ainsley and I move toward each other at the same time, my hand cupping her cheek and hers grabbing onto my shoulder. Our lips touch, and she moans when our tongues slide together. I kiss her deeper, holding her tighter, wanting to make good on that promise.
She pulls at my shirt, lifting it over my head, and I do the same.
“Lachlan.” She breathes my name when I kiss down her neck.
“Lie down,” I command.
Ainsley does and I slide her shorts off, ever grateful the woman doesn’t believe in underwear.
“Look at you, naked in the moonlight.” She’s a goddamn nymph lying here, open to me and the sky.
She moves to cover herself, but I grab her wrist. “Don’t. I want to look at you.”
Her eyes dart around the clearing. “We’re sort of in public.”
I shake my head. “No one is coming. I would never let anyone see you like this. This is for me only. You laid out like a meal, ready for me, wanting me.”
Ainsley sighs, her head looking to the water. “I want to swim with you.”
“Not yet.”
She looks to me. “Why?”
I push her legs apart and kiss the inside of her knees. “Because first I want to lick your cunt until I drown in you.”