Chapter Six #2
“You’re safe.” Ash’s voice scraped out in a desperate plea, as if he was holding Danny together by sheer will. “Breathe in my scent.” His arms tightened a fraction. “Sink into my warmth, cub, and tell me three things you can hear.”
Danny desperately latched onto the familiar exercise, surprised and grateful Ash even knew about it. But he wouldn’t be able to speak if he didn’t slow his breathing.
“I promise you’re safe.” Ash rubbed his cheek over Danny’s in a way that felt like scent marking. “Breathe with me, Danny. Nice and slow. There’s no rush. We can stand here all night if we have to.”
After a few minutes of matching his breath to Ash’s, Danny was finally able to take deep breaths.
“The leaves. They’re rustling from the faint gust of wind that just wound past us.”
“You’re doing good, baby. Can you tell me one more? It’s okay if you need a minute.”
Danny’s mind filtered through the surrounding noises—birds, car door slamming shut, distant dog bark—but only one caught and held his focus.
“Your heartbeat. It’s strong and steady as it pounds against my ear.
” He closed his eyes, the other noises fading into the background. “It’s a soothing rhythm.”
As he listened, he breathed in Ash’s earthy scent, smoky like a campfire on a warm summer night. For a long moment, neither said a word, as if Ash was using his heartbeat to anchor him.
It was working.
“Just one more, Danny. Listen for a sound that focuses you. Something that tethers you.”
He didn’t have to search for the sound. It had been there the entire time.
“Your voice.” He curled his fingers into the soft fabric of Ash’s shirt.
“You like my voice?” Ash brushed a hand over Danny’s back, his arms tightening just a little more.
“It’s comforting,” he admitted. “A deep rumble of thunder. Not the frightening kind. The kind that wraps around you like a weighted blanket despite the menacing storm it brings.”
“You’ll never feel its destruction.” Ash rested his chin on top of Danny’s head, the facial hair prickling his scalp. “I’d never weaponize it against you, Danny.”
“Not even if I accidentally made your helmet part of a pinball machine?” Danny still couldn’t believe the abuse that poor helmet had suffered. “It was as if the universe saw it fly out of my hand and decided chaos would be fun to unleash.”
Ash snorted, confusing Danny. “Do you know how many times I’ve dropped that damn thing?
” He chuckled, but it sounded more like relief.
“One night I was heading to Aiden’s and dropped it as I was locking my door.
I reached down to grab it, only to kick it under my truck.
When I lowered to my stomach to retrieve it, a raccoon snatched it by the chin strap and hauled furry ass.
It took me two goddamn hours of threatening then bribing the critter to get it back. ”
Danny let out a shaky breath that was almost a laugh. He stayed tucked against Ash’s chest, refusing to move. “You actually bribed a raccoon? What could you have possibly offered it?”
If a raccoon had stolen something of his, it could keep it. Whenever Danny saw one, he gave it a wide berth. Those razor-sharp claws and beady eyes scared the bejesus out of him.
“A pound of grapes and the leftover meatloaf I’d cooked for dinner.” Ash continued to softly stroke Danny’s back, the vibration of his voice settling the last of Danny’s nerves. If they had been lying down, Danny would’ve dozed off five minutes ago.
For a year he’d struggled to accomplish what Ash had done in under ten minutes. The guy was comfort personified, and Danny was certain he would need daily doses from this flannel-wrapped weighted blanket.
Prescription: Bear.
Side effects: naps, trust, accidental laughter, emotional safety.
“At least you got your helmet back and the raccoon got a good meal out of it. The bribery worked.”
“A little too well.” Ash’s hand stilled. “Now he shows up at my backdoor every night, scratching on the wood to let me know he’s there.”
That was the most adorable thing Danny had ever heard. “Do you feed him?”
“Stripes knocks politely on my door. You gotta reward good manners.” Ash chuckled, the sound wrapping around Danny like another dose of addicting comfort.
“You named him?” He leaned back to gape at Ash. “Next he’ll show up with his tiny suitcases, asking which room is his. You’re just digging yourself deeper with this guy.”
“Nope. I made it clear it’s just dinner and that’s it,” Ash huffed like he was proud of putting his foot down with a raccoon. “Told him I wasn’t committing to anything but food.”
Danny stared up at him then burst out laughing as he imagined Ash towering over the small animal, giving it a stern lecture while feeding it.
When he imagined Ash supplying tiny utensils and a napkin, Danny lost it. It was the kind of laugh that had tears blurring his vision and a stitch working its way into his side.
“You gave him a small table and chair, admit it.” Danny could barely get the words out, trying to remember the last time he’d laughed this hard.
“There you are,” Ash murmured, smiling softly. “You’re beautiful when you’re not hiding.”
Sobering, Danny glanced away. Compliments were nothing more than a tactic to get what you wanted or a way to disarm before a strike. The only time they felt safe was when Isaac gave them.
They didn’t feel deceptive coming from Ash, but that didn’t mean Danny knew how to accept them.
“Don’t be embarrassed, honey bear.” Ash kissed his forehead, his lips warm and lingering. “You ready to hit the road?”
The change of subject was exactly what Danny needed to escape the awkwardness of the situation.
“Are we heading back to town or finishing our ride?” Without thinking, Danny lifted his head when Ash grabbed the helmet, like he’d been riding for years instead one day.
“Gentleman’s choice. You’re calling the shots, sweetheart.” Ash secured the straps, but he lifted the visor so Danny could clearly see him.
“What do you want to do?” Being the one to decide wasn’t something Danny was used to. Brad had always made the decisions, from what they ate for dinner to where they were going for entertainment. He even chose what Danny wore, like picking out an outfit was a complicated task.
But he knew why Brad insisted. He hated the way Danny dressed, the way he styled his hair, the chains, the eyeliner. Pretty much despised everything about Danny except sex, but even in bed, Brad called the shots.
It was like having a puppet master, strings deeply embedded inside his soul.
Ash’s fingers stilled, his gaze holding Danny’s. “I want to spend time with you. It doesn’t matter what we do or where we go. As long as I get to be with you, I’m happy.”
This had to be a dream. If it was, Danny wanted to sleep forever, never returning to the empty reality he only existed in. In this reality with Ash, it felt warm, vibrant, and alive.
“I like being with you too.” Danny slowly exhaled. “A lot. You…you make me feel…like rainbows are exploding inside my stomach.”
That wasn’t what Danny was about to say. He’d meant to say that Ash made him feel nice. Now all he could think about was Skittles going off like live mines in his gut.
“Exploding rainbows?” Ash’s grin was playful, his thumb softly brushing over Danny’s bottom lip. “Is that better than flapping butterflies?”
“I have no idea where that came from. Mama Lou must’ve spiked my food with hot sauce. I’m having ghost pepper hallucinations.”
“You’re not allowed to take it back.” Ash gently tugged on the chin strap. “It’s the sexiest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
Danny snorted. “You are so weird.”
Yet, he was preening on the inside. Even if Ash was bullshitting him, Danny was so starved that he ate it up and was greedy for more.
“Maybe, but I stand by what I said. Keep talking dirty to me and we’ll need an entire chocolate cream pie.
” Ash winked, making heat spread like wildfire across Danny’s face and ears.
What did that even mean? Did he want Danny to feed him an entire pie or…
He wasn’t sure what else you could do with it besides eat it.
As if he was a mind reader, Ash growled close to Danny’s ear, “I’d slowly lick the chocolate from the most addictive parts of your body.”
A gasp escaped, leaving Danny’s lips slightly parted. He found it hard to breathe as he thought of Ash doing the filthiest things to him.
He was so not ready for this lumberjack.
Ash was either short-circuiting his brain all the time or…
No, he was just short-circuiting his brain.
The guy had the same exact effect on him whether Danny felt safe or vulnerable.
But unlike before, when he was forced to adapt, with Ash, Danny didn’t need to rush.
So far, Ash had been patient, not once becoming irritated or moody.
But it wasn’t just his temperament. Danny felt it somewhere deep that Ash meant everything he said.
And that’s what thrilled and terrified him.
“Third choice?” Ash murmured, puffs of warm air tickling Danny’s cheek. “My place. Just giving you options to consider.”
The suggestion shot straight to Danny’s cock. He wanted that too, wanted it badly.
Only...he’d just met the guy and shouldn’t feel this desperate. Still, those filthy thoughts made it hard to think rationally. Especially when Danny hadn’t had sex for an entire year.
Twelve months of only dating his hand, and now there was a mouthwatering temptation offering him the full buffet.
And Danny was ravenous.
“I’m cool with whatever you chose.” But Ash’s eyes said, “I will wreck you on every flat surface then feed you breakfast if you agree to come home with me.”
Danny sank his teeth into his bottom lip then shouted, “Wreck me!”
His eyes widened in horror. He hadn’t meant to shout in Ash’s face or with so much insane enthusiasm. But he was standing by what he’d shouted.
“You say the sexiest shit, honey bear. Get your gorgeous ass on the back of my bike.” Ash threw his leg over the seat of his motorcycle and started the engine, knocking the kickstand up with his boot.
Danny laughed as he climbed on while Ash kept the bike steady. Before taking off, Ash curled his Bluetooth around his ear. Danny lowered his visor.
Then he slid his arms around honed muscles, his legs bracketing lean hips.
Fear didn’t flare.
Regret never came.
Panic hadn’t flooded him.
For the first time in forever, anticipation spiked through his veins. Arousal throbbed heavily in his groin. Need, desire, and longing prickled over his body.
As they slowly approached the exit of the diner, Danny’s grip tightened. Ash gave his hands a gently squeeze then he revved the engine twice, the deep rumble roaring loudly before they turned left and took off down the road.