Chapter 20 #3
Bash jerked a thumb toward Forest. “Why are we here at all? You’ve got him to play bodyguard. He could just sweep you up and carry you past all those fucktards outside.”
Forest’s face paled at the mention of touching her again. If push came to shove, she’d call in sick and stay home, but she couldn’t do that to Bob.
She spoke without thought, “It’s complicated.”
The moment she’d uttered the words, she wished to take them back. Ash was no fool. He understood the undercurrents swirling in that phrase.
His eyes darted to Forest and back to her with an unspoken question.
“How hard can it be?” Bash waved his hands in the air. “He’s a fucking giant.”
“Shut up, Bash.” Ash fixed Skye with a stare, demanding an answer. “You really want me to leave?”
No, she didn’t, but if he stayed, he would want to sleep with her, and she wasn’t ready to deal with the difficulties of another disastrous attempt at intimacy.
With her heart hammering, she gave a nod.
Ash’s gaze slid to Forest and then back to her. His jaw tensed. “Sam and the guys will take care of the crowd outside and make sure you get to and from work safely.”
Forest cleared his throat. “Never mind. I—”
“Thank you, Ash,” she interrupted. “I really appreciate the help. I didn’t know what to do.”
Ash cleared his throat. “Bean, have you ever seen a stage crew set up before?”
She wanted to kiss him in that moment. Toss everyone out of the house and reward Ash for being so fucking perceptive.
Sam and his crew had an excuse to escort her to work, but she needed someone to watch over Forest. He didn’t have a sponsor in town, not that he wouldn’t be able to find a meeting, but this was good.
Ash couldn’t have offered a better bribe.
No way would her brother refuse an opportunity to hang with his favorite metal band. She could work in peace, knowing someone was watching over him.
“That’s a wonderful idea.” She spun to face the trio occupying her dining room chairs. “When they take me to work, you can come with us and then go watch the band set up.” She looked over her shoulder and locked eyes with Ash. She mouthed, Thank you.
Ash smiled, but it looked forced.
“Great. It’s settled then.” She pressed her fingertips to her temples. The beginnings of a headache threatened, and she needed sleep. She gestured to Ash to follow her to the front door.
She leaned in and gave him a hug. “Keep him safe. Don’t leave him alone.”
“I want to stay, Skye. You’re killing me.”
Pressing a finger against his lips, she shook her head. “I know, and I’d love it if you did, but I have a long shift tomorrow. I’m exhausted, and I owe it to my patients to be well rested. We’ll figure everything out.”
“Skye…”
The desperation in his voice had her heart breaking, but she needed to do the right thing. The only problem was, she didn’t know what that might be.
Turbulent eyes stared her down. “I feel you slipping away, but I’m warning you, I’m not losing you.”
Her fingers brushed against his chest. The solid beat of his heart thumped beneath her palm, the steady rhythm centering her, while his message filled her with the promise of something she desperately desired.
“I’m here, but I need space.”
He pressed her fingertips against his lips.
“I’ve had women throwing themselves at my feet for years.
I’ve gorged myself until I’m sick of it.
You can’t even imagine how many…” He hugged her tight.
“You’re the first who’s seen the real me.
I know none of this has gone the way you’d like, but that doesn’t mean it’s not exactly the way it is meant to be. ”
“Ash—”
“Let me finish.” His voice cut through her hesitation. “My father said I would know. I never really understood, and I certainly didn’t believe, not until I met you. Don’t run. I’ll give you all the space you need, but I’m coming for you, and I have every intention of making you mine.”
He released her and walked back to the others, grabbing Sam aside for a quick conversation.
Reggie and Donald escorted Ash and Bash outside to a waiting car and then returned.
A barrage of flashing lights and a stream of questions spilled through the open door.
Sam took the men to the dining room while she lowered herself onto the couch to ponder Ash’s promise.
Forest extricated himself from the chair, stretching to his full height. “I’m beat.”
“Good.” She led him down the hall, stopping at the hall closet to pull out pillows, blankets, and towels for her unexpected guests. She barred the entrance to the guest room, pointing back to the living room. “You’re sleeping on the couch, Bean.”
“What?” Forest shifted to move around her, but she stepped in his path, taking advantage of his inability to touch her without consequence.
With a grin, she thrust the linens toward him. “The couch.”
“What the fuck?”
“One of them will keep watch, and two will sleep in the guest room. You’re on the couch.”
His eyes narrowed. “I’ll be fine, my summer Skye. Besides, you emptied all the booze.”
That meant he’d already checked. One more reason for Ash’s security men to watch over him while he slept. She couldn’t chance Forest slipping out the back window and seeking chemical relief.
“It’s really not for you. I’ll sleep better, knowing you’re on the couch while one of them watches you snore.”
“And to think I came here to save you.”
She reached out to grab his hand, such a natural gesture, but she jerked back, curling her fingers into her palms.
His eyes narrowed. Slowly, he stretched out his index finger and stroked the sleeve of her baggy shirt. “Sorry, I thought I would be strong enough.”
“You will…one day. And you did save me. You’ve always been there when I needed you.”
“We’re pretty messed up, aren’t we?”
“We’re healing every day.”
“Do you think we’ll ever be normal?”
She gave a small laugh. “Normal by whose standards, Bean?”
“Yeah, well…” He shifted the topic of conversation, his eyes lighting up. “I can’t believe I hung out with the lead singer and drummer of Angel Fire.”
“And, tomorrow, you’ll meet the rest of the band.”
“I can’t believe you went and married Blaze.”
“His name is Ash.”
“Whatever. Blaze is a better rocker name. Your husband and I are going to have a talk.”
“Be nice…”
“I’m always nice,” he said with an evil grin.
“Right.” She eyed him from head to toe. “All of you.”
He spread his hands out wide. “Not my fault I sprouted. I’m not your little Beanpole anymore.”
“You’ll always be my Beanpole.”
“Have you thought about what happened in Niagara?”
“No.”
Forest leaned in close. “He wasn’t drinking, Skye.”
“No.”
“I mean, he wasn’t drunk. Not like you.”
“Yeah, so?”
“And you want me to believe he didn’t know what he was signing? I find that hard to swallow.”
Ash had mentioned he relied upon his lawyers to do the reading for him. But what was Forest trying to say? Ash knew?
“Don’t you think he deserves to know who he married?”
“He knows who I am, and he’s not really my husband.”
“Legally, he is,” Forest warned. “And, from what little I’ve seen, he wants to keep it that way. Makes me wonder what he knows.”
“He doesn’t know anything about it.”
Forest tilted his head. “Give him the annulment papers, and we’ll see.”
“Can we discuss this later?”
“Go to bed, my summer Skye.” He jerked a thumb at the trio methodically checking her door and window locks. “I get that you asked them to babysit me, but are you sure they aren’t babysitting you as well?”
If Ash was afraid she’d run off again, what better way to make sure she stuck around than to keep her surrounded by his security detail?
The next morning, Sam and Reggie escorted her to work while Donald remained behind with Forest. They sandwiched her between them and ran the gauntlet. The cameras mauled her like they wanted to devour her.
Oddly, the only thing going through her mind was how she was going to get her hot cocoa, but Ash had taken care of that.
Her order had been called ahead, and Reggie leaped out of the car to claim her beverage.
With the morning ritual intact, they pulled outside the emergency department and rolled to a stop.
“Wait here,” Sam said.
“Why?” She peeked outside the car window. Nothing seemed out of place.
Reggie laughed. “Standard procedure, Mrs. Dean.”
Mrs. Dean? But she didn’t have time to correct him because Sam returned and helped her out of the car.
“We’re good,” he said. “Hospital security has pushed back the camera freaks. Ready for work?”
She sipped the hot cocoa and slung her bag over her shoulder. “I get off at eight. Will I see you then?”
Sam crossed his arms. “You’ll see me all day. I’m not going anywhere.”
She shook her head. “You can’t come with me.” She lifted her badge. “Hospital policy. No badge, no access. I’ll be fine. Unless one of those camera-toting zealots is an actual patient, they can’t get back to where I work.”
Sam’s jaw worked back and forth, and he rubbed his neck. “I don’t know. Mr. Dean won’t be happy about that.”
She took another sip of the warm drink, savoring the full-bodied flavor of the chocolate.
“It’s not up to him.” She put a hand on Sam’s arm.
“Seriously, I’ll be fine. Besides, I work in a secure zone.
We have metal detectors at the entrance.
” She stared at all six-foot-plus of him from her more diminutive height.
Sam didn’t look pleased, but she reassured him that everything would be all right.
“I’ll call when I’m done and meet you right here.”
His eyes narrowed as he slid into the vehicle. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
“You’d better. I don’t think I can handle it if you disappear again.”
She took a step back and tucked in her chin. “What do you mean?”
“Let’s just say, Mr. Dean was beside himself when he couldn’t find you. We went to every terminal and checked every airline.” He reached for the door but paused before closing it. “Where did you go?”
She shrugged. “I’m not giving up all my secrets.”
And then she smiled. Ash had come after her.
She remembered the last time she’d been at work and her first kiss with Ash.