Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Ben
Even though I’m not entirely sure I want to hear every detail about Laney’s date, I can’t stop the smile that pulls at my lips as I watch her and Ash together.
There was a time I wasn’t sure we’d get here.
I’d hoped for it, but after seeing how upset Laney was about our relationship, it felt like it would take more than a broken-down car and a couple of slices of pizza to bridge the gap between them.
“Are you going to see him again?” Ivy asks from beside me as Ash and Laney slide into the booth. It’s a tight fit with the five of us, and Ash’s bare leg presses against mine. My hand instinctively finds her knee, my fingers tracing slow circles on her skin.
Laney gives me a hopeful look. “Well, that depends on Dad.”
All eyes shift to me, and I blink in surprise.
“Why’s that?”
“Am I still grounded?” she asks, tilting her head.
“Yeah, you’re still grounded,” I reply, keeping my tone even. “And I’m not sure you want to have this conversation here, Laney.”
She drops her gaze and nods quietly. “Okay.”
I don’t want to embarrass her in front of everyone, but if she pushes me, I’m not above laying it out. She knows exactly why she’s still grounded.
Ash jumps in before things get tense again. “Tell us about the date! What did you guys talk about?” she asks brightly.
Laney perks up, smiling. “Everything. Family, friends, his job. We spent the whole night talking. We just… clicked.”
“That’s awesome,” Ash says, her grin matching Laney’s.
Laney nods enthusiastically. “He works out of Hope Creek PD. He said he knows Nash.” She hesitates for a second, chewing her lip. “Would you mind asking Nash about him? Just to make sure he’s not some total weirdo?”
Ash laughs. “Yeah, of course. I’ll check in with him.”
"Thanks," Laney replies, a wave of relief crossing her face.
“I’m sure he’s not a weirdo,” Ivy chimes in with a smile, “but it never hurts to be sure. I’m glad it went well.”
Laney smiles back. “Thanks, Ivy. And thank you again for helping me get ready earlier.”
Ivy waves her off. “Anytime! Just let me know if you need a hand for date number two.”
“I definitely will!” Laney replies.
Once we’ve all finished our drinks, we decide to call it a night. I lace my fingers through Ash’s as we weave through the crowd and step out onto the sidewalk.
“I was going to leave my car here,” Ash says, glancing toward where her car is parked. “We planned to walk home.”
“I can drive everyone,” I offer, then turn to Laney. “Were you still planning on staying at Ash’s tonight?”
She nods. “Yeah.”
“How about we go back to our place?” I suggest, careful with my tone. “Ash could stay over too, if you’re okay with that.”
Laney shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Sure.”
I look at Ash. “What about you?”
She smiles. “Fine by me if we can stop by my place first so I can grab some stuff.”
“My things are there too,” Laney adds.
“Sounds good,” I say. “And I can drop Ivy and Wyatt home too.”
Thirty minutes later, I pull into the driveway. It’s been a long couple of days, and all I can think about is climbing into bed with Ash, holding her close and falling asleep with her in my arms.
Ash and Laney spent the entire ride back chatting about Ryan. I’m pretty sure I know the guy’s whole life story now. Where he works, what he drives, his favorite food, but honestly, I don’t mind. Seeing Laney this excited and watching her bond with Ash makes it all worth it.
Once we’re inside, Laney heads straight for the kitchen. Ash and I follow her in, and she grabs a bottle of water from the fridge.
“Night,” she says, giving us a small smile before disappearing upstairs.
Ash watches her go then turns to me, her eyes shining and a bright smile lighting up her face.
“Can you believe this is actually happening?” she says.
I chuckle, pulling her into my arms.
“Feels like it’s been a long time coming,” I reply before pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.
“Come on,” I murmur against her mouth. “Let’s go to bed. I’ve been counting down the days to fall asleep with you in my arms again.”
Her grin widens, and my chest tightens in that familiar way it always does around her. I’m hopelessly in love with this woman. And now that we finally have Laney’s and Ash’s brothers’ blessing, it feels like we can breathe. Like we can finally just be us without worrying about what everyone thinks.
Ten minutes later, we’re lying in bed. Ash is curled up in my arms, her head resting on my chest, and holding her like this reminds me just how much I’ve missed her this past week.
She tilts her head up to meet my gaze, and I smile before leaning down to kiss her. She lets out a soft moan as our mouths meet, her lips parting for me. I deepen the kiss, slowly easing her onto her back as I move over her.
Her hands slide up my chest, sending a ripple of heat through me. She’s in a tank and sleep shorts, and when I ease my hands beneath her top, my thumb finds her nipple. Her back arches, pressing against my hand, and I trail kisses from her lips to her jaw, then down the curve of her neck.
“This has to go,” I whisper, slipping her tank top up and over her head. As it falls to the floor, I press a kiss to her chest, my lips trailing over her skin until they find her breast. My tongue slowly circles her nipple, and her fingers thread through my hair, urging me gently downward.
When I reach the waistband of her sleep shorts, I take my time, sliding them down her legs along with her panties and letting them fall away. Usually, I’d tease her, take my time, and savor every inch of her, but not tonight.
Tonight, I just need to feel her.
I settle between her legs, kissing softly around the inside of her thigh, before dragging my tongue through her folds.
Her hips lift off the bed as a low groan escapes her.
My tongue works her over until she’s squirming beneath me, her hands fisting the sheets.
I slowly push two fingers inside her, curling them against her walls.
Her thighs tremble around my head, her breath coming in sharp bursts.
When I reach up and gently pinch her nipple, it sends her spiraling.
She cries out, my name tumbling from her lips as she comes hard, her body arching beneath me.
“Jesus,” she mutters, almost incomprehensibly as she sinks back into the mattress.
I grin as I press a kiss on her clit before finding her mouth again. Her arms wrap around me, and she gasps as I gently push inside of her. My eyes hold hers as I slowly start to move. This feels like more than sex. It is more. It’s everything, just like she is, and I’ve never felt closer to her.
She pulls her mouth to mine and I kiss her as I continue to move, my thrusts becoming more urgent. I continue to gaze at her, sure that she’s it for me. I love her and I never want to let go.
“You feel so good, baby,” I whisper breathlessly a few minutes later. “Can you come again for me?”
She nods. “God, yes. I’m nearly there.”
I slide my hand between us and circle her clit.
“Fuck, Ben. Don’t stop.”
I don’t. I couldn’t if I tried. Seconds later, she’s coming undone beneath me, her body trembling with her release.
The sound of her, the feel of her, it pushes me over the edge.
Her name falls from my lips as I follow, the moment stealing my breath as I collapse against her, my face buried in the curve of her neck, where I finally breathe again.
After a moment, I lift my head, my eyes finding hers. Her hair is messy and her face is still flushed from everything we’ve just shared, and I swear she’s never looked more beautiful.
“I love you,” I whisper, brushing a gentle kiss on her lips.
She smiles slowly. “I love you too.”
“I’ll get something to clean you up,” I say, gently pulling out of her and climbing off the bed.
Grabbing a cloth from the bathroom, I wet it before going back to where she still lies and carefully taking care of her, tossing the cloth in the laundry basket when I’m done. Climbing into bed, I pull her into my arms and hold her close, knowing I don’t ever want to let go.
It’s still dark when the shrill ringing of my phone tears me from sleep.
“Who’s that?” Ash murmurs beside me, her voice thick with sleep.
A twist of panic curls in my stomach as I sit up and grab my phone from the nightstand. My heart pounds as I expect to see my parents’ number lighting up the screen. Instead, it’s Molly’s care facility in Phoenix.
I answer immediately and bring the phone to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Hi, is this Ben?” a familiar voice asks.
A cold unease settles in my gut. “Yes, this is Ben.”
“I’m so sorry to call at this hour,” she says gently. “It’s Olivia, from Cedar Oaks.”
Molly’s been at Cedar Oaks so long that I know most of the staff by name. Olivia’s great, but hearing her voice this early sends alarm bells ringing.
“Hi, Olivia,” I say cautiously. “Is everything okay? Is Molly alright?”
Ash sits up beside me, her warm hand settling against the small of my back in silent reassurance.
There’s a heavy sigh on the other end of the line. “I’m afraid not, Ben. I know you were just here on Thursday, but Molly’s developed a serious infection. She’s not responding to any of the medications, so we’re transferring her to Banner-University Medical Center.”
“Infection?” I echo, struggling to make sense of it. “But she was fine on Thursday.”
“These things can happen fast,” Olivia explains gently. “Especially in someone as fragile as Molly. I’ve called her brother. He’s out of the country, but he’s going to try and get back. Ben… you and Laney should get to the hospital as soon as you can. The ambulance is on its way here now.”
I scrub a hand over my face. “Okay. We’ll head there right away. Thanks, Olivia.”
I end the call and stare blankly ahead for a second before turning to Ash.
“It’s Molly,” I tell her quietly.
Her hand slides from my back to my arm, giving it a light squeeze.
“I heard,” she says softly. “Ben… you need to wake Laney.”
I nod, but for a moment, I’m frozen in place.
“Ben,” Ash says again, her voice breaking through my haze. “You need to get ready.”
I nod again, mechanically pulling on my jeans before crossing the hallway to Laney’s room.
The door creaks quietly as I push it open. I walk over and sit on the edge of her bed, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle shake.
“Laney,” I murmur.
She blinks up at me, sleepy and confused. “Dad? What’s wrong?”
For a second, I hesitate, the words catching in my throat. Then I force them out.
“It’s Mom, sweetheart. We need to get to the hospital.”
She bolts upright, instantly wide awake. “The hospital? Why? What happened? Is she okay?”
I shake my head, wishing I had more to tell her. “I don’t know a lot yet. She’s got an infection and they’re saying she’s not responding to treatment. They’re transferring her to the hospital by ambulance.”
Her eyes widen, the same fear I’m feeling plain on her face. I pull her into a hug, holding her close as she clings to me.
“It’s going to be okay,” I promise, my voice low but steady. “Whatever happens, we’ll get through this. Just like we always do.”
“Okay,” she whispers, her voice muffled against my chest.
I hold her for a moment longer before pulling back.
“Get dressed, sweetheart. I’ll meet you downstairs in a few minutes.”
She nods quickly, already swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. I leave her to it, stepping quietly back into the hallway and heading for my room.
Ash is up now, the soft glow from the nightstand lamp filling the room.
“Are you okay to ask someone to come get you?” I ask her, guilt tugging at me. “I can’t take you home. I’m sorry, baby.”
She’s already crossing the room to me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
“Don’t worry about me,” she says gently.
I press a kiss to the top of her head, grateful.
“Unless…” she starts hesitantly. “Unless you want me to come with you?”
I pull back just enough to look at her. “Thank you for offering,” I say, my voice thick. “But I think it’s better if it’s just me and Laney right now.”
She nods in understanding, her fingers giving mine a final squeeze before letting go.
Ten minutes later, Ash and I are in the kitchen, waiting on Laney.
“I’ll call you as soon as I know anything,” I tell her, pacing back and forth, glancing toward the stairs every few seconds.
I wish Laney would hurry; we need to get on the road.
Phoenix is a two-hour drive on a good day, and time suddenly feels like it’s slipping away too fast. “Try to get some rest after we leave. Just pull the door closed behind you and it’ll lock automatically. ”
I step out of the kitchen and call up the stairs. “Laney, let’s go! We need to leave!”
Ash reaches for my hand, her fingers warm and steady against mine.
“Take a breath,” she murmurs. “It’s going to be okay.”
I wish I could believe that. I said the same thing to Laney not ten minutes ago, but now the words feel hollow.
Molly’s had infections before over the years, but she’s never had to be rushed to the hospital.
This time feels different. Olivia’s voice on the phone told me everything I didn’t want to hear.
I hope I’m wrong. I pray I’m wrong, but the sinking feeling in my gut won’t ease up.