Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
CARTER
Ifelt like an ass for having to ditch tobogganing with Ashley a couple days ago, so I’ve been working in secret to finish what I envision for her website.
She probably thinks I’ve forgotten about it since I haven’t brought it up since I got all her passwords and the information I needed.
But I’m hoping to wow her when I present it to her.
Which is in about five minutes, unbeknownst to her.
Steph and Doug are due to fly in tomorrow, so today is my last opportunity before the chaos begins and Ashley is completely distracted by her twin sister’s wedding.
I told Ashley I had to work this morning, but I’ve been putting the final touches on everything and making sure it’s perfect so that I can bring down my laptop at lunch and show her what I’ve been working on.
After I unplug my laptop and close it, I head downstairs to find Ashley. She’s in the dining room, polishing silver. I remember her saying that Steph wanted to use some of their grandmother’s serving ware for the dinner after the ceremony.
She looks up at me then smiles. “All done with your work stuff?”
“Yeah. Do you have a minute?” I hold up my laptop.
“Sure, what’s up?” She sets down the platter and cloth.
“Let’s go to the great room. C’mon.”
We sit on the couch side by side. I set up my laptop on the coffee table in front of us. The fireplace has a small fire going, and holiday music plays through the TV. The room smells like cinnamon as always.
“I finished up working on my proposal for your website. I actually built a whole strategy on how I think you can improve your visibility online and draw in more people to your B&B. I’m ready to show it to you and see what you think.”
Excitement glitters in her eyes. “Really? I thought maybe you got busy because you hadn’t mentioned it.”
I shake my head. “I’ve been working on it. Took this morning to finish it off.”
She gestures to the computer. “Let’s see it. I’m excited.”
“All right, but remember you have to be honest with me. Tell me your honest opinion.”
Ashley rests her hand on my knee and squeezes. “I promise.”
I log in to my computer and pull up the new and improved Silver Bells B&B website.
As I go through all the features, like the ability for her to easily add pop-ups for stay add-ons like champagne and strawberries, or upgraded toiletries, or tickets to local attractions that will help to increase each guest’s value to her business, she sits quietly, taking in everything.
I go through a few more add-ons I thought that she and her guests might appreciate.
By the time I’ve spoken for ten minutes straight and am wrapping up, she still hasn’t said anything.
When I finish, I can’t get a read on what she’s thinking. “That’s about it. What do you think?”
She looks away from the computer screen and at me, face not showing any emotions until a slow smile spreads across her face.
“Carter, this is amazing. I thought you were just going to redo my website. I didn’t realize you were also going to improve the functionality of it and make improvements to my business at the same time. ”
“Did I overstep? I wasn’t trying to.”
Ashley squeezes my thigh. “Not at all. These are all things I’ve considered but had no idea how to implement or didn’t think I could afford to implement them.”
I shrug. “I’ve seen how hard you work and how much you love what you do. I just wanted to make things a little easier for you.”
She studies me for a beat, then glances at the computer again before returning her gaze to mine. “You’re so different from who I thought you were when we first met.”
I’m not sure what to say, so I say nothing.
I can’t blame her for thinking one thing when I’ve tried so hard over the years to appear like the fun-loving guy who doesn’t take anything seriously.
Maybe I really was him when I was younger, but I haven’t been him for some time.
For whatever reason, it feels difficult to let people I already know peek behind the curtain to see the real me.
“I had no idea that behind that outward shell you present to the world was such a thoughtful, caring, and considerate man.” She kisses the edge of my jaw, then trails her tongue over to my earlobe. “The good-in-bed part I could’ve guessed.” Her hand runs up my thigh and she cups me between my legs.
My half-hard dick twitches under her hand. “I was happy to do it.”
“I know. That’s what makes it so wonderful.” She pulls away from me, and I’m about to protest, but she slides off the couch and sits on her knees between my spread legs. Her fingers manipulate the button on my jeans.
My dick is rock hard between my legs, pushing against my zipper for escape. “Ash, you don’t have to do this just because I created a better website for you.”
“What if I want to do this just because?” She gives me a coy grin.
I sink further into the couch. “Well, in that case, have at it.”
I spread my arms across the back of the couch and watch as she unzips my fly. When she tugs down my jeans and my underwear, I lift my hips to help her. Once my pants and boxer briefs are around my ankles, she strokes me.
My breath catches in my throat, and I force myself to remember how to breathe as she runs her tongue from the base to the tip.
She plays with me for a minute, just sucking on the tip and stroking me.
I fist her hair in one hand and hold it above her head so that I can see everything that’s happening because I will be beating off to this image in the future.
She strokes me a few times before twirling her tongue around the tip of me, just enough to tease me and set me on edge.
My teeth clamp together, wanting to force her down my length, but enjoying her teasing just the same.
Ashley finally puts me out of my misery, wrapping her mouth around me and bringing my length to the back of her throat.
My hands tighten in her hair, and I groan as she draws herself back up. She repeats the motion over and over, chasing her mouth with her fist.
God, this woman drives me crazy in the best way.
She works me over, and within minutes, the base of my spine tingles. I stiffen as I breach the back of her throat, and she moans around my cock, the vibrations of the sound echoing down into my balls and drawing them up.
“Ash, I’m close.”
Her gaze meets mine, and she doesn’t pull away.
She pushes her mouth all the way down to my base and holds herself there, moaning.
It’s all the encouragement I need before my release pours out of me and down the back of her throat.
I do my best not to pull her hair too hard, but I’m pretty sure I’m unsuccessful.
Ashley gently sucks until she’s drained me, and I fall from her mouth against my thigh. She tilts her head and rests her cheek on my thigh, staring up at me with a small smile as we both calm our breathing.
Gazing down at her, I never want this to end. For the last couple of days, I’ve been trying to stay in the moment and enjoy our time together, but the ticking of the clock that’s running out of time has been getting louder and louder in the background no matter what I do.
After I grow soft, Ashley helps me pull up my boxer briefs and jeans. I zip myself back up and button my jeans. When I’m done, I pull Ashley in, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. She rests her cheek on my chest.
I bask in how right it feels and gather the courage to say what’s been on my mind. “Can we talk about the thing we’re not talking about?”
She pulls out from under my arm to meet my gaze. “Which is?”
“The fact that I’ll be leaving after the wedding.”
She swallows hard and moves her gaze toward the fireplace.
“I don’t want to leave.” If I could somehow extend my stay, I would.
“I know. I don’t want you to go either.”
I take her hand. “I don’t want this to end when I leave.”
We haven’t talked about what is going on with us, if it’s a fling or not, so I can’t be sure what she wants to do. It’s scary to put myself out there, but I need to know.
“Does that mean you want to try long distance?” Her cheeks pinken, and I know that it was a hard question for her to ask.
“I do, yeah.” She opens her mouth to say something, but I cut her off before she can tell me all the reasons long-distance relationships never work.
“We’re not even that far away from each other.
We’re in the same time zone, which makes things less complicated.
Our states are literally right beside each other. ”
She shakes her head, a small smile playing on her face. “In the north. Not Manhattan.”
“Semantics. I think if we want this to work, we can make it work. I know you don’t have the luxury of leaving the B&B unattended, so I’ll come visit you. I have all kinds of banked vacation time I’ve never used. It’s just going to take some effort.”
“Carter…”
“Please say yes, Ash.” I squeeze her hand. I can feel the line between my eyebrows deepening with concern.
“Carter—”
“I don’t want this to end.”
She brings her hand to my mouth and covers it. “Carter, if you’d let me finish, you’d know that I want to try too.”
I pull her in, skirting my tongue on the seam of her lips until she opens for me. Our kiss feels like the sealing of a promise between us.
When I end the kiss, I rest my forehead on hers. “You won’t regret this.”
“It’s going to take a lot of work and effort on both our parts if it’s going to work though.”
I cup her face and meet her eyes. “I have faith in us.”
She smiles, and it’s like the warm glow of Christmas lights on my face. “So do I.”