Another Round of Whiskey Read online

  When morning comes, we start the day together and I make him breakfast while he gets the coffee ready. We find our rhythm quickly and neither of us is pushing the other.

  This is what it’s like to be friends.

  Landon comes back from work and quickly showers before joining me at the kitchen table for dinner. We’re having country-fried chicken with greens and potatoes. His appreciative sounds while eating dinner makes me internally jump for joy.

  “I’m sorry to drop this on you, but I need to go to Kentucky tomorrow. Would you like to come with me?”

  “Of course!” I eagerly respond. “I’d love to.”

  “Okay.” He smiles and continues eating. “We’re driving so it’ll be a long few days.”

  “I’m fine with that.”

  “Okay.”

  The conversation is easy between us and after we’re done eating, Landon pushes me out of the kitchen and cleans since I cooked.

  I’m sitting on the couch in the living room when he comes and joins me.

  “Are these new?” He points to the designs I’m working on.

  “Yes. I have so many ideas and my contacts in New York are excited to see what I’m coming up with.”

  “These look great, Ash. You’re so talented.”

  I blush at his compliment and hide the wide smile on my face. How is it that this man can make me turn to mush with only a few words?

  “You mentioned that you have a winter line?”

  “I do. The line’s launching mid-November.”

  “And you’ll be in the city?”

  “No,” I tell him. “They can do all of that without me. My passion is design and fashion. I don’t need to be there. Well, technically I do, but I always get my way.”

  “If you need to go then we can go. I’d love to see New York with you. You can show me the spots that made you smile and we can see a play or walk in Time Square. I can be the annoying tourist and you can be my guide.”

  This time I don’t hide my smile. It means so much to me that Landon wants to go to New York and there’s no anger in his voice. He genuinely wants to go.

  “We’ll see.” I smile and go back to my designs with him watching.

  It’s late when we go to bed, and Landon gets me to talk more about the line and what else I have in store. This sudden interest in what I’m doing scares me, and I’m not sure how to let him know without ruining the mood.

  “Why don’t you tell me more about the horses? You’re rehabilitating American Quarters, right?”

  “Yes. This trip to Kentucky is to check on some horses for Jeff and possibly purchase a few.”

  “It’s amazing what you’ve done for yourself. I’m proud of you.”

  “Thank you,” he says and reaches out for my hand. “Good night, Ashley.”

  “Good night. Sweet dreams.”

  My eyes flutter closed, and when I hear the evenness to his breathing, I open my eyes and watch him like I do every night. There’s still so much to tell him and once I do let him know my secrets, I’m not sure how he’ll react.

  And that scares me to death.

  Morning comes too quickly and Landon’s out the door by six to do some last minute things.

  I don’t get out of bed until close to eight. After taking a shower, I meet Ellie and Ari for breakfast. We catch up on the past few years and I’m so happy to see them living their own happily ever after.

  It’s nearly noon when I’m back to Landon’s. I pack our things and triple check our bags to make sure I have everything. We’re leaving in another hour and staying there for a few days. Jeff is supposed to come by before we leave, so he and Landon can go over some things.

  I’m zipping our bags when the doorbell gets my attention and I go downstairs to see who it is. When I open the door, Memphis is standing on the porch and I tell him to come inside.

  “What’s up?”

  “Just came over to check on you. Where’s your phone?”

  I check my pocket then go to the kitchen and find it on the counter. “Damn. Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. Everything good though?”

  “Yes,” I slowly answer. “Why?”

  “Landon’s down at Annie’s with Magnolia.”

  Chapter 13

  Landon

  WE’VE BEEN IN THE CAR for eight hours, and Ashley’s hasn’t said too much. When I ask her a question, she keeps the answer short and doesn’t elaborate.

  “What’s wrong?” I finally ask.

  “Why were you with Magnolia?”

  Lunch with Magnolia wasn’t what she’s thinking. I didn’t want to be rude and brush her off again.

  “I needed to clear the air with her and let her know to stop trying to get my attention. I told her we can be friends and that’s it.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  I don’t say anything for a few minutes, because I’m trying to find a safe place to pull over so I can look at her and explain. When I pull over and cut the engine, I turn to look at her and notice her eyes are down.

  “Ashley,” I start to say. “Look at me.”

  She does and I know I should tell her everything, or else she’ll think the worst, and I can’t have her doing that.

  “I’m not going to lie anymore.”

  “That’s good,” she says.

  “I still love you, Ashley. That love isn’t going away. It kills me you left for seven years and now you’re back. The problem is . . .” I pause and watch the way she’s biting her bottom lip. Seeing that is causing my dick to harden again. “The problem is I’m fucking scared out of my mind. I don’t give a shit if that makes me sound like a damn pussy.”

  She quickly gets up and climbs over the center console to sit on my lap. “No,” she tells me. “It doesn’t. You’re admitting how you feel makes me see you as someone strong, loving, and passionate.”

  I stare at her and immediately tense. My chest aches at the sight of her deep, honey brown eyes, begging me to say more . . . do more. My heart does a painful turn in my chest and the relentless beating nearly brings me to my knees.

  “I’ll learn how to trust you again.”

  I grip her hips with both hands and she leans down to rest her forehead against mine. Right now, I need this connection with her. I need to feel her silky soft skin against mine. Once I said the words clearly, there’s no mistaking it. There’s been enough miscommunication between us.

  “We’ll relearn everything about each other again. I promise you, Whiskey. I simply just promise you.”

  She didn’t need to finish her promise because I know what she’s trying to say without pushing the words from her lips. My eyes shut to the relief of her promise and keep my forehead on hers. Then she touches me, stroking my forearm, up my bicep and back down to my wrist. Blood rushes through its path and my stomach clenches from the overwhelming sensations only she can bring.

  “We’ll make this work,” she reassures me and I believe her.

  “I told Magnolia that because my heart belongs to someone else. This woman owns me and I’ve been stupid to keep her away.”

  “Oh really?” She smiles and I grab her hand in mine.

  “Yes. I don’t want you thinking anything because there’s nothing to worry about. I also want you to know that we’re going to spend a week in Kentucky. Just us. After my business meeting and looking at the horses, I’m going to give you all my time and attention.”

  Tears fall from her beautiful eyes and I kiss each one away. I kiss her cheek and the corner of her lips before breaking our connection and turning the truck back on. After putting on her seatbelt, she takes my hand and pulls it onto her lap. I smile and pull back onto the road and continue driving.

  “Yesterday, when I was out running, I noticed that no one’s living in your old house,” Ashley says, breaking the silence.

  “Yeah. I didn’t have the heart to sell it so I keep it more for storage and an extra place, in case guests of Gunner’
s or Jeff’s need a place.”

  “I was thinking,” she starts to say, “if you think it’s a good idea, of course, but what if you turn the house into a cute bed and breakfast?”

  “I don’t have time like that, Ashley.”

  Her warm hand squeezes mine. “I know that. I was thinking that maybe I can run it with the help of Ellie and Ari and my mama can help, too. She’s not doing much of anything these days.”

  I never thought about doing anything to my childhood home. The one thing I’ve always known is I’ll never sell it. That house is going to stay in the Fisher family name, especially since I’m using the farm for my horses.

  When my parents died, and I was in the house, sorting things and cleaning, I thought about what it’d be like to have Ashley back in my life. Would we have children as well? Would our children want to live in my childhood home? I sat in the living room, staring at the fireplace, and thought these things. When I thought of Ashley, it took away the pain of losing my parents. I focused on the heartbreak of not having the one woman I love in my life.

  “We can talk about it some more later. It’s a good idea, Ashley. I like it. We’ll need to sit down and come up with a plan.”

  She beams at me and squeezes my hand again. “It’ll be good, Whiskey.”

  “Yeah.”

  It’s getting late, so I pull into a hotel and we head inside to get a room for the night. By this rate, we’ll be in Lexington tomorrow evening, which is fine since I’m not meeting with the breeder until Friday. I always give at least three days of travel time before the meeting. I don’t like planes and enjoy being on the open road. It’s a hell of a ride.

  Once we’re on the sixtieth floor, and settled into our room, Ashley goes straight for the bathroom with some of her things. I unpack our bags and hang her clothes in the closet and put my clothes in the drawers.

  When she comes out of the bathroom, dressed in shorts and a tight tank top, all conversation goes out my mind, and my dick hardens with the sight of this beautiful woman.

  “You look beautiful,” I mutter and see the light in her eyes.

  “Thanks. You know, makeup free and my hair a hot mess. Oh yeah, so beautiful.” She laughs and I walk over to her, tipping her head back with my finger and leaning down to press my lips to hers.

  “Always so beautiful.”

  I kiss her again, feel her tits against my chest, and before I can lay her down on the bed, she pulls away.

  “What is it?” I ask.

  “I have to tell you something,” she informs me, guiding me to the bed so we can both sit down. “The reason why I’m back is because of you, for sure, but I’ve been given a second chance.”

  “What do you mean?” I’m fucking terrified with what she’s going to say. Is she dying? Did something happen to her? “Ashley.”

  “Being a model was difficult. I watched what I ate and worked out nonstop. It became an addiction. My agent started getting worried because I wasn’t sleeping well and started messing up my shoots, so she made an appointment for me. At the doctor’s appointment, a lump was found and immediately tests were run. You know how breast cancer runs on my mother’s side, and my aunt passed from it, and so did my grandmother?”

  “Yeah,” I barely let out. “Please, Ashley, please don’t say it.” I don’t fucking care if I’m supposed to be a man. The tears freely fall and Ashley’s not saying anything. Instead, she cups my face and kisses me.

  “I’m fine. The tests came back negative. I’m fine. I have to stick with my yearly visits, or if I start to feel weird or feel a lump then I need to get checked out.”

  “So, you’re fine?”

  “Yes, baby. Yes. You don’t have to worry about me going back to not eating and working out like crazy. Second chances aren’t given freely, so this is a sign I can right everything in my life.”

  Relief floods me and I pull her against my body and lay us down. She’s in my arms and all I can do is thank God she’s okay.

  ***

  By the time we make it to Lexington, it’s nearly nighttime and I’m beat. Once we’ve checked into the hotel and are settling in our room, I watch Ashley walk out of the bathroom. She’s in a towel. A towel.

  I don’t realize she’s sitting down on my bed, next to me, until I feel her hand on my knee.

  “You’re thinking.”

  I shrug. “I’m thankful. If I lost you for good, shit, I don’t know, Ashley. Living in a world without you is hard to stomach. I don’t think I could do it.”

  “You don’t have to worry.” She leans down to kiss me and I take her in my arms, turning her on her back and laying her down while my lips kiss her all over.

  She’s perfect. So damn perfect.

  The taste of Ashley on my lips, and her body pressed against mine, unleashes a primal, obsessive need for her. She’s not the girl that got away. She’s the girl I let go and walked away from.

  My hand possessively tears off the towel from her body. Holy fucking hell. This is better than I imagined. I lean forward and cup her face, slowly breathing her in. She pushes herself into me.

  “Whiskey,” she moans, her arousal filling my senses.

  Nothing’s changed. She kisses the same, her moans are sexy as hell, and she smells like pure heaven. I wonder if she still tastes so sweet.

  My kisses start from her lips and travel down until I’m on my knees. I graze my hands up her bare legs and feel her inner thighs. Her body trembles so I pull one leg over my shoulder and stick my tongue out to run over her swollen clit.

  “Oh!” She moans and fists her hands in my hair.

  My tongue moves fast, getting addicted to her again. She pulses against my tongue as I run up her length. I suck hard, needing her to come.

  “Whiskey. S-so good.”

  Ashley’s always been so responsive, and right now her moans and how wet she is will make me come right now before I feel home again.

  She continues to whisper my name, among other words I can’t understand. I know she’s right on the edge, so I suck harder on her clit and push two fingers inside her. Within seconds she orgasms and I’m drinking all of her.

  I need this high to last for her, so I strip out of my clothes and rub my finger on her tight nub.

  “Your cock. I need it,” she pleads.

  Then I realize something. “Fuck.”

  “What?” she asks in a panic.

  “I don’t have any condoms.”

  She’s quiet for a beat. “I’m clean. You’re the only man I’ve been with.”

  I look into her eyes and see that she’s telling me the truth, “I am too.”

  “I’m on the pill, so please just bring me home again.”

  Her legs drop open and the head of my cock slowly enters her. Damn, she’s so tight. I’m about to blow my load. I’m slowly pushing home, thrusting inside of her and seeing the glossiness of her eyes.

  Once I’m fully inside, I still for a moment before pulling out and pushing in harder and faster into her. She takes everything I’m doing. Her eyes snap to mine and I thrust deeper and faster.

  ‘Landon!” she screams, gripping my arms with all her strength. “Yes! Babe, please keep going.”

  I do as she says. I’ve never been this deep before. I’m losing control, and thank God, because when I feel her tighten around me, I know she’s close. She throws her head back, screaming as loud as she can, and after a few more pumps, her quivering pussy helps me reach my own release. I’m spilling all of me inside of her and a roar rips through my chest.

  I slowly pull out and rush to the bathroom to clean up and grab a washcloth so I can do the same for her. When I’m back on the bed and finish cleaning her, the both of us lie down under the covers, and she curls into me.

  “I love you, Whiskey.”

  “I love you.”

  Chapter 14

  Landon

  WE’RE BACK AFTER A WEEK away, and all I want to do is take her out of town again. Each night after fucking her and then making s
weet love, I hold her in my arms and watch her sleep. My beautiful Ashley is back for good. I don’t need her to continue reassuring me, because when I’m with her, the feeling of home comes over us, and we’re where we belong.

  With each other.

  I hated leaving her this morning. Before I left, I looked at her again, seeing her hair fanned over the pillows and the peaceful look on her face made me hard again. I’m never going to get enough of her.

  I forced myself to leave the house and started work quickly. Being gone pushed me back a little so I had twice as much work to complete.

  The hot sun beats down on me, so I take off my white tee shirt and wipe it over my face, tossing it to the side. I’ve been working since five this morning and now it’s almost noon. I reach for my phone and realize it’s at home.

  “Shit,” I mutter, and drop the shovel so I could go get it and check on Ashley.

  “Landon!”

  I turn to see Memphis walking toward me.

  “What’s going on?” I ask him.

  “You don’t have your phone with you?”

  “I left it at home. Why? What’s going on?”

  Memphis sighs and takes off his hat before he speaks again. “Ashley’s at the hospital . . .”

  I don’t let him finish because I’m running toward my truck and driving like hell to get to her.

  When I park my truck, I run inside, and nearly take down an orderly. The reception booth is a few feet away so I sprint until I’m there.

  “Ashley . . .” I say breathlessly, “Ashley Monroe. Please.”

  The receptionist smiles and types on the computer. “Are you family?”

  “No. I’m her boyfriend.”

  “I’m sorry. Family only. I can’t let you back there.”

  “Ma’am. I am begging you to please let me back there. That woman is the love of my life and we’ve been apart for seven years. We’re finally back together and I need to see her. Please. She’s my world. My life. My all. I need to be there for her. Please. I am begging you.”

  She wipes a tear from her cheek and nods. “Okay. But, if anyone asks, you’re her husband. Got it?”