Chapter 8
“Good morning.”
“Hey. Man my head hurts.”
“That’s what happens when you knock back whiskey like that Ashley. Are you hungry?”
She wasn’t, her head spun and her stomach was queasy but she got up and went towards the kitchen anyways. “Not really, but it smells good. They gave me something in my tea yesterday and I still feel a little sluggish from it.”
“What do you mean?”
He was getting angry and she had already had the emotion. “Sebastian, you were right. He is bad. He gave me some tea and then I woke up barely dressed with one of the girls talking a little nuts. I think they were actually trying to sell me or something. Can you believe that?”
Grahm could, but he wasn’t going to let her know that he knew. There was a sense of guilt that he didn’t go get her when he had about it from Jerry was very real. He felt like he should have done more. “I am just glad you are out of there Ashley. I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you.”
She nodded and then grimaced. Her mind couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened or how stupid she had been not to look into the commune more. It had been one of her spur of the minute decisions to get away for a little while, that she hadn’t thought it all through. She hated to think what could have happened.
There was also the very real need to make sure that no one else was drugged. When she thought back, she could remember the dull look in Ana’s eyes. She was not the only one that was being drugged and Ashley knew that she had to do something about it. When she said that to Grahm, he had a very quick solution, but she shook her head. I wouldn’t have been right.
“You can’t just go over there with a gun Grahm. I swear men would kill each other off if women weren’t around. We need to call the cops and just get the guys arrested.”
“You’re right, but I don’t think anyone would miss them.”
She shook her head again. While it may have sounded like an impassioned decision, it wasn’t. Ashley had a feeling he would do just what he said to end the problem. A flash of when she had first met him and the gun he had pointed at her. “No. That’s not the way Grahm. Can you take me down to the police station in town? We should let them take care of it.”
Ashley started to get up and he nodded towards her clothes. “Why don’t I get you something in town before we go? You stay here and have breakfast while I get you a few things. I don’t think they are going to have those hippy dresses at the shop.”
Ashley shrugged. She wasn’t feeling very much love and peace at the moment. “Whatever you can find will be perfect.”
***
Grahm liked the new look and the curves that were revealed with the jeans that he bought her. She looked different, more like she belonged there and he liked that. He wanted her to stay. Ashley was resting in one of his spare bedrooms. They had just gotten back from the police station and she was tired. It had been over an hour that it took to make her statement, but the tiredness that she felt was more because of the relief that she finally felt. Grahm wished that it had been his body she had fallen asleep against. He had gotten too used to her so quickly.
He went to work thinking about her, wondering if she was going to stay. She would have no reason to. Ashley would go back home soon, out of his life and he would never see her again. The very idea made him depressed. Grahm wanted her to stay.
Heading back to the house, it smelled good when he opened the front door. She was making dinner and it didn’t even matter what it was. “Hey. Thought I would make you something since you were kind enough to let me stay here last night.”
“You are welcome to stay as long as you want Ashley.”
She looked down and smiled. “I will be out of your hair this evening. I was looking in the phone book and there is supposed to be a small hotel in town. Thank you for being there Grahm. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t helped me. I am glad we met.”
He didn’t want her to go, but didn’t know how to make her stay. “You should stay here tonight. I have the extra room. I am always looking to hire farm hands if you weren’t ready to leave yet.”
“No I couldn’t impose.”
“It would be no imposition, really. I like having you around and I can teach you about horses.”
She bit her lip, unsure. Ashley wasn’t ready to go home, but she wasn’t sure she could stay there. It was the pull between the desire to stay in California or admit defeat and go home. The idea of working with horses was hit or miss for her. She was still afraid of them, but maybe she could get over her fear and learn something. If she was honest with herself, she liked the idea of staying there with him. There was something about Grahm that made her feel safe, but also a little breathless when the dark look went in his eyes.
“I don’t know how much help I would be with the horses. They are big and kind of scary.”
“They are really quite gentle. Stay awhile and I will have you riding like a real cowgirl.”
She laughed a little and put out the spoon from the sauce for him to try it. Watching his lips wrap around the spoon made her look down with a red face. Her mind had gone to all the naughty things she would like him to do with his mouth. “It’s good.”
Ashley nodded, her eyes moving away from temptation. “So are you avoiding the subject or need time to think about it?”
“Let me think about it over dinner. I am just not sure why you would want to hire me. I have no experience on a ranch or with animals.”
Grahm was going to say something, but stopped himself. He knew he had to go slow with her. She had just had a really bad week and he knew that she needed time. But he didn’t want to wait.
Moving towards her, he closed up the few feet that was between them and moved her head towards him with a grip on her chin. His lips moved to hers and Ashley’s body sagged into him. She had not been expecting it, even though she had hoped he would kiss her. It was better than she had hoped for. His lips were softer and Grahm’s hard body pinned her against the stove. She could feel the heat behind her from the burner, but her arms wrapped around his neck, lips parting to allow his tongue into her mouth.
With a soft moan, Grahm took her open mouth as a submission and the grip on her waist was increased. Ashley felt the hard lump growing between them and pulled away breathlessly. Grahm wanted more, she could see it in his eyes, but he moved back to give her some space. “Sorry, I have wanted to do that since our ride together last week.”
Her hand went to her lips and she stared back up at him. “No need to apologize. Are you ready for the dinner?” He nodded, both knowing that she was changing the subject.