AFTER OUR KISS at the lumberjack competition, we decide to ditch the wood fest. No point in sitting around, listening to people whisper about us.
Instead we wander around the white-trimmed red barns of the fairgrounds, checking out exhibits and blue ribbon winners.
“Do you remember when we were kids and I tried to grab all the rabbits I could in the Barnyard Scramble to give you?” We lean against the fence surrounding the 4H show ring. Inside a group of eager boys and girls show off their prize calves.
If this were a cartoon, Ashley would have hearts and rabbits circling her head. “I loved them all. Too bad my mother wasn’t amused by my six new pet bunnies.”
“At least I didn’t gift you a chicken. Or pig.”
“Shit.” Her eyes widen with shock. “I just realized that the scramble was a potential farm to table food feast.”
I open my mouth to speak, then clamp my lips shut. Open again. Shut. “That’s beyond disturbing. I always assumed they were for pets.”
“Not. Pets,” she lowers her voice to a whisper. “Our whole lives are big fat lies.”
“I wonder how many of those ‘pets’ ended up on dinner menus. From all the rabbits around Langley, I’m guessing at least a few of the bunnies escaped, but we don’t have a wild pig or chicken problem.”
“I think it’s sweet to have all the bunnies around town. They’re adorable.”
“They’re a menace. Ask anyone who tries to have a garden or flowers without the rampage of fluffy destroyers.”
She frowns, lost in her love for the bunnies. “Your entire business is based on adorable menaces who eat plants.”
“True, but I keep them contained. You don’t see random gangs of goats running amok on Second Street.”
“Do these imaginary goats wear bandanas and fight over their turf?” She presses her lips together in a knowing smirk at her pun.
I give her the chuckle she earned. “Yes, they’re in two rival gangs. Their families are enemies and they’re forbidden from hanging out with each other.”
“Kind of like us,” she whispers, worry creasing her brow.
“We’re adults. Family feud or not, we can make our own decisions.”
“Do you think we would’ve turned out differently if we were out of high school when everything exploded?”
“Probably. I would’ve finished college. Maybe kept playing ball.”
“Professionally?”
“No, I was never that good. Whidbey’s a small place. It’s easy to be the best here when you don’t have much competition.” I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “What about you?”
“Studied business. Moved to New York. Or Chicago. Or San Francisco. Some big city with a fresh start and no history.”
“The opposite of that old show Cheers? Some where no one knows your name?”
“Exactly.”
“You could leave. Nothing’s tying you to this area.”
Except me. Please say me.
“Jonah never wanted to go. He’s my closest family and I don’t want to leave him behind. Not after Mom left, too.”
“He surprises me. I imagine him some place like Portland, the mothership for the tattooed and pierced hipsters like him.”
“Too many people. He’s a country boy under all the ink and metal. He loves this place more than anything, except maybe his old VW.”
“I used to think he lived in his microbus.”
“Sometimes he does. He loves the idea of being mobile, even though he rarely goes far. He’s driven it to Cabo and camped on the beach. One year he took it to Coachella. He keeps talking about driving up to Alaska through the Yukon.”
“That thing is older than all of us. Isn’t he afraid of it dying en route?”
“Part of the adventure. I think he watched Little Miss Sunshine too many times as a teenager.”
“Your brother’s kind of random. Cool, but random.”
“He’s the best. I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s always been on my side. Never judges me or questions my motivations.”
“He always defends you.”
“You two talk about me?”
“Not really, but I know he’d kick my ass all the way to Vancouver if he thought I’d hurt you again.”
“Keep that in mind, mister.” She kisses the corner of my mouth. “Let’s find the beer garden and some fried-fried.”
“No meat?”
She glances at the sweet calves. “I think I’ll stick with being a vegetarian for the rest of the day.”
I sip a beer while watching her pull apart a huge funnel cake. Powdered sugar covers her fingers and she has a cloud of it on her cheek. I swipe my finger through the spot and suck it into my mouth.
I swear she blushes. “I’m covered in sugar, aren’t I?”
My answer is a kiss to her cheek and then her sugar-coated mouth. “Mmm hmm. You’re delicious. I can’t wait to taste the rest of you later.”
“You’re trying to kill me.” She squirms a few inches away on the bench. “You don’t play fair. You never have. Remember elementary school? I thought you hated me.”
“I never hated you.”
“You were mean. I was all moony pie-eye girl about you and you couldn’t bother to even talk to me.”
“Pulling your hair, chasing you, name calling . . . not because I liked you. Because I was mad about liking you. Girls were gross, annoying. Then suddenly you weren’t.”
“Only me?”
“You and Hailey King,” I mumble the last two words.
Her bright eyes flare. “I’m sure she’d be pissed to know she had to share your attention with me.”
“It’s ancient news.” I press my nails into my palm, resisting the urge to tug her ponytail. Old habits. “You think Hailey hates you?”
“Not think, know.” She’s one hundred percent confident in this truth.
“You’re wrong.”
She leans away from me. “You’re kidding, right?”
“There’s no reason for her to dislike you anymore.”
“Two words. Meat incident?” She raises her eyebrows in challenge.
“No one remembers that moment but you.”
With a shake of her head, she reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone. Holding it out to me, she says, “Text anyone you want and see if they remember.”
I push the phone away. “You’re exaggerating.”
“Fine.” She taps the screen with a satisfied smirk. “And now we wait.”
“You’re crazy.”
Her phone vibrates with a new text.
When she hands it to me, I read the screen, “He should be happy it wasn’t a leg of lamb you threw at his head.”
I glance at the name at the top of the thread. “Cari didn’t even live here when this happened.”
“See? That’s my point. One time a girl loses her mind at Payless Foods and it lives on in infamy forever.”
Her doom and gloom attitude amuses me. “And who told Cari?”
She ducks her chin and glares at me through her lashes. “Who do you think? Pretty sure she was shown the video by your brother.”
“Erik wouldn’t do that. I’d be pointing the finger at the gossip girls. Sandy’s the one who posted it to YouTube.”
Another heavy sigh escapes her mouth. “Sometimes a ferry ride isn’t far enough away from this island. Maybe I should reconsider moving to New York. Or Florida. That’s probably as far away as a girl can get from here and still be in America.”
“Don’t let it get to you. Most people around here love you.”
“Right. Those are the exact words Father Clancy said when he told me I should start attending church services again. He even called me a lost lamb. I think he meant black sheep.”
I know what it’s like to be the subject of rumor and gossip. “You’re not the only black sheep on this island.”
She stares.
“My entire family? Or at least all the Kelso men? Dad’s a drunk. Brother’s ass is an Internet sensation. I’m the guy who had so much potential and what have I done with my life? Mown lawns?”
“This isn’t a race to the bottom.”
“Never said it was. My point is, on this rock, everyone’s fodder for gossip and rumor. We’ve all had our dirty laundry strung across 525 for every tourist and local to witness.”
I can tell by the firm set of her jaw and her locked shoulders, she doesn’t believe me.
“You remember that time in elementary school when I lost my shorts during the sack race down at Maxwelton on the Fourth of July?”
Her lips twitch with the start of a smile. “No.”
“My mom has pictures in the family album.”
“You’re kidding.” She doesn’t believe me.
“I wish. I’m surprised she didn’t post them on ‘the social media’ last summer when she and Gram shared every other embarrassing picture of Erik and me.” I give an embarrassed shrug. “You’re probably the only one who hasn’t see them.”
She softens her expression. “The two of them were adorable. So proud of you.”
I scowl. “Mortifying.”
“Is that the worst thing that’s ever happened to you?”
“Far from it. Do you remember in middle school when I tripped in the cafeteria and sat in chocolate pudding? I don’t have to tell you it looked like I shat my pants, even after I cleaned up. There was a chant going around PE for a week.”
Incredulous, she pokes my side. “Stop. You’re making shit up now. How do I not remember? What was the chant?”
“Uh huh huh . . . no way.” I shake my head and cross my arms. “My point is we’ve all done embarrassing shit and lived through it.”
“Pun intended?”
I love seeing her fight a real smile, amusement brightening her eyes. “Yes.”
Resolved, she keeps pressing for the answer. “How can I get you to tell me? Or should I ask Erik? There must be someone else around who remembers the chant.”
I grip her wrist and pull her closer to whisper against her ear, “Some secrets deserve to be forgotten. Let it go.”
Her lashes flutter for a second before she closes her eyes. “You’re right. I’ll have to blackmail you for it.”
I think she’s joking, but there’s an edge to her grin that makes me believe her.
Slightly sunburned, tired, and full of fair food, we drive back to my house with the goat trailer.
I’m exhausted from being in the sun all day and the couple of drinks in the beer garden.
Stripping off my shirt, I tell Ashley I’m going to take a shower.
“I’ll join you.”
I wake up when Ashley slowly unbuttons her jeans before tucking her thumbs in the waistband.
I’m aching for her to speed up and simultaneously wishing to freeze this moment. The denim hits the floor with a soft thump.
My eyes scan up the freckled skin on her knees, past the long muscles of her thighs until they reach the soft pink lace covering the apex between her hips. I’m too busy staring at her underwear, I almost miss the grand reveal when she grips the hem of her flowy shirt and lifts it over her head. Dropping it and her bra to the floor, she stands in my small living room in all her naked glory.
I scramble to lose my shorts, socks, and shoes. Going in the wrong order, I get my shorts caught on my boots and nearly faceplant into the back of the couch.
“If you break something, we won’t be able to have shower sex.” She drags her fingers over the muscles of my back.
I finally manage to untie my boots and remove my socks. My shorts join her clothes in a pile on the floor.
Shoving my hands into her hair, I angle her head to kiss her. With our lips locked and her hands firmly on my ass, I walk us down the hall to the bathroom. I keep kissing her as I turn on the shower and wait for the water to warm. I’m not sure we’re even going to make it into the shower when she strokes my erection and gives it a tight squeeze.
We stumble into the shower and I press her against the cool tile on the wall. Lifting her leg, she wraps it around my hip. I grind into her and slide between her legs. Her slick, warm skin feels amazing on my bare cock.
“Shit. I forgot the condom.” My head rests against her shoulder, my hand cupping her breast.
I slide her leg off my hip and then kneel on the bottom of the shower. Lifting her leg to my shoulder, I go down on her. Hot water splashes against my back and runs in rivulets over her stomach as I make her feel amazing. She rocks her hips and grips my hair as her body trembles with her orgasm. Her inner muscles clench around my fingers as I stroke her, extending her peak.
“Who knew you’d still be such a giver?” She twists my hair and encourages me to stand.
“I’d happily spend days between your legs. It’s one of my favorite places in the world.” I kiss her nipple and drag my teeth over the sensitive bud. “Want me to grab a condom? Or do you want to continue this in bed?”
“No and later.” She finds my almost painful erection and gives it a stroke before brushing the head along the slick skin between her legs. “I have an IUD. If you’re clean, we’re good to go.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
She squeezes my base as she guides me inside of her. I lift her leg to get a better angle.
“Fuck. I haven’t gone bareback since you in high school.” I slowly sink into her, savoring the feeling of her heat and slickness. The sensation almost overwhelms me and I pause. “I’m going to come like it’s my first time.”
“Don’t hold back. There’s always round two. Or three.” She bites my earlobe.
It’s all the encouragement I need. I spin her around and take her from behind. I’m not gentle or slow as I grip her hips and thrust into her. Every moan and gasp escaping from her mouth encourages me to go harder and deeper until I’m coming inside of her.
The water turns tepid as we soap each other up and rinse off. I shampoo her hair for her and then bend down so she can do mine. Once we’re clean and squeaky, we take turns drying each other off. By the time we make it to my bedroom, I’m half hard and ready for another round.
Ashley’s as insatiable as I am. As eager, too.
We spend all evening in bed, exploring, talking, kissing and having slow, lazy sex until we crash. Wearing one of my too big T-shirts, she snuggles into me in the center of my bed.
It’s been a week and already I know this is where she belongs. Forever.