Chapter Twenty-Six

Quinn

Searching the pocket of my shorts I felt around to be sure the small velvet box was still tucked inside. A jolt of nervous energy traveled through my stomach, flipping it over. I’d never done this before and it was a once in a lifetime event. Here I stood. The guy who’d had a crush on his best friend’s sister since middle school quivered with insecurity about asking her to marry him.

But Ashton wasn’t just any girl. She was the girl that had stolen my heart and never let go. There was no one else like her. I’d been in love with her since I’d taken her virginity when we were just teenagers and didn’t know any better. Then I’d left her with no explanation, just walked right out of her life. That wasn’t ever going to happen again.

But Ashton had forgiven me and for that, I sat in gratitude. And she now still accepted me and wanted me in spite of my handicaps. The day she’d walked back onto my life and turned it upside down, hovered in my mind as the best ever. Her power suit, her bad-ass negotiation skills and the way her perfect chest had heaved as she’d laid her palms on the mahogany conference table to get her point across. It was touch and go during those few days we’d reconnected, but we’d persevered.

Despite my accident and losing part of my leg, Ashton remained staunch and supportive by my side. Like a loving wife would have done. Which was why her single status deserved to be rectified today. She’d gripped my heart in an iron fist and shaken it, then settled deep into my soul. I was so damn crazy about Ashton. Ten years later, she still made my head spin.
I didn’t bother to dress up, anxious to get the words out of the way so we could just get on to the happily ever after portion. I hobbled into the kitchen where Ashton stood at the sink looking out at the glassy blue sheen of the pool. Her curly blonde hair still damp from her morning swim cascaded over tanned, firm shoulders. She wore a skimpy navy bathing suit. The early summer sun pushed its way over the horizon as Minnie, our adopted alley cat, bathed in the drowsy heat. It wouldn’t be long until triple digit numbers hit the Florida coastline, causing a massive heat wave.

Ashton turned when she heard me approach. Her smile, brighter than the morning sunshine, reached my eyes and then cast its glow over the tiny kitchen. She’d only been living here about three months, but it seemed like she’d always been here because she’d lived in my heart even before she’d moved into my house. Every time I touched her, every time I looked at her, it felt fresh. New. She turned me to mush with just a simple thing like brushing a wayward piece of hair from her eyes. Or chewing her thumbnail when nerves got the better of her. I’d learned all her nuances. And I cherished them all.
“I’m going to miss this house,” I pulled out a chair and sat at the small dining table. Eggs, bacon and pancakes lay piled in platters on the Formica.
“I’m going to miss this place too,” Ashton said. She’d made this awesome breakfast hoping it would make me feel better about selling my Nanna’s house. My grandparents had lived at the beach house since my grandfather had retired from BellSouth in his early sixties. Despite my initial misgivings about selling the place to Jed, I’d given in. We’d agreed to a purchase price of seven hundred thousand even.

With the proceeds, Ashton and I had arranged to buy a bay front home that had every feature on our wish list. A great place to raise a family. We’d loved being near the beach, but wanted something with a larger yard. And lush, green grass to run through with bare feet. With having kids on the agenda, we wanted to be in a more established neighborhood. What we didn’t expect is for the beach house to close so quickly. Now, we needed to move in two months. Not nearly enough time to pack away thirty years of memories.
Ashton carried a steaming pot of coffee to the table and stood in front of me as she poured me a cup. I stared at her. The compulsion to stroke her silky skin overtook my senses and I gave in, caressing her lower back. She set the coffee pot on the macramé hot pad Nanna had made as I reached out and took hold of her hands. We’d spent the early hours of the morning, before her swim, making love. I wanted her again already. Seemed that once the cap had burst off the bottle, my passion was unable to be tamped back down.

A wicked sparkle flashed in her eyes. “Will that chair hold both of us?”

I wiggled my finger at her. “Come here and let’s find out.”

She chewed a thumbnail in consideration. “I’m game if you are.” She slipped off her bikini bottoms as I unzipped my shorts. She straddled my lap. My face pushed against her breasts as she slid down over my hard cock. I ran my tongue along the edge of her bikini top and took a finger to lift the thin fabric off her body. She shrugged the top off, her pink nipples mocking me.

Ashton giggled as the chair squeaked angrily. Chair, please don’t shatter now. At least not until we’re done. I slid my hands underneath her ass, and she rode me at her own pace. She lowered her lips to mine, flicking her tongue into my mouth as I thrusted into her over and over, rocking the rickety chair to the cheap plywood limit.

Her movements quickened as she leaned her hips forward. My cock quivered as she ground her sweet pussy against me. Our kiss deepened as we neared climax, tongues intertwined just as our bodies were. I still loved the taste of Ashton. Sweet with a hint of syrup and coffee.

She pulled back as soft moans drifted from her mouth, and she held me tight. I felt her wet pussy as it clenched around my cock, pulling an earth shattering orgasm from deep within me. Ashton shuddered as she slid back and forth over me, bringing me closer to the edge of no return. I thrust deep inside her one final time as a guttural sound rolled up from my throat.

“I’m ready,” I said, holding her tightly as I came.

“Oh, baby, you feel amazing,” Ashton said, collapsing against me. After a few seconds she let out a giggle, “They don’t make chairs like this anymore. I can’t believe it held up through that level of pressure.”
“Let’s go sit down in the living room,” I suggested. “My ass hurts from this old creaky chair. Not that I don’t thank it profusely for staying together.”

I pulled up my shorts, still feeling the outline of the velvet box.

Ashton led me back to the living area, the biggest room in the house. We climbed under a soft blanket and snuggled. Despite the heat of the summer day, I liked to keep the cottage at a cooler temperature, like sixty-eight degrees. Ashton was always complaining it was too cold due to her hot Atlanta blood, but I think she was getting used to it.

I blew out a deep breath and pulled the box from its hiding spot. Ashton had rested her head against my shoulder.

“When I’m sitting here with you like this, I have to remind myself that this is all real. It’s not a dream.”

I kissed her on the forehead. “You make me incredibly happy.” I fished out the box, surprised she hadn’t noticed it yet. “Ashton, will you promise me that you’ll stay with me forever and ever?” I lifted the box up over the blanket and opened it. Ashton’s wide eyes stared at the ring.

“Ashton Jansen, will you marry me?”

She gazed at the ring while her mouth dropped open without articulating anything. Silence. Not what I’d imagined for this moment. After a few tense seconds, she croaked out three words.

“Is it real?”

“What?” I asked. Now it was my turn to let my mouth hang open. “The proposal or the ring?”

She giggled and moved her hazel eyes from the ring resting on the black velvet to my eyes. Hers sparkled with the trademark gold flecks. So she was happy or excited. Or both. “Oh my goodness. I just wasn’t expecting this so soon.”

“It’s real.” I slipped the ring on her finger. “But you haven’t answered my question.”

She threw her arms around my neck. “Yes! Yes, a million times over. I will marry you, Quinn Andrews. I will marry you!