Chapter Eight
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“Thank you for dinner.” Ashleigh stated as the door clicked shut behind her.
She fully intended to tell him goodbye and then be on her merry way, but a sliver of hope surged up from somewhere deep inside when Alex turned and shot a glance her way. He didn’t look happy, and that tiny spark was doused the moment he turned his back on her again.
“Alrighty then.” She muttered before inserting some steel into her spine and standing up straight. “I guess I’ll be seeing ya.” With that Ashleigh turned to go.
“Wait.” Alex’s voice broke the silence and had Ashleigh stopping in her tracks.
She had one hand on the door knob, ready to haul ass and pretend this night never happened – pretend the entire day had never happened. Instead, she stood there, anticipating what he would say next. To her dismay, he didn’t continue, and with a suddenly heavy heart, she knew there was nothing left to say.
They had given it a shot, Alex even more so. After years and years of the chase, apparently the next step wasn’t all that he thought it would be. She turned the knob and took one step inside before she was abruptly pulled backward, Alex’s solid body colliding with her back, his arms wrapping around her.
In that one instance, all thought was erased from her mind as she allowed Alex to turn her in his arms, pulling her against him and all of the pent up frustration burst free when his mouth collided with hers.
Lips, firm and soft, melded with hers, and she let herself get lost in his kiss. Wrapping her arms around him, everything she had ever held back came barreling forth in a rush, leaving her breathless and aching for this man.
Sliding her hands into the hair at his nape, she let the silky, cool strands caress her fingertips. When he backed her against the rough stone of the house, his erection pressing intimately against her lower belly, Ashleigh thought of nothing more than having him the way she almost had him so many years ago.
When he cupped her face in a gentle, tender gesture, Ashleigh fought to maintain control. The heat she could handle. The inferno erupting between them was familiar, expected, but the way he touched her, held her close, was more than she expected. More than she wanted. When he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers, Ashleigh tried to breathe normally.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, his breath warm against her cheek.
“For what?” She didn’t want apologies, she wanted to go home and forget this night ever happened.
“For making this awkward.”
“Well, I think it’s safe to say it’s not your fault.”
“In a way, it was.” Alex pulled away, taking her hand in his and walking toward the steps that led down into the yard. When he stopped and sat, she had no choice but to follow suit.
“I’ve waited a long time for this, Ash.”
Ashleigh sat motionless; her hand enveloped in his much larger, much warmer one. The deep rumble of his voice was like warm honey sliding over her skin and the remnants of his kiss had her lips tingling.
“Me too.” She admitted when he didn’t continue. “But that doesn’t mean it’ll work out.” There were no guarantees, she knew, and just because they had spent years dodging one another, the thrill of the chase leaving them both wanting more, didn’t mean anything.
“I think we should start over.”
Staring out at the water shimmering in the moonlight, Ashleigh contemplated how they could do that. Starting over usually meant that everything in the past was to be forgotten. Her problem? She couldn’t forget the past. Even if he couldn’t remember it.
But sitting here beside him, Ashleigh was content for the first time in as long as she could remember.
“What if it’s not that easy?” Ashleigh asked him, the question weighing heavily on her mind.
“Why couldn’t we? We deserve to give this a chance.”
Give what a chance? The chemistry? Where would that leave her when it was all over? Ashleigh didn’t like the idea of giving in to this man for however long he was willing to have her only to be left wanting something she knew he would never give her.
Then there was the experience issue. Alex was so far out of her league when it came to experience with the type of sexual chemistry that pulsated around them when they touched. At twenty eight years old, it was difficult to admit it, but she was a virgin. The closest she had ever come to having intercourse had been with the very man sitting beside her, and they had never even gotten out of their clothes.
How would he handle knowing that? It wasn’t like she was going to tell him. Or maybe she should, just to gauge his reaction.
She couldn’t answer his question because she was confused. Confused and scared of her answer. Instead, she glanced over at him, “I really should be going.”
Alex nodded his head, acknowledging that, for now, the subject was closed. Before she could stand, Alex made his way to his feet, gently pulling her up by her hand until she stood nearly at his height on the steps.
“Just so we’re clear, I can be relentless in my pursuit of what I want.” Alex said calmly, quietly. “And I want you, Ashleigh. I’ve always wanted you.”
Ashleigh swallowed down her rebuttal, wanting desperately to remind him that he had been the one to push her away all those years ago. He had been the one to turn and run when she would have so easily given in to him.
“You don’t know anything about me, Alex.” She warned him, knowing that if he knew who she was, this would be all the more difficult.
“I know more than you think I do.”
But not the pertinent parts, she thought to herself.
“Let me walk you out.” Alex offered, taking her hand.
Surprising her yet again, Alex didn’t plant another soul scorching kiss on her before she left. Instead, he told her to expect the unexpected.
The good thing was… that was her motto.
~~*~~*~~
Alex did as he promised, he gave Ashleigh space. How he managed, he still wondered.
For the last two weeks, he’d only seen her twice. Once they had gone to Club Destiny for drinks, which he’d practically had to beg her to do, and the other time, he had convinced her to go horseback riding.
If he never got on the back of a horse again, it would be too soon. Although there weren’t any mishaps, thank goodness, Alex much preferred to keep his feet planted firmly on the ground. Not have his ass perched on top of an animal that could crush him if his mood changed.
She had laughed at his obvious distaste, which as it turns out, only made him want her more. And hadn’t that been a swift kick in the ass. The staying away from her part was what got him the most.
Thankfully he’d been a little preoccupied with other things. First of all, work. CISS was eating up all of his time which had led him to finally reach out to Cole Ackerley. Admittedly, he needed help and Ackerley was one of the best in the PR department. Having him come onboard would reduce some of the stress on Alex.
Since Dylan wasn’t quite pulling his own weight, Alex was trying to cover that as well, which was beginning to pull him under. It wasn’t that Dylan didn’t have the necessary skills to succeed, but the man seemed to be lacking the motivation. And that was the reason Alex was taking the time to meet with Dylan for lunch.
“Table for two, please.” Alex told the hostess when he entered the restaurant.
Due to their conflicting schedules, Alex had opted to meet for a late lunch so they could be on neutral ground for the conversation that was inevitable. Since the restaurant was more or less empty, Alex didn’t need to request a table that would offer a little privacy.
The hostess seated him promptly, and he advised that he was expecting someone. When the waiter stopped by, he ordered two beers and then began checking his email on his phone while he waited.
Prompt as always, Dylan joined him a few minutes later.
“Hey.” Alex greeted his friend and business partner as Dylan took the empty seat across from him.
“Is it just the two of us?”
Nodding his head, Alex grabbed a menu from the holder on the table. “I ordered you a beer.” Then he found himself stalling.
Earlier that day, the idea of this meeting had been a good one. The conversation had played out seamlessly in his mind while he drove to the restaurant, but now that Dylan was sitting across from him, he was beginning to have second thoughts.
The two men perused the menu, drank their beers, chit chatted about nothing significant and otherwise avoided the issues at hand. When the waiter came back around they ordered then waited for him to step away again.
“Spill it.” Dylan stated in his laid back Texas drawl so much like his grandfathers. “I know you have more appealing choices in lunch companions, so why don’t you just cut to the chase."
“Alright.” Alex said, downing the rest of his beer before signaling the waiter to bring another. Dylan was right, Alex just needed to come out and say it. “I don’t know any other way to say this, but when I asked you to come onboard, I wasn’t looking for a receptionist.”
Dylan’s reaction wasn’t one of surprise, or even anger, which was what Alex originally expected. Instead, he glanced down at the table briefly before meeting Alex’s eyes once more.
With a resigned sigh, Alex elaborated. “When I asked you to be a partner in CISS, I didn’t mean a silent partner. I didn’t need money, and I don’t need someone to answer the phones.” Alex told him, all of the pent up frustration coming to the surface. “You sit around the office answering the damn phones like it’s what you were born to do.”
“Someone has to answer the phones.” Dylan remarked without heat.
“But not you. Fucking hire someone. Or just have them forwarded to my phone like they’ve always been.” Alex told him, sitting back in his chair. “Look. We’ve been friends for a long time. I know what you went through, and I’m still so very sorry, but, Dylan, she’s been gone for eight years.”
“I know.” The sadness in Dylan’s eyes shone bright, making Alex feel like a jackass.
“Meghan wouldn’t want you to stop living. Now that the kids are older, you’ve got the rest of your life ahead of you, man.”
“Preaching to the choir, brother.” Dylan said, taking a long swallow of beer. “I’ve heard it all before, and I’ll tell you the same thing I tell everyone else. You don’t know what it’s like. You don’t know what it’s like to go from one day having the love of your life and your best friend right there beside you, only to have her taken completely away the next. She’s gone, and I feel like I died right along with her. The only thing that has kept me going was taking care of my kids. Now that they’re old enough to take care of themselves, I don’t have anything else.”
“Bullshit, man.” Alex bellowed, sitting forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the table. “You know that’s a load of shit, Dylan. You’ve got Stacey and Nate, Xavier, Ashleigh. Every one of them depends on you. Needs you.”
“I get it.”
Alex knew he wasn’t telling Dylan anything he didn’t know already, but when it came to CISS, he needed to take it to the next level. Bringing on Samantha and now Cole meant they were equipped to branch out. Something Alex had dreamed of. And he wanted Dylan to be part of that.
“Cole accepted my offer,” Alex said, changing to a less sensitive subject. “He’s officially onboard starting next week.”
“That’s great news.” Dylan stated, picking at the label on his beer bottle. “I think he’s just what we need to help divert some of the strain off of you. And yes, I know I need to do more.”
Alex wanted to hear how Dylan planned to do that.
The waiter interrupted, bringing their food and offering them a brief reprieve. Alex took the opportunity and let Dylan breathe for a minute.
When Alex finished, in record time no doubt thanks to not eating that morning, he pushed his plate away and downed more of his second beer. “What’s your plan?” He prompted.
Dylan pushed his plate away, then leaned back in his chair, propping his elbow on the empty chair beside him. “Since the residential security services are growing astronomically, I think I’m going to focus on that. I’ve got some ideas, and I want to bring on a couple of people – sales people.”
Alex noted the renewed interest in his partner’s eyes. Dylan needed something to focus on and bringing him onboard had been one of the best decisions he’d made. Once Dylan took off, there would be no stopping him, Alex knew.
Dylan continued before Alex could contribute. “We’ve got all the installers we need, and I want to hire someone to manage them, but I need some folks driving sales. What do you think?”
“I think this is the reason I wanted you to go in business with me, man. You’ve got great ideas and the direction you’re going is one I wish I had time for before now. Do you have any candidates for the sales positions?”
“I’ve got one. Guy named Jake. I went to school with his aunt. If you know of anyone, send them my way. I’d like to get them hired by the end of next week if possible.” Dylan’s voice had gained a significant amount of confidence.
“I’ve got a couple, actually.” Alex added.
This was the Dylan Thomas he had known before his wife had succumbed to cancer eight long years ago. The man who stopped at nothing to accomplish his goals. The man who was like the Energizer bunny… kept on going because each idea was bigger and better than the one before.
“Alex, I want to thank you.” Dylan interrupted Alex’s thoughts, surprising him.
“For what?” Alex asked. “I should be apologizing –”
“Don’t.” Dylan stated adamantly, his tone containing none of the laid back country boy that Alex was used to. “I needed this. I need to get on with my life. Moving was the first step, which I can thank my sister for. Speaking of…”
Oh shit. Alex hadn’t expected the sudden topic change, and he wasn’t quite ready to talk to Dylan about his little sister.
“I’ve heard you and Ashleigh are seeing each other.” The laid back, country drawl was present once again. Alex wasn’t deceived by his friend any more than he was by Xavier when he pulled the same stunt.
“We’re seeing each other.” Confirming Dylan’s statement, Alex wasn’t willing to go further. “Trust me, man. You don’t have to warn me off of her. I’ve been doing it for years. I can only promise you that I won’t intentionally hurt her. As for anything else, I don’t know, but I’m going to see where it goes.”
Dylan laughed, making Alex’s back straighten.
“Man, I was just gonna ask whether you were taking her to Luke’s reception.”
Fuck. Way to speak out of turn, McDermott.
“But now that you mention it,” Dylan began, “I trust you have her best interest in mind. She’s my little sister, and I’m protective of her, but you already knew that. I don’t want her hurt, but she’s also a big girl who can take care of herself. You won’t see me trying to interfere.” Another laugh. “But I can’t say the same for Pops. You know he’s going to be all over this as soon as he gets word.”
Oh, Alex was more than aware of what Xavier would have to say as soon as the news got out. Even if Xavier did have a hand in pulling the two of them together, he’d still have something to say.
Alex didn’t look forward to that day.