Taut: The Ford Book

“I like the game. Now you’ve wasted almost five minutes so far. We can keep it up or you can give in, be quiet, and trust me.”

I get a long sigh from her and I almost laugh. “Poor, poor Ashleigh.” My right hand glides over her hip and my fingers slip between her legs. She lets out a small moan. “Her empathy for me”—I slip one finger in and stroke her—“is almost overwhelming.” I pump her a few times and she responds, but not as well as she did the other night in the hallway. “Stand up.”

She obeys immediately this time but she doesn’t try and look at me, and that’s what I really like. Ashleigh is not submissive. I can tell. She gives in when she has to and she’s vulnerable right now because she’s in a tight spot with her car and money, but she’s not easily subdued. So getting her to obey is a big deal and brings me a lot of satisfaction.

Not like Rook, who would do things so willingly if I approached the request the right way. Rook needed very little prodding when I was asking her for compliance. She was extremely submissive and responded to firm and gentle guidance. Rook responds to kindness the way some subs respond to punishment. That stupid f**k Jon had no idea how precious she was. He abused her and that still pisses me the f**k off. I’d never smack Rook on the ass. I could never correct her physically. Ever. Not even if we were playing. But I liked that about her. I liked that she could be controlled with kind words instead of harsh actions.

She was the perfect girl for me. Totally willing, yet so gentle and innocent.

Ashleigh breaks my little daydream about Rook and peeks around her shoulder, like she’s waiting for me to do something. I grab a bottle of baby wash that she must’ve put in here. It smells like baby powder. I squeeze some on her back and begin washing her. Rook would like a gentle shower, I bet—

“OK, I quit.” Ashleigh flips the shower head back to its normal position and turns so she can wash the soap off her back.

“What the hell are you doing now?”

“Forget it. I don’t need a question answered that bad.” The water rolls down her face and she flicks the wet hair out of her eyes.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m not sure who you were just thinking about taking a shower with, but it wasn’t me. And you know what?” She points her finger up at my face. “Fuck you.” She throws open the curtain and steps out of the tub. “Just—fuck you.” She grabs a towel and wraps it around her and walks out. Leaving me standing there with a hard-on.

I chuckle a little at her defiance but I’m glad she can’t hear me. Because I get the feeling Ashleigh might punch me in the teeth if she heard me laughing at her right now.

Fucking girls. No, not f**king girls. This f**king girl. She’s trying to push me over the edge with her antics.

But I have all day in the truck to cool her off, and maybe if I drive straight through we can make it to Vegas and stop for a day of fun tomorrow. I’ll even get us a nice suite at The Four Seasons.

So I could care less that she’s off pouting—and changing a dirty diaper, I add with a smug smile. Because I have her undivided attention for two more days and I plan on making the most of them. Mrs. Pearson was right, I’m not one to let an opportunity go to waste.

Chapter Twenty

I pull into Jason’s parking lot a few hours later. He called me around nine and said he was done, but f**king Ashleigh had to get all her crap together, so right now it’s almost noon. She’s not talking to me either. In fact, she’s sitting in the back of the van with the baby so she’s not tempted.

I let her do her thing. She’ll crack after an hour in the Bronco with no radio.

“OK,” I tell her as I turn the van off. “You get all your shit together and put it in the Bronco, buckle the kid in, and I’ll be right back.”

I get no answer, but I don’t wait for one anyway. I push through the door of the garage and Jason is talking on the phone. He chats about the ski contest yesterday in Loveland, then something about family dinner and then pops off with an I love you. Must be his wife.

“OK, Ford, you’re all set,” he says after hanging up the phone. “Transmission’s good as new. I gave you a few new hoses, got the heater running, changed the oil, rotated the tires, and put on new wipers. I figured you deserved the red carpet treatment since I overcharged you by almost five thousand dollars.” He smiles broadly.

“You’re a dick.”

“I’m not gonna start the girl’s car until Thursday at the earliest, since you’re taking care of her. So tell her it’ll be about two weeks. Just call me with an address and I’ll set up the haul for you.” He slides the keys over the counter and grabs the printout of my services and holds it out. “Don’t be a stranger, Ford. Everyone is talking about you. You’re like the biggest news this f**king town has seen in months.”

“Everyone who?”

“All the poker buddies. We still have poker nights on Saturdays at the community center. Sandy Ralston was there, too. She’s the local reporter these days. Gonna do a big story on you and your criminal past and put it in the Vail Daily tomorrow.”

“What criminal past?”

We both look over at the door and Ashleigh is standing there with the baby in her arms.

“I told you to put the stuff in the truck.”

She rolls her eyes and walks up next to us. “Door’s locked, genius. Now what’s this about a criminal past?”