Page 61

She giggles. “Not that. Well,that. But also because the girl in the movie always gets murdered during the shower or bath scene, especially if she’s in the middle of the woods.”

“You’re not going to get murdered on my watch.”

“I know.”

She kisses me while her hands fumble with my belt and zipper, taking a second to palm my cock, which is quickly waking up.

“I thought you didn’t want me again until you were covered in the appropriate amount of lavender lotion,” I say, through a smile.

“Vanilla, actually, and I always want your cock. You’re coming in with me, cowboy.”

Chapter 16

Ashley

Gavin’seyesareemotionalchaos, revealing that he’s warring with himself. It’s a myth that it’s always the woman who overthinks because Gavin is a champion at the sport.

I hate that he must have turned over what I did to him millions of times. There’s no doubt that he wondered why I left without another word, what he did wrong, and the truth behind all the rumors and accusations.

It was cruel of me to leave him hanging. I know how prone to anxiety he is when it comes to the people he loves. Hell, I’m probably the only one who knows that about him other than Bobby.

I was scared. I was selfish. I was stupid.

But now I’m tired of thinking.

Tired of suffocating under regrets.

We’re in a secluded bubble at the cabin, which is going to burst as soon as we drive back into town. It will be like entering a portal into the past.

Gavin wants to be my protector now. But who knows how he’s going to feel when the hatred of everyone around us bounces off me and hits him. I can’t expect him to sacrifice his standing in the community and his peace of mind over me.

I’m not staying in Montana, and I’m no longer this man’s forever.

All we have is right now.

But I also need him to be sure about what we do next because I’ve caused him enough heartache to last a lifetime.

I halt my desperate effort to get him naked so I can cup his jaw, and he nuzzles into the tender contact.

God, I’ve missed him.

Missed this.

And seeing him again was a punch in the face that reminded me just how much.

I’ve always been an expert at compartmentalizing and pushing away feelings that hurt. Running from problems I didn’t want to face. Hurting people before they could hurt me.

And now I’m surrounded by my goddamn mistakes.

“Do you want me?” I ask tentatively. “We don’t have to do anything–”

His response is to kick his jeans off and kiss me, his hands exploring the curves of my naked body while I strip him out of his shirt.

He pulls his boxer briefs off and then gestures down at his hard cock, the familiar grin that I love so damn much lighting his face.

“Does this look like a response from a man whodoesn’twant you?”

“I know your dick wants me, cowboy,” I say against his mouth. I raise my hands to his temples and rub them gently before running my fingers through his hair and massaging his scalp. “I want to make sure your head is in the right place. I don’t… I don’t want to hurt you.”