A Long Goodbye (12 page)

I shuddered as his mouth skipped over and landed on the inside my thigh just short of my happy place. With his teeth, Woody slowly gripped a hold of them, tugging them down until they were down to my knees. His hand worked them down the rest of the way until I couldn’t feel them anymore. I was never so aroused, so on fire before and I knew he could he tell and I didn’t care if I made a fool out of myself tonight. If I messed up something, I was almost positive he wouldn’t care. He moved his amazing mouth back and forth; up and down so slow up both my legs that I thought I was going to combust. Woody moved his face closer slightly grazing his lips against my happy place. And damn did he know how to make it smile.

“Woody,” I called out as his hand slowly came up grabbing my hand in his. I was pretty sure my other hand was bleeding from digging my nails into my palm while his mouth tasted all of me.

Almost driving me to the point of outright screaming was when he finally relented and moved up my body, kissing along the way. “I knew you were going to be sweet. I love the way you taste,” he whispered as his mouth caressed mine.

Feeling bold, I grabbed his head bringing it down until his lips and mine met once more. I bit down on his bottom lip and suckled on it for a minute. “You going to keep whispering sweet nothings in my ear, or you going to do what you promised earlier?”

Woody propped himself up with his hands, grinning wickedly down at me. “I like this side of you, Grace.” Woody pushed back until he was standing. Without taking my eyes off of him, he slipped out of his jeans and tee shirt, but not before grabbing a certain foil packet out of his wallet. “I want to see you let go. You promise me that right now,” Woody said, as he stood in front of me in all his naked glory.

“I promise. Now get down here and be with me.”

I was graced with his cocky grin once more before he crawled next to me. With my panties off and lying somewhere in the dirt, I knew I was fully exposed as he eyeballed every part of my body before his hand slowly caressed my face and smiled.

Woody slithered his way down to my toes, each foot in one of his hands. I sat up on my elbows waiting to see what he was going to do next. Which was a bold move for me since usually I kept my eyes sealed shut and just went with the motions. I didn’t have to wait long. “Grace, I’m going to kiss every inch of you and then I’m going to make love to you like you should be loved every night. And, baby, before I’m done, I’m going to make you cum so hard you’re going to forget your name.”

And I did.

Twice.

CHAPTER 20

DANE

She had fallen asleep in my arms as I watched the fireflies flash every few seconds over the pond. Waking up the next morning with her on my arm, which was now pins and needles, she looked so peaceful and content that I didn’t have the heart to move. Looking down at her, she looked like a dream come true to me. Her hair was spread out on my chest, her naked body wrapped around mine.

She didn’t see my scars, but I knew she felt them and not once did she flinch, or shy away from them. Those scars were a part of me and she seemed to accept them. I never told her the story, but I assumed she understood. Usually that was a fear of mine. My scars. But this morning my only fear was that she had had too much to drink last night and would wake up regretting me. I knew the moment I slipped inside of her, after all that time trying to hold myself together, that I was coming unglued. And damn if I didn’t wake up loving that little girl with all my heart.

After a short time, I felt her stir as the sun was high in the sky, the sound of crickets chirping, frogs croaking and birds singing in the trees made the perfect alarm clock. I braced myself as she sat up, wrapping her arms around her chest. I reached next to me and handed Grace her bra and panties to put on. She smiled but stayed quiet as a mouse. I continued to watch as she ran her hand through her hair, once she was fully clothed. I however was as naked as a jaybird. She brushed the grass and dirt off her dress the best she could, still unable to look at me. And I was getting fucking nervous with each move and each word not spoken yet.

Grace quickly made her way to my truck, grabbed her purse. She popped something into her mouth, and then came back over. She reached down, picking up my briefs and handed them off to me. “Woody I need to ask you something since last night and all.”

I slipped on my briefs, while keeping my eyes on her. “Anything.”

“What’s your real name?”

“Woody. My friends call me Woody. I told you.”

“What?” she asked exasperated. “Woody, you and I just made love. I want to know who it was with.” She sounded hurt and desperate.

I closed my eyes feeling the life being sucked out of me. I wasn’t sure if I should lie, tell her the truth, or just remain quiet and hope she accepted the silence.

“Woody do you like me at all?” Each word pained me as she spoke. I could hear the doubt and questions in her voice.

“Grace,” I shook my head. “Of course, I do.”

Anger flashed in her eyes along with the hurt. Her hands balled into little fists beside her. “Then tell me your name?”

“Is it really going to make a difference for you to know my birth name,
Grace
?” Even I heard the accusation in my tone when I said her name, as if I knew she’d been lying.

She cocked her head to the side and whispered, “It does to me.”

I took her hands in mine. “Grace last night was amazing, the best of my life. Can’t you let this one go?”

She shook her head. “Woody I lied to you last night.”

“About what?” I asked confused.

“It is going to hurt to walk away from you.” She had tears in her eyes and I had just about all I could.

“Then don’t walk away, Grace. Stay with me here and then we’ll figure something out.”

“You want me to stay?”

“Or let me go with y’all to Miami. Just don’t walk away yet.”

She sniffled as she wiped away the remaining tears that I knew weren’t going to be the last ones I caused. “I’d like that a lot.”

I reached out to pull her closer, tucking both sides of her hair behind her. “Now stop crying and kiss me good morning.” As soon as her mouth hit mine, I figured out what it was she had stuck in her mouth earlier. A mint. I smiled into her lips loving that she was worried about me caring over her morning breath.

Back at the hotel Grace insisted that I come in and drop her off to her room. Apparently, she was over me just leaving her to head in by herself. We had just passed the lobby restaurant when a woman called out my name. “Well, I’ll be! Woody is that you?”

Grace’s hand tightened in mine, but I turned to peer over my shoulder toward the semi-familiar voice. “It’s me Regina Mason. How’ve you been? I can’t believe you’re in Nashville and didn’t call me.” Regina took in the way I held Grace possessively and sneered.

“Gina it’s good to see you.” Inwardly I cringed when I looked her. She didn’t hold a candle to Grace and honestly I must have drank a lot more than I thought back then, because she was the complete opposite of the type a woman I went for.

“Well, who’s this?” Regina practically spat out.

Regina had been an old flame that lasted about a week while AJ and a few other boys ripped through Nashville back when we were all between deployments.

I pulled Grace closer by wrapping my arm around her waist. “This is my girl, Grace. Grace this is a very
old
friend, Regina.”

Regina took a step closer, shaking her head before she pushed me playfully on my shoulder. “I hardly think two years makes me that old of a friend.” As she finished her sentence, I could hear the jealousy bounce off of the word friend as she eyed Grace standing next to me. I knew this stupid girl game. Hell, I learned it back in the sixth grade. Girls and jealousy were two things that did not make a winning combination.

I glared at Regina. “Nice seeing you and all, but we have plans. So, if you’ll excuse us.” I pulled Grace along hearing her shoes click on the floor as she tried to keep up. Regina made an exasperated sigh as we hurried away, but said no more.

Grace stepped quietly toward the elevator and then hit the button to head up. “Do I even want to know?” She asked as she stepped inside.

I shook my head. “Probably not.”

She spared me a quick glance that broke my heart. “Okay.” Grace sighed and I could tell meeting Regina had put a damper on her mood. So, I wanted to lift it back up and see that smile that I fell in love with the first time she gave me one. I never thought I’d do this mushy bullshit again after Bethany. I thought I’d marry someone that I liked enough and start a family with her, raise some horses on the farm, and keep working with Jason. Never did I think that I, Dane Woods would do things I never thought I’d do, or think with one Ashton Grace Winslow. And, trust me; men did some stupid shit when love blinded them.

“So, are we staying in Nashville, or heading to Miami soon? Either way I’m looking forward to it, but if I can add my opinion, I’d love to spend it on a beach with you.” I playfully pushed her back until she hit the mirrored wall. Hell, I was to the point that if she told me we were going to China, I’d dig the hole and follow her like a lovesick puppy dog. I had seven days left and I wanted to make the most of them. In the meantime, I needed to figure out how to keep Ashton in my life and her father from finding out. No way was I handing her over to the likes of Trevor Owens, but there wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to let anything happen to my brother’s business either.

“I don’t know. Let me talk to Lu, okay?”

I swept a piece of her hair and tucked it behind her ear, and then leaned down to take a taste of her lips. “Mmm-mmm, I could do that all day.”

Grace tipped her head to the side, allowing me access to her sumptuous neck. “Stop kidding, Woody,” she purred into my ear.

“Any chance I missed sex on an elevator on that list? Cause, girl, you say the word and I’ll stop this thing.”

Grace quickly pecked my lips, but wrapped her arms around my waist. “In your dreams.”

I grabbed her ass with both my hands and then planted one her. “After last night, Grace, I don’t think I’ll ever get you outta my head. Even when I’m sleeping.” She smiled just as the elevator opened up to our floor.

CHAPTER 21

ASHTON

That boy could melt my heart with his words. Woody seemed to care about me and this was either going to be the best long goodbye ever, or the worst. One I wouldn’t recover from.

I could feel his eyes burning a hole through my dress staring at my behind as we walked toward my room. Woody’s hands slipped back just where they were before, only this time he squeezed my backside just as he pressed me up against the door. “Am I gonna see you later?”

“I’ll see what I can work out.”

He kissed me once, twice, and sweetly too. “You do that.” Woody pulled me into his arms burying his head in my neck. The door swung open revealing Lu standing there in her nightie. “I thought I heard you out here.” I looked at Lu and then Woody who had his eyebrows raised, but then he swung those baby blues back to me. “I’ll ring your room later,” he whispered as he pulled me to the side. Lu was waiting at the door, tapping her nail file against the wood trim, impatiently.

“I should go,” I said even though I hated not spending every minute with him.

I stepped out of his grip, but he pulled me back in. “Where do you think you’re going?”

I looked back at Lu still standing in the doorframe, smirking. “I gotta run. Lu’s waiting on me.”

He smiled. “I know that, but you didn’t kiss me good-bye.”

“Lu’s right here,” I mumbled.

“I don’t give a rat’s ass who’s watching. Now give me those lips before I take them.”

“Fi-”

He took them without waiting.

After ushering Lu back inside, I slammed the door and swung my gaze back to her. “What was that?”

She shrugged as she poured herself a cup of coffee from the hotel room pot. “What?”

“LuLuBelle Trainor, don’t act stupid with me. Why the hell would you come out in your nightie?” I fumed and even though I was jealous of her body sometimes, I knew I shouldn’t be.

“It was a test all right. Don’t worry he passed. He only has eyes for you.”

I harrumphed and then sat on the couch. “Lu, I’m in trouble.”

She sat down and pulled me to her. “What do you mean?”

“Woody and I… Well, let’s just say a one-night stand, or rather a two-week, one-night stand isn’t up my alley.”

She bit down on her lip trying to hide her excitement. “How was he?”

“He was amazing, Lu. So amazing, I don’t think I can let go of him,” I said, dreamily remembering the way his mouth rained kisses all over me, and the way my toes curled when he took me straight up to heaven.

“All right, girl what do you want to do about him?”

I smiled unable to hide my feelings. “He wants to come to Miami. You don’t think that’s too crazy do you?” I prayed she’d agree, or at least tell me I wasn’t losing my mind, along with my heart.

“I think we need to go get you the smallest, itty bitty bikini that is going to knock his socks off is what I think.”

“Really?”

She pulled me in and kissed my forehead. “This trip was for you to have fun and break away from your daddy, Ash. If Woody is what you want, then take that chance.”

“What’s going to happen when the trip is over?”

She tugged on my hair playfully. “I don’t know, but don’t worry about it right now. And, Ash more than anything you need to keep your emotions separate because he will most likely keep walking.”

“I don’t think he will.”

“They all do, honey. The bad ones, the good ones, and even the semi-promising ones, they all walk away.” I hated this side of Lu. Her mother had ruined the way she thought of love, men, and relationships. The only one that lasted was the two of us as friends. And that was because Lu learned early on to trust me after proving to her that I had her back more than once as we grew up.

“All right, Lu,” I whispered, but by the time I agreed to her heartless statement, I was concocting a plan to land her a man she could trust when we got home.