Chaste (McCullough Mountain) (30 page)

She
couldn’t breathe. Something would interfere at any second and reality would
return. What game was this? She needed to push hard enough so it would stop.
Assuming he was serious, they’d have to address certain measures. Maybe if she
brought them up he’d balk and knock it off. “You’d have to ask my father.”

“Will
he shoot at me?”

“Only
a little, but he’s never been as good as me with a rifle.”

He
nodded. “I’ll ask him.”

Her
entire body froze. Was this happening? She called his bluff again. “And you’ll
have to go to church. I won’t have a sinner for a husband.”

He
grinned wickedly. “That’s what confession’s for, love. Once I get to wife you
up, I plan on doing a whole lot of sinning in our marriage bed.”

Heat
washed over her shoulders and crept up her face. She laughed. Some ridiculously
fanciful part of her grabbed on and skepticism surrendered to naivety. It was
just easier to believe they could work. “That’s the beauty of it, Kelly. If
we’re wed, there’s no sin.”

He
groaned. “So should we go to Vegas tonight?”

It
was all banter in good fun. She played along, because she no longer possessed
the strength to be the level headed one. “No. I’ll be expecting a traditional
wedding where my daddy walks me down the aisle.”

“How
long does that take to plan?”

Long enough for the joke to stop being
funny. Long enough for you to come to your senses. Long enough for you to
abandon me again, once and for all.
She
shrugged. “I have no idea. I’m the least girlie girl in Center County.”

“Can
I kiss you now?”

Actions
were so much more serious than words. She sobered. No matter that he was toying
with her, she wanted to believe it was true. Just a few more minutes of make
believe and she’d walk away to lick her wounds in private. How far would he go
with this ruse?

It
was all subterfuge, but it seemed necessary to hold back the pain. Just a few
more minutes of postponing the inevitable. One last kiss. In a rough voice, she
whispered, “You better.”

He
stood so fast his chair tipped to the floor and she flinched. Rounding the
table, a predator with his eye on his prey, he closed in on her. She giggled,
perhaps out of apprehension and trepidation, as he scooped her into his arms
and plopped her on the table.

His
eyes met hers and he smiled. “You smell like the earth and sweat. I love it.”

She
stilled, the joke no longer funny. It was a very small, but crucial detail. All
jokes aside, there was something different in his demeanor, something pained
and almost desperate. She loved Kelly, but did he love her?

“Kelly—”

“Marry
me, Ashlynn. I’ll learn to be the husband you deserve.”

He
appeared so resolute, so serious. Her heart swelled with so much hope and
groundless optimism her shoulders ached. “Okay.”

His
lips brushed hers and her lashes lowered. Everything was numb. Each touch
seemed more a hallucination than actuality. What if he actually married her? Could
she marry a man who wasn’t in love with her? Would that be what eventually
happened to her anyway? Perhaps she loved him enough for both of them.

As
his lips pressed to hers and her toes curled inside her boots, she decided
they’d work out the details later. For now she wanted the fantasy.

Chapter Ten

As
Ashlynn drove them to her father’s house, Kelly was impressed with how calm he
was. She’d sputtered when he’d asked her to take him there. Did she think he
was joking? She seemed stuck in a daze ever since, her pale little brow
creasing with confusion above those sexy glasses.

He’d
never expected to see Ashlynn, let alone propose marriage. The words sort of
slipped out, but once they were out he wanted to hear what she’d say. More than
anything in the world he wanted to hear her say
yes
.

The
way she looked at him was different from every other woman who saw him. No one
saw him the way Ashlynn did. Women had called him many flattering things, but
none had to do with the true fiber of who he was. It all had to do with what he
could make them feel or how he’d managed to make them purr. Looking back on it
all, it was cheap. But the way Ashlynn watched him, she saw value inside of him
somewhere no one else dared to look.

She
honestly believed he was redeemable and good, so much so, her patience and
conviction was starting to convince him he wasn’t a lost cause. For whatever reason
she found value in him, it told him he could do this. It wouldn’t be easy and
he was bound to screw up—a lot—but he could do it if she never lost that faith
in him. If there was one thing he knew about Ashlynn, it was that she was a
woman who diligently committed herself to the things she had faith in. Such
devotion had never been offered to him before.
  
 

Staying
away from her had been torture. He didn’t want his presence to provoke any bad
memories of the episode with Evan or so he told himself. Their entire time
apart had been wrapped up in a mental debate where he called himself a
spineless puss and a second later promised he’d made the right choice by
backing off. His head had been a mess, but through it all his desire for this
woman never wavered. As a matter of fact, it grew.

His
fantasies of Ashlynn naked morphed into fantasies of simply hearing her voice,
knowing what was on her mind, seeing her smile. His curiosity about how she was
spending her days ate at him morning, noon, and night. He’d kept away because
he knew he wanted to sleep with her—of course he did—but after a while he just
wanted to talk to her. Now he’d have her forever, always there to chat with and
hold close. Soon enough the sex would come too and he had no doubt that would
be incredible.

With
every passing minute a new level of calm settled over him. This was a good
choice. His decision, once stated, became an irrefutable truth.

As
they turned onto the Fisher property he considered his own family. They’d think
he’d lost his mind, which was a big possibility. He should probably be
preparing what he was going to say to Ashlynn’s father, but he was surprisingly
at ease.

His
fiancée
turned the truck and her childhood home came into view. It was
another colonial, simple like Ashlynn’s. Although it was dark out, he could
tell it was a nice, sturdy house. His future father-in-law was simple country
folk and he liked that. His mum would like that.

As
she parked the truck her fingers tightly gripped the steering wheel.

“You
okay, Ash?”

She
nodded, but looked a little pale. “Just a little nervous. If this is a prank,
now’s the time to tell me.”

He
frowned and opened the door. “Come on.”

Her
show of nervousness disrupted his calm. “He’s not really going to shoot me,
right?”

She
gave an unfinished laugh, her mouth lifting only into the slightest smile. “I
don’t know. I’ve never done this before.”

Figuring
he better start applying his chivalrous skills, he climbed out of the truck and
went to get her door. Ashlynn jumped down and he gripped her elbow. “Hey, it’ll
be all right. This is a good thing,” he reminded her, hoping he’d told the
truth.

He
followed her up the steps. She knocked twice as she pushed open the door.
“Daddy?”

“Sug?”
A man called from somewhere in the house. “I thought you weren’t coming when I
didn’t hear from you. I’ll get the cards.”

Kelly
followed her into the den where some lamps were lit. Her father lifted himself
out of an
Eazy
Boy chair. “Daddy, I brought someone
to meet you.”

Roy
Fisher stilled and eyed Kelly, rising to his full height and narrowing his
gaze. Ashlynn’s father was a lean man, still in good shape. He tugged on his
flannel shirt and held out his hand. “Roy Fisher. I’m Ashlynn’s father. And you
are?”

Kelly
took the man’s hand and shook. “Nice to meet you, sir. I’m Kelly McCullough.”

Roy
frowned. “Kelly? Now, I know your parents, know your brother, Colin, and your
sister, Katherine, but I’m afraid I don’t know you, son.”

“Kelly
graduated with me, Daddy.” Ashlynn stood, posture anxious, hands wringing at
her waist.

Roy
nodded. “Nice to meet you, Kelly. Why don’t we have a seat? What are you kids
up to?”

Kelly
followed Ashlynn to the couch and sat.

“Lynn,
honey, why don’t you see if there’s some sweet tea in the fridge?” Roy said,
and Ashlynn gave Kelly a nervous look.

He
nodded. He wasn’t afraid of her father.

When
Ashlynn left, Roy’s eyes narrowed again. “I can’t say I know you, Kelly, but I
know
of
you. Mind telling me what you’re doing with my daughter?”

Kelly
stiffened. Maybe he was a
little
nervous. “Ashlynn and I have been
friends for quite some time.”

“How
long?”

“A
few months.”

“Define
friends.”

Okay,
this wasn’t going as he’d expected. Maybe he should go give her a hand with the
tea. “We dated for a bit.”

Roy’s
jaw twitched. “My daughter’s a good girl, Kelly. I’d hate to pass judgment
before I know a person, but your reputation precedes you. Are you dating my
daughter now?”

Ashlynn
rushed back in and Kelly noted the hurried way she carried the drinks. “Here
you go, Daddy. So what have you two been chatting about?”

Kelly
narrowed his eyes and sipped his tea. Damn! This family had the best iced tea.

“Kelly,
here, was telling me that you two dated. I wasn’t aware.”

Ashlynn
blushed. “Oh, well, we, um, yes.”

Roy
frowned. “Are you two a couple now?”

Kelly
took her hand and squeezed. Her palms were sweating. “Yes,” he said, meeting
the other man’s gaze. “That’s actually why we’re here.”

Roy’s
brow lifted. “Go on.”

Kelly
swallowed and cleared his throat. “I’ve asked Ashlynn to marry me.”

All
traces of friendliness vanished from the other man’s face. In a gruff voice, he
said, “Ashlynn, get my gun.”

She
laughed nervously. “Daddy—”

He
turned to his daughter and scowled. “You
cannot
marry this man. He’s a
scoundrel. Everyone knows it. He owns a bar and doesn’t go to church and—”

Ashlynn’s
lips thinned as her shoulders lifted. “Daddy!” she hissed.

Kelly
cleared his throat. “With all due respect, sir, stepping into a church doesn’t
make a man Christian any more than standing in a garage makes him a car. I was
born Catholic and my parents raised me so. I do own a bar, and because I own my
own business, the hours aren’t always agreeable with Sunday morning mass, but
it’s something I’d be willing to work on…for Ashlynn.”

Roy
held up his hands and shook his head. “I’m sorry, the answer is no.”

“Sir,
I care for your daughter very much.”

Roy
turned his glare on Kelly. “Do you think I’m a fool, boy? I know what you’re
after. Ashlynn’s too smart for this.” He turned back to his daughter and said,
“Sugar bear, you have to see through this scheme.”

Kelly
saw tears shimmering in her eyes. His jaw locked and he stood. “I didn’t come
here to be disrespectful by any means, Mr. Fisher, but…your daughter’s a grown
woman.” Father or not, he didn’t like anyone making her cry. “You have no right
to assume what I’m after and it only insults your daughter to insinuate that’s
all I would see in her.”

“I
know who Ashlynn is. She’s a woman who’s spent most her life on a farm. A woman
I’ve spent most my life protecting. Don’t think to come in here and ask me for
the most precious thing I have in this world and expect me to hand it over
without consideration. Bottom line, my daughter’s too good for you.”

True.
Ashlynn lowered her head and Kelly was torn between comforting her and trying
to persuade her father. He went to his knee, ignoring the other man, and
grasped her chin.

“Love,
look at me,” he whispered. “It’s okay. He’s probably right.” Kelly laughed
without humor. “Why don’t we go and take some time to let all this settle in.”

She
blinked at him and a tear slid past her lashes. She nodded. “I’ll meet you out
front. I’d like to talk to my father for a moment.”

Kelly
glanced over his shoulder at Roy who was studying them with a curious expression
on his face. He kissed her cheek and stood. “I’ll be on the porch if you need
me.”

* * * *

When
the door closed behind Kelly she turned to her father.

“Sug,
you have to understand I’m only looking out for your best interests.”

“You
have no right,” she whispered with venom.

He
drew his shoulders back. “Sweetheart, he’s a—”