For the Love of Gracie (31 page)

Derrick patted my hand. "Yeah, honey, he's fine.  I came to let you know the doctor is getting him ready for discharge.   He wants to talk to you about some instructions on follow up visits, etcetera.  Look, Ash filled me in on Hudson, I'd like to help.  When would you like to go to the gun range with me?"

Cameron turned abruptly. "Gracie, guns?" 

I nodded, "Ashton wants me to be able to protect myself.  I don’t like it either.  He has my best interest at heart though."

Cameron turned to Derrick. "She's highly terrified of guns." 

Derrick nodded with understanding. "Once she learns how to handle it, she should feel better about them." 

Cameron's voice became more firm. "You don’t understand, she is absolutely terrified to death of them." 

Derrick glanced at me. "Is there a reason, Gracie?" 

I nodded. "Cameron and I had a friend who accidentally killed himself when he found his father's gun.  We were with him when it happened."  

Derrick cursed. "Shit, I had no idea." 

"Ash doesn’t know either. It's never really come up.  We were really young," I said. 

"Talk to him about it. He'll understand; he knew someone killed by a gun." 

I replied, "Addy?" 

He nodded. "He wouldn’t go near one for several months after that. He finally agreed to go to the range with me a little over a year ago." 

The thought of even looking at a gun made my chest hurt.  Moments like this made me sure of my love for Ash; the last thing I wanted to do was go against my word. "I told Ash I would give it a try. I'm not going to break my promise." 

I looked up, my eyes met with Ashton's.  He was walking toward us, with a smile, wearing scrubs and a new
, smaller cast that was black.  I jumped up and ran to him.

Carefully I put my arms around him. "I'm so glad to see you up and about."

His good hand rested at the small of my back.  He kissed my cheek. "Me too, bug." 

With his mouth against my ear, he whispered, "Now I want you to take me home, to bed." 

The warmth of his breath against my ear sent chills down my entire body.  After his statement, he lightly nibbled my ear and it caused me to moan slightly.  He chuckled softly when I pulled away blushing. 

"Nice cast. Looks much easier to deal with than the one that put on after surgery."

He held it up for display.

"
They removed a lot of the gauze to make it more manageable. Since the swelling had gone down they had to put a smaller one on so my arm couldn't shift.  They said I could have white overlay or pick a color.  Black seems like it wouldn't attract dirt as much, plus it will go with everything." 

Cameron snickered. "And you wonder why she thought you were gay?"

"I'll give you two a ride home," offered Cameron.  

I wrapped my arm around Ash's waist and glanced at Derrick. "Are you on your way home?" 

He smiled. "Yep. Before I leave, I wanted to ask if you two would mind watching Katelyn tomorrow night so I can take Mary Jane out."

I squealed, "Yes, we'd love to!" 

Ash laughed and kissed the top of my head. "That's the most excitement I've seen out of her in a long time." 

Cameron wiggled his keys from his pocket. "Oh hell, if that's the case
, we need to get you home so you can rectify that.  And you two feel free to talk dirty to each other all the way home. You will not offend me in the least." 

Ashton and I stopped back by to see the doctor for instructions and a number to call his nurse, if there were any problems. Cameron and Derrick waited so they could help us to the car. 

Derrick waved goodbye as we loaded Ash into the backseat.  I buckled us in and snuggled up under his arm.  Cameron glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled at us. 

Ashton leaned down, pressing his soft lips to mine.  With my palm against his cheek, I slid my tongue along his bottom lip, teasing him.  He growled low in his throat. 

From the front seat, Cameron exclaimed, "Ooh, honey, don’t make that noise with me in the car, please." 

Ashton's face turned a light shade of pink and he replied, "Cameron, turn on some music." 

Cameron obliged and turned on the radio.  Ashton leaned down to my ear and whispered, "I'm thinking a game of pool when we get home is in order."  He nibbled on my ear and moved his hand to my thigh. 

My breath sped up, I put my hand on his and said, "It's your first night at home, you need to rest."

He bent to kiss my neck. "I've had plenty of rest the last
couple of days.  The medicine I need right now, is the kind only you can administer." 

Chapter Twenty-Five

Cameron helped us inside and then scurried out the door as though the house was on fire.  I was guessing he felt the heat building between us. 

I tugged Ash toward the bedroom.  He stopped me at the basement door. "I'm serious, let's go downstairs." 

Gliding my hand along his cheek, I said, "I'd love nothing more than to go live out our mutual fantasy on that pool table.  You've been in the hospital for the last few days and need to heal more." 

Trailing my fingers across his chest, I kissed his cheek and whispered, "Once you're all better you can have me in every way possible on that table." 

His arm snaked around my waist, pulling me against him. "Something to look forward to."  He leaned down and captured my mouth with his. 

I pulled away and led him to the bedroom.  "I'm going to take care of you for a bit right now.  Do you trust me to shave your face?"

He nodded. "Of course."  I slipped my jeans off and threw on a long t-shirt that I didn't mind getting wet or dirty.  And by wet and dirty, I meant with water and shaving cream of course. 

Leading him to the bathroom, I grabbed some shaving cream and razors.  At first, I stood in front of him and began to slather his face with shaving cream.  Ashton wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me up onto the vanity. I squealed because I wasn’t expecting it. 

He chuckled. "I love that little squeak you do when you're startled."  

"This is much easier to reach you," I said.  I opened my legs and pulled him closer. 

"I was thinking it was easier to reach you actually," he said, as his hands moved up my thighs. 

"You be good," I said, teasingly, pointing my finger at him as if he was being scolded. 

"Being bad is much more fun." He winked and nipped at my finger. Pulling it back, I squeaked, and received a hearty burst of laughter from him. 

His face was slathered; I grabbed a razor and rinsed it before holding it up to him. "Ready?"

He nodded and puffed his cheeks out to make his skin taut.  My tongue rested between my lips as I trailed the razor across his face. 

"You look so cute all focused," he said.  His hand slid further up my thigh causing me to bite my lip. 

He smirked.  "You're voracious, Gracie." 

I laughed. "Why do you say that?"

He leaned forward. "Because you bite your lip when you're turned on.  If I'd known that from the day we first met, I'd have picked up your signals better."

I smiled as I felt the blush heat my face. 

The left side of his face was done. there were just a few spots of cream left on his cheek.  I turned to rinse the razor and felt his thumb press against my panties and I gasped.  He traced his thumb back and forth across my wet spot.  "Your face is only half done." 

He shrugged.
"What's your point?" 

As I went back to the other side of his face, his thumb slid inside my panties. I bit my lip harder as my breathing increased.  My hand needed to be steady so I wouldn't cut him or shave the beard completely off; I was just trimming it.  I breathed out. "Ash, you're making this hard for me." 

He leaned forward, with a wicked sexy grin and said, "It's pretty hard for me, too." 

My eyes drifted down to see the bulge in his pants; at the same time, his thumb found my swollen nub and his motion increased.  I dropped the razor in the sink and leaned back against the mirror. 

I pressed my palms on the mirror behind me as my back arched against his touch.  He leaned over me, pressing his mouth against my neck.  My body now was covered in beads of sweat.  Ashton's tongue made circles against my skin.

"I love the taste of your skin." Ashton's voice, his warm breath against my skin, made my arousal hei
ghten.  His thumb continued to massage as he slipped two fingers inside me. 

I moaned. "Ash, I'm getting close."

His hand cupped my chin as he said, "I want to see your eyes as you climax." 

That was all I needed; my body trembled. He pulled my body against his, staring into my eyes as the tremors took over.

When my body finally calmed, I reached for his belt.  His hands stopped me. "That was for you.  I owed you one for the morning you gave me." 

I reached down and palmed him. "But what about this, doesn’t it hurt?" 

He pressed against my hand and sighed. "I'll be alright.  I liked pleasing you.  It was amazing to watch." His lips pressed lightly against mine as he said, "You're the sexiest woman in the world." 

As he pulled away, I grinned. "Even with shaving cream all over me?" 

His lips turned up in a sinful way. "It's only on the t-shirt, we can remedy that right now." 

He lifted the shirt off of me and his mouth found my nipple,
causing a low moan to leave my throat.  He growled my name, sending vibrations over my breast.  My fingers wound in his hair, pulling him closer.  I wrapped my legs around him and pulled his body against me.  His arousal pressed up against mine; I pushed myself forward.  He moaned against my chest. 

I whispered, "Still just want to please me?" 

Keeping his lips on my breast, he reached between our bodies and unzipped his pants.  My back arched again as he entered me.  Ashton was so wound up, and it had been so long, that he hit his peak at the same time my body shuddered with my second release.  

The next evening, Mary Jane came over to get ready for her date with Derrick.  We closed ourselves into the bedroom to get her ready. "I'm so nervous, Gracie," she said as I was brushing her hair. 

"If he's anything like Ash, you'll be comfortable with him in no time.  How did it go the other night?" 

She grinned. "Fantastic.  He's a great dad, which is amazing for someone his age.  He's funny, smart and un-freaking-believably gorgeous." 

I laughed. "Un-freaking-believably?  That's pretty hot." 

We were laughing when Ashton poked his head in the room.  "Ladies, Derrick and Katelyn are here." 

My hand was on MJ's shoulder and I felt her tense.  I put my finger up to Ash asking for a minute. He nodded as he closed the door to give us privacy.

"Still nervous?" I asked. 

"A little," she said.   "You know me, Gracie.  Guys like Derrick don't ask me out often.  The ones that do, I usually don’t trust that they actually find me attractive.  The only reason I'm not more nervous about this, is that you know him.  What if I'm boring?" 

I laughed, "MJ, I've known you for several years and you've never been boring.  And don't lump Derrick into a group of other guys.  We both know he's special." 

"I've never…you know," she said, nervously.

"There is nothing wrong with being a virgin, MJ.  In fact, if I had waited a couple of months, Ash would have been the only guy I'd been with and I wish that were the case." 

Her mouth fell open in surprise. "Hudson was your first?" 

I nodded. "Unfortunately.  I had fooled around with guys, but never did more than that before Hudson." 

She glanced down and asked quietly, "Why him? Did you feel like he was special?" 

I sighed. "No.  I wish I could take it back now.  I had come to the conclusion that sex was no big deal and I should just do it already.  It's now a huge regret for me. Don't let that happen to you." 

Mary Jane fidgeted. "I don’t want to run him off though." 

I put my hand on her shoulder. "Sweetie, Derrick is a good guy.  He'd never push you to do something you aren’t ready for, I'm confident of that."

She grinned. "I wish I was more like you, G."

I shook my head. "No you don’t.   I'm a mess.  If I hadn’t thought Ashton was gay, I'd still be dating jerks.  I'm so screwed up in the head." 

Mary Jane nudged me playfully and said, "Who isn't?"

She had no clue how messed up I was since she didn’t know about the rape or my suicide attempt.  One day I would need to confide both secrets to Angel and Mary Jane. I was hoping that therapy would allow me to talk about it with my friends a little more. 

"Come on, let's not keep him waiting." 

"Give me one second?"