Part 23 (1/2)
”I'll tell him he's on his own.”
”We'll go home tomorrow.”
”Thank you.”
Chapter 10.
Because she wanted to be in her office with her things, Ashton followed Jill's directions and drove to Kate's estate in Hendersonville. He hadn't been out this way in years and couldn't help being impressed by the home Kate had built for herself as well as the one where Jill resided.
Hers was much smaller than her sister's, but the post-and-beam house suited her perfectly, Ashton thought as he followed her inside. He'd intended to drop her off and head home, but now that they were here, he found that he was unable to leave her alone and upset.
Inside, she turned to him and gave a wary smile, as if she too was uncertain of what happened now that they were home and back to reality.
Ashton was comforted to know he wasn't the only one unsure of himself. After the closeness they'd shared over the last few days, however, he refused to allow her to put distance between them.
He glanced around at the cozy living room, the fireplace, the overstuffed sofas, the bookshelves. Her sister probably paid her a lot of money to manage her career, but nothing about Jill's home was showy or ostentatious. ”I like your place.”
”Thanks. I like it, too, not that I'm here very much.”
He watched as she glanced at the clock on the cable box before she returned her gaze to him.
”I know you want to get to work. Do you mind if I take a look around outside?”
”Oh, so you're going to stay?”
”Is that all right?”
”Sure, that's fine. I just figured you'd have better things to do than kill time while I work.”
He couldn't stand to go another minute without touching her, so he put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. ”I've got nothing I'd rather do than wait for you to get your work done so we can get back to having fun.”
”I thought...”
”What did you think?”
”I didn't expect you to want to hang out, especially here. At Kate's place.”
”I want to be wherever you are.” Tipping his head, he kissed her so softly their lips barely made contact. When he pulled back, she leaned forward, looking for more. ”Later.” Smiling at her growl of frustration, he gave her a nudge. ”Go get your work done. I'll be here when you're finished.”
”Don't get into mischief. Kate would never forgive me.”
”You're already sleeping with the enemy. What other mischief could I get into that would top that?”
”I have a feeling you're endlessly resourceful when it comes to mischief.”
”That hurts my feelings.”
”Whatever.” She rolled her eyes and left him laughing in the living room as she sauntered into the kitchen.
Watching her go, he took a moment to appreciate the view of her very fine a.s.s in tight denim. He'd wanted to see her out of the prim business suits she favored. He'd wanted to see her a.s.s in denim. He'd wanted to see her relaxed and at ease. He'd gotten all of those things, but nothing could've prepared him for the many faces of Jill Harrington-relaxed, happy, s.e.xy, aroused, sated, amused, annoyed, undone.
That last one had been tough on him. Seeing her upset over the mess her sister and his father had made of things had been hard to watch. He left her house and headed for the path that led toward Kate's place. Knowing the diva wasn't in residence gave him the freedom to poke around a bit.
Her home was gorgeous and sprawling, with windows of every shape and size. The A-frame log cabin must've been four thousand square feet, at the very least. What one person needed with all that s.p.a.ce was beyond him, until he remembered Buddy once saying that Kate had built a recording studio at the house so she could spend more time at home.
Behind the house was a four-stall garage and beyond that he found stables. Anxious to see Thunder, he stepped inside and let his eyes adjust to the dim light.
”Help you with something?”
The voice behind him startled Ashton as he turned. ”Hi, there. I'm Ashton Matthews, a friend of Jill's.”
”Gordon, the groom.”
Ashton shook the older man's outstretched hand. ”Mind if I say h.e.l.lo to Thunder? He's an old friend.”
”'Course not. Make yourself at home, son.”
”Thank you.”
”Third stall on the left.”
Ashton had already zeroed in on the dark, handsome thoroughbred that had once belonged to his father. He walked past a white horse and a chestnut roan before he got to Thunder's stall.
”Hi, old guy.” Ashton held out his hand for Thunder to nuzzle. ”Remember me?”
Thunder's nicker made Ashton laugh. ”Yeah, it's been a while. Has Kate been taking good care of you?”
The question was rhetorical because he could see that Thunder had the biggest stall, a fresh lining of shavings, plenty of oats and water in his feed bin, and his coat shone from regular grooming.
As Thunder nuzzled his hand and then his face, a surge of emotion caught Ashton off guard. Seeing Thunder again took him right back to the dark days after his father and Kate got together, when his dad had lied to him about their relations.h.i.+p because he knew his son, older than the girl he was dating, wouldn't approve.
Ashton vividly remembered the day he'd put all the pieces together and stormed into his father's bedroom, catching him with Kate. He'd been blinded by anger and hurt. He'd said things his father never should've forgiven. He'd gone home and called Kate's dad to tell him what was going on in Nashville. He'd hurt a lot of people with his impulsive actions.
A couple of days later, Kate had confronted him in the parking lot of the condo complex where they'd both lived. She'd looked at him with those distinctive blue eyes, which had been large and wounded.
”Why'd you have to call my dad?” she'd asked.
”Why'd you have to screw mine?”
He winced, still ashamed after all this time that he'd said that to her. She'd been an eighteen-year-old girl and he a man of twenty-five. His father had raised him better than that, and the shame of it had stayed with him for a long time.
He'd been so angry at both of them-and so very hurt. The rift with his father had been the single most painful episode of his life. He'd been far too young when his mother died to remember the cataclysmic impact of her loss. But losing his dad, even for a short time, had devastated him. Nothing, not even the knowledge that his dad was back with Kate, could make him want to relive that dark period.
The chain of events that followed the breakup with Kate had led to his dad packing up and leaving Nashville for St. Kitts, where he'd lived ever since, far away from his only child. Ashton wondered if he'd still be an only child now that his dad and Kate were together again. She was a young woman who'd probably want kids of her own. Would his dad accommodate that? How did Ashton feel about baby siblings at his age?