A Surprising Fact About Love: Small Town Romance (Silver Ridge Series Book 4)

by Karice Bolton

  “I see you eyeing the food table.”

  “How can I not?” Ashley nearly gushed. “It looks incredible.”

  “The perks of owning restaurants. Catering.” He laughed and slid his hand into hers as they walked toward the buffet table in the dining room that overlooked the snowy mountainside. Just her being next to him made him feel her all over. It made no sense. They hadn’t even had sex yet. All he had to do was think of her, and every single part of his body responded as if he’d already mapped it a million times before and knew every secret spot and how to make her his.

  “It seems like there are lots of perks.” She eyed Austin, and he knew the moment she left Washington, his life would go back to how it was.

  And he didn’t want that.

  He wanted her.

  He wanted her now.

  “You know?” He motioned her to put the plate down that she’d just grabbed. “I think I can’t wait any longer. I need to show you something real quick.”

  She looked at him, puzzled. “Okay. Now? Won’t people wonder?”

  He smiled, realizing he didn’t even care if they did as Austin pulled her back through the crowd of family and snuck out the side door to his car.

  “You’ve got to tell me where we are going,” she insisted, eyes on Austin.

  “My cabin.” He grinned, putting his car into reverse.

  “Are you serious?” Her eyes heated instantly.

  “Yeah. Unless you don’t want to.”

  She flashed a wry grin. “Oh, I want to.”

  The car ride up the road and back down the road felt like an eternity as Ashley moved her hand along his upper thigh, rubbing her palm along his jeans and literally making it hard to stay focused.

  And that was just a hand over jeans.

  By the time he pulled down his drive and parked in front of his cabin, he nearly left the car running before going to Ashley’s side to help her out.

  “The cabin is beautiful,” she said softly, looking around his place.

  “Thanks.” He slid his hand over hers and suddenly felt like he was sixteen again.

  By the time he opened his front door, he’d already pulled her into his arms and begun kissing her.

  All of her.

  He softly kissed the delicate place behind her ear and along her neck as she wound her fingers through his hair. She let out a soft moan of pleasure as he slid his fingers under her black camisole.

  Ashley quickly shook her cardigan to the floor, and Austin lifted the camisole over her head, leaving Austin in awe of the beautiful woman in front of him. He couldn’t wait for the bedroom. He flipped on the fireplace and gently carried her to the couch, kissing her the entire time.

  “You taste so good,” he whispered.

  “Not nearly as good as you.” Her words were breathy as she slid her hand under Austin’s flannel shirt and pulled on it, bringing him over her.

  She bit her lip as Austin’s gaze caressed her, taking in all the gloriously feminine contours of her body. His eyes slid along her black lace bra, overflowing down her curvy stomach to her matching black panties.

  He let out a growl as he traced his thumbs along the elastic of her panties, and she shifted her hips toward him. Austin smiled and shook his head.

  “This might be our only time,” he whispered, hating the words that left his lips. “We’re taking this slow.”

  Her smile grew, and she nodded as her fingers began unbuttoning Austin’s shirt as he kicked off his jeans. The glow of the fire bounced off their nearly naked bodies, and all he could do was watch the woman he was falling in love with begging him to do something he’d wanted since he met her.

  But he wanted this to mean something to her. It had to mean something to her, or all of this build-up and waiting was for nothing.

  Austin threaded his fingers through her hair and hovered over her, running his mouth over her bare flesh, feeling her nipples harden under the lace of her bra. His breath skirted over her belly as she dug her hands into his back, slowly grinding her body into his, silently begging for more.

  He brought his lips back to hers as he stayed hovering, his hands unfastening her bra as she gasped upon exposure. His mouth quickly covered the tiny pebbles that told him she was ready for so much more. As he tugged and teased her with his mouth, her hands slid under his boxers and felt his length.

  Ashley let out a little gasp, and Austin smiled, realizing she wasn’t disappointed. Her hands worked quickly to slide down his boxers as he slowly moved her panties down.

  She ran her hands along his thighs, and he sucked a deep breath as she parted her legs, ushering him inside, pulling him and directing him to her.

  Austin parted his mouth the moment he felt her tightness wrap around him, nearly bringing him to ecstasy immediately, but he controlled himself and brought his lips down to her breasts as his fingers traveled down Ashley’s stomach and she wiggled her hips in a teasing motion.

  She let out a little moan, which nearly undid Austin as he pushed deeper inside, feeling her warmth wrap around him as his fingers worked to please her. Ashley’s moans grew louder, and Austin’s mouth found hers as she wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him deeper inside.

  With every thrust, he felt her tighten around him until she could no longer hold on, and he heard the most beautiful sound on earth as she gave herself to him and he let go in return, remembering every shudder, inhale, and exhale of this moment since there might never be another one shared between them.

  “I wish you wouldn’t have made me wait so long,” Ashley whispered into Austin’s ear, and he shook his head.

  “I just hope I don’t have to wait that long again.” He kissed her softly again as she ran her fingers down his back.

  “You won’t. I think I’m yours.” She smiled through her eyes and took a deep breath before rolling over and wiggling for more.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Ashley knew there was no going back. She’d fallen for Austin North.

  Hard.

  And there was nothing she could do about it except get on the plane in front of her and fly to Virginia while the hopes of something with Austin North withered away.

  Spending the night with him was the most magical time in her life. She’d let herself become his completely. It was the exact opposite of what she’d ever planned with him.

  Ashley thought she could sleep with him, maybe even several times, and move on, treat the whole thing as her first fling and probably her last. Now, she had to try to shake those amazing feelings as she stared ahead and waited for her row to be called for boarding.

  He’d wanted to drive her to the airport, but it would have been an all-day adventure for him, and there was no point in pretending this relationship was going somewhere.

  She couldn’t even name this relationship.

  Hadn’t thought about it much. Maybe, friends with benefits?

  But with everything they’d shared, she felt that was too cavalier. How about extremely good friends with benefits? As she stood daydreaming about something that no longer existed, she realized the entire area had cleared out, and her seat had long since been called.

  Ashley quickly pulled her carry-on bag toward the agent and prayed she’d hear Austin North calling her name from behind. She knew it was a ridiculous, made-for-television-type of fantasy, but there was a reason those shows were popular. They were an excellent idea! Who wouldn’t want a man who cared enough to try to get the woman and keep the woman?

  “You okay, miss?” the female agent asked.

  Ashley jumped and apologized, handing her the ticket. “Yeah. Sorry. Just out of it.”

  “I completely understand. I hate flying too. That’s actually why I chose to do this as a profession.”

  Ashley’s eyes widened. “Facing your fears and all that?”

  “Yeah, it’s a surprising fact about life in general.” She smiled, handing the ticket back. “Or at least I’ve found it to be surprising. Now, when something scares
me, I don’t run. I face it head on and go for it. I might not be ready to jump out of a plane, but I can certainly fly on them now.”

  “Kind of like love.”

  “Pardon me?” she asked, shaking her head.

  “Oh, I just said kind of like love.”

  The agent smiled and shrugged. “I suppose if you’re afraid of love, you might as well face it. Try it out. But who would be afraid of love?” She laughed, only to stop when she realized she was looking at that someone. “Anyway, have a nice flight.”

  Ashley took the ticket and smiled, wheeling down the lonely corridor to board the plane carrying her to her next destination.

  Loneliness.

  Nah. Ashley shook her head. It was all in how a person framed events. She’d moved in with many families over the years, and while it took a little bit to settle in and find the groove, she always felt included, not lonely. Just busy.

  She chuckled to herself, thinking about the conversation she’d had with Austin about business and loneliness. He’d definitely left a mark. It was a lot harder to lie to herself about how she really felt when he was around. Even like her leg. It had been hurting. She needed to see someone about it.

  As she got onto the plane, she saw all the ornery faces glaring at her as she made her way down the tiny aisle, pulling her carry-on behind her. What did they have to be mad about? They were all in first-class, drinking champagne.

  Literally drinking champagne.

  As she sloughed by them, she saw a sea of heads and secretly hoped she’d see Austin’s even though that went all the way back to the rom-com movies again. When she’d finally found her middle seat, she quickly apologized to the man sitting in the aisle seat, who stared at her as if she’d robbed him of his last decency.

  She pushed her carry-on bag into the bin overhead and sat down in her seat, buckling in and suspiciously eyeing the magazines that had been left behind. It wasn’t until she sat back and closed her eyes that she heard a voice that made her eyes blink open in utter shock.

  “Ashley. It’s Ashley, right?” The voice grated on every cell in her body, and she slowly moved forward and craned her neck across the aisle to see where the sound was coming from.

  “Remember me? Of course, you do.” He smiled like a little weasel, and Ashley's stomach turned.

  Her eyes narrowed as her stomach sloshed around. “You’re Fred from the dating event.”

  He scowled at her and shook his head. “My name’s not Fred. It’s Jerry, and you got me kicked out of that event.”

  Ashley wiggled her finger. “Au contraire, mon frère. You got yourself kicked out, and if you’re not careful, it might happen again, but at thirty-five thousand feet above.”

  “Nah,” he scoffed. “You don’t have your bullies with you.”

  She chuckled and shook her head, sitting back in her seat.

  “He’s a real keeper,” the man said, who’d scowled earlier at the idea of her having a seat next to him.

  She shuddered. “Tell me about it. I went to one of those singles’ events, and I’ll never do it again.”

  The man laughed and wiggled his ring finger. “I can see why. The selection out there appears to be pretty, pretty slim. That’s why it’s so important that if you can someday find that one someone who gets you, all of you, don’t take it lightly. It can take time though.”

  His words stung. Was that what she was doing with Austin? They did seem to get each other. And she couldn’t stop thinking about him. She wanted so much more of him. It was like spending one night with him was just a teaser, but that didn’t even matter as much as how much she liked him as a person.

  He was interesting, and there was so much more to uncover, and it could take years.

  Was she taking it lightly?

  “I’m thirty-seven,” she confessed to the man sitting next to her.

  “Really.” He shook his head. “I would’ve guessed thirty, at the most.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “Thanks, and I think you’re my new best friend. My name’s Ashley.”

  “Greg.”

  “Nice to meet you, Greg. Do you live in Virginia?”

  “Born and raised.” He smiled. “You?”

  “I’m moving out there. I’m a nanny, and my family’s out there.”

  “That’s great you’ve got a new job out near your family.” He took a magazine from his laptop case.

  “No, I meant my new family that I’ll be the nanny for is in Virginia.”

  “Wow.” His brows shot up “You’d leave everything behind for a family you haven’t met yet?”

  She laughed. “Well, when you put it that way, it does sound crazy.”

  “I suppose it’s only crazy if you’re leaving something behind.”

  “Someone.” She frowned. “But we’ve only known each other for a few weeks.”

  “That’s all it took me. Well, shoot. The day I met Tracy, I knew she was the one.”

  “Really?” she asked, shocked.

  “Absolutely. You know, people say there’s more fish in the sea, but look at Fred over there . . .” He pointed in Jerry’s direction.

  “It’s Jerry,” Jerry called, obviously eavesdropping. “And I am a catch.”

  “Back to my point. Is that really the fish you want to catch?”

  Ashley giggled and shook her head. No. Very definitely, the fish swimming in the very shallow sea she wanted to catch was Austin North, and here she was, on a plane flying in the opposite direction.

  “Does this fellow know you’re interested?” Greg asked.

  “I think so. I mean, he knew we were on a timer anyway, so . . .”

  “Well, I’m sure it will all work itself out. Love usually does.”

  “Were you ever afraid?” Ashley asked the stranger sitting next to her.

  “Of love?” he asked.

  “Of failing?”

  “Well, you won’t know until you get in there and try, and then you just might be surprised. Tracy and I have been together for longer than you’ve been alive. If I let her parents get in my ear or my worries about how I’d support a family stop me, I’d be looking up Fred over there for a good time.”

  Ashley couldn’t stop laughing as she pulled a magazine from her own bag and opened it up, but before she started reading, she glanced at Greg and thanked him.

  It wasn’t long before the flight was in the air and she’d fallen asleep, dreaming of the man she’d left behind.

  By the time she’d landed and turned on her cell phone, she’d had a great life lesson, an even better nap, and a phone full of messages from the Givenses and one from Austin. Since the Givenses were going to pick her up at the airport, she figured theirs might be more important to see first.

  She glanced at the many frantic messages slung at her about logistics and how they couldn’t pick her up, then how they could pick her up, and then how a car would pick her up, finally about how they would all be waiting for her at the curb after all. Apparently, Mrs. Givens’s brother was also landing at the airport, and they’d transposed a flight number, and it was decided that everyone could still be picked up on time.

  Definitely not quite what she was used to when it came to the families she’d stayed with before. She let out a sigh and switched over to Austin’s message as the plane pulled up to the terminal. People all around her began standing up, ready to disembark, and all Ashley could do was stare at the words in front of her.

  I made a mistake. I never should have let you go. I told myself it wasn’t my call, and maybe it’s not, but I wish I’d never let you step on that plane. I’m going to make it right.

  A smile touched Ashley’s lips as she thought about Austin. They both recognized that this could be something special. They both knew her leaving could be a mistake. But here she was in Virginia, waiting to get off a hot and muggy airplane to look after a family she didn’t know and live in a town she didn’t understand.

  She glanced at Greg, who was already standing and pulling down h
is bag and hers, and she let out a sigh as she glanced at Jerry, otherwise known as Jer or Fred, and a chill ran through her. Those were the fish she was faced with when an absolutely amazing one was waiting for her back in Washington in a town she loved, surrounded by people she loved even more.

  What was she doing?

  “Thanks for the talk, Greg. It was a nice chat. I’m just sorry I fell asleep.” Ashley smiled and Greg nodded.

  “I did too. Just remember what I said about the ocean.” He pointed over his shoulder at Jerry, and Ashley laughed as she followed him down the aisle.

  Since she’d managed to ship everything to Virginia, she only had her carry-on bag, which made meeting up with the Givenses even easier. As she walked off the plane and into the airport, her pulse started accelerating. For the first time in a long time, she was nervous about the family she was about to meet.

  About a life she was purposefully choosing.

  She drew a breath and followed the signs to the baggage claim. Even though she didn’t have any to pick up, it’s where the Givenses told her to meet them.

  When she’d finally found the right baggage carousel, her nerves only frazzled even more as she saw the family, who while they resembled the same family on the screen, looked to be in complete chaos with the parents yelling nonstop.

  Ashley glanced over her shoulder and wondered if it was too late to run.

  But where would she run? All of her items were on the way to the Givenses’ house.

  Mrs. Givens saw her and started waving frantically, and she suddenly started to feel better and waved back.

  Until Jerry ran right by her and into Mrs. Givenses’ arms while all the kids started yelling, “Uncle Jerry.”

  Ashley froze and looked around the baggage claim area for the nearest exit, but it was too late.

  She’d been spotted.

  By Mr. Givens.

  “Ashley Malone,” he called, and his wife and brother-in-law turned to see her. Jerry’s eyes widened.

  “Is that the nanny you’ve been raving about?” Jerry laughed, pointing at Ashley as she stood in the middle of the airport.