Golden Trail

by Ashley, Kristen

  “I’m not scared,” she stated.

  “Baby, you’ve spent two decades controlling everything in your life so you wouldn’t feel what you feel right now with me. And I’m not stupid, I know why.”

  “Yeah? You do? Enlighten me, oh wise Layne, why?” she asked with deep sarcasm and Layne’s body got tight.

  “Raquel, fair warning, I’m already pissed, don’t make me mad.”

  “You’re pissed?” she asked, leaning forward, her words a hiss. “You’re pissed? You fucked me in her bed. You fucked me in your closet wearing her clothes. And you’re pissed?”

  “I do not give a shit about furniture and clothes. You want, build a bonfire in my yard, toss it all on and replace it. I do not care. It means nothing to me.”

  “Melody meant something to you.”

  “Yeah, she did, and clue the fuck in, Roc, it wasn’t enough or I wouldn’t be here right now.”

  “You should have told me,” she snapped.

  “Yeah? When? When I had you against the wall moaning for me, do I whisper in your ear, ‘By the way, baby, Melody bought me this suit.’ Or, when you’re locked in your head because of Ma’s games and I had to talk you out of that shit, ‘And since we’re discussing Melody, you should know, she picked out this bed.’ Jesus, Roc, seriously?”

  It was then, Rocky went in for the kill.

  “I’ve never had an orgasm, except with you and, obviously, self-induced. I’ve had two lovers. My husband and you. I’ve kissed two men in my life. I’m thirty-eight years old, Layne, and I’ve kissed two men in my life. One I married, the other was you.”

  He had no idea where she was going with that but it didn’t mean she hadn’t scored a direct hit.

  “Baby –” he whispered.

  “I’ve loved one man, and that was also you.”

  “Rocky –”

  “You’re beautiful and I see how women look at you. I also know what I did to you. You don’t think I wonder, especially when you bring it up all the time, when you’ll remember what I did to you and when you’ll wonder if it isn’t worth the risk. You decide it isn’t, I’ll be right back there, Layne, without you, and now without Tripp and Jas. And you’ll move on, you did before, you can have anyone you want. You’ll move on. But I won’t. I never did even though I got married, and you know it. But you did. Maybe not the same way, but you did. And you didn’t make the play for me. You would have carried on and you wouldn’t have to do it alone. You think you took a grave risk taking me back, what do you think I’m feeling, knowing, any time, your head can turn to someone who’ll know she’s lucky to have you, who wouldn’t do anything to rock that boat and you’ll decide I’m not worth the worry and you’ll be gone.”

  Layne stared at her, completely stunned that any of that shit was in her head.

  Then he said quietly, “Baby, that’s totally fucked up.”

  “It isn’t,” she declared.

  “It is.”

  “No, Layne, it isn’t.”

  “Come here,” he ordered.

  “No,” she denied.

  “Sweetcheeks, come here.”

  “I said no.”

  “Don’t make me come there,” he warned.

  She shook her head. “Go home, Layne, I need to think.”

  “Nope,” he replied. “No you don’t. ‘Cause you just told me what you’ve been thinking and every last bit of it is seriously jacked.”

  “I’m being honest!” she cried.

  “Yeah, I get that, but that doesn’t mean what’s in your head isn’t jacked.”

  “I’m telling you what I think.”

  “And I’m tellin’ you it’s jacked.”

  “Layne –”

  Layne had had enough.

  “Christ, Rocky, I’m in love with you!” he shouted, leaning forward and putting his hands on the bar. “I’ve kissed more than two women and I’ve fucked more too, but I’ve only ever loved you. You cut me up, baby, when you left me. You cut me up bad.” She winced but he kept talking. “So, what’s it say to you I’d take this risk? What’s it tell you? You nearly destroyed me, Rocky, I loved you that much. Shit, I love you that much. I existed for eighteen years. Now I’m livin’ again. And I like it. I like it so much, it’s worth the risk. You are worth the risk. Yeah, you had to play me because I needed that statement from you, but, baby, I didn’t make you work too hard and you fuckin’ know it. You did that to me and you’re back in my life. Think about that, Roc, give that a second. What’s that say about how I feel about you? Does that say I’m ever gonna let anything turn my head?”

  “Layne –”

  “Shut it, sweetcheeks, you walked in here full of attitude and you just spewed some seriously stupid shit. You need your head straightened out and you’re gonna keep your mouth shut while I see to it.”

  Her eyes were big when she whispered, “Okay.”

  Layne went on. “Melody was in my house for maybe ten minutes at the most after you left. She called it, she knew it before I knew it. She knew who you were because she snooped and found the pictures I kept of you.” Rocky’s lips parted and Layne nodded. “Yeah, baby, I never let go of you. Never. I carried you with me everywhere.”

  “Layne –”

  “You were so freaked out, you didn’t see it but after my preliminary shock and, somethin’ else you didn’t catch, anger at seein’ a near naked woman in the house I share with my sons, she ceased to exist. It was all about you and your reaction. Melody caught it, you didn’t. So now, cast your mind back, baby, and see it through her eyes. That’s why she left because she knew why she never got in there and she knew it was because of you.”

  “Layne –”

  “And she told me to be happy before she left. She told me she hoped you’d make me happy again. That’s the woman who picked the bed you sleep in. She wasn’t the one because you are but she’s a good woman and she cared about me. I didn’t have you, you don’t love me enough to want me to have at least that?”

  “You can stop talking now,” Rocky whispered.

  “If I can, then get your ass over here and show me your head is straight and that you’ve let go of this shit so I can fuckin’ do it,” Layne returned.

  She put her beer on the counter immediately but she walked to him slowly, she wasn’t working her strut, it was hesitant. She knew she’d pissed him off and she wasn’t sure what she was going to get.

  The minute she was in reach, he leaned forward, caught her wrist and yanked her into his body after which his arms wrapped tight around her, caging her to him.

  Her hands at his chest, she tipped her head back. “Um…” she started.

  He interrupted her. “Don’t be cute, cute’s gonna piss me off.”

  “Oh, okay, I won’t be… um… cute,” she whispered uncertainly.

  “Roc, you’re bein’ cute,” he warned.

  “Oh, well… okay, I’ll stop.” She was still whispering then she pressed her lips together, stared at him with big eyes and her look was incredibly cute.

  “Fuck me,” Layne muttered.

  “You’re still mad.”

  “Baby… uh, yeah.”

  Her hand slid up to his neck.

  “Don’t be mad, I have my head on straight.”

  “You gonna treat me to this shit again?”

  “I’ll try not to.”

  “That the best you got?”

  “Uh…” her teeth worried her lip then she went on, “yes.”

  “I’ll take it.”

  Rocky blinked. Then she whispered, “You will?”

  “Pay attention, sweetcheeks, I’ll take anything from you.”

  “Layne –”

  Time again to move the fuck on.

  “Did you buy the table?”

  Her body jerked at his change of subject then she answered, “No.”

  “I’m not goin’ to look at it.”

  “Okay.”

  “You like it, get it.”

  “Okay.”

  “Yo
u let my mother buy a chaise lounge for that front space, you earn a spanking.”

  Her body jerked again before it relaxed against him.

  “Don’t worry,” she said softly, “I found this big corner sectional. It’s like a couch but it’s shaped in a square. You, me, Jasper and Tripp could all lounge on it and not touch. Not that we would do that, uh… but, uh… Vera and I tried it out. It’s comfy.”

  “Get it.”

  “Okay,” she whispered then called, “Layne?”

  “Yeah?”

  She pressed into him and kept whispering. “I’m sorry.”

  His temper slid away, Layne dipped his head and touched his mouth to hers, moving only slightly away, he whispered back, “I know you are.”

  “I mean about tonight and…” her eyes slid from his to over his shoulder and then he watched her force them back to him and her voice was barely audible when she said, “back then.”

  Oh God. Jesus God. That felt good. Jesus, he needed that. He didn’t know it but having it, he knew he needed it.

  “I know.” His voice was barely audible too.

  “I’ve always loved you.”

  “I know.”

  “And um… even though I was the one who did it to myself, um… you can ask Merry, I’ve never liked to share.”

  Layne stared at his woman a beat that fed into ten.

  Then he burst out laughing.

  * * * * *

  Friday, 11:38 p.m.

  “Fuck, baby, come here,” Layne groaned.

  She kept working his cock with her mouth, her hand wrapped around the base, she was on her knees between his legs and he could see they were spread wide and her other hand was working her clit. And he knew she liked it, she was taking herself close because he could feel her moans vibrating against his aching, rock hard cock.

  “Rocky, come here,” he growled.

  Her head kept moving, up and down, lips, tongue, suction, Jesus.

  “Roc –”

  Her mouth suddenly released him and he watched her head fly back, her lips parted, face flushed, she’d made herself come. Fucking beautiful.

  He reached down, grasped her at her pits, yanked her up his body, rolled her, positioning between the legs she spread for him, he drove into her. Hard. Rough. No control.

  “Layne,” she breathed.

  “Take me,” he grunted.

  “Yes, God, yes.”

  “Take me, Rocky.”

  “Harder, Layne.”

  He fucked her harder and her heels dug into the backs of his thighs as she lifted her hips to meet this.

  “It’s gonna happen again,” she moaned.

  “Let it.”

  “Layne, oh God.” Her back and neck arched, her heels pressed deeper, her body locked but her pussy contracted around his cock and a low, deep, long moan slid out of her throat.

  Layne’s hand went into her hair, he positioned her head and captured her mouth, absorbing the moan and then trading it for his as he thrust deep, to the root, planting himself in her and exploding.

  When he was done, he started his strokes again, these slow, lazy, as his mouth explored her neck and throat. Her hand moved on his back, her other one gliding through his hair, her legs wrapped now around his waist.

  He filled her and his lips moved up her neck, his teeth nipping her earlobe before he demanded, “Next time you make yourself come like that, you do it with my cock inside you.”

  “It was inside me,” she whispered.

  “I’m talkin’ about an alternate location.”

  Her head turned and he felt her lips smile against his neck.

  Then she said there, “Okay.”

  That was Rocky, his woman, up for anything.

  “I need to get cleaned up,” she whispered in his ear.

  “No, I’m still hard.”

  “Layne –”

  “You can get cleaned up when I’m not hard.”

  A beat of hesitation, then, “Okay,” and then all four of her limbs got tight around him.

  She held him close until he pulled out, rolled and she kept rolling, moving off the bed but she came back, put a knee in the bed by his hip, she leaned into him, touched her mouth to his and whispered, “Love you, baby.”

  Before he could respond, she moved away, turned and walked to the bathroom naked.

  When he lost sight of her, Layne moved under the covers, settling back, head to the pillows, lifting his hands to his face, he swiped it hard.

  Adrian Cosgrove was being held without bail.

  Rocky and Vera were thick as thieves again.

  Rocky’s attorneys called that day to say that Astley had finally agreed on the settlement and they were proceeding, her divorce would be final in less than a month and, at Layne’s urging, she had, indeed, taken him to the cleaners. What was slightly disturbing was that Astley let her.

  Layne did not dwell. He didn’t give a fuck about Astley’s motivations. All he cared about was that the papers would soon be signed and, the day they were, he was putting a huge, fucking rock on her finger. He’d seen the ring Astley had given her. It wasn’t ostentatious but it made a statement.

  Layne’s was going to be bigger.

  Stew had moved on, had been living with his piece in the trailer park but word was he was moving, with her, into an apartment in the ‘burg. He didn’t mind Gabby knowing it either, since he paraded the skank in front of Gabby at the game that night five times (Layne hadn’t paid attention, but Rocky had counted and shared this information). Gabby hadn’t liked this and made the unfortunate play of letting that show. She didn’t see the skank was a skank and Gabby was a better catch. But that was Gabby, always making the wrong decisions.

  Layne and Rocky had dinner with Ryker and Lissa. In a social situation, Ryker was no less Ryker but Layne’s woman was enough of a nut to find him charming (this was Rocky’s word). She and Lissa had instantly formed a bond over some woman in the ‘burg who gave manicures that were so good, both declared the manicurist an “artist”. Before they left Frank’s, the women had planned to have back-to-back manicures the next Saturday followed by lunch at The Station.

  The Bulldogs had won again and Jasper and Layne had talked for half an hour on the phone before the game about which visits to universities he was going to accept. He only had so many and they were stacking up. Purdue had been added, as had IU and Michigan. Jasper was leaning toward Ball State. It was his Dad’s alma mater and it was a good school. It just wasn’t Purdue.

  Layne had allowed Ball State to be scratched on the list but the first visit was going to be to West Lafayette, Indiana. Jasper had agreed.

  It was almost done, they were almost there. They just had to take down Rutledge and Towers and then life could be life.

  His eyes turned to the bathroom when he caught movement there and his breath locked in his throat when he saw Rocky in a faded, red t-shirt with a peeling Ball State decal. It was the first one she’d confiscated from him twenty-one years ago. He remembered it because it was his favorite shirt and he’d known with an even deeper knowledge than he already had that he loved her when he gave it up without a fight.

  She strutted to her side of the bed, pulled back the covers and slid in, her movements liquid, she shifted to him, reached across him and turned out the light.

  Then she pinned him to the bed.

  “Baby,” he muttered, his voice thick.

  “Yeah?”

  “The tee.”

  She pressed closer.

  “You weren’t the only one who didn’t let go,” she whispered.

  Layne’s arm tightened around her, his hand giving her hip a rough squeeze, his other hand lifted and slid into her hair.

  “Though, I should note, Jarrod wasn’t a big fan of me wearing this to bed.”

  Layne’s body went still.

  “Which I did,” she went on.

  Layne stayed still and silent.

  “A lot,” she finished.

  Layne didn’t move nor spea
k.

  Neither did Rocky.

  Until she whispered, “I know it was a bitchy thing to do, Layne, but, I mean, he was a jerk and he kept throwing you in my face so, I figured, since he didn’t get over it and I never got over you, at least I should be honest.”

  Layne kept his silence.

  “He deserved it,” she muttered.

  Layne’s body finally moved but it was against his volition. It did this to shake with laughter.

  Her head came up. “He did, Layne, seriously. He –”

  “Baby,” he forced out, his voice sounding choked.

  “You think I’m a bitch,” she wrongly surmised.

  “Baby,” he repeated but was unable to say more.

  “Trust me, Layne, I’m not a bitch. He could get mean about you.”

  He rolled into her, his hand in her hair moving over her mouth. “Baby, shut up.”

  “Okay,” she said under his hand.

  Layne moved his hand, dropped his head and shoved his face in her neck where he kept laughing softly.

  “Are you laughing?” she whispered, finally feeling the way his body was moving, not to mention hearing his laughter.

  “Shit yeah,” he replied.

  “Oh.”

  “You wore my tee to his bed,” Layne stated.

  “I missed you,” she whispered.

  Layne went still again. Then his head tipped back and he roared with laughter.

  “Layne!”

  “You wore my tee to his bed,” Layne choked.

  “Okay, now I’m thinking it was bitchy.”

  “You wore my tee to his bed,” Layne repeated, still choking on his hilarity.

  “Stop laughing!”

  “Wrapped yourself up in me and slipped into his bed,” Layne went on, his body shaking so hard the bed was moving with it.

  He loved this, he loved knowing it, he loved that she did it, he loved everything about it and he didn’t fucking care what that said about him or about her. He just loved it.

  “Layne!” she cried. “Stop laughing!”

  “Dad!” They both heard Jasper shout and they both went still. “We’re home!”