“Can you do this?” she whined.
He lifted her boot and untied the laces, tossing it and its twin in the corner. Next he unbuttoned her flannel and peeled off her jeans. He placed her glasses on the nightstand where she’d find them in the morning. Once he had her down to her skivvies he pulled back the covers, stripped, and climbed in beside her.
He had no intention of doing anything in his parents’ house with his wife drunk, but once the lights were out her little hand found him and got his attention. He rolled to his back and stared at her through the shadows.
Her lips curved in a mischievous smile. “Do you know how pretty you are, Kelly?”
He stretched, placing his hands behind his head as she stroked him. “Not nearly as pretty as my wife.”
“Flirt. How come you never flirted with me before?”
“I don’t know. You always seemed too good for me.”
She sighed and grinned in the moonlight. “And now you’re my husband.” The covers pulled away and she looked at him. “You’re even pretty here,” she said leaning over to kiss the head of his cock.
He arched and groaned. Her lips teased over him as he was engulfed in the heat of her mouth. His hand went to her hair as she sucked him off slowly. She moaned around his length, sending sharp little vibrations up his shaft. His fingers curved around her little ass and squeezed. She was so good at this.
When he felt himself getting close, he whispered her name. “Ashlynn.”
She moaned and took him deeper. Not wanting to make a mess his mother would find, he pulled Ashlynn off and flipped her to her stomach. Rising behind her, he fit himself to her slit and plunged deep. She cried out and he laughed with satisfaction.
“Shh…”
“I can’t help it. It feels so good, Kelly.”
He lifted her to her knees and kissed her neck. His hips snapped upward, shoving his cock into her with hard, sharp thrusts. When she cried out again he laughed and gently covered her mouth.
Holding her back to his chest, his other hand found her clit. He teased her there and soon she was shaking and tightening around his dick as his own release took hold. They collapsed to the bed and he pulled her close. She snuggled into his side. “I love you, Kelly. I always have.” And then she fell asleep.
Chapter Seventeen
Ashlynn groaned as her eyes peeled open. She wasn’t in her bed. Slowly sitting up, she blinked at the room she’d slept in. This was Kelly’s room.
Her foggy head cleared and she slid out of bed without disturbing her sleeping husband and found her clothes. After slipping out to locate the closest bathroom, she freshened up and climbed back in bed.
Her car was there. She could go home. Restless, she stood and went to the window. The snow was still falling. A blanket of untouched powder covered the land and trees in the distance, making a picturesque morning.
She hoped she’d secured her plants well enough to keep what she could alive. Usually snow didn’t come until November or December. Losing these last two months of the year was going to hurt her bottom line.
Unsure what to do, she poked around the room. Familiar relics from their high school were buried under everyday items. Ashlynn lifted a pub menu tacked on a corkboard and found pictures of Kelly when he was only a boy. She knew that boy.
Smiling, she opened a small box on the dresser and found his school ring, a few bottle caps, and a rosary. When she did Kelly’s laundry she often found a rosary as she emptied his pockets. It made her happy that he was finding his faith again.
He’d gone with her to church on Sundays, only missing two masses since they’d been married. She sympathized with his schedule and admired his effort to attend mass.
She opened the closet and saw nothing out of the ordinary. She did however lean in and sniff his hanging shirts, loving the scent of him, loving that it now clung to all the pillows on their bed and the furniture around the house.
After she’d snooped enough, she sat on the edge of the bed and debated waking him. Looking at her watch, she noted it was still early. Her fingers next went to the latch on the drawer of the nightstand and slid it open. She frowned when she saw her name written on small envelope in feminine handwriting.
* * * *
Kelly had been having a delicious dream when a sharp edged object flew into his face. The pointed corner of whatever hit him poking his cheek.
“What the hell is this, Kelly McCullough?”
He jolted at the sharp sound of his wife’s voice and opened his eyes. Was that his wife? He’d never heard her raise her voice before.
When his blurry vision focused on her face, he noted the way her brown eyes were set on him under her low brows. Her mouth was tight and her nose seemed to be pointing down.
“What?” he asked, brushing his hair out of his face.
“What the hell is that?” Her finger shot out and he glanced at the bed. There was an envelope and sheet of paper twisted in the covers. He picked them up and his heart stopped.
What should he say? His mind raced. God damn his family! “Ashlynn…”
“What is it?”
“It was a joke—”
“A joke?”
“It was a stupid bet. It happened before we even knew each other.”
“We’ve known each other since grade school!”
“I mean before we started messing around.”
“Messing around? I guess that was some incentive to talk to me.”
He crumpled the paper in his fist. “I didn’t bet.”
“But Josh did. Is this why he was suddenly trying to feel me up and started asking for blowjobs?”
He bolted to his feet. He’d kill the fucker!
“Why do you have it? If you didn’t bet, why is it in your drawer? Was this your idea? Was my virginity just some joke to all of you?”
Her voice broke at the end, sounding on the verge of tears. He went to comfort her, but she shoved him away. “Ashlynn—”
“Don’t touch me.”
He scowled. In a stern voice he said, “Ashlynn, I had nothing to do with this.”
She turned and found her boots. “I’m going home.”
He looked out the window as he shoved his legs into his jeans. “The roads are a mess.”
“I don’t care.”
“You’re being unreasonable.”
“I can’t even look at you right now!” She knotted her laces and stood, her eyes shimmering with tears. “Was it worth it? Was it worth the money? You sure bought the cow.”
“I didn’t play! I told them it wasn’t right!”
“Then why was it in your drawer?”
“Why were you in my drawer?”
“I’m your wife! I share everything with you! My house, my bed, my body! I’m not allowed to see your personal stuff?”
He wished he’d thrown it away the moment he found it sitting on his bed.
Ashlynn sniffled and wiped her eyes. In a quiet voice, she said, “Did Luke and Sheilagh get their money? They were both right. I held out for marriage and you got the prize.”
He took a step toward her and stilled when she shot him a look of pure disgust. “Ashlynn, it wasn’t a game to me. I love you.”
She removed her glasses and blotted her lashes. “Well, you’ve all taken something I valued for the majority of my life and cheapened it into nothing but a joke in a matter of one night. You made a joke of me, Kelly, of my faith, my commitment to God, our marriage. You put a price on me.”
He threw the paper. “I didn’t do it! I told them they were all assholes!”
She shook her head. “Even your father…”
“You see how we are. We were drinking and playing cards. Sheilagh came in and Josh was talking about how he had a date with you the following night. Your virginity came up and—”
“I can’t believe how stupid I am.”
Something in her voice had him ignoring her unapproachable stature and gripping her arms. “No, Ashlynn—”
�
�I believed you. I fell for you like every other stupid girl that crosses your path. And I made it so easy for you. All you had to do was acknowledge me to make my heart race. For ten years I watched you, wanted you, and loved you, and it was all a game to you.” Her watery eyes turned on him. “How long do you have to stay married to me? What were the conditions?”
He scowled, his fingers tightening on her arms. “Sorry to disappoint, but you’re stuck with me forever.”
She laughed without humor. “Well, bully for you. You just bought yourself a cold marriage. I held out for twenty-four years. Don’t think of coming into my bed again. My virginity may have been the purse, but my pride’s not for sale!”
With that, she ripped her arms from his grip and left, slamming the door behind her. Her truck barreled out of the snowy driveway a minute later and Kelly dropped his head against the wall. Maybe after she calmed down he could explain.
She had every right to be furious, but he wasn’t a part of their stupid bet. He’d told them it was wrong. Maybe Sheilagh could explain it to her, but he was so disgusted with all of them, including himself, he didn’t feel like looking at a single one of them.
A while later, Kelly headed home. Ashlynn’s truck wasn’t there. She was likely at the market, but he assumed she wouldn’t want to be bothered at work. He headed to O’Malley’s and spent the afternoon readying the stock for Halloween night.
Halloween was always a big night at the pub, especially when it fell on a Friday like it did this year. He called to confirm the band had everything they needed. He usually contacted Sheilagh on busy nights to help hustle drinks, but he was putting a great deal of the blame for his marital issues on his sister at the moment.
At five o’clock the regulars lumbered in followed by some others trying to get a jump on their weekend. He was busy until well after midnight when the last few customers left.
Sue came into the kitchen a while later. “Chairs are up and the floors done. I’m taking off.”
“Drive safe. Can you come in early tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Is Sheilagh helping out?”
“No.”
Sue’s dark brow lifted. “We’re gonna be slammed, Kelly.”
“We’ll be fine.”
She huffed and left out the back. He put the cash in the safe and shut out the lights. As he drove home he had to take it slow. The day had been warm, causing the roads to slush, but once the sun went down the temperature dropped to the low teens. The roads were a sheet of ice and it was starting to snow again.
When he pulled up at home he frowned. The house was dark and Ashlynn’s truck wasn’t there. He dialed her cell, but got no answer. Backing out of the driveway he drove down the road to her dad’s.
“Shit.” Her truck was parked beside the garage. His knuckles stung as they came down on the dashboard.
He backed out and returned home. The house was cold. There was no dinner waiting for him, no note left on the chalkboard in the kitchen like usual. His laundry was where he’d left it on the floor the day before and the bed was unmade.
Kelly showered and climbed under the covers, tossing and turning for the better part of the night. Around four he sent Ashlynn a text, figuring she’d be getting up soon.
I love you. I’m sorry. Please come home.
He fell asleep just as the birds started to chirp and didn’t wake until the following afternoon. When he checked his phone there were no missed calls or texts. He dialed her cell.
“Hello, this is Ashlynn McCullough. Please leave me a message and I’ll get back to you.” The phone beeped and he hung up.
Kelly stayed in bed until after two. She was being unreasonable. He had no control over his relatives—obviously. They all did whatever the hell they wanted.
He called her several times throughout the day, but she never answered or even replied to his numerous texts. When he got to the bar he was in a sour mood.
“You look pleasant,” Sue said as she carried up a carbonation tank from the cellar.
“Do me a favor, Sue, can the jokes for a day.”
She stared at him then turned, mumbling something about men having PMS.
By seven the band had arrived and was setting up. Customers showed up in everything from goofy glasses to full out costumes. A group of girls sashayed up to the bar dressed in the typical leotards that were acceptable this one night a year. He used to love all the slutty get-ups women pranced around in on Halloween, but now it all struck him as desperate.
“Hi, Kelly,” they purred as one.
“What can I get you ladies?” Great, they were supposed to be cats, if one could claim to be a cat wearing only lingerie and pointed ears. The whiskers painted on their faces helped. When men looked at them he was sure the first thing that would come to mind was pussy.
They placed their orders, all various martinis. As he mixed the drinks they made small talk. “Are you gonna come dance later?” the brunette purred.
“I gotta stay behind the bar. Sorry.”
She pouted. “Maybe later.”
“We’ll see.” There was no way he was going anywhere near those women. He gripped the shaker, his wedding band clicking against the frosted metal, and turned to put their money in the register.
As the night dragged on, the crowd grew more rambunctious. The band was killing it and the tip jar was overflowing with green. He’d be willing to bet Sue wasn’t regretting Sheilagh’s absence now. He’d let her keep the jar.
There was something going on at the end of the bar and Kelly needed to see what was up. Sue stood, hands on hips, staring at a guy who looked freshly twenty-one. Kelly ignored the customer’s vying for his attention and came to her side.
“What’s going on?”
Sue appeared relieved to see him. “License is out of state and he looks like he’s already had a few.”
Kelly took the kid’s license and held it under the light. He glanced at the kid who was smirking under a pair of glasses that would make Elton John hard. Yeah, he looked like he’d already been drinking.
He passed back the Jersey ID and said, “He’s all right.” The kid took his license and nodded as if they were friends. Kelly turned to Sue and whispered, “Lots of ice and cut him off after his second.”
“You got it, boss.”
Kelly watched the kid over the next hour. He probably should have given him the boot, but the license looked legit. There was no way of telling what customers put in their mouth before they sat down at his bar. After his second drink Sue ignored him and the kid eventually left.
“Kelly!”
He turned and saw one of the regulars. “What’s up?”
“There’s an accident out front. I called the cops, but you may want to check it out.”
Great. “Sue—”
“Go. I’m good for five.”
He rounded the bar and pushed through the crowd. When he shoved open the door the cold air hit him like a blanket of ice. He squinted through the still falling snow and the first thing he saw was a blue Toyota pressed against the phone pole. Did the driver lose control?
He jogged over and cursed when he saw Jersey plates. Fuck. He opened the door and the kid had a cut above his eye, but looked okay, if a little shaken. “Stay put,” Kelly said. “Cops are on their way.”
The driver moaned and said, “That truck came out of nowhere.”
Kelly frowned. He unfolded his body from where he’d been crouching at the door and scanned the area. Snow gathered on his shoulders as he wedged his fists in the pockets of his jeans. When he noticed fresh tire tracks that swirled as if they fishtailed he tracked them. That was when he saw the pearly white side of a truck flipped in the ditch.
His heart stopped then punched into overdrive and he bolted. “Ashlynn!”
When he got to the truck, he hoisted his body up, stepping on the undercarriage and climbing onto the door. He could barely see.
Please don’t let it be her.
Dangling sideways from the rearview mirr
or was her rosary. “Shit.” He crouched and lifted the heavy door open. “Ashlynn!”
She was slouched against the driver door. Her airbag had deployed and her glasses were shattered.
“Kelly?” Her voice was weak.
Sirens hummed in the distance. “Don’t move. The cops are on their way. Are you hurt?”
“My hand,” she moaned, cradling her wrist against her chest.
Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! “Keep talking to me. What happened?”
“I don’t know. I was coming to see you and suddenly there was a car on the wrong side of the road. I swerved and lost control.”
Breath clouded in front of his face. Two cop cars arrived followed by an ambulance. Customers shivered outside of the bar in their costumes as they took in the scene. He didn’t want to leave Ashlynn.
“Over here!” he yelled and an EMT came jogging over.
“How many in the car?”
“One. It’s my wife. I don’t know how to get her out.”
The officer climbed onto the truck and asked, “Were you in the vehicle when it happened?”
“No. I was working. That’s my bar.”
The officer lowered himself into the truck and began asking Ashlynn questions. He looked in her eyes with a flashlight and cut away the seatbelt.
“Sir, you’re going to have to step back,” another EMT called.
Hesitantly, he climbed off the truck so they could help her. “You have to get her out!”
“We’re going to be a few minutes. We’re waiting for another truck.”
Shit. He’d been gone longer than five minutes. He couldn’t think, but he needed to. He needed to do something. “Tell her I’ll be right back.”
He ran into the bar and grabbed the microphone from the singer who was unaware of all the action outside. “Pack it up, folks. We’re closing.”
There was a loud boo and the lights flipped on, putting a damper on everyone’s evening. He found Tristan and Luke in the crowd and asked them to make sure everyone cashed out with Sue.
“What’s going on?” his brother asked.
Chaste Page 33
