I grab my phone from the bathroom vanity after wrapping a towel around my waist. Drops of water dribble down my face from my hair and land on my phone screen, but I unlock my phone and open my Instagram app.
Hard_Ains: why are you awake already?
KnoxBentleyOfficial: I’m a morning person. So? Are you free today?
Hard_Ains: I guess… although my bed is warm and you’re interrupting my sleep
I smirk. Tempted to write something inappropriate, I keep my focus on my plans for the day.
KnoxBentleyOfficial: let’s go snow tubing. I promise it’ll be fun. I’ll even take you for coffee
Hard_Ains: did someone say coffee?! I’m up!
I chuckle and shake my head. I can just imagine her jumping from bed.
KonxBentleyOfficial: i’ll pick you up. dress in warm layers
KnoxBentleyOfficial: and what’s up with Hard in your name? Is this part of that G-Money phase in your life?
Hard_Ains: hahaha— funny guy. My last name is Harding. G-Money is only reserved for my Geema but if you’re lucky you’ll see my gangster side
KnoxBentleyOfficial: i’m gonna have to see this, lucky or not
Hard_Ains: we’ll see ;) ok want to meet at the coffee shop for coffee before we go?
Hard_Ains: well duh if we meet at the coffee shop it’s for coffee
KnoxBentleyOfficial: I’ll pick you up
Hard_Ains: oh ok you already mentioned that yeah? I need coffee stat see ya in a bit then
I grin widely as I think about her. God, she rambles a lot, even in text. The image of her rapping makes me chuckle. I don’t know if I deserve her or not, but she’s worth a shot. If I’m going to reevaluate everything in my life and start fresh, that includes the possibility of another woman in my life, one that I choose to have by my side. We all deserve a chance at happiness.
I get dressed and grab my keys from the counter in the kitchen before heading out to pick up Ainsley. Every winter, we’d go snow tubing on our property after we finished chores. Snow has always been my favorite and something I missed when living between California and Nashville. Now, I actually have the time to live, and I want to take advantage of that. My career will fall into place with time.
Ainsley opens the door before I knock, bouncing on her toes. “Hey.”
“Are you excited?” I tease, lifting my eyebrows.
“You promised coffee, and I never kid when it comes to my morning cup. Then, you can take me wherever you want,” she smirks, her lips pinching together.
I lick my lips and stare at her for a second. Her jeans, tucked into her snow boots, hug her hips and legs while a thick, tan sweater covers her upper body.
“Come on. I’ve got big plans for us today.” I grab her hand to pull her out the door, but she holds me back.
“Let me grab my coat,” she raises her eyebrows, eyes twinkling with mischief as she looks down her body.
Well, I’ll be damned, is she flirting with me?
“Hurry.” I bounce on my toes, feeling like a kid who is skipping a school day. It’s been a long time since I’ve been excited about something and it’s thanks to the woman fighting with her coat. “Here,” I reach out for her coat. “Let me help you.”
I hold it open as she turns around and slips her arms into the sleeves. I run my hands down her arms, squeezing her hands.
“Let’s go,” my words come out deeper than intended.
Swiping her long ponytail away from the collar, she faces me with intensity in her eyes. “Knox.”
“Time’s a-tickin’,” I interrupt her, not wanting to hear any excuses and pulling myself together.
I drive toward my parents’ property and grab the inflated tubes in one of the covered barns before heading further into the mountains.
“I’m so excited,” she squeals when I’m back in the truck as she warms her hands around the cup of coffee we grabbed on the way.
“I love tubing.” I park the car, and she’s out before I close the driver’s door.
“I’ve never done it, but I’ve always seen pictures, and it looks like so much fun.” Her southern accent becomes more apparent as she helps me carry one of the tubes.
“Okay, how about you show me what to do?” she asks.
“Let’s climb a little higher,” I lead the way up the hill.
“Thank goodness I’m not afraid of heights.” She falls into step with me as we trek through the snow.
“Okay,” I stop walking once we’re in a part of the hill that’s flat. “It’s easy. You sit and kick forward a bit and just enjoy the ride.”
“Enjoy the ride,” she muses. “I like that.” She tilts her head and pops her hip out a bit. “Okay, show me,” she says again, her excitement laced in her words as she bounces on her toes.
I sit on the tube and push forward, rushing downhill. The wind blows past me, the cold hitting my ears as the exhilaration of letting go takes over.
I stand at the bottom of the hill and look up at Ainsley, ready to go. Smiling, I watch her fly through the snow as her screams fill the open space. Her tube comes to a stop a few feet past me, and she’s quick to her feet.
“That was a blast!” She pulls the tube behind her until she’s standing in front of me. “Ready to go again?”
“Hell yeah,” I stare at her, soaking in her sunshine. She’s the golden rays of hope fighting through the dull gray in my life.
She grips my hand and pulls me back up the hill, the warmth of her glove filling me as I see the possibility of a happy life.
Ainsley drops onto the tube and slides down, arms up in the air before they quickly shoot down to grab the handles on the sides. I guffaw watching her almost tip over.
When she’s out of my way, I jump on, ready to meet her at the bottom of the hill. The rush of being out here, surrounded by nature and privacy, drips life back into me like an IV. Once I reach the bottom, I stand with the tube in my hand and feel something hit my back. Turning around, I find Ainsley laughing hysterically to herself.
“Are you sure you want to play this game?” I lift a brow and grin.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She squares her shoulders and juts her chin.
Silently, I bend and pack a snowball into my hand, grateful for the thick gloves I grabbed on my way out of the house.
Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t back down. I see her carefully calculating where to move as I prepare to throw the snowball. She moves left, and I graze her shoulder. Without thinking twice, I grab more snow, start to aim, and get hit in the face instead. She’s quick.
Ainsley throws her head back, laughing, and I hit her in the chest with a snowball. The sound of our laughter is the only thing heard for miles as we continue on, using each other as targets. When she smashes a fist full of snow in my face, I run after her. I slip on the snow, landing on my ass. She bends over, holding her midsection, as she laughs at me. Shaking my head, I stand and catch her by surprise, smashing snow into her face.
“Oh, my goodness,” she shrieks, squeezing her eyes shut and removes remnants of snow from her face. “That was mean,” she yells.
“No way, all bets are off when it comes to a snowball fight.” I run after her again, and she moves away from me, her cackles slowing her down.
“Time out!” She looks over her shoulder and calls out with her hands lifted over her head, her fingers touching the palm of her other hand like a referee.
“Nope,” I reply, wrapping my arm around her waist from behind and lifting her feet from the ground.
“Knox,” she squeals, slapping my forearm.
I chuckle, holding her as I place her feet back on the ground. When Ainsley turns around, whatever she was going to say gets stuck in her throat, and she leans her hands on my chest. I look down at her hands and back up to her face, both of us growing serious.
When her teeth trap her bottom lip, I can’t help but stare. Instinctively, my left hand moves to her hip, holding her, and my right one reaches up to
remove her lip from its prison. Her eyes flutter closed before staring back up at mine. I move my hand to cup the side of her face, the hand on her hip squeezing just enough that a small moan escapes the lips I want to taste.
“Fuck,” I groan and look for any hesitation in her eyes before touching my lips to hers.
Ainsley sighs, her soft lips perfect against mine. I run my tongue along the seam and deepen the kiss when she grants me my wish. Her arms travel up my chest and around my neck, fingers brushing through the wavy strands of hair in the nape of my neck, goosebumps covering my arms.
Ainsley tastes sweet and refreshing, her tongue moving with mine. My dick springs to attention, and I stop myself from pushing into her.
I get lost in her lips and arms until I feel her shiver. I slow the kiss, pecking her lips softly, before breaking away completely and looking down at her.
“Wow,” she whispers.
I grin and nod. I love that she doesn’t hide her feelings. Her hands move from the back of my neck to my face, holding me. She lifts herself on her toes and touches her lips to mine again in a soft and tender kiss. I smile against her mouth and hold her hips with both hands now, daring to sneak a finger under her sweater in search of her warm skin.
She trembles again, and I take a step back. “Are you cold?”
“A little. Sorry,” she shrugs.
“Don’t be, let’s go. Do you work tonight?” I grab both tubes by the handles and hold her hand with my free one.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s pick up lunch and eat at my place. I can take you to work after,” I offer.
“I can drive, and I need to change anyway.”
“I’ll take you home to change, but I want to drive you to work. I have no other plans tonight than to be in your company, even if you’re tending the bar,” I state. She shakes her head, but a smile covers her face.
“What do you want for lunch?” she changes subjects.
“How about we grab tacos from Dorado Grill?”
“I love that place,” she exclaims.
“Perfect.” I don’t let go of her hand as we walk to my truck, wanting to hold on to this feeling.
Since I’ve met Ainsley, she’s snuck her optimism into my life. When I felt like I was hitting rock bottom, she smiled my way and has held on so far. I don’t know where my life is going, but I do know that I want to get to know the woman next to me.
“Do you know what you want from Dorado?” I ask her as I sit in my truck.
“Their steak tacos in soft shells.”
“Awesome. I’ll place an order, so it’s ready when we get there.” I hit call, and my Bluetooth speaker rings in the cab. I order our food and drive toward the center of town.
“Tubing was so much fun,” Ainsley says. “Thanks for asking me to come with you.”
“I’m glad you agreed. I loved coming here as a kid, even when I was a teen. Axel and I used to spend hours sliding down the hills, competing with each other over who rode the fastest.”
“I can imagine you two arguing about that,” Ainsley interrupts me with a chuckle.
“I always won,” I deadpan.
“I’m sure he’d say the opposite.” She tosses her head back on the headrest. I chance a glance her way, taking in the slope of her neck, her plump lips and blue eyes smiling as they stare out the windshield. She turns toward me and catches my eyes. I wink at her before looking back at the road ahead of us and getting to Dorado Grill as soon as possible, so I can spend more time with her in the privacy of my home.
Ainsley
My lips still feel the ghost of Knox’s kiss. When he held me, I wanted to let myself fall into him, get lost in his woodsy scent and strong arms. I almost did, but then he broke the kiss, and I wanted to beg for more. It’s been a long time since I’ve been kissed with equal parts tenderness and passion.
I can’t help but sneak peeks at him while we eat. He catches me every time and simply smiles.
Stunning is an understatement when describing his home. Stone architecture on the outside with modern lines that give it the perfect balance between country and chic. The two-story home feels like a family home, and I wonder if he bought it with hopes that he and Amelia would live here.
I never thought I’d be attracted to a man who’s been married before. It’s a different experience, thought process. I find myself questioning things I never have.
“This fireplace is beautiful,” I comment, looking at the flickering flames warming up the home. The kitchen opens up to the living room, making the perfect space for entertaining. The abundance of windows makes it feel more open and provides gorgeous views of the mountains and a lake.
“It’s one of my favorite features in the house. I haven’t had many opportunities to light it, so I take advantage.” He leans back on the stool at the island, observing his home.
“It would be mine, too. Fireplaces are so cozy. I had one in my home in Colorado and wished my apartment here had one, but that would increase my rent.” I shrug, wiping my mouth as I finish off my last taco.
“Yeah, Colorado gets really cold, too,” Knox nods. “How long did you live there?”
“About six years. I was transferred for work to help start that branch,” I explain, reminiscing. It was hard to leave Dallas, but I was excited about the new opportunity and living somewhere else.
“What did you do?” Knox shifts his body to face me.
“Marketing,” I shrug.
“You don’t like it?” He raises his eyebrows, his brown eyes more relaxed than a few weeks ago.
“I did, but I got burnt out. It was like starting a new company from scratch, and I love the creativity in marketing. Since I was a veteran from the Dallas office, I did a lot more paperwork and a lot less of the fun brainstorming and creating.”
“I get that,” he nods, pensive.
“I guess you could understand,” I reply, wondering if artists lose their passion when it becomes a job.
“So,” he claps his hands. “You gotta get to work, right?” He looks at the time on his phone.
“I do,” I groan, tossing my head back. When Knox chuckles, I explain, “I love working at Clarke’s, but it’s been nice to relax.”
“I’m glad.” He grabs hold of my hand and kisses the inside of my wrist before clearing the plates. My body tingles, and I wish I could stay here with him for the rest of the afternoon.
“Let’s get you home so you can change.” He walks around the island until he’s standing next to me. I take the hand he offers and stand, his body keeping me trapped between the counter and him. “Thank you for spending the morning with me.” Knox’s gaze bores into mine, searching for something only he’s privy of.
“I really did have fun. I should be thankin’ you…”
He shakes his head, stopping me from talking. “Trust me when I say that spending time with you has been the most fun I’ve had in years and the most ‘me’ I’ve felt in a very long time.”
My heart is banging against my ribs, and my breathing is quick as his words sink in. I’m not sure why he feels that way with plain ole me, but it fills me with pride and also saddens me for the way he’s been living. One look at Knox, and it’s clear he isn’t entirely happy with his life.
“I guess we’re going to have to make sure your life is once again full of good times. No one should miss out on living the way they want.” I tighten my hand around his and smile.
“I like you, Ainsley Harding.” My breath catches in my throat when his free hand holds the side of my face, and his lips touch mine in a soft kiss. I close my eyes and lean into him, savoring the moment.
“Ready?” His question is husky. I nod, walking out of his house while keeping my hand in his.
I don’t know Knox’s backstory and what happened in his marriage, but I know I want to discover every part of him and be responsible for making him smile so freely again.
…
Although I insisted I didn’t need him to drive me to work, Kn
ox was hellbent on bringing me, which means he’ll be driving me home when my shift is over. I’ll be lying if I say that doesn’t add to my good mood as I work.
In between serving customers, Knox and I share secret glances and smiles. His fingertips graze mine as he grabs the glass from my hands after serving him another round. I shiver and look away, making sure no one is on to our game.
As much as I’m enjoying my time with Knox, neither of us need drama in our lives. Until I know where this is going, I don’t want people in town starting rumors about our relationship.
“Hey, Ainsley, can you make me a margarita?” Jill, one of our waitresses, pops into the bar.
“Got it.” I mix the ingredients, serving the margarita in a salt-rimmed glass and place it on the pick-up station on the side of the bar.
I assess the people sitting at the long counter, checking to see whose drink is low. As I sweep through the crowd, Knox’s eyes catch my attention. He winks as he brings the rim of his glass to his lips. I’d give a lot to be kissing him right now. I feel heat cover my face as I think about his lips and roll my eyes when he laughs at my reaction, not oblivious to my blush.
Staying focused on work instead of the man sitting directly in the center of my bar, I make sure no one wants to place another order before organizing the back of the bar. Mondays are usually slower days, but with the cold weather, people in this town tend to seek shelter in a bar. Nothing like a good heater and alcohol to keep your body warm.
“Hey,” I hear a male voice in front of me. I look up to see Eli sitting next to Knox, shaking his hand. “Hi, Ainsley.” He nods in my direction.
“Hey, what can I get you?”
He looks at Knox’s glass and back at me. “Gimme what he’s having.”
“Coming right up,” I grab the bottle of scotch and fill his glass, setting it in front of him.
“Thanks,” he winks, and I roll my eyes. Eli’s always been a flirt. Knox sits up straighter, looking between the two of us with curious, narrowed eyes.
Write You a Love Song Page 7
