"So, I can stop being jealous?" he asked, looking sweetly relieved.
I nodded, staring straight at him. I felt slightly embarrassed about admitting how crazy I was about him. I felt like I should say something noncommittal.
"I know we still have a lot to learn about each other," I said. "And I know you have a lot going on with the orchestra. But I just want you to know there's nothing for you to worry about on my end. I'm interested, Ash."
My hand was still resting on the side of his face, and I flexed a little, feeling amazed that the sheer act of touching his face caused my insides to turn warm. His piercing gaze drifted to my mouth, and I let out a tiny, unintentional whimper at the sensation I felt because of it. His eyes met mine when he heard that sound. He must have taken it as permission because, just like that, he wrapped his hand around the back of my waist, pulling me to him. I took an unsteady breath at the shock of that kind of contact—being pulled up against his firm body.
"You okay?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Is this okay?"
I nodded again.
"You know what I'm gonna do, right?"
Another nod.
"Is that okay?" he asked.
"Yes, Ash."
He blinked—a slow blink where he left his eyes closed. "Say it again."
"Your name?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Ashley Jay Winters," I said slowly.
He smiled and took a deep breath before opening his eyes. I thought he might say something else, but he didn’t. He squeezed me by the waist, and leaned down, placing his mouth right next to mine.
"Say it again, Abigail," he whispered. His mouth was so close to mine that I felt his breath on my lips. I could see why he wanted me to repeat his name. Just the sound of Abigail coming out of his mouth caused me to experience a warm, zapping sensation. It was as if I was freefalling. I felt like I needed to grab something and hold onto it. I put my hands on his sides, taking a hold of his shirt and clinching the thin fabric tightly.
"You say it again," I whispered.
He pulled back ever so slightly. "It doesn't work when I say it," he said with a mischievous half-grin.
"I mean, say mine," I whispered breathlessly. "I wanted you to say mine."
He moved to put his mouth next to my ear. "My darling Abigail," he whispered.
The words sent a jolt of humiliation and regret through me, and I closed my eyes shut tight. "Oh, I'm so sorry I did that," I whispered. "I regretted that as soon as you drove off. I wanted to—"
I couldn't finish what I was trying to say because he kissed me. One second, I was talking, and the next, his mouth was on mine. His mouth lingered on mine for several earth-shattering seconds. I didn't breathe. I didn't think. All I did was enjoy his warm, soft lips on mine.
"Don't ever say you regret that." He whispered the words softly without taking his lips from mine. He breathed them into my mouth before kissing me gently again. "You are my darling Abigail."
He let his lips fall on mine yet again, but it was too soft. Too gentle. Too feather-light. I needed more. I felt like I would die if my mouth didn't firmly connect with his. My toes curled and I gripped his shirt for dear life. I breathed in, loving the clean, masculine smell of him. I was dizzy with desire, aching with it.
"Ash," I whispered.
"What?"
I didn't answer. Instead I stretched up, kissing him deeper, opening my mouth to him. He pulled me closer, holding me with one arm behind my waist. His other hand wrapped around the back of my head. I could feel his fingers lace through my hair as he held onto me, pulling me firmly to him. His mouth had the faint taste of peppermint, and it felt as if my blood turned to warm honey as he opened to me.
We connected deeply for a long moment before he pulled back. He kept a hold of my bottom lip, sucking on it, teasing me gently before he broke contact completely. We stared at each other for a few heartbeats before he kissed me again—one, two—five, six, seven—ten times. The soft, warm flesh of his lips felt like heaven's velvet, and I struggled to breathe or even remain on my feet.
He shifted, kissing my cheek a few times before placing another kiss on my ear. I shivered. I breathed in, relishing the smell of his neck.
"Abigail," he said, close to my ear.
"What?"
"Someone's coming."
A little disappointed groaning sound came from my throat, and he smiled, which pleased me greatly. I turned to glance out the window, wondering who was approaching.
I turned just in time to see Jana and Bill knock on the door. I felt Ash straighten, propping himself against the counter, and I almost stepped away from him, but I just couldn't. I wanted so badly to be close to him, that I couldn’t make myself create distance. I turned around, but I didn't step away. I stood close enough to him that my back was leaning against his chest.
"Come in!" I yelled, running a hand through my hair casually.
I felt Ash take hold of my clothes. I couldn’t say for sure, but it felt like he looped a finger through one of my belt loops. I knew Bill and Jana couldn't see what he was doing, but it made me smile, anyway.
"Are y'all gonna stick around for dinner?" Jana asked. "We'll have plenty."
"No ma'am," I said. "Thank you, but Ash and I already had plans to go to out for dinner. He just came to pick me up."
"I was wondering about that," Jana said with a nod. "That's why I brought Bill over. I wanted him to meet Ashley before you left."
They crossed the living room, headed in our direction. I reluctantly broke contact with Ash so that we could walk toward them, meeting them at the edge of the kitchen. He approached Bill with an outstretched hand, and Bill smiled as he shook it.
"I met you out there with Abigail, but I didn't realize who you were," Bill said. "Jana and I have heard you play before, and I still didn't recognize you. It's an honor to have you at our home, Mr. Winters."
"Ash, please," he said. "And the pleasure's all mine."
"Do you enjoy fishing?" Bill asked. "You're welcome to come out with us sometime. We'd love to have you."
Jana bumped her husband. "Honey, he's probably really busy." She smiled at Ash. "We're really excited about you playing at the St. Jude event next month. We'll see you play at the Knight as well, but the St. Jude event is more intimate. I think you'll enjoy playing there. I know we're looking forward to it."
"I am too," Ash said. "That'll be fun."
"Will you be alone, or will the orchestra be with you?" Jana asked.
Ash hesitated. "I don't believe it's the full orchestra," he said. "I'm not positive, though. It might be a quartet."
There was a short pause where Jana smiled at him nervously, looking like she couldn’t believe he was standing in her guesthouse.
"Well, I guess we better get back," Bill said. "That Grouper isn't gonna marinate itself."
"Are you sure you can't stay?" Jana asked.
"We were just about to leave," I said, thinking of Corey. "Thank you, though. I know he would have enjoyed that Grouper. We'll have to do it again."
"I'd love that," Ash said. "And maybe I can go with you to catch it."
Bill beamed as he reached out to shake Ash's hand again, and Ash shook it without hesitation.
"Well, you know where to find me if you decide you want to come," Bill said. "I'd love to take you."
Ash smiled. "I appreciate it. I just might do that."
Jana was nervous and giddy. I had never seen her like that. She smiled and stutter-stepped as she approached Ash, wanting a hug. He graciously hugged her back, and just like that, she and Bill headed out.
I looked at Ash with wide eyes. Jana and Bill's starstruck reaction to him only made me want him more. Suddenly, I remembered what we had been doing before they walked in, and the thought of it sent a gut-clenching wave of desire through me. I bit my lip, which made Ash smile and reach out for me. He tugged me gently by the shirt.
"What?" he asked, wondering what was behind my coy
smile.
"I can't believe they were so excited about meeting you," I said. "It's crazy that she knew about that event you're playing. Did you see how excited she was?"
"I didn't even know for sure what event she was talking about," he said. "I know I have a couple of benefits on the books."
"Are they fancy?" I asked.
He nodded. "Usually. You'll see."
"Oh, I'm not going," I said. "Jana and Bill go to all kinds of things we don't go to. Kristen and I don't do all that fancy stuff. We just rent their guesthouse."
Ash tilted his head, leveling me with a serious stare. "I meant you'll be coming with me," he said.
Chapter 14
Ash
One month later
It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in mid-October. The symphony's season opener was only a week away, and Ash was pleased with how things were coming together. He enjoyed playing with the other musicians.
Earlier that morning, he had a rehearsal with the quartet he would be playing with that evening at the St. Jude charity benefit. It was a black-tie affair and Ash's first performance of the season. He was looking forward to it—not just because he loved performing, but also because of the woman he would take as his date.
Abigail.
The two of them had gotten to know each other well during the last month, and the more Ash learned about her, the more he grew to love her. They didn't see each other every day. Ash practiced during the day while she was at work, and he had rehearsals with the orchestra in the evening. They did, however, talk every day.
They talked a lot—sometimes for an hour and sometimes for three or four. They had heart-to-heart conversations and surface level ones. They compared their childhoods, their likes and dislikes, their preferences in art, literature, and music. They talked about simple things like the weather or what they had done that day, and they touched on more meaningful subjects like philosophies on life and goals for the future. They spoke about food, animals, children, sports, exercise, education, plants, and just about anything else you could think of.
They talked about God. Abigail never ceased to amaze Ash when it came to God. Abigail's father had survived cancer when she was younger, and the experience had brought her whole family closer to Him.
It seemed as though she had a real understanding of God's nature. She spoke of His goodness and His providence, and she had a confident, peaceful security about trusting His plans for her life—even with small, day-to-day things. She never seemed to get overly upset, and Ash could tell that it was a result of her faith. She didn't come across as a religious person, yet she was really close to God, and that was something Ash didn't know was possible.
In the time he had known her, she had given him practical, simple ways to grow spiritually. She said he should set his Bible on the table, and read a chapter a day while he was eating breakfast—just open it and go through it from front to back, like a book.
Ash took her advice and was currently in the book of Joshua. Once he started, he got more intrigued and read more than a chapter a day. He would ask her questions about it, and she would answer intelligently, making it obvious that she had already read it and thought about it or studied it for herself. She didn't know everything, of course, but she was really knowledgeable, and she was honest if Ash asked her something she wasn't sure about. She would read up on it and call him back with the answer.
Ash thought it was unbelievably attractive that she loved God. He never dreamed that would be something he would look for in a woman, but it was one of the things he loved most about Abigail.
He respected her for it.
Her unyielding yet unpretentious devotion made his heart feel at peace. That wasn't the only thing he loved about her. She was smart as a whip and considerate of other people's feelings. People often said that someone would give you the shirt off of their back, but Abigail seriously would.
She had a dry sense of humor, and they were constantly smiling and teasing each other. They had inside jokes already. Ash was remarkably comfortable with her. Too comfortable almost. That was why they decided to limit their exposure to one another. During the past month, he and Abigail only saw each other a few times a week. They talked at length every day, but they agreed to cut back on their physical contact.
After that first weekend, Ash was ready to sell his place in New York and relocate to Miami permanently. He was ready to buy a ring and propose to Abigail at the very first opportunity. He felt like he would turn his life upside down to avoid being apart from her.
Physically, he desired her more than he had ever desired another woman. He knew they would not be intimate until they were married, and his extreme attraction to her had him wanting to set a date as soon as possible.
He saw her on Thursdays, when she came to tend to the pond, and again on Fridays at the park. Ash had made a regular habit of going with her to meet Sidney's class on Friday afternoons. He remembered the first time Abigail told him about it. She said she went for selfish reasons not charity or goodwill, and he could honestly see where she was coming from. Ash always had so much fun doing that. He had fun with Abigail period.
In addition to their brief Thursday and Friday encounters, they tried to go out on a date every week. On Thursday and Friday, Abigail would be in her work clothes, but when he took her out on a date, she dressed differently—more delicate, feminine. He always looked forward to seeing what she would wear.
That feeling was amplified tonight.
He didn't know what she'd be wearing exactly, but he knew it would be amazing—he was prepared for that. She had gone dress shopping with her roommate. All Ash knew was that she had been successful in choosing something that was appropriate for the benefit. She wouldn't even tell him what color it was. The only thing she would say was that she had the approval of Jana Reynolds, which was all she needed since the woman had been to the event the last five years.
It was Saturday, so Ash had just seen Abigail Thursday for the pond maintenance and again on Friday when they met at the park, but he was still chomping at the bit to see her at the event.
He couldn’t wait. He was thinking about it when his agent called that afternoon. It was good timing because he had a question for him.
"Hey, Wayne," Ash said, answering his phone. "I was just thinking about texting you."
"About what?"
"Tonight's job. I was wondering if you know about the layout. Are we playing during dinner, or afterward?"
Sometimes, Ash had a clear itinerary, but that wasn't the case this evening. He knew they had to play for an hour, but he wasn't sure when that was in relation to dinner service. They always had delicious food at these events, and he knew that he would get to eat either way. That wasn't why he was asking.
"You know as much as I do on this one," Wayne said. "Katherine didn't send me anything about the schedule. She just said you have to be set up by five. You'll need to be there early."
"I know, I'm about to leave," Ash said.
"Why?" Wayne asked.
"Because there's gonna be traffic."
"No. Why were you asking about dinner?"
"Oh, because I want to sit and eat with someone, if I can."
"I hope it's not a woman," Wayne said.
"It is. Why?"
"That's why I was calling you," Wayne said. "Katherine called me earlier and said a VIP ticket had been sold to Fiona Wilkinson."
Ash's stomach dropped, and he let out a deflated sigh. It had been at least six months since he had seen Fiona. He hoped she had moved on.
"How did she even know to tell you about that?" Ash asked.
"I called her a couple of weeks ago and asked if anyone by that name was on the guest list, just in case. I knew she typically liked these smaller venues, and I think they're offering a meet and greet sometime before or after you play."
Ash let out a long sigh.
"Anyway, Katherine called me today. I guess she remembered me asking about that name, and she noticed i
t on a place card when they were setting up."
If Ash had a stalker, Fiona Wilkinson would be her name. She had fallen in love with him years before when he was at Juilliard. Fiona was still married back then, but that didn't stop her from flirting with Ash and making her admiration known.
She was older than Ash by over a decade. She was married to a very wealthy man and had gotten half of his money when they divorced. She volunteered for the board of several charity fundraisers and, with the intention of getting close to Ash, had hired him for a few events that were similar to the one he was playing tonight. Ash had enough work in New York, so his agent eventually began turning down charity events there.
Even before her divorce, Fiona went to all of Ash's NYC shows. He knew this because she would always purchase a seat in the front, and she would always wear a striking dress, usually a red one.
During recent years, her attendance wasn't limited to New York. After her divorce, she began showing up at different locations around the country. She almost always came to the smaller charity events, especially if there would be an opportunity for a meet and greet.
These brief conversations during said meet and greets were exactly how Ash knew she was divorced. The last few times they had spoken, she had made her feelings clear, saying she would love to "take care" of Ash. "You'd never have to work another day in your life," she had said to him. "You could just stay home and play the cello for me." Of course, she had said it with a lighthearted smile as if she was half-joking, but it was still too much.
Ash wasn't threatened by her, necessarily, but it was unnerving to have someone follow him around the country, buying expensive tickets and saying things like that. He and his agent had discussed possible options for avoiding her, but since a threat had never been made, a restraining order wasn't one of them.
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