Page 31 of So Wrong, It's Wright
“I'm in town for two weeks. So be prepared to get sick and tired of me.”
“Two weeks! Never.” Her arms tighten around my waist, and she looks up at me adoringly. I just love it, and I think I love her. “I’m going to struggle with letting you go.”
ASH
Standing outsideQueen’s Delight, I’m congratulating Darren on an amazing performance while Ruby, Tanner and Theo belt out an off-key rendition of Christina Aguilera’s,Candymanfrom Coco Monroe’s final performance. Had I not known Darren was the queen behind the wig, I never would have recognized Coco as him. The makeup job was transformative, and his performance was thoroughly entertaining. It’s just a shame both my sister and Banks missed it. Banks had to stay back at the bar to organize a few things but said he’s meet us here, and Isla said she was going home to change and would do the same. But neither made it. Isla messaged that something came up, but still, I hope everything is OK.
“You look after our girl while you’re in town, all right?” Darren says, waggling a red stiletto tipped nail my way. “And I expect to see both of you at least once. Consider it coming to mama’s house for Sunday dinner, except we’ll all be there and it’ll be takeout since I can’t cook.”
“I’ll cook,” Theo says, sliding in and shaking my hand. “It’s good to see you, bro. Too long between trips.”
“You’re telling me,” I say, glancing over at the smiling Tahlia who’s saying her goodbyes to Ruby and Tanner. “Atlanta is just too far away.”
“Well, maybe you should make your visit a little more permanent,” Darren suggests, waggling his brows. I chuckle—if only he knew.
“In time,” I say, just as Theo elbows him.
“You can’t go putting pressure on like that. You’ll freak the guy out.”
“It’s fine,” I say with a laugh. “No freaking out here.”
“Who’s freaking out?” Tanner says, clapping me on the back before he holds his hand out for me to shake.
“Not me,” I say, giving him a brotherly hug instead. “How’s married life treating you?”
“As great as engaged life did. Ruby is my person, so I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Nodding slowly, I smile over at my girl—my person—and hold out my hand. She comes over quickly, and with my arm around her shoulders, I thank everyone for a great night and turn around to hail a cab.
“I just realized that you don’t have any luggage with you,” Tahlia says when one stops and I open the door for her.
“It’s at the hotel.”
Her face falls. “You’re not staying with me?”
“No, tiny. You’re staying withme.We’re gonna spend all weekend in bed getting room service.”
A slow grin curves her mouth as she climbs into the cab. “And what about the rest of the two weeks?”
I slide in beside her and brush the back of my hand against her cheek, touching my lips to hers. “Anything you want, tiny, that’s what we’ll do.”
“I just want to do you,” she whispers against my mouth before I close my lips over hers and kiss her long and deep, before giving the cabbie instructions to the hotel.
“You’ve got me.”
TAHLIA
“Idon’t want you to go,” I say, sitting up in bed as I watch Ash move around my tiny bedroom like he’s Alice in the scene where she grows too big for the Rabbit’s house. He’s making sure he’s packed everything because our two weeks are up and he’s going back to Atlanta.Boooo. Hisssss!
After our luxurious weekend in the hotel, he came back to my place to stay since I couldn’t get time off work and I needed clothes for that—insert more booing and hissing here. And as much as I pouted about that at the time, I have to say that waking up next to Ash and falling asleep beside him after making love every night has been pure bliss. Hecooks.Every night when I walked in the door, there was some great smell greeting me while a sexy giant moved about my poorly decked out kitchen. Then we ate together, we talked about our lives and really got to know each other on a deeper level, we cuddled, we kissed, we touched each othereverywhereand now that it’s over, my heart can’t take being separated from him. This long-distance thing is hard. I need to bite the bullet and start looking for work in Atlanta.
Easier said than done when my manager has made it clear that I can't get a transfer and I'm stuck under contract for at least another two months. So that means two months before I can even contemplate making the move. And two months of saving every spare penny I have to make sure I can afford to move. I'm gonna need some extra bar shifts too.
"I'm not too keen on going either, tiny," Ash says as he zips up his duffel. "I'd much rather stay right where I am with you. But this whole being grown-up with responsibilities thing kinda sucks, huh?" He gives me a half-smile before he moves to sit on the bed next to me. "But I have loved every single second I've been with you these past couple of weeks. And I promise I'll get out here again as soon as possible. Or I can fly you to me… Either way, we won't leave it so long this time." He leans in and kisses me, and I get such a surge of emotion that I slide my arms around his neck and hold on as tight as I can.
“Icunbref,” is the only decipherable sound that comes out of Ash’s mouth.
“What was that?” I pull back and meet his eyes in question, the resulting gasp of breath from him letting me know I was choking him.Whoops.
