17. Sunday

SEVENTEEN

Ijust had sex with Ash.

I just had feral, primal, outdoor thunderstorm sex with Ash. I came so hard my legs were trembling. I'm not a trembling orgasm girl. Or I didn't think I was. But apparently, when having the best sex of my life, I definitely am.

"Sunday?" Celeste's musical voice brings me back to reality—the reality that pulled us out of our session. Celeste called to remind Ash that he's due to be at the rehearsal and the dinner that follows. So, I'm sitting off to the side with Wade as I stare shamelessly at the tall man standing next to his mother. The grin on his face is so big and infectious that I feel the corners of my mouth trying to pull upward.

"Yes, ma'am?" I say, coughing to hide my smile. Celeste beams at me. The woman is adorable. I feel like she's very similar to the person I imagine Indy will become. Celeste is very much a whimsical woman, short and curvy, with wild salt and pepper curls, and dark eyes. Her voice is wispy and musical, like a more mature version of Indy's.

"Can you fill in as my maid of honor tonight? Indy isn't feeling well, and we need a stand-in. That won't be too much of a bother, will it?"

"Oh! Yeah, that's fine. Do you want me up there?" I ask, pointing to the end of the aisle. Celeste nods and turns to Wade.

"Wade, would you be a gentleman and escort your mom down the aisle?" Wade nods while standing up, and we make our way to the starting point to wait for the music to play. Wade loops his arm through mine, and I hear him take a deep breath.

"You okay, kid?" I ask, nudging him slightly. Man, when did my little boy get so big? I feel like it was yesterday he was curled up on my chest, and now he's a head taller than me.

"Yeah." He gives me a nervous smile. "Just, um, remembering the last time I walked you down the aisle." My face falls and I deflate slightly. I had Wade walk me down the aisle when I married Josh. Wade was almost seven, and Josh was angry that Wade would get nervous and mess up the steps. I brushed it off then as pre-wedding jitters. That was a mistake I wish I hadn't made.

"Well, lucky for us, there won't be any more walking me down the aisle as a bride," I say jokingly, and Wade frowns.

"Don't say that," he whispers as the music starts. "I love you, Mom, and you deserve to be happy." I choke over a lump forming in my throat as I hold on to my son"s arm, and we make our way down the aisle. I stand where I'm supposed to and watch as Ash walks his mother down the aisle. I can't help but wonder: will that be me one day? Will I ever trust a man enough to marry him? Will I be nearly sixty when I do? I look at the huge smile on Celeste's face and the beaming grin on Neil's as he watches his soon-to-be wife walk down the aisle with more love and pride in his rich brown eyes than most people ever show. He really loves her. I've seen that type of love once before. Ren's husband, Atlas, looks at her the exact same way. It's like she is an angel walking the earth. There hasn't been a time she has walked in front of him that his entire being didn't light up and glow. And that glow was happening with Neil. I would be lying if I said I wasn't envious.

Ash and I lock eyes, and I feel a warmth rush through me. He smiles before looking back down at his mom, and I turn my attention to the minister so I can follow instructions.

"Mom,"Wade leans in next to me as we sit at the restaurant"s table. "I don't see any food on their menu." I give him a dry look as I stare at his menu.

"Really? Because I see lots of options there."

"Where's the pizza? Hot dogs? Hell, give me some damn chicken fingers."

"Wade Michael!" I hiss, trying not to draw attention to us. "Watch your mouth."

I hear chuckling as Ash comes up and sits next to me. "What did I miss?" he asks. Fuck, having him this close to me when I can still feel him inside me… No, Sunday, stop it.

"Mom's trying to starve me," Wade whines.

"Oh my god," I groan. "Would it kill you to just once try something besides pizza or hot dogs?"

"I don't know, Mom, it could. What if I order the crab and find out I'm allergic to seafood?" I look from my son's deadpan stare to Ash, who's hiding behind his shaking menu, his hands vibrating from his laughter.

"Oh!" Wade exclaims, pointing at the menu. "Fish and chips! That's fish sticks and fries, right?" My kid has to be fucking with me, right?

"What the… you just said, ‘What if you have a seafood allergy?'" Wade shrugs.

"Eh, you can't live life worried about the what-ifs."

"You're doing this just to mess with me," I mutter, shaking my head while watching Ash folding a piece of paper into a triangle and flicking it at Wade. Wade looks at the piece of paper and then at Ash, who is holding his hands in the shape of a football goal. The smile on my boy"s face is equal parts heartwarming and breaking. No man has shown him the time of day except for Atlas and Fox, and that's minimal because we aren't around them much when they aren't at work. Ash constantly tries to engage with Wade, and I'm unsure why. I mean, my son is amazing, and anyone would be lucky to have him in their life, but Ash is a grown man who wants no commitment. So why my son?

Fuck, how did I miss it? It's part of the act. The boyfriend act he's putting on for his mom. Wade puts his hands into a goal while Ash flicks the paper, and I'm suddenly no longer hungry. When this trip is over, is Wade going to be hurt? Is he going to want to hang out with Ash, and Ash is going to go back to fucking whoever whenever and not have time for him?

God, I need a drink.

After dinner,Wade returned to the room he's sharing with Indy, promising to check on her. Meanwhile, Ash and I are being ushered to the bar with the rest of the family. It's amazing how carefree Ash is right now, or at least he looks like he is. He laughs while taking a shot with Neil. All while never removing his hand from my hip. His hand on me is like his security blanket or grounding technique.

Wade and he were a pair at dinner, laughing and joking while talking about drawing and video games. I've never seen my boy so animated. Then, as soon as Wade was out of sight, Ash became the doting boyfriend, and I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it a little, despite my better judgment. His hand is making me feel things I shouldn't be feeling right now, especially when I know this is all an act. But the sex wasn't an act. I initiated it, so how could it be? Then again, Ash isn't the same as he was two years ago. Sex, to him, isn't a big thing.

"I'm so glad you and your boy made it out here." Neil smiles at me, pulling me out of my inner turmoil. Neil's about average height, a little under six feet, though a giant compared to Celeste's petite stature. I'd put him in his sixties. He's a retired pilot who spends his time doting on his soon-to-be wife and talking about his daughter, who couldn't make it due to work.

"Remind me to have Celeste show you her picture; she's stunning. Definitely didn't get that from me," he jokes and shakes his head. Neil is an attractive guy. Short salt and pepper hair, rich, warm brown skin, and lean body. But that smile, I would give anything for someone to direct a smile like that toward me.

"Yeah," I laugh. "I hope to meet her soon!" However, I'm sure that after this trip, I'll never see any of these people again. Still, gotta play the part. We continue to talk with Neil for a bit longer before he pats Ash on the back, stating he's going to go collect Celeste and take her to bed.

"You doing okay, sunshine?" Ash purrs against my neck while nuzzling his nose against my jaw.

"Are you having fun playing boyfriend, charming?" I ask softly, and I feel his soft chuckle against my flesh.

"Sweetheart, you have no idea how much I'm enjoying this." He kisses my jaw before ordering another shot as his hand grips my upper thigh. My heart rate quickens at his possessive touch.

"Putting on a show for your cousins, charming?" I joke, but notice his face looks taken aback. I'm about to ask him what's wrong when a loud, high-pitched squeal fills the room.

"Oh my god! Ashy!" Ash's entire body tenses, and he squeezes my thigh again.

"Please, Sunday, if you've ever cared even a little about me, you will end me right now," he pleads, and I look over his shoulder and fuck…

"She is Shannon?" I gesture to the very attractive, tall, busty woman with her golden skin and chestnut wavy hair. I suddenly feel self-conscious; she's so gorgeous. One look at Ash's terrified face is all it takes, and I re-center myself. "It'll be okay," I whisper in his ear, pressing my lips to his tense jaw. The poor guy is terrified, and I hate her for making him like this. He doesn't deserve it.

"My god, Ashy Johnson," Shannon breathes out as she leans against the bar. "I barely recognized you with all those new tattoos and muscles." I watch her eyes look him up and down before landing on me. "And who might you be?" Her tone switches like I'm the one interrupting her time.

"Hi," I say back while resting a hand on Ash's chest. His poor heart is pounding. "Can we help you?" I ask coolly. Shannon raises a brow and then laughs.

"Oh, I recognize that hick accent. You're the girl from the phone call, right?" I refuse to give her the satisfaction of seeing how much that comment bothers me. Instead, I give her a sly smile as my hand slips down Ash's tense torso and rests on the crotch of his pants.

"Yes," I purr as I kiss Ash's jaw again. "I'm Sunday, Ash's girlfriend."

"Well," she purses her lips. "It's good to see he found someone. I was worried he would be hung up on me forever," she chuckles and pats Ash's arm. He flinches at the contact, like actually flinches, and it causes my blood to boil.

She lets out a haughty laugh. "You remember when you tried to tell everyone that little old me had been abusing you," she scoffs. "As if that were possible. The only one hurt in our relationship was my libido. Oh… I hope he's gotten better for you." She cringes, and I glare at her before grabbing Ash's glass and downing the contents. I pop an ice cube into my mouth and crunch down, trying to allow myself time to calm down. The last thing I want is to start a fight the first day I'm here.

"So, Ashy." If she calls him that one more time. "You going to dance with me?"

"Uhh… N-no thanks," he mutters weakly while standing up. He looks at me, embarrassment and nervousness etched all over his handsome face. "Let's go back to the room." I nod and head with him, but Shannon's scoff stops me, and I turn to face her, stopping Ash in his tracks.

"Wow, I'm trying to forgive you so I can move forward, and you are just blowing me off? Just goes to show, you can change the outside but the inside–"

"One more word," I growl out.

"Sunday, it's not worth it," Ash whispers and gently pulls my hand to get me to leave with him, but I ignore it. By saying that, he's saying he'snot worth it. And I'm not standing for that. I glare at the woman, who stands with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You say one more word about him, or even to him, and I'll show you just what kind of hick you're dealing with." Shannon's eyes narrow as she widens her stance.

"Listen here, you hillbilly whore–" I've heard enough. I snatch Shannon by her hair before slapping her across her face.

"Fuck!" I hear Ash curse as he rushes over to me, grabbing me around the waist as another man does the same to Shannon.

"I will sue you, you fucking bitch!" she screams as I flip her off.

"Suck my dick, you cunt! Let me go, Ash!" I holler as he throws me over his shoulder.

"No," he hisses as he tries to walk through the bar. "I don't need to explain to Wade why you're in jail tomorrow." I try to wiggle out, but it's no use. I'm left with my only other weapon, my mouth.

"Listen here, you fake, sorry ass, little hussy! You ever talk dirty about my man again, and you ain't gonna have the ability to threaten to sue me! I'll knock every one of those fake-ass teeth out of that good-for-nothing mouth of yours!" I scream as Ash takes me out of the bar, through the hall, and into the elevator.

"Are you going to put me down?" I ask once the elevator doors close.

"Not a chance in hell," he mutters. "I've seen how fast you can run."

I sit on the bed,watching Ash pace back and forth on the balcony. He's on the phone with his mother, and while his mother hadn't been in the bar during the fight, apparently, one of his aunts told her all about it.

Ash hangs up, and I watch his hands go through his hair before he turns and walks back into the room.

"Ash," I sigh. "I am sorry if what I said–"

"Hush." His low voice growls before he grabs my face in his hands, and his lips find mine. I'm left breathless when he pulls back, leaving his forehead pressed to mine. "You didn't have to do that, sunshine. That was way more than what a fake girlfriend should have to do."

Ignoring the fake girlfriend comment, I scoff and grab his own face. "Charming, look at me." My eyes soften at the hurt in his obsidian gaze. I want to comfort him, but I fear he will take it as pity. And I don't pity him. It must be so hard to be forced to interact with your abuser.

"You've never had a real girlfriend if you think that me standing up for you isn't in the job description," I say, partially joking. He huffs out a laugh as he plops himself on the edge of the bed.

"Well, you met my only girlfriend." My eyes widen, and my jaw slacks.

"You've only had one girlfriend?" Ash shrugs, seemingly unfazed by my outburst.

"Well, you've met my ex. Do you really think I wanted a repeat of that?" I have to agree with him there.

"Fair enough." I look around the room as I stretch. "I'm guessing you're going to want to sleep in the bed tonight?" Ash gives me a warning look.

"I am sleeping in the bed, sunshine. You're more than welcome to sleep with me if you'd like, but I'm not sleeping on the floor again."

"How gentlemanly of you, charming."

"Never claimed to be one, sweetheart," he states as he stands to head to the bathroom.

I hear the shower turning on, and I let out a sigh as I begin to slip out of my dress and panties. Walking over to my luggage, I pull out a pair of blue striped shorts and a baggy t-shirt. I slip them on before grabbing my hairbrush and sitting on the edge of the bed while working on my hair.

I probably shouldn't have caused a scene like that. I just got so angry as I watched Ash go from being so happy to so nervous and hunched over as if he was trying to become as small as possible. How dare she make him feel that way. I look up as Ash walks out in black pajama pants and an old Hel's Ink t-shirt before slipping under the blankets. His eyes never look toward me, and I am increasingly annoyed by this.

Crawling up to the head of the bed, I go to look at him, only to have him roll the other way.

"I'm not in the mood," he pouts, and I cross my arms over my chest.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"I feel bloated." I let out a loud laugh and slap a hand over my mouth to silence myself. Ash whips around and moves my hand.

"Oh, no." He grins. "I've been doing everything to hear that laugh through our walls at night. You ain't muffling it here, too." Oh, that was way too sweet. Ash must realize what he said because he clears his throat and sits back down. "You want me to put a barrier up?" he asks, gesturing to the space between us.

"You fucked me in a thunderstorm on the balcony earlier today," I say flatly. "I'm kind of past the shy stage." I see the color stain his cheeks as he scratches his head.

"Right," he mutters, and I watch as he slips a pillow between us. Oh, maybe he doesn't feel comfortable. I wince inwardly at the thought before turning off my light and lying down.

"Night, sunshine," Ash mumbles against his pillow.

"Night, charming."