Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Ashley

A shley stood at the stove of a kitchen that looked like it belonged in a magazine, wondering how she’d gotten here. Her life was a fucking mess, and she didn’t know what to do about it anymore.

“I still can’t believe you’re making muffins out of the random shit in this kitchen.” Nate was at the counter on his laptop, keeping her company.

“Muffins are easy. The recipe is the same base for every kind, and then you add flavors.” There were eggs, but she couldn’t handle the potentially greasy meal.

“That’s insane.”

“I would have added protein powder, but I don’t see any here. Muffins are one of the few things I can make from memory.”

“You’re sharing, right?” he teased.

Ashley giggled at him. “I am.” Maybe Carter would be excited about them.

“What’s going on?” Speaking of the devil, Carter appeared in the doorway, his gaze jumping from Ashley to Nate and back.

“She’s making us breakfast.” Nate smiled up at Carter.

“Interesting.” Carter drew the word out.

She regretted ever calling Nate cute in the car. It made her feel strangely good that Carter seemed to be jealous, but she wondered how that reflected on her. Last night, he’d implied she’d do something with Nate, and that had pissed her off. But she’d started it with the comment in the car that was meant to piss him off.

“It’s just muffins. I am making a lot though, so I hope you’re hungry.” Ashley smiled at him, hoping to soothe the building tension.

“You can turn in. I’m up now,” he told Nate.

“I will after the muffins are done. They smell amazing.” Nate flashed a smile at her with a wink. “I imagine she could make anything smell amazing.”

As she watched, Carter clenched his fist and let it go a few times. He was going to knock Nate out, and it seemed Nate knew what he was doing.

“Carter,” she called. “Can you reach this for me?” She pointed at random to something on the top of the cabinet.

He walked over to her and grunted. “What thing?”

“The, umm, vinegar?” She didn’t know what she’d do with it but needed to get between Carter and Nate.

The oven timer saved her from figuring it out as he handed it to her.

“I’ll get them,” Carter said, grabbing the oven mitts.

He pulled them out and set them on the stove.

“Thanks.” Not that she needed help, but she wasn’t going to argue.

“They do smell really good.”

“They’ll be cool enough to eat in a few minutes.” She toyed with the towel she’d picked up. “I want to go see the big porch if you have time before we eat?”

Carter nodded and turned to Nate. “Don’t eat them all.”

Nate laughed. “I’ll save you one.”

Carter took a deep breath but left the kitchen with her on his heels.

Out front, Ashley was stunned. This was different than the cabin, but it was amazing. Where the cabin had felt closed in because of the woods surrounding it, Carter’s house made her feel free.

She could see so far, and the beauty of it was something else.

“Carter, this is incredible.” She walked to where the porch wrapped around one side and looked at the pasture and several horses.

“It’s home.” He shrugged.

“I love it,” she told him honestly.

“Look, there are a few rules while you’re here.” He ruined her thrill at the view. “You aren’t to leave the house at all without one of us. It will likely be Christian or me since Nate is on night watch.”

“I know.”

“Stay away from the animals and the barns unless I’m with you. Don’t stick your hands in the fences, and that one”—he pointed—“is electric, so stay away from it.”

She felt smaller and smaller the more he talked, like she was a child.

“Remember that when we are out here where everyone can see us, we are a couple.”

“Why is that?” she wondered.

“Because Jace told everyone. He likely thought the staff would be more protective. You won’t see much of the hands while you’re here, but remember people can see us.”

“Sure. Can we go back in now?” She didn’t wait for him, turning on her heel and walking back to the front door. So much for attempting to be friendly with him.

He didn’t follow her in like she’d expected or try to stop her from going. She didn’t turn and look, but assumed he was standing there in the same spot.

She’d invaded his space and that was clear. The more she thought on it, the more confused she was that he’d brought her here if he didn’t want her so close.

“These are great.” Nate spoke around the food in his mouth.

Smiling with happiness she didn’t feel, she looked at him. “I’m glad you like them. I’ll see what we’ve got here to make for dinner.”

“Enjoy the views?” Nate cleaned up his mess.

“It’s something.” She turned away from him. The views weren’t what was on her mind right now. It was on the broody man outside.

“Thanks for breakfast, or dinner for me. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Nate walked away and left her blissfully alone.

She set all of the muffins out for people to grab and cleaned up while she wondered about Carter. He was frustrating the hell out of her.

He didn’t want to be with her out of some weird sense of duty but thought that meant she’d just jump on the next guy. Was that why he said she wouldn’t meet anyone else on the ranch? Did he really think that of her?

If he did, he could go screw off. She wasn’t going to waste her time pining after him. There was no point, and she wasn’t going to spend whatever time they had together debating her own moral code.

Satisfied that she was sufficiently angry enough at him to leave him alone, she smiled. The kitchen was clean from breakfast, and now she needed to plan dinner.

When she and Luke had grown up, they hadn’t had any money. It had just been them and their mom, and if they’d wanted to eat food that wasn’t microwave ready, someone had to cook it. That someone had been her.

She’d taught herself to make a lot of things, but muffins were her favorite. What she’d told Nate earlier had been true. It was one recipe and then what she added to it made the flavors. That meant when they hadn’t had any money, she could work with whatever they had.

“Good morning,” Christian greeted, pulling her from her thoughts.

“Hi. I made muffins if you’re hungry.”

He grabbed one and took a bite with a moan. “You’re a saint. These are amazing.”

She blushed. “Thank you. I don’t normally cook for people, just my brother, but that’s been a while, so I’m glad you like them.”

“They’re delicious.”

“Christian,” Carter snapped. “Did you find anything else out last night?”

Christian cut his eyes to Ashley as if questioning what to say in front of her.

“She stays in the loop. That’s the deal we made so she would quit trying to run off.”

Ashley threw the towel she’d used on the dry dishes at him. “There was no real threat then.”

He caught it and set it on the counter. “Anything?”

“Got one stolen car in the area. Not a guaranteed lead, but hopefully it’s enough to find him.”

“Any idea where he’s headed?” Ashley asked.

“Not yet. I’m betting back to the city, but I can’t be sure. If he doesn’t know where you went, and there’s no reason to think he would, I don’t know what his plan is.”

“Damn,” Carter bit out. “We’ve got to find him.”

“I’m working on it.” Christian picked up another muffin and his laptop before leaving the kitchen.

“You don’t have to snap at them,” Ashley said. She couldn’t resist scolding him some because as far as she knew, those men had done nothing but show up.

“Don’t,” he warned.

“Don’t what? Call you on your bullshit? Let people be nice to me while you grump around like I’m the biggest issue in your life?”

“Ashley,” he ground out.

“Carter,” she mimicked.

“I’m trying to run this op and make sure you’re safe, not make friends.”

“God forbid you’re nice to someone.”

“I was nice to you and look where that got me.”

She didn’t think, just snapped, “You were nice to me? When? And what’s the real Carter? The one that’s nice or the one ordering me around and biting everyone’s head off? The one that kissed me or the one that thinks I’ll sleep around? I’m getting whiplash trying to figure you out and I’m sick of it.”

“Same goes for you. Which are you? The spoiled brat that can’t handle being told what to do or the happy fucking homemaker in here baking for everyone?”

“That’s a stress response, asshole. I’m scared, and my head hurts. Someone is probably going to get hurt, and it will be my fault because I didn’t tell Julian to go to hell sooner. Here we all are because of me and some potential relation to a rich, dead man,” she shouted.

Carter stalked over to her, his palm coming to rest on her cheek before his lips covered hers. This one was so different than the gentle first kiss they’d shared.

He pushed her up against the double oven on the wall and deepened the kiss until she thought she’d go mad. Then, as quickly as it started, it ended, and he pulled away.

“This situation isn’t your fault, get that through your head. And I don’t think you would sleep around.” He turned and walked out the back door right there in the kitchen, letting the screen slam behind him.

“Well, shit.” She brought her fingers to her now swollen lips and held onto that kiss.

“That was hot as fuck.”

Nate’s voice caused her to squeal and jump as she turned to face him.

“I knew there was something there. It’s going to be a fun operation.” He grabbed another muffin.

“Don’t provoke him,” Ashley said.

“Eh.” He shrugged. “Seems like he needs a push. Thanks again for breakfast.” With a smile, Nate walked away.

“I’m so screwed.” She spoke to the empty room.

Her resolve had melted yet again when it came to Carter. She took a seat and ate her own muffin. What was she going to do about him? What did either of them actually want from this anyway?