Page 153 of For Better or Hearse
Her and him, together. Fantastical.
End times.
His lips are hot and wet on hers. His hands beneath her ribs sliding up, over her heart like a secret to be captured. And it is.Because that lovely ache in her stomach is gone, as if she’s finally put a claim on what she wants.
“This is fucking insane,” she murmurs against his mouth. “What we’re doing.”
Nathaniel cups the back of her head and stares into her eyes. “I don’t care,” he says roughly. A grin tips his lips. “I want you, Ashabelle. I’m not running away from any of it. From any of you.”
Her name. Her full name rolling off Nathaniel’s lovely lips is too beautiful for words.
Ash grins back, slinging her arms around his neck and yanking him back in for a mind-blowing kiss.
She’s allowed to have happiness, and it looks like Nathaniel.
In every universe, it will look like him.
The entire Whitford family, plus Ash, touches down in LA the next day.
Ten days ago, she’d have rather been put in the luggage hold than be seated near Nathaniel Whitford. And now look at her life. Snuggled up next to him on the Whitford private jet.
At the private terminal, Claire gives her a special marmalade from the Big Island and a tight hug. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know you.” Her smile is bright, warm. “I’m grateful you’re there for my father. And my family.”
As Nathaniel shakes hands with his father and kisses his mother, Ash gives Augustus a bone-crushing hug. “Thank you,” she says against his ear. “For everything.”
“My dear, I should be thanking you.”
“You’re not mad at me for banging your grandson?” She winces.
Augustus laughs. “On the contrary.”
Heart aching with appreciation, she squeezes his hands. “See you soon. Tea and whiskey?”
Augustus lifts a brow. “And chess.”
More hugs. Delaney and Tate, and then it’s just Ash and Nathaniel.
“Ready to go?” he asks softly.
Caught off guard, she blinks. It’s then that she realizes where they are. Not Hawaii. Not paradise. The real world. They’re doing this. They’re trying. Whateverthisis.
She looks at his handsome face, that adorable half smile, and breathes, “Yes.”
Hand in hand, they exit the hangar and make their way tothe long-term parking. Nathaniel digs keys out of his pocket, and soon, they’re standing in front of a vintage Bronco.
Ash arches a brow. “Figured you for more of a Benz guy.”
“Nah, I’m not a show-off.” He takes the bag of gifts for Tessie and Bear from Ash and loads it carefully into the back seat. Into the cargo space goes their luggage. As he slams the hatch, he casually asks, “Your place first?”
Her brain fizzes out, then clears. Her place. God. She hopes it’s clean.
Panic, anxiety, make a mess of her nerves. Suddenly, all of this is daunting. What if Ash Keller post-vacation is not what he anticipated?
She and Nathaniel, they haven’t talked about commitments, expectations. They’re just doing it. They used their time on the plane to snuggle. Not talk about next steps. Jump first and think later. Which is all very Ash Keller of her. But now…plans seem of the essence.
Two weeks together in LA. She has a place; he has a place. It makes perfect sense. Until they stay together. One never truly knows whether they’re compatible with another person until they discover if they have an overreliance on throw pillows or sleep with the TV on.
Like he’s read her thoughts, he tugs at her crop top. Bringing her back. To him. “Beautiful brain compute.”