Was that where she disappeared to everyday before going to the store?
“Just give me one second, Ty,” Ash says as she concentrates on the puppy, not actually realizing that I’m here, her body already knowing I am, the fact she just called me Ty proof of that. Fuck me, how I have missed hearing her calling me that.
I smile softly watching as she pets the puppy before picking it up and placing it in a crate before she goes to the sink and washes her hands and it’s only when she’s drying them she realizes that I actually am here and she turns to look at me in shock.
“Hey pixie, nice scrubs,” I say softly with a smirk forming as I lean against the table, crossing my arms over my chest.
Fuck she looks hot…
“Thanks,” she whispers absentmindedly before muttering, “Dirty is so dead,” and I snort.
See, I fucking knew Dirty knew.
“Dirty didn’t tell me,” I admit and she frowns and confirms, “Doc?” and I shake my head and admit, “Our son, who by the way, is fucking weird.”
She glares at me and snaps, “Tyler Cole! Do not call our son weird!”
I raise a brow and smirk as I inform her, “Our son was sitting on the kitchen floor when I walked downstairs to find him glaring at Ginger. Who by the way, was glaring back at him because he wanted to see if he can psych the damn cat out of being a terror. I mean you couldn’t bring home a soft little kitten?”
Ash blinks, then blinks again before she mutters, “Okay, yeah, that is weird.”
I nod because yep, but that is our son for you.
“He seems different, happier,” I start off, going in slow and she sighs.
“I know what you’re doing,” she says, seeing right through me but I shrug and say, “I don’t care. He’s happy, you’re sleeping better, you are both where you belong, Ash, in our home, with me.”
She sighs but I continue, “All night you slept in my arms, all night you had your nose pressed up against my neck, your fingers gripping your wedding ring. Your body knows where it belongs, pixie.”
“But my head knows what you did,” she whispers and I hate it but I fucking flinch at the reminder.
“I gave you everything, Tyler,everythingand you threw it all away” she says and her eyes tear as she chokes, “You chose me, you claimed me and I’m the one who got shat on everyday by girls at school, your mama, my parents, even the brothers I thought who had my back. I lost everything because of you.”
“You love me, pixie,” I remind her not refuting her words because I know they are true then I nod to her stomach, “You’re having my baby again, that has to mean something.”
Ash drops her head knowing I’m right and I walk over to her and cup her cheek, forcing her to look at me, her soft skin sending a fire deep inside me.
“I fucking love you, Ashley, I love you so much the pain I put you through, I nearly killed myself over it. I’ve thought about doing it several times while I was away which was why I stayed gone for so long,” I whisper as I gently rub my thumb over her cheeks, wiping away the few tears that fall and I place my forehead against hers, breathing in her vanilla and coconut smell, a smell I have missed so much and I plead, “Come see Dr. Chimes again. I know you’ve been seeing her while I was away but, please, together, let’s go and see her and finally hash everything out, the good, the bad, the really fucking ugly with a buffer between us.”
Ashley closes her eyes and sighs and I beg, “Please, pixie, I am fucking begging you, come back to therapy, give me a chance that I know I don’t deserve. Let me show you how fucking guilty I really am and how much I cannot survive without you, please…”
She opens her eyes and I hold my breath.
I can’t fucking lose her, I can’t, and no matter what I do she keeps pulling away from me and I need her pulled back in. Preferably in my arms where she has always belonged.
Chapter 19
Ashley
I stare at the twinkly lights as I gently rub my stomach, the baby moving underneath my touch, giving me some sense of relaxation despite my mind wandering over and over about my conversation with Tyler at the office.
Am I surprised he found out I went to college and vet school, getting a job I loved after being home for not even a day? No, not really, but I am surprised he got it from Cole? A little bit, though, if what Ty said was true, Cole seemed a bit preoccupied when he told his dad where I was, and I’m inclined to believe him.
When we got home, Tyler followed me back on his bike, and Cole was still sitting on the floor with Olive watching him with a frown. Ginger was still staring back at him. Apparently he had moved but kept going back to that spot hoping to psych the cat out.
I’m beginning to worry about that boy, I tell you…
The baby moves again, and I smile slightly and rub over where he’s pushing against my hand.
