“You’re it for me, Ash. You’re my world too—my coauthor, to borrow your analogy. The only man I’ll ever love. My best friend and dad to our amazing kids. I can’t imagine a day I don’t get to come home to you, and I’m glad I don’t have to. Instead, I’m going to spend the rest of my life fighting for what we’ve built. Fighting for us.”
I swallow hard and sniffle.
Fighting for us.
Jesus Christ, Ash, how can I ever let you go?
CHAPTER 15
A few weeks ago
Leesburg
Ash Riley
“Look at’chu go, you actually lowered your handicap for the first time ever.” I threw an arm around James’s shoulders.
He laughed and shoved at me. “You dick. I’ll have you know I’m at forty-nine now.”
Incredible.
I grinned.
“And what are you at, little brother?” Theo asked as he got out of the golf cart.
“Twelve—but this round didn’t do me any good.” I’d played like shit. “And no, I’m not asking you what you have.” I already knew the bastard was an eight or something.
I enjoyed golf a whole lot, but I wasn’t passionate about it like my brother—or Dylan, for that matter. He was already betterthan me. I got my thrills from more adrenaline-inducing sports. Running, climbing, diving, bouldering, and so on.
I was done for the day, though. Now I just wanted to sit my ass in the sauna.
As decided earlier, we’d all meet up for dinner at seven, which gave us four hours to do whatever we wanted. Four hours for me to shower, sit in a sauna, maybe take a steam, consider a massage, and possibly indulge in a nap.
After leaving our golf bags in our room, James and I went directly to the spa, and we noticed most of our guys had opted to do other shit. Some were still playing golf, some wanted to sit at the bar, and several wanted to take advantage of having a nice hotel room with no screaming kids.
I couldn’t relate to the latter anymore. I had bitching teenagers instead, and Mikey rarely threw tantrums. Lily got huffy and bossy but wasn’t much of a crier. She couldwhinelike a pro, however.
“They have whirlpools if you wanna get proper romantic with me,” James joked.
I chuckled, unsure of whether it actually had been a joke. He’d been…different today.
More and more lately, I got the impression that he and Jordan wouldn’t mind having fun with a third, but it had to be new to them, because they didn’t quite know how to act. They weren’t outwardly flirty or direct—at least so far. James appeared to be cranking things up, which was as frustrating as it was flattering. And kinda funny too, ’cause he was on the sweet and awkward side of things.
The better I got to know the Hacketts, the more convinced I became that James had submissive tendencies. And I didn’t need that in my life. He was hella gorgeous, and I bet he’d be fun to shock and fuck with. Then Jordan… He had to be a Little. A bratty one. Possibly a switchy one too.
I showered cold, partly to keep my focus, partly to last longer in the sauna.
Nate moved on.
You’re allowed to have a little fun.
James had a great body. He had a second tattoo as well, I noticed. Aside from the intricate mandala design that folded over his left side, stretching a bit onto his front and his back, he had a large piece around his right thigh. Heavily shadowed designs blended together, much like my own sleeve. Memories, maybe. Things that were important to him. I knew he liked old cars and had an impressive record collection. James listened to blues and country, and both genres were represented, with a cowboy hat leaning against a saxophone. Some city signs too. Nashville, Memphis.
Nice cock too. Fuckable ass. Very fuckable.
I cleared my throat and turned off the water.
Perhaps it hadn’t been cold enough.
