Storm Front (The Charistown Series) (Volume 2) (19 page)

“Seriously, Ry, why are you here?” His physical presence
caused unease in her stomach that she hadn’t felt in three years. When Ashley
moved to Charistown she’d started over—buried her skeletons and reinvented
herself. Yeah, she was hiding, but for now it worked for her. It allowed her to
breathe, but now Ryan’s presence was like a vise threatening her air. Wringing
the rag in between her clutched fists, she lowered her voice so only he could
hear what she was about to say. “You can’t be here. This is my life. This is
where I chose to be. It’s not your fucking home, Ryan Baker, it’s mine.” She
wanted to slap the sinful smile off his too-goddamn-sexy face. “What’s so
funny?”

“I’m sorry, Princess, it’s just every time you swear,
well…it kind of turns me on.” She narrowed her eyes at his statement and then
watched as he chuckled in response. “I’m not kidding, it’s hot.”

She felt like her head was going to explode. She could keep
up her façade and pretend that she was who she was, but only if everything
stayed the way it had been. She’d built a life for herself. She had her job,
her acquaintances, and her occasional dates, but that life was a deck of cards
and Ryan Baker was the gust of wind that could blow it all apart.

“Ryan, do not now or ever, refer to me as ‘Princess’. I have
a name—use it. Or better yet, just hop back in your super-dooper little car and
head back to wherever the hell you came from.”

She almost dropped her towel when a loud gasp came from
directly behind her.

“Ashley Beth Kynde, is that how your mother taught you to
speak to people?”

Ryan’s attention shifted to the petite, strawberry-blonde
woman wrapped in Danny’s arms, who’d addressed Ashley in the way only a
maternal-figure would. She was a good-looking lady, maybe somewhere in her
mid-forties if Ryan had to guess. Her smile was bright, her face was kind, and
she gave off a motherly vibe that made Ryan want to walk over and give her a
hug. At her comment, Ryan returned his glance to Ashley, and Ashley back at
him. Her lips twitched just before a giggle escaped her mouth. Ryan couldn’t
hold back his chuckle and finally they both started laughing uncontrollably.

“Yes. Yes she did,” they said in unison.

Their identical answer spurred an even larger wave of
laughter between the two of them. Finally, Ashley came out from behind the bar
and walked directly into Ryan’s waiting embrace.

“Did I say something funny?” Julie asked her husband.

“Apparently you did, beautiful. Apparently you did.”

Hours later, Ashley smiled over her shoulder at Ryan as she
headed towards the restrooms. “I’ll be right back, I’ve gotta pee. Why don’t
you order us another round?”

Ryan’s gaze found her ass and stayed there until his
thoughts were disrupted by a deep voice. “So, Danny says that you know Ashley
from way back.” He stared skeptically at the large Greek god who’d spoken to
him from behind the bar. “Sorry, man, my name’s Max. It’s nice to meet one of
Ashley’s old friends.”

Ryan shook Max’s huge hand, trying not to be intimidated by
the man’s sheer perfection. “We’ve joked that she must have been hatched right
before she came here, because she never talks about her past.” He laughed at
his own humor. “Anyway, I’m back here for the rest of the night with my buddy,
Kyle, so we’ll keep you guys from getting thirsty.” Max nodded his head toward
the restrooms, “She drinking tequila on the rocks with fresh lime juice?”

“She was, but she’s been doing straight shots for the past
hour. I think she’s probably past her limit. I should probably take her home. I
can’t believe she isn’t on the floor.” Worry twisted in Ryan’s gut. God, she
wasn’t even twenty-one yet. Did they even know her age?

“Ryan, my new friend, your poker face sucks,” Max laughed.
“We all know she ain’t legal yet, but that pretty little angel grows horns when
she wants to forget. You hear what I’m saying?” Ryan wasn’t sure he understood
what this guy was saying, but he nodded his head anyway.

“If you know she isn’t twenty-one aren’t you scared you’ll
get in trouble? Better yet”—Ryan felt a surge of protectiveness tingle in his
mind—“aren’t you concerned for her. My God, she can’t weigh more than a buck
fifteen. She’s probably puking her guts up as we speak.”

He was having a hard time banking his anger when he noticed
Max’s shoulders shuddering and saw the flash of white teeth from his megawatt
smile. This huge man was laughing at him.

“Dude, are you sure you know the same Ashley Kynde that we
know? Because
our
Ashley can drink most men under the table. There’s no
way our girl is puking in the bathroom right now.” The certainty in Max’s voice
confused Ryan.
Their Ashley? What the hell had happened to his Ashley?

“Batter’s up, Max.” Her scent announced her presence before
her voice did. At least one thing hadn’t changed—she still smelled like coconuts
and sunshine. Ashley straddled the bar stool and placed her feet on the bottom
rung.

“Your boy says you’ve been slamming the gold for the past
hour, you have any interest in slowing down or do you want another shot first?”
Ryan noticed Max was reaching for a clean shot glass before Ashley had even
answered.

“I’ll take another shot and then I’ll slow it down with a
margarita. And Max…” She lifted herself so the palms of her hands were flat on
the top of the bar making her ass jut out just enough to make Ryan’s cock
twitch in his jeans. She thumbed over her shoulder toward Ryan as she spoke.
“He is not my fucking boy. Get it straight or you know I’ll have fun getting
even.” Her smile sparkled as she lifted the shot in a toast to no one and
slammed it down her throat.

Ashley knew she was getting drunk, hell, she just tossed her
cookies in the bathroom not five minutes before, but this was the only way she
could deal with Ryan’s presence. It was taking Wonder Woman strength just to be
near him without crawling in his lap and begging him to come home with her. In
the parts of her mind that were still thinking clearly, she knew that she and
Ryan couldn’t be…they could never ever be again. But in all of the other parts,
the girly parts that turned to mush every time she thought about him over the
past three years, the parts that cried out for him in the middle of the night,
the parts that yearned for him no matter what other man was in her bed, those
parts couldn’t ignore his scent, his smoldering good looks, or his smooth sexy
voice.

Christ, she was in trouble.

“Hey, girlie, I’m cutting you off. You’re opening tomorrow
and I don’t wanna hear any bullshit about being hung-over. I’m gonna have Julie
call you a cab, okay, honey?”

The gruff Danny from earlier in the day had been replaced
with a more loving, paternal figure and Ryan found himself surprised and
grateful for the man who seemed to have true affection for each member of his
staff.

“Umm, Danny, I’d be more than happy to take her home—if you
could just tell me where she lives.”

“Max,” Danny’s voice hardened, “Keep an eye on Ash here for
a second, I’m gonna send Julie out to watch her.” Danny swung his long thick
arm over Ryan’s shoulder. “I’m going to take this guy in back for a little
chat.” Ryan couldn’t ignore the questioning glance followed by the smirk Max
threw his way.

“Will do, boss,” Max laughed, and Ryan watched him pour a
glass of water for Ashley before he and Danny turned away and headed for their
chat. Slightly curious, and more than a little nervous, Ryan soon found himself
in the office at the back of
Danny’s on Main
waiting to hear what Danny
had to say.
What do you have to be nervous about? This isn’t her father.
This guy is…is…

The man staring at him with a level glare and a paternal
aura acted more like Ashley’s father than her biological one ever had.

“Have a seat, Ryan,” Danny requested as he parked himself in
the well-worn office chair.

“That’s okay, Danny, I’m fine with standing. What is it that
you wanted to discuss?”

“Sit down, boy!” The warm smile Danny had worn all day
quickly disappeared, leaving an icy stare and a clenched jaw in its wake. His
tone left no room for argument and Ryan’s ass quickly found the seat behind
him. He must have been wearing his what-the-fuck face, because Danny’s face
relaxed a little as he leaned back in his seat.

“So here’s the deal. Ashley’s been here just about two and
half years now, and she’s a good girl with a kind heart. Julie and I consider
her ours and we look out for what’s ours. Does that make sense to you?”

Ryan stared at the man sitting in front of him for a brief
second before answering, “Uh, Danny, to be honest, I’m still trying to figure
out how you were able to switch personalities that fast without turning green
and splitting your pants, so no, right now nothing of what you’re saying is
making any sense.” He worried his bottom lip with his teeth, trying to figure
out how Ashley ended up in this place.