Don't Walk Away: A Second Chance Military Romance Read online

  Waking up in her arms had been phenomenal. A fucking dream come true. And I had some things I wanted to talk with her about.

  Well, a lot of things, really.

  “Ashton? It’s me,” I said as I knocked on her door.

  I stood there, waiting to see if she’d open it. But I didn’t hear anything behind her door.

  I knocked again. “I know it’s early. I’ll make us some coffee.”

  I stood there, waiting for her to wake up. I knew she’d be pissed, especially since it was nine o’clock on a Monday morning. After a few beats of silence, I heard someone shuffling around. I heard a voice, thick with the morning, grumbling behind the door as the latch flipped. The doorknob turned and I took a step back, readying myself for a very angry Ashton.

  But instead, she simply looked at me through tired eyes and sighed.

  “Yes?” she asked.

  “I was hoping we could talk,” I said.

  “About?”

  “Something after I make us coffee and get you caffeinated.”

  “Seriously, Rhett? It’s the only Monday morning I’ve had off in—”

  “I promise, you can go back to sleep after we’re done,” I said.

  “Not with coffee in my system,” she murmured.

  “I’ll give you a back massage until you pass out. Promise,” I said.

  She looked at me through one tired, crusted eye before she relented.

  “Hope you still make a good pot.” She yawned.

  “I’ll make the best just for you,” I said as I stepped inside.

  Chapter 16

  Ashton

  Rhett slid a mug of coffee in front of me, and I sighed. I drew in the hot steam of the cup that was made perfectly with the right amount of cream and sugar. I wrapped my hands around it, allowing the warmth to trickle into my bones and slowly wake me up. I brought the mug of coffee to my lips and sipped on it. I listened as the chair in front of me creaked and groaned with displeasure as Rhett sat down into it.

  It took one and a half mugs of coffee before I woke up enough to talk with him.

  “Okay. What are you banging down my door for?” I asked.

  Rhett sighed. “I have a promotion at work, and I don’t know whether or not to take it.”

  My eyes leveled with his. “You woke me up to talk about your job?”

  “It’s a tough decision. One that’s a little more intricate than I imagined before I got back home.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “If I took the promotion, I’d have to report back to California immediately.”

  I felt my blood freeze in my veins.

  “I’d have more vacation time in the future as well as more money in my pocket, but that wouldn’t come around until after the first year on the job, essentially,” Rhett said.

  I should have known him coming back into town wasn’t for good.

  That’s what you get for hoping, Ashton.

  “So, you’re leaving again,” I said.

  “I mean, I wasn’t home for good in the first place, no,” he said.

  I snickered. “When were you going to tell me that? Or anyone that, for that matter? Or are you still refusing to communicate anything to anyone, like when we were back in high school?”

  “Ashton, please.”

  “No. No, no, no. I’ve finally got you here in front of me, so now is as good of a time as ever to bring this up,” I said.

  “This was what I was worried about,” he murmured.

  “Good. Fucking fantastic, Rhett. I’m glad you were worried about it, because we’re going to talk about it. You left this town the night of your graduation without a word to anyone. Your best friend. Your mother. Me. You packed your shit and headed for the hills and you were gone for nine years, Rhett. Nine.”

  “I’m sorry, Ashton,” he said.

  “I don’t want your damn apology. I want you to listen, you asshat. You come back home after nine years and you force your way into my life. Into my home. Into my atmosphere. You act like you’re back home. You take me out on dates reminiscent of the shit we did in high school. And then you try to pin it on me and my ignorance when you throw down that you’re headed back to California and can’t come back for another year?”

  “I know you’re angry—”

  “Of course, I’m angry! I was in love with you, Rhett! You were my little teenage heart! I gave you everything I had. My virginity. My trust. My love. All the money I saved from allowances. I spent every waking moment thinking about you. And what did you do to show me you loved me? You left without saying goodbye. Without a damn note, or a letter, or a fucking phone call after you got to where you were going. I got none of it!”

  “Ashton, I’m not telling you what you think I’m—”

  “Get out,” I growled.

  I slowly stood from my chair and pointed to my front door.

  “This promotion would make me more stable. It would enable me to come home—”

  “Get. The fuck. Out!” I shrieked.

  Rhett winced, then abandoned his mug and stood up. His eyes stayed on me as he walked out of the kitchen, and I didn’t move until the front door closed behind him. Tears of anger dripped down my cheeks as he pulled out of the driveway. I flopped down into my chair as his car drove down the street away from my house.

  I should have known not to trust him again. Not to let him in again. Because now that I had, he was doing the same thing.

  Leaving, and not giving a damn who he hurt in the process.

  Chapter 17

  Rhett

  “I don’t know what to do, Mom. She’s angry. And I can’t even blame her for being upset with me,” I said.

  “So, you’re just going to puss out?”

  “Mom!”

  “What? It’s a valid question. Rhett, not once have I ever seen you back down from a fight. When I tried to convince you that there were other options besides the military, you packed your bags and left that night,” she said.

  “I’m sorry,” I said.

  “Don’t be sorry, Rhett. Do something about it. You don’t want to leave her, do you?” she asked.

  I shook my head. “No. I really don’t. I didn’t want to leave her the first fucking time—”

  “Language in this house, son.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t want to leave her back when we were teenagers. And I sure as he—”

  My mother glared at me, and I chuckled.

  “I sure as heck don’t want to leave her now,” I said.

  “Then, don’t leave her dumb ass,” she said.

  “Now look who’s cussing in this house.”

  “I’m serious, Rhett. I don’t know what to tell you about this promotion. Only you can make that decision. But you can also choose to take Ashton with you,” she said.

  “I can do a lot of things, but I can’t force her to come with me.”

  “No, but you can sure as hell try,” she said, grinning.

  “Uh-huh. And who do you think I picked it up from?” I asked.

  My mother popped me on the side of my head before the two of us laughed.

  “Get out of here and go talk to the girl that matters in this conversation,” she said.

  And I did just that.

  I grabbed my things and raced to Ashton’s house. I pushed my car to the limit around corners. I slammed out of my vehicle and sprinted to her front door, then banged on it repeatedly with my fist.

  “Ashton!”

  I continued knocking on the door as footsteps approached it from behind.

  “Ashton! Open up!”

  “No,” she said plainly.

  I stopped knocking and sighed.

  “Please?” I asked.

  “Nope,” she said.

  “I need to talk with you about something.”

  “I’m good right where I am.”

  I bit back a growl, then took a step back from the door. Fine. If she wasn’t going to open it, then I was going to talk through it.

  “I
left the night of my graduation because I was ashamed, Ashton,” I said.

  “What?” she asked.

  I sighed. “I didn’t actually graduate that night. I was so busy fucking around with friends that I flunked out of my senior year of high school.”

  I heard her set her hand on the doorknob, but the door didn’t budge.

  “I was ashamed. I knew I’d let Mom down. I figured I’d let you down, too. And when that military recruiter came to our school and told me they’d offer me a free ride to get my GED and even pursue college if I wanted, it sounded like a dream. It sounded like my only way out of my embarrassing issue, so I took it. And I left without saying goodbye because I didn’t want you to live your life worrying about me,” I said.

  I watched the doorknob turn, but the door still didn’t budge.

  “I didn’t want you waiting for me. I didn’t want you missing out on what your life could have been because of some flunky Navy brat. Because that was the only future I had. It was the only future open to a punk, idiot kid like me, and I didn’t want you falling victim to waiting around for me when I’d fucked up my own life on my own terms. By dicking around and doing shit I didn’t need to be involved in. Ever,” I said.

  I heard Ashton sigh on the other end of the door, but she still didn’t fucking open it. I wasn’t letting that deter me, though. I wasn’t letting that hesitation stand in my way of asking her what I wanted to.

  “I don’t want to leave the military. I’m good at it. Hell, Ashton, I’m fucking great at it. Deep down, I want to take this promotion. I want that for my life. But I’m not going to California without you. I love you, woman. I’ve loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you when I was fourteen years old. And my decision for the rest of my life won’t be made without knowing if you’re going with me or if you’re staying,” I said.

  And finally, the door cracked open.

  “If you go, I go. But if you stay here…”

  Then, the door opened the rest of the way. I found her standing there with tears in her eyes. She looked up at me, and I looked down at her, stepping up to the plate like I should have done all those years ago.

  “I stay with you,” I said.

  Ashton furrowed her brow. “Do you really love me enough to do that?”

  “I’d throw away the military if it meant you’d stay. But I’d really like it if you didn’t make me do that.”

  She giggled through her tears as she sniffled. She dabbed at her eyes as I took another step toward her. I reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. I cupped her cheek, guiding her watery eyes to mine as I looked down into those beautiful green eyes that had drawn me in as a teenager.

  As a young boy with a stupid head on his shoulders.

  “I love you, Ashton,” I murmured.

  And before I knew it, I felt her lips pressing against mine.

  Chapter 18

  Ashton

  I grabbed his shirt and pulled him into my home. I slammed the door closed as he pressed my back against it. Our tongues intertwined. Our clothes came off. They piled onto the floor, trailing through the small hallway that led into my kitchen. His hands fisted my ass. He picked me up into the air and carried me through the doorway that sat just off the kitchen. My lips swelled against his as he carried me into the guest bedroom, my back hitting the mattress.

  I wrapped myself around him as his cock grew against my body.

  I rolled him over and straddled his lap. I kissed his cheeks, then nibbled his ear and caressed down his muscular form. I raked my teeth down his pulse point and traced the outlines of his tattoos. They were scattered across his chest and trickled down his arms, geometric patterns with dark colors that told the story of his service. He had crests and names with dates tattooed on his ribs. He had a set of dog tags sitting in the deep groove of lines that pointed me straight to his cock. I kissed his swollen chest. My fingers danced over his chiseled abs.

  Then, I straddled his pelvis as my pussy swallowed his cock.

  “Fuck, Ashton.”

  “You feel so good, Rhett.”

  I planted my hands into his chest. His hands gripped my hips. He commanded my movements, rolling my hips and swiveling them in the fashion he desired most. My walls clamped down around him. My juices dripped down his balls. He quickly rolled me back over and slipped my leg over his shoulder, opening me up as my body received him.

  I gazed into his eyes as electricity seized the breath in my lungs.

  “I love you, Rhett,” I whispered.

  His eyes danced between mine. His cock pulsed against my walls. He nuzzled my nose before he captured my lips, and then his hands found mine. Our fingers threaded together. He pinned them above my head. I felt the whole of me give way to him, to his strength and his presence and his gusto.

  Then, he pounded into me.

  I rocked against his body. I met him for every fevered thrust he gave me. I breathed his air. Kissed his lips. Sucked on his lower lip. He nibbled my neck. He buried his face into my bouncing tits. My nails dug into the tops of his hands as our bodies moved as one.

  “So close. Rhett. I’m so close. Please.”

  “Shit, Ashton. Come with me. Come with me. Squeeze my cock. I love you. Fuck!”

  His hips slammed into me, and my back arched. His pelvis ground into my clit, throwing me over the edge as our bodies spiraled. My pussy milked his dick. I felt him release himself into me. We shook together, groaned together, and chanted how much we loved one another together. My leg slipped off his lap, and I collapsed on top of him, blanketing me in his strength and his sweating warmth.

  I kissed every naked inch of him I could find as his nose nuzzled against me.

  “So,” I breathed.

  “So,” he murmured.

  “What’s California like?”

  He slowly lifted his head, his eyes locking with mine.

  “Does that mean you’re going with me?” I asked.

  I smiled as I reached up, cupping his cheek.

  “All I’ve ever wanted was you, Rhett. So, yes. I’m going with you.”

  Chapter 19

  Rhett

  One Month Later

  I walked through the door of my apartment and smelled a pot roast. Carrots. Potatoes. A rich, decadent beef broth. I’d had to put in extra physical training hours just to keep the weight off, because Ashton’s cooking was fantastic.

  And I enjoyed coming home to it every evening.

  “Rhett? That you?” she called out.

  “You expected some other hot-ass military man?” I asked.

  “Possibly. You never know,” she said playfully.

  I walked into the kitchen and wrapped my arms around her. I kissed the side of her neck, listening as she giggled. She was pulling apart the beef and making this sort of stew out of everything.

  My mouth salivated at the sight.

  “It smells great,” I said.

  “I hope it tastes good. I think I left it in a little too long. Had to take a work call in the middle of cooking,” Ashton said.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Mhm. I mean, the hospital your mother set me up with is phenomenal. The benefits are outstanding. I’m paid almost twice as much as I would have normally been paid. The head doctor is very understanding of schedule changes and sympathetic to our lifestyle and your career. I’m just, you know, trying to get in good on my own terms. I don’t want to rely wholly on your mother’s reputation to get me by.”

  “I get that. And I’m proud of you for it. Do you work tomorrow?”

  “A double shift, actually. So, if we don’t have leftovers, it’s pizza for you,” she said.

  I nuzzled her ear. “Maybe I’ll bring you something for dinner.”

  “Rhett, you can’t keep pulling me into the janitor’s closet at work. I think people are catching on.”

  I gripped her hips, turning her around. “Let ’em catch on. I like having you here with me. I’m still celebrating the fact that you moved wit
h me.”

  “I’ve been here an entire month.”

  “And I’ll celebrate for at least two more.”

  I wrapped her up in my arms and held her close. But part of me was still worried about her decision to follow me. I wanted her to be happy, truly happy with her decision. And she must have sensed my worry.

  “Rhett, I would have followed you anywhere,” Ashton said.

  I released her, pressing our foreheads together. “I know. You keep saying that.”

  “Because it’s true, silly man. Yes, California is an adjustment. But so was New York, when I first moved there. I’ll get used to it, and everything will be okay. This place is more than I could have asked for, anyway. I mean, the farmer’s markets alone are worth the cost of living.”

  I grinned. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”

  “I’m very happy, Rhett. And I’ll be happy anywhere, as long as I’m with you.”

  I captured her lips in a kiss, and my life felt complete. This was the only thing I’d ever wanted in my life. The only thing I’d ever needed. Ashton at my side, supporting me while I supported her. I couldn’t have asked for a better woman in my life, and I knew I’d do anything to make sure not a day went by where she didn’t smile.

  She was the only woman I ever needed, and my life with her was the only life I’d ever live.

  No matter what.

  Epilogue

  Ashton

  One Year Later

  I took a deep breath of the Washington air. Rhett had completed his first official year as a trainer to the Navy SEALs, which meant he was finally granted the vacation he was promised. So, we decided to come back home for a break. We never did sell my house. We kept it on our list of bills so we’d have somewhere to stay whenever we went and visited his mother. Or my sister. Or if we generally needed a break from one another.