“I was making chicken and dumplings for your m-mom,” she told Tripp. “That’s what I was doing when he, when he—”
“Do you think it’s done?” he asked, trailing a finger down her cheek, needing to distract her.
“It should be. I just needed to make dumplings, and they’re easy.”
“Mom’ll understand if we don’t get to the hospital tonight.”
Something incredibly stubborn shimmered through Ashley’s soft blue eyes. “But she’ll be hungry, and she needs to see you.”
Yes, she probably was, and of course, she did. “But I need time with you.” Just you, damn it.
“Oh,” she said quietly. “I was kinda hoping you’d say that. Let me grab a change of clothes. I’ll be right back.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Ashley stayed snuggled inside Tripp’s warm jacket on the drive to the hotel. At least she’d been able to change into jeans, a gray Henley, and running shoes before Eden officially declared her entire apartment a crime scene and off limits. The afternoon had turned into evening, and for the first time in years, she wasn’t afraid of the dark. She felt lighter. Freer. The cool night air even smelled sweeter, and there was music in the song of Tripp’s truck’s tires on the street. The lights of businesses and homes passing by twinkled. Sparkled. And to think, this all began with her staying too late at work. Friday night seemed like a lifetime time ago.
The burst of adrenaline from her third near-death experience had dissipated, leaving her exhausted and limp. But alive. And this time, her living was not just because some potty-mouthed guardian angel had materialized out of nowhere and come to her rescue, as if she were some helpless weakling. Uh-uh. She’d fought back! All by herself, as in she’d really, really meant to hurt that Driscoll guy. Tripp seemed to know him, but the last time Ashley had seen those pasty gray eyes had been two years ago. Two long years of hiding and being afraid of her shadow. No. More.
Inhaling a belly full of confidence, Ashley let it ease out of her on a sigh. She wasn’t afraid. She wasn’t weak nor helpless, either. The third time was the charm, and she was going to take Zack up on his challenge to teach her some self-defense moves. Because next time, if there ever were a next time, she was going to kick ass and do it better.
With that decision made, she relaxed. The warmth and scent of Tripp surrounded her, lulling her to sleep. The next thing she knew, he was sliding her across the seat and out of his truck.
“Are we there?” she mumbled sleepily.
“Yes, ma’am,” he breathed. One arm slipped under her knees, and he lifted her off her feet.
“I can walk. Put me down.”
“Hush. I like carrying you.”
“Oh, well then.” Ashley snaked one arm around his neck, touched at his gentleness.
“Jameson wanted us to stay with him and Maddie tonight. Guess they just bought a big house and have plenty of room.”
“Hmmm. Maybe another time.”
“Eden called while you were sleeping. She offered to take the chicken and dumplings to Mom and the gang. I told her you’d like that.”
“But I haven’t made the dumplings yet.”
Tripp tipped her full weight onto his thigh, balancing her while he unlocked the hotel parking lot exterior door with a keycard. Hmmm. Where’d he get that?
“Eden made the dumplings, said she couldn’t let your gift go to waste. She and Ky are already sitting with Mom. So are Alex and his wife, Kelsey.”
“That’s so nice.”
“Yeah. I like Tucker’s people.”
“You’ll have to introduce me another time. I was too busy to care about anyone but you.” Ashley yawned. “I’m so tired.”
“My thoughts exactly. You need sleep and we need to be alone. Privacy, coming right up.”
“Did you already check in?”
“I did. Didn’t want to wake you.”
By then, he was striding confidently through the hotel. Normally, she would’ve buried her face in his neck, in case they came across another guest. Not anymore. This was her life. She wanted to see every last second of it.
Besides, there was something extremely comforting about being carried by this man. His chest muscles rippled under his shirt, and not once had he groaned at her weight. He wasn’t breathing hard. But she was. The size of this man and his sheer sense of self, excited the femininity in her. Made all of her girly parts stand up and take notice. Even her toes.
Once on the elevator, she stole a quick glimpse of his profile. Again, something about him felt familiar. As did being held by him like she was... The way his top teeth scraped his bottom lip when he was thinking…
“It was you. You were there Friday night, on the sidewalk outside the Health Department.” She cupped that stubborn, scruffy jaw and forced Tripp to look at her. “You’re my guardian angel. You rescued me.”
He chuffed. “I’m no damned angel.”
“That’s exactly what you said then. Oh, my goodness, I’m right. It was you!”
“Seriously?” He’d stopped at a hotel room door and again, jostled her as he unlocked it. “I think you’ve got me confused with some nut roaming the streets, looking for trouble.”
Ashley tipped into Tripp and whispered in his ear. “No. I don’t think, I know you’re the man who saved my life. You’re my guardian angel, and I love you.”
He stalked into the room and kicked the door shut behind them. “Love me? Nah. You don’t mean that. It’s only been, what—?”
“Long enough,” Ashley murmured against his cheek, her eyes closed and her nose working overtime. He was leather and wind, exactly who she thought he was. “How could I not love the man who’s come to my rescue again and again? The guy who taught me how to stand on my own feet, but insists on carrying me?”
Time was standing still, and Tripp was holding his breath. But Ashley didn’t care if
