Traded(72)
“Well, we did work up an appetite.”
“That we did.”
As far as she’d come, I still enjoyed the slightly shy woman who appeared every so often. It was both adorable and sexy—a very interesting combination. When the waitress brought the check, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to John to have the plane ready to head back home. There was still more to come, but I wanted to get Elena home to rest for a bit first.
I paid the bill and stood with my hand out. “Ready?”
CHAPTER 22
Elena
“Where to now?”
“Back to the airport.”
I didn’t want to admit it, but I was slightly disappointed that the day was over. Ashton probably needed to be at one of the restaurants that night. “Okay.”
He laughed. “You can get that look off your face. I have other stuff planned for tonight, but first I want to take you home. You need a nap. I did get you up at the crack of dawn.”
“You can say that again.”
He led me out to the jeep and we took off for the airport. John was waiting for us when we pulled up to the hanger. He didn’t spend more than a few minutes talking to Ashton. The flight back seemed longer, maybe because I spent it curled up against Ashton instead of sleeping, but it was a much more enjoyable way to spend the flight.
Well, second to sex in the air.
When we arrived back at the house, I followed after Ashton, who was entirely too energetic given the amount of sleep he’d had, dragging my heels. A yawn escaped my lips.
“I have a few phone calls to make. Why don’t you go and rest? I’ll be up in a few minutes.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Ashton followed me up the stairs. For a moment I thought he was going to try something, but then he pulled back the sheets and helped me in, pulling them up and over my shoulders, tucking me in. It was a sweet gesture.
“How long before I have to get ready,” I asked sleepily.
“A few hours. I’ll be up to join you as soon as I make sure everything is ready for tonight.”
And as exhausted as I was, I barely saw Ashton leave the room before my lids grew heavy and I drifted off to sleep.
A buzzing noise came from the dresser. It took me a minute to realize it was Ashton’s phone. I opened my eyes and saw him reach out and shut off the sound. The sky was still light, but nowhere near as bright as it had been earlier.
“What time is it?”
I heard the familiar sound of his hand tapping around on top of the table, looking for his glasses. His hand finally smacked them and the bed moved as he rolled to his side. “Five.”
“I guess we need to get up.”
Reaching out, he curled his body around mine. “As much as I want to strip you naked, there’ll be time for that later. You can get in the shower first.”
“Okay.” I sat up and looked at him. “Any clues as to what I should put on?”
“Something casual. I’m wearing a pair of cargo shorts. Not sure if you’ll be cold later on tonight.”
What does he have up his sleeve this time?
“I’m guessing we’ll be outside again?”
“You guessed right. Just throw on a tank top for now. I have something for you to wear.”
“Another surprise? You’re spoiling me.”
His hand came up to caress my face. “You deserve to be spoiled, and I like doing it.”
“I like that it’s you spoiling me,” I said, not looking at him. Truth was, I was a little embarrassed about just how much he was doing. I didn’t lie—I loved that he wanted to spoil me. I just didn’t quite understand why.
I wondered how it was going to feel when I left. Ashton hadn’t mentioned me staying and no matter how connected I thought we were, I’d never assume that he’d want me there. It would be very easy to get used to all the trappings of this lifestyle.
I grabbed a white tank and a pair of jean shorts and closed myself in the bathroom, the whole time feeling Ashton’s gaze on my body. Whatever he had planned, I was sure it included naked time together.
After my shower, I dressed quickly and finished drying my hair before stepping out of the bathroom. In the first week or so after leaving Dominic, it felt weird to care about my appearance. Even taking more than ten minutes to get dressed caught me off guard. I’d learned that I enjoyed taking the time to look nice, not for anyone else, but for myself. It made me feel more confident.
Ashton sat on the edge of the bed, a box in his hands. He wore a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a simple white T-shirt. Not what I expected. He lifted the box up.
“I want you to wear this tonight.”
Curious, I took the box from him and removed the bow holding it closed. Inside the box sat a purple Rockies T-shirt. Taking the shirt from the box, thoughts of the last time I stepped foot into the stadium flashed before me. Without a word, I pulled the tank top over my head and switched it for the T-shirt. It fit perfectly. I noticed Ashton had also pulled on a jersey.