Indefinite (Salvation #6)(39)

So damn sure of himself. “I wouldn’t put the cart before the horse, Ladykiller.”

His eyes meet mine, and I see the mischief in them. “They call me that for a reason.”

I snort. “Yeah, because after a day with you, most women want to kill themselves . . . or you.”

The sound of his laughter is so freeing I can’t help but smile. He pulls me into his arms, chest vibrating with the deep timbre of his amusement. “I guess we’ll find out how it goes today.”

I extricate myself from his embrace. “Yeah, I guess we will.”

No matter how charming he is, I will not allow myself to enjoy it.





20


Quinn





I’ve visited Ashton in New York for a day or two in the past, but we usually spent our time holed up in her apartment, making up for lost time. I’ve never gotten to see the city like this.

“And this is Times Square,” she says as we stand in the center.

“It’s seriously exactly like I always thought it would be.”

“How’s that?”

I look around, watching the billboards change every few seconds, people snapping photos, the looks of awe on peoples’ faces as they are taking it in, and the crystal ball sitting there and reminding everyone that this is where the mark of the new year happens. “Just that it would be cool.”

Ashton nods as she scans the crowds. “No matter what time of day, it’s always like this. When it’s dark out, it’s amazing. The brightness of these few blocks is pretty nuts and you can’t even begin to process it all because there’s too much to look at. We’ll have to make sure we come back at night sometime.”

“I would like that,” I answer.

She said we and night. I’m going to take that as a win. So far, I’ve done everything I could to keep it light and make her smile. We have talked about what she wanted to see on the train and her very non-plan of a plan to maximize the day. The only thing I asked her to see was the Empire State Building.

My plan is to get her to Central Park, though. I got a tip from a friend of hers that it’s her favorite place. She and Catherine used to go there around lunch and she swears there’s magic there.

“Okay.” There’s a sense of unease in her voice.

“What about shopping on 5th Avenue?” I change the subject, not wanting her to go in her head. God knows that’s never a good thing. We’ve managed to keep all talk of us and a future completely out of our conversations. I think that’s the best option if I have any hopes at dinner.

Her smile is wide. “Tiffany’s is on 5th.”

I knew that was coming. Gretchen also happened to mention that a man in the dog house could always inch a little farther out with a certain blue box.

Hell, I’m so far inside that house I’ll need several blue boxes to gain an inch out of it. “Do you want to go?”

Ashton’s eyes narrow. “Do cows like to moo?”

“I’m not sure if they like it or if it’s a reflex.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“I know this. Do you want to go?”

She looks as though she’s at war with herself, but I don’t know that she can avoid the pull to shop. “Why do you want to go?”

I take a step closer. “We’re on a trip to see all the things in the city, and isn’t that part of it?”

“I hope you know what you’re asking for,” Ashton tells me as she runs her hand along my chest.

“All I’m asking is for you to enjoy the day.”

“Well, if a trip to Tiffany’s is in the cards, then you’ve secured that.”

And then I’m going to take you to the park, and after that, I’m going to do whatever else I can to give you a day you never forget.

“Good. Lead the way,” I say extending my arm.

We take the subway, and for the first time since I came back, Ashton seems relaxed around me. There are no seats and all the poles are taken, so I find a space and pull her against my chest, allowing her to use me as the pole. I stand, unmoving, hoping she sees that I want to be what holds her up. I don’t want to tear her down or allow her to fall, but I’m not delusional enough to think her trust will happen without a fight.

Not with her.

She’s going to make me work long and hard.

Once we reach our stop and exit the subway, the loss of her touch is all I can focus on. For those few minutes, I felt alive again. I take her hand and wrap it around my arm. She looks over, and her eyes dance to where her hand is resting. “What is this for?”

“I don’t want you to get lost.”

Ashton smirks with one of her classic eye rolls. “Right.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“I don’t believe that’s the reason you want me to hold on to you, but . . .”

“But you’ll go with it?”

She shrugs. “For now.”

We walk a bit and this side of the city is no less busy, but it’s nothing like Times Square. People aren’t snapping pictures like crazy, they’re just moving around with bags from whatever stores they were in. It feels slightly calmer.

“Here we are,” Ashton announces.