Love Thy Neighbor (Friend-Zoned)(88)

Holding a hand over his on my cheek, I whisper, “More than life.”

He smiles a moment before handing me the parcel. With narrowed eyes, I unwrap it and take out the thin black folder. I open it up and read.

Dear Natalie Kovac,



Thank you so much for your anonymous donation to Stop! (Women Against Domestic Violence) in the amount of $250,000.

We are thrilled by your generosity, and I must admit I even shed a few tears when I saw the amount.

I’m not sure whether you yourself have been a victim of domestic violence, but I must tell you, it can be crippling.

I have seen women come through our doors, women who are only a shell of who they used to be. Your money will be invested in many areas. Most of it will go to new housing, self-defense classes, the hiring of therapists and toward the running of our twenty-four-hour safe house.

You will never know just how much your donation means to us here at Stop!

I know the donation was anonymous and perhaps I’ve overstepped boundaries by writing. If I have, please forgive me.

You are an exceptional person and we are in your debt.

Kindest regards,



Barbara Helsen

Founder of Stop! and domestic abuse survivor





My vision blurs and I dip my head to stop him from seeing how much this is affecting me.

Ash wraps his arms around me and moves me toward the front door. “C’mon, girl. Let’s get some sleep. It’s been a long week,” he says quietly.

My husband, as always, is right.

I nod and sniffle. Breathing deeply, I straighten and march on.

God, it’s good to be home.





Chapter Twenty-Eight

Just married





For the first time in the history of mankind, Ash and I travel to work together this morning.

And it is weird.

He makes us take his car because it’s ‘his baby’ and I don’t even mind. He narrows his eyes at me like he’s expecting an argument, but I figure we’ll have plenty of years ahead for me to get my way. If he wants this one little unimportant thing, I’m cool with that.

Last night, we spoke about just how we’re going to break it to everyone, and Ash said the best way to do that was to call a family meeting at Nik and Tina’s which I agreed on too.

Oh my God, what’s happening to you?

I have no idea. He takes the fight right out of me. Now that we’re married, I’m looking at us as a united front. Unless we stand together and agree to disagree, we’re going to have problems.

My dad always told me to pick my battles and that’s what I’m doing.

Ash texted Nik last night, calling a meeting for tonight with everyone there, so for one more day, we have to act like we don’t like each other. Well, we don’t have to, but for the sake of keeping up appearances and surprising the hell out of everyone, that’s what we did.

Nik sent Ash to Safira’s today to bring Tina some lunch, and while he was there my stomach was going crazy. I had to turn away from my husband and lean into the counter for support.

Nerves are the worst.

When Tina walked into the store room to get something for Ash to take back to Nik, he pressed up against my back and whispered, “No one does curves like you do, baby. And I am not a compliment giving type of guy but, f*ck me, you rock that shit.”

And I almost passed out from the sexual tension fogging the air.

Luckily, the store was deserted. Gripping the counter, I hissed, “Get away from me, ass!”

He nipped my earlobe and drawled quietly, “Softest curves ever, baby. It’s lunch time…” His hand slid from my waist, across my thigh until his palm rested softly against my mound. He whispered, “…and I’m hungry.”

My legs turned to jelly and I flushed crimson.

My man is hot.

No, he’s a blazing inferno.

I whispered, “Do we have time for a quickie after work?”

His breath warmed my neck as he chuckled, “We’ll make time, pretty girl.”

Hearing the door to the store room open, I bumped him back using my booty and said loudly, “God, you’re an ass!”

Tina came toward us wearing a sad pout, saying, “Guys, stop that. Can’t we all just get along?”

Fake glaring at him, I teased softly, “Yeah, Ghost, do you think we’ll ever get along?”

Looking at me through hooded eyes that searched my body, he said cryptically, “Only time will tell, girl.” Then he turned and left. And I was finally able to breathe again.

Tina went behind the counter to shuffle some papers around and without looking at me, uttered, “Now, I know you’re going to tell me I’m crazy or some crud like that, but I really think Ghost likes you, Nat.” It took everything I had in me to stop my hysterical laughter from escaping.

Biting my lip, I muttered, “I don’t know, T. But he is hot as hell.”

Hours pass and Ash and I just had some super happy fun time in The White Rabbit’s parking lot and he mussed me up good. There’s not much room in the car but we managed.

Turns out I know yoga.

Or something like that, because I’ve never been bendy before, but put me in a car with my husband and I’ll go to extreme lengths to please him.

Now we’re on our way to Nik and Tina’s house. Knowing everyone will be there is freaking me out. I don’t want anyone to think we’ve been dishonest or deceiving…even though we have.