Page 71 of Impulsive Saint
Tyler kissed the edge of her mouth, “What’re you smiling about?”
“I need a reason to smile when you’re in bed with me?”
“I haven’t even taken my shirt off yet, so…” He raised a curious eyebrow, propping himself up above her.
“I was just thinking, I wish we could stay here forever.” she admitted, winding her fingers into the short hair at the nape of his neck. “I don’t want to go back to Nashville, back to reality, and lose all this.”
Tyler frowned, “You’re not going to lose me, or yourself, by going home, Ash.”
“I know, I just…” She blew out a rough breath. “I know we have to go home soon. I can’t keep running even if I’d rather spend all the rest of my days riding around the country on the back of your motorcycle. I have to go back and face my family, and Aaron, and make things right.”
“You know I’ll be there with you, every step of the way, if you want me to, that is.”
“I do want you, Ty. So much. I want to be with you. I want us to be together, really together as a couple in the real world, back in our real lives.”
“Then that’s exactly what we’ll do.” He brushed her hair off her forehead gently, “I’ve told you before and I’ll say it again, I’m on this journey with you for as long as you’ll let me be by your side, Ashtyn. I love you. You’re it for me. It’s just one of those things that I know deep down somewhere in my soul.”
“I want to see where our journey takes us too.”
“Thank God.” Tyler smiled, brushing a kiss across the tip of her nose. “Otherwise the ride home was going to be really awkward.”
She giggled, “Smartass.”
“You love my ass.”
“I do.” She laughed but sobered quickly, returning to their serious discussion, “There’s something you should know though, before you agree to tie yourself to me.”
“What’s that?” He was still smiling down at her and she worried her bottom lip, praying that smile wasn’t about to disappear.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to do the whole big engagement, wedding ceremony, marriage thing again. I’m not anywhere close to ready for it now. That’s one of the many reasons I left Aaron. I wasn’t ready to get married, not to him but really, not to anyone. Not yet.”
Tyler’s smile softened at the edges and his blue eyes twinkled, “Sweetheart, I don’t have any delusions that we’re going to run back downstairs and let one of those Elvis impersonators marry us before we leave town.”
“Don’t be flippant.” She tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to hide a smile, “I’m talking about our future. I don’t know when or if I’ll be ready to try the marriage thing again.”
“I don’t need a piece of paper or a ring on your finger to know that you’re mine, Ashtyn.” His tone was more serious now. “You have nothing to worry about with me. I just want to be with you, any way I can. You turned your life upside down and I’m man enough to admit you threw me for a loop while you were at it. This whole trip has felt like a dream, a fantasy even, and I know things won’t always be easy for us when we go back to our real lives but I want a real relationship with you and I’m not going anywhere unless it’s at your side, ring or no ring.”
Ashtyn’s heart felt like it was too big for her chest, “You’re so sweet and so perfect. I’d be a fool not to marry you.”
“You just tell me when and where, sweetheart, and I’ll be there.” He leaned down to kiss her softly. “Next month, next year, or when we’re ninety, I’d be happy to call myself your husband but there’s no pressure here. I just want to be with you.”
“And we’ll see where the next journey takes us.” Ashtyn smiled up at him, amazed all over again that she had literally stumbled into this man that had become such an important part of her life.
“I think you’re right, that the journey has to take us home next, and soon, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a hundred more adventures after we make things right with our families back in Nashville.”
“That’s exactly what I want, a lifetime of adventures with you.”
“Then you’re in luck, because that’s exactly what I’m offering.” Tyler grinned down at her. “I only have one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“Whenever you feel like running, you grab my hand so I can run with you.”
“Promise.”
They sealed it with a long, deep, slow and sensual kiss. Ashtyn wrapped her arms around him and Tyler moved between her legs. He began to strip her of her clothes and she lay back and let him, loving the way he took his time exposing her body and kissing every inch as it was bared to his heated gaze.
Tyler leaned down and kissed the hollow of her throat, “We’re going to have to take the long way home, you know.”
