Happy for all of the positive feedback! Thank you all so much! It has made me want to continue writing this story. I have really been on a writing kick with my free time the past few days, so here is the next chapter. Enjoy and R&R!
I slowly start to wake as I hear my door creek open. My eyes flutter. I realize that Spencer and I are wrapped up in one another in my bed and I am playing the "big spoon" if you will. Somehow, I managed to maneuver around Spencer to change all of my sheets, put the dirty ones in the wash and make it back to bed last night.
"Where am I?" I hear Spencer mumble as she begins to stir in my arms. It seems like everything is happening with the worst timing. Spencer waking and my Gran coming in my room at the same time, when I haven't even processed exactly what happened last night.
"Umm. This isn't what it looks like!" I shout to my Gran as she comes in my door completely and I unwrap myself from Spencer. My eyes are wide like I've been caught doing something I shouldn't be.
"Ashley?' Spencer says as she turns around in the bed towards me. I give her a smile that screams 'surprise!'
"And what exactly does it look like?" My gran throws air quotes around her words.
"Well I, um. uh…" I look around panicked because I can't answer that question.
My Gran continues "Because to me, it looks like you and Miss Carlin are down to your under garments doin' god knows what." She puts her hands on her hips and gives me pointed look.
"I swear.. It was Spencer!" I throw an accusing finger at her.
She looks at me mouth agape, I give her an apologetic look "What did I do?!" She shoots back at me.
"She got really drunk last night and I brought her home. Then she threw up and I needed to change everything. Which explains this!" I use my hands to emphasis us in bed together.
"I did what?" Spencer says in a bewildered tone.
I give her another sympathetic glance.
"Alright,alright" My Gran throws her hands in the air. "I'm going down to garden. I'll see you this afternoon Ashley. Bye Spencer."
The door shuts.
"You took advantage of me, didn't you?" I laugh out. She is looking at me dead serious. Oh this is rich.
"You're kidding me right?"
"No I'm not. How else did I end up in your bed last night?"
I start laughing out again at how ridiculous she is and begin to rub my temples.
"You're really something, you know that?" I stand up and walk over to my dresser throwing a t-shirt on.
I look in my mirror and groan. There is still a decent amount of make up on my face that I didn't successfully wash off in my half ass attempt last night. Spencer has yet to say anything. She's still sitting in my bed looking at me.
"What?" I ask in annoyed tone as she continues to look at me. "Get up and ill take you home."
She moves slowly and groans from I am assuming a hangover.
"I put some aspirin and water on the dresser for you" I point as I pull my shorts up.
She grabs it and puts the 3 pills in her hand before swallowing them down in a hurry.
"You're clothes are on the chair." I glance at her again before getting the closet to get her a towel and a spare toothbrush. "You might want to shower before you go home. Everything you need is in the bathroom." Pushing her in the direction of my bathroom "Meet you downstairs" I hand her the towel and toothbrush and breeze past her and out the door.
She has some nerve. 'You took advantage of me!' I mumble to myself mocking her as I get myself a to go cup of coffee ready. 'Freakin' nut job, you wish'. I continue to slam around the kitchen waiting for her to come down so we can leave.
"Ash." I hear from the doorway of the kitchen?
"what?" I ask not turning to talk to her.
"Can we talk?" I spin around and settle my gaze on her.
"About how I took advantage of you? Yeah, I'd rather not. Let's go." I go to walk past her. She steps in front of me.
"I'm sorry I said that." She shakes her head but then looks back up at me. " I know you would never do that."
"Yeah, its actually comical, because I seemingly remember you being the one begging me to have sex with you last night" Her head shoots in my direction.
Panic washes over her face. "Wait. Did we?"
"No! You kept trying, but you were drunk. I just couldn't do that." My face softens. "You don't even remember last night, so I'm glad we didn't.
"I guess I blacked out."
She walks over to the table and sits down on a the chair at the table. I wait a few seconds before following her lead.
"So?" I question.
"So Im sorry. About the other night. And I guess last night too… and then this morning."
I shake my head before responding "You've been in my life for just over a week and it's already never ending drama."
"I know." She whispers
"I'm not here to play your games Spencer." I stand up again
"No, Ash!" She says almost frantically. "It's not even like that."
"mmm. I guess I don't really care." I grab the keys to the truck. "Lets go"
"Yes you do." She grabs my hand and pulls me back towards her. "You do care. I know you do." She moves towards me and wraps herself up in me enveloping me in hug. I resist at first but eventually put my arms around her the same. We stand there hugging one another. I feel myself calming and softening into her not being able to stay annoyed or upset.
"This is crazy." I move my cheek to the side of hers.
"Mmm?"
"All of this. Spencer, just seems unreal." She pulls back to look at me.
"Why?"
"I'm not sure. Just over a week ago, I come here. This crazy girl hops in my car and kisses me and has been driving me nuts every since." She chuckles against me. We are still hugging. "Now here I am with that same crazy girl, standing in my Grandmas's kitchen holding her tight and hoping she doesn't run away from me again."
"It's just all been so fast Ashley." She pauses. "Ive never, I've never done this before." We stand in silence.
She soon begins to speak again.
"So your Grandma and I were working at the library one night. And she starts talking about her granddaughter, Ashley. Reminding me that we used to play together as kids. I remembered you briefly from memory." She pulls back and places her hand on my cheek. "As she is going on and on about you, it casually slips out that you're gay in conversation." She's stroking her thumb up and down my cheek. "I was intrigued, and then she showed me a picture of you which was more recent than my memory served. And then I was really intrigued."
I laugh out
"What?! You were hot!"
I continue to laugh.
"She said you would be coming to stay with her for the summer" She continues on still stroking my cheek. "And then when I saw you at the bar, I knew I had to talk to you." She pulls back from me beginning to pace. "And then. I followed you and… kissed you" She whispers the last two words out so softly I barely hear them.
"Spencer, it's okay." I move towards her again. "We don't have to put a label on this." Wrapping my arms around her waist. She tenses at first but relaxes into me. "It already feels natural. So let's just play it out. Have some fun. See where things go?"
She nods her head and brings her lips to mine in a short kiss which takes me by surprise. "yeah" she responds as she pulls back from me.
"So how about that drive-ins date then?" She shakes her head again. "Friday sound good?"
"Mhmm" I pull her into another short kiss which she quickly pulls out of "Ash… Listen. No-one can know about this, okay?"
"Okay" I tell her reassuringly.
"I'm serious. If anyone finds out. I don't even know what would happen." She's concerned. "People aren't nice here Ashley."
"Spencer. I get it. But trust me, nothing bad is going to happen. I promise." She's looking right into my eyes. "Just between you and me, okay?"
I take Spencer home after that. On my drive back all I can think is 'What the hell just happened?' I can't fight the huge smile and grin on my face though. This is like something out of a movie. It happened so fast.
— — — —- —
It's been about three weeks since Spencer and I decided to give things a try and it's been pretty great. We have been able to spend more time together. Have gone on a few 'dates', shared more kisses and are learning things about one another. She is sweet, caring, funny and beautiful. I feel like the luckiest girl getting to spend my summer lounging around and learning the south with her. She's a real genuine 'Southern Peach'. Who would've thought she would ever go for someone like me? Not me, thats for sure!
Spencer is working a late shift at the library and I am taking her dinner in. Just whatever my grandma whipped up.
I scan the library in search of her. I finally spot her putting some books away towards the back. I walk up slowly and quietly behind her and wrap my arms around her waist.
"Hey babe." I punctuate with a kiss to her cheek.
She jumps slightly as I snuck up on her "Ashley!" She scolds before looking around the library surveying for people.
"Hey, don't worry, I already checked out the premises. It's just you and me." I bring my lips to the side of her neck and plant a kiss. She leans back into me for a few seconds.
"Mmmm" I've missed you these past few days." We haven't seen each other in two days.
"Same. So I decided to bring you dinner." I held up the bag that contained the contents of whatever my Gran had packed in here.
She moves to cup my cheek and brings her lips to mine. "Thank" kiss "you" kiss.
We walk out to the main area of the library so she can eat.
"Come over tonight when you're done working. We can walk back the property and spend some time together" I say opening one of the containers for her to find mashed potatoes. I hand it over to her "I feel like we haven't had any time together" I say with a pout on my face.
She laughs "Ash. We were just together a few days ago!"
"I know, but my Gran was there and I love her to death" I lean down the desk across from her to finish my thought. " but I want time together where we can do things that we can't around other people" I wiggle my eyebrows at her.
She blushes. "Okay, I'll see what I can do." She picks up a fork and starts eating. "I work till 9' tonight" she motions with the fork in her hand in between bites. "So give me till 9:30 to get there."
"Whatever you need, babe." I hear the door ring as someone has entered into the library. I move back away from her but whisper. "Can't wait to see you tonight." I give her a wink and leave.
—- — —- —
We walk hand and hand up the lighted path on my Grans property. "So how was the rest of your shift tonight?"
"It was good but it seemed to last forever!"
We make our way into the clearing where I lay a blanket down for us to sit on. I open up the small cooler I brought and pull out a beer for each of us.
"So the summer carnival is in town next week. Should we go? I haven't been since I was a little kid." I feel giddy.
" We can go, but Ash, you know it can't be like a 'date'."
"Spence, babe, listen." I pull her into me so she is sitting between my legs. "We have been over this. I know we can't act like anything is going on. I mean, we have done a pretty good job so far, don't you think?"
She leans her head back on my shoulder and turns her head places a few kiss under my jaw line.
I close my eyes at the sensation and I have a familiar burning desire in the abdomen. "Yes, we have but it has to stay that way. I just, I don't want to lose you, Ash"
"Hey" I move her face to me "You're not gonna lose me, kay?" She nods. "Let's not talk about this. I want to enjoy my night with you."
We sit and listen to the Alabama night. The crickets are chirping, the air smells like fresh cut grass and the stars are bright in the sky.
"Hey! There's the little dipper… and the big dipper." I point out to her. I then plant a chaste kiss on her lips.
"You know, when I was little, me and my Grandpa used to come out here in the night and catch fireflies and look at the stars just like this." We continue to sit wrapped up in one another.
"Do you miss him?" She turns her head to look at me.
"I mean yeah, of course. But uh, you know, we kind of grew apart as I got older. I stayed in LA and we never saw each other except for a few big holidays here and there." I sigh. "I can tell that it hurts my Grandma. She and I were always the closest."
"Well at least you're here now." She whispers.
"Yeah. At least." I pull her even closer to me "Especially since I met this sexy little blonde who happens to be my muse." I bring my lips to her neck and start to kiss.
She giggles against me.
"Tell me about this muse."
"Well" I say between kisses to her neck. "Shes sexy" Kiss, "Smart" kiss, "beautiful" kiss kiss "caring" kiss "and the sweetest girl I've ever met".
With that Spencer brings her lips to mine and I start to lead her down onto the blanket so I am above her kissing her. Comfortably settled in between her legs.
We continue kissing as our breathing picks up. I start to again move my lips to her neck but in a more sexual manner this time. She brings her hands to my head keeping me in place. "God Ash". I bring my lips back to hers. I then slowly start to move my hands up and under her shirt getting braver. She moans out encouraging my ministrations. Her hands also move under my shirt and begin to tickle the bottom of my back. As I gain more confidence, I move my fingers down to the button of her jeans and unsnap it. I can feel how hot she is for me through her jeans and I know I am feeling the same way. As I continue working my hands on her jeans, she reaches down and pulls my hand back up to under her shirt, where I happily stay for a few brief moments before again moving down to her jeans. She breaks her lips away from mine and I waste no time putting mine on her neck. "Ash." I don't respond.
"Ash." she says again.
"Mmmm?" I continue to kiss her.
She then grabs my face in her hands and pulls it up took look at me. "Ash." She says again as I'm looking at her.
"yeah?" I can feel myself slightly and involuntarily gyrating against her.
"I'm not ready." I say.
"Kay, babe." I answer without really hearing what she said. I move back down to start kissing her neck again and move my hand back to her jeans.
"Ash!" She says again
"What?, Whats wrong?" I ask slightly annoyed with her interruptions.
"I said I'm not ready. Are you even hearing me?"
I look at her intently before rolling off of her and onto my back. I run my hand through my hair. I haven't said anything.
"I'm sorry, Ash." Spencer breaks the silence. "I want to wait."
"Okay."
"Asshhh. Don't be like that."
"Spence. I'm not being any way." I sigh. "I'm sorry, I am still caught up in the moment." I turn to face her. "If you're not ready, then you're not."
"Maybe we can wait till towards the end of summer."
I groan loudly. "Spencer. You're killing me here." She leans over and kisses my cheek.
"It's not that I don't want to. I just think it'll be better the longer we wait. You know, really know each other."
"Yeah." I am kind of disappointed. Not mad, just disappointed, but I understand.
"You know I want you, Ash" She leans over and kisses me. "But I just want it to be really special."
"whatever you want babe." I give her a small smile. "Alright. Better start getting back to the house so you can get home."
We start walking and Spencer jumps on my back briefly, wrapping herself around me as I carry her a few steps. "Okay, Spence, I need you to get off. I'm not that strong."
"whatever" she hops off, but takes my hand in her own as we continuing walking back.
—- — — —
"Ashley, where were you last night? I heard you come in late." My Gran asks as she comes into the kitchen as Im getting myself coffee.
"yeah, I was out with Spencer."
"Again? really?" She comes over and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Ashley, please, just be careful. If there is something going on between you and Miss Carlin, so be it, but it just worries me."
"Gran" I roll my eyes "It's fine. I'm fine!"
"Ashley! This is serious!" She turns me towards her. "Just don't get caught together. People around here aren't so forgiving." She has a worried expression on her face.
"Nothing is going on with us, Gran."
"Now I am not dumb enough to believe that for a second, Ashley." She grabs herself a cup of coffee. "You have been together an awful lot lately." She sits down at the table. "And don't think I can't hear what is going on in your room!"
"Grannn!" I groan out "Please, enough!" I say frustrated and embarrassed. "Look" I begin "So maybe there is something between us. But I promise we are being careful."
"They'll run you out of this town if you ever get caught." She shakes her head. "Just be cautious."
— —- —- —-
"Babe, come on, you said you would be ready half an hour ago" I'm waiting for Spencer to finish getting ready so we can go to the carnival. I fall back onto her bed.
"Oh, calm down would you." She flips the light off in the bathroom. "I'm ready."
"Wow." Is all I say as I look at her. She not wearing anything extravagant or out of the ordinary, but she always looks beautiful.
"Spencer!" I hear her mother call out as we walk down the steps.
"Yeah mom?" She pops her head in the dining room.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"Oh yeah, Ashley and I are just going to the carnival."
She narrows her eyes at us. "Alright. Be careful and don't get home too late" she finally relents.
"okay, what the hell was that?" I ask when we finally get into the truck.
"I don't know. Lets just go."
We head towards the carnival down the dirt roads that line the town.
"Ash. Pull over." So I do.
"Whats up" I'm cut off by Spencer's lips on mine. She pulls me into a passionate kiss and soon straddles me in the drivers seat. The truck has a bench seat giving her easy access to do so. "Mmm. I've been wanting to do that since you came over." She plants a few more kisses on my lips and gives me a smile. I give her hips a gentle squeeze. She moves off of me and back over to the passengers seat.
"God, I love your lips" I lean over and give her one more quick peck before starting to drive.
— —- —- —-
We finally get to the carnival site and park "So basically, I just want to get cotton candy and play a few games." Spencer is amused by this.
"I did't realize I was dating a child."
"Dating huh?" I give her a smug smile.
"Watch it" She warns with a poke to my arm.
"You said it, not me." I resist the urge to hold her hand.
"Come on!" I say as I speed up. "I'm gonna win my girl a stuffed animal."
"So which one looks good, Spence?" we are among a sea of stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes.
"Mmm, that big bear. That's the one."
"Okay, so you have to toss this ball into the different colored cups to win. Red is a small prize, green is a medium and blue is a large prize." The carny gives instructions.
I toss the ball and it lands in the white. I still have a few more balls to toss. Finally, one lands in the red.
"Alright, you can pick out your small prize."
"Can I get another basket of balls?" I hand him the money.
Nothing, another stupid small prize.
"Ash, I want to try one." Spencer nudges me.
"Okay, one more basket."
Spencer tosses her balls and on the third one lands in a blue cup!
"Ash! Look!" She jumps a little from the excitement completely disregarding the other seven balls she has to throw.
"Well that's a pretty big bear. It makes mine monkeys look pathetic."
"Guess your girl had to win her own stuffed animal" Spencer smirks at me.
"That's it, I'm not sharing my cotton candy with you."
"What? Why?" Spencer whines out.
"Nope, you want to make fun of me, no cotton candy for you." She laughs at me and we keep walking to the car.
"hey Spencer." I hear from the side and turn immediately leveling my gaze. Its that idiot from the fire a few weeks ago with a crew of his friends. I instinctively step closer to Spencer.
"Oh hey, Jason" She smiles at him.
"That bear is huge, do you need some help carrying it?" He goes to take it from her hands.
I step in impulsively. "We've got it." I step in between them and take the bear from Spencer.
"Oh, it's you again." He spits out at me.
"Yeah, I could say the same." He moves past me and to Spencer.
"So Spencer. You doing anything tomorrow night?" He slides up to her like the fucking snake her is.
"I'm not sure. What's up?" She's so innocent.
"Seeing if you wanted to go out to a party with me."
I step back in. "No she doesn't." I shoot venomously at him.
"Ash." Spencer pleads. But I ignore her.
"I thought I told you to stay the fuck away from her." I push him back lightly.
"Ash!" Spencer says again more frantically.
"You better watch yourself around here, city girl. We don't play by your rules." He responds back to me and then looks at his friends who he starts laughing with.
I laugh out bitterly. "Whatever, ass." And motion for Spencer "Spencer, come on!" She soon follows and I hear her whisper a 'sorry' in passing by to the boys and roll my eyes.
"Hey. You're on my list. Watch yourself." Jason points at me as I walk away. I flip him off and keep moving.
We finally make it back to the truck and I get in and slam the door.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Spencer yells at me. "You can't go acting like that." She rubs her temples.
"he's an ass Spencer." I defend myself.
"It doesn't matter. Jesus, Ashley, it doesn't matter!"
"Babe, come on" I reach over for her hand.
"Stop it." she moves away from me. "You can't go acting like that every time someone hits on me. Ive lived here forever, Ash. People know me"
"well excuse me for not wanting that pig around my girlfriend!" I finally raise my voice to her. "I'm the one who watched how he treated you at the party the other week and stepped in." I shake my head. "So no Spencer. I'm not going to sit back and watch this unfold."
"You're going to get us caught is what you're going to do!" She has tears in her eyes. "Take me home."
"Spence." I say calmly again.
"Ashley. Take me home . Now" She says in a calm and determined voice eyes focused directly ahead of her.
"Whatever." I spin the tires out of the gravel parking area. we don't speak the rest of the trip home.
I drop Spencer off at her house and try to talk to her and tell her to call me. She gets out of the truck and slams the door. I thought it was going to fall off the hinges.
I drive home.