"No Longer Neighbors"
Chapter 5
Thank you for reading!
Thanks to my Beta, Rainbow!
JE owns all, except for Ashley. She's all mine.
A/N: Still from Ashley's POV, but her internal thoughts are in Italic.
Please let me know how or if this helps.
Previously...
"That's better." He said in a husky voice, and I ruined my panties. Oh no! I wasn't wearing any. My eyes widened in horror. Tank must have figured it out and didn't care, because he began to move under me. Let's just say, it made it hard to eat my pizza.
...
After a couple of slices of pizza and a few more rounds of repeating my dream with my eyes open this time, we finally fell asleep or passed out. I'm fine with either one. At least I was, until I heard the front door slam shut.
"What the fuck is going on, Ashley?" I heard Woody demand from the living room.
Woody?
Oh fuck!
How on Earth could I forget about Woody!
Well, it was probably all the Earth shaking sex.
Oh fuck! I had sex!
Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Oh fuck!
How could I have forgotten about Woody?
When did I start cussing so much?
I didn't get another second to think or wallow in my shame, because it was the "Tank beat someone to pulp while naked" show, take two.
Oh crap!
I ran into the living room as fast as I could, hoping there was some way to stop this from happening.
I was struck with a sense of Deja vu when the yelling stopped.
"I swear woman, I am going to buy you a robe right after I kill him. Please, go put on some clothes!" Tank thundered.
Eek!
I turned and ran back into the bedroom, without even checking to see if he was right and that I was again naked.
I slammed the bedroom door behind me and leaned back against it. I held my head tightly in my hands and willed this not to be happening.
"What did I do?" I repeated to myself while shaking my head.
I slid down the door to the floor. Tears pouring from my eyes.
Woody had never entered my mind.
What does that mean?
That has to mean something!
I'm crazy about him!
Our date was beyond perfect.
I thought I was freaking over Tank!
I beat my fist against the floor.
Well, I'm obviously not.
I don't know. Maybe...maybe I mistaken giving up hope for the two of us, as being over him.
I covered my mouth with my hand to quiet the sobs. Not that anyone would hear me over the yelling in the next room.
They're in there killing each other while I sit here on the floor like a coward...
crying...
naked.
I got up and looked for my clothes. I had no idea where they were, much less what I had been wearing. I pulled on Tank's shirt again.
Mm... it smells so good.
Wait! I cannot walk out there in Tank's shirt!
I quickly rummaged through my drawers and found a cami, panties, and some shorts, and slipped them on.
I started to turn the knob to face the men who were destroying my living room while killing each other, but stopped.
What am I going to say?
Sorry Woody?
I didn't mean to have sex with Tank over and over?
Am I sorry it happened?
What the hell do I even want?
A loud crash brought we out of my internal rambling and I ran into the living room.
The left over beer that Les had brought over, was now broken glass and spilled liquid. Carefully, walking through the path in my bare feet, I walked to the kitchen.
I found the two of them rolling around on the floor, like in a wrestling match or something.
"That's enough!" I screamed. "I can't take anymore fighting!"
They both stopped and stared at me. Shocked I guess. Whether it was from the screaming or from what I chose to complain about, I don't know. I was just glad they had stopped.
"Tank, let go of him this instant and go put some pants on." I yelled, but then threw in, "Please."
Tank still looked at me in shock, but stood up and walked off to find his pants.
I looked down at Woody. He had a few bloody cuts scattered on him, as Tank did. I tried to help with up, but he waved my hand away. He took a minute to catch his breath before talking to me. By then, Tank had returned at my side.
Woody pointed to Tank and questioned me. "What the hell?"
"I...I..." I stuttered.
"Wait. Is this why you didn't want me to change my flight to an earlier one?"
"What? No! I wouldn't play you like, Woody. You know me better than that!" I yelled back defensively.
"Do I? The Ashley I know, only dates one guy at a time. The last I knew about it, you and I were the ones dating!" Woody fumed.
"What the fuck? You two are dating? How long has this been going on?" Tank boomed.
I grabbed my head in my hands again. "What a fucking mess!" I shouted.
That got everyone quiet for a minute.
I took a deep breath, and turned to Tank.
"We went on a date a couple of weeks ago." I told him trying to calm him down. I didn't want him to think I had been with Woody while we were still together.
Wait. Screw calming him down.
"We went out after you made it clear you didn't want to have anything to do with me when I talked to you on Thanksgiving!"
"Well, you were obviously wrong about that." Tank said with a smirk.
I just shook my head, then turned to Woody.
"You were right." I stated. He waited for me to continue. "I do date one man at a time, and you are the only man I am dating."
He snorted and gestured to Tank again.
"I'm not an idiot, Ashley. I know you slept together."
Tank came up behind me and put his arms around my waist.
I exhaled.
That's so not helping Tank.
"I know you're not and I am not trying to lie to you." I closed my eyes.
This is Woody.
I just hurt the one person on Earth I never wanted to hurt, ever.
The one person who has been there for me.
"We did. I can't lie to you and I won't. I had no idea Tank would be here."
"I wanted to surprise you, Angel." Tank hummed in my ear.
"You did." I said through tight lips.
Was he trying to start another fight with Woody?
"I had been crying...thinking about... the past. Then, there he was. I didn't even think it was real." I sighed. "I am obviously not over him. I didn't lie to you. I thought I was. I really did, but then he was here..."
"I remember you telling me back then, that you would chose Tank over me. I guess some things never change." Woody said flatly.
I went to him. Tank tried to pull me back, but I walked up to Woody and stopped within inches of him. I didn't try and touch him. I just stood there and looked him in the eye.
"I meant every kiss and every word I said to you on my visit."
"What the fuck?" Tank demanded.
I ignored him, and continued. "I wouldn't change that for the world. I want it, too."
"But..." Woody interrupted. "You are not over him and definitely not ready to move on."
"No. I'm not." I thought about Woody for a moment, and smiled weakly. "You always know me better than I know myself."
He gave a small smile.
"I am sorry I hurt you."
He took my hand in his and rubbed it for a moment. Then, he exhaled and kissed me on the cheek. I swear I heard Tank grumble or growl or something.
"I don't think I was wrong about us, Ashley. I have always known we would be great together. The little glimpse you gave me when you were mine in Texas, just proves I was right. It's just not our time yet." He paused, then looked me directly in the eye. "One day, you are going to see past all these feelings for him, and see all the problems that are in this relationship you keep clinging to."
Then, I was sure I heard Tank growling.
"When the day comes that he is ever out of your system... call me."
I nodded as tears rolled down my face. Woody gave me a weak smile before turning and walking away. I couldn't watch him leave. I hung my head and cried. I didn't even try to hide the sobs from Tank.
I was surprised when I felt him come up behind me and wrap his arms around me. I had expected him to storm off after hearing that I went out with Woody. Hell, after hearing I kissed him, I expected world war 3. I turned and laid my face against his massive chest, and I cried. I cried my tears of regret for what I did to Woody on Tank's chest.
...
Don't be too hard on Ashley.
She really did confuse giving up hope with being over him.
Having him there in front of her, and being in his arms... that's the test of being over him. She failed.
She really does love Woody, too.
What would you go?
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