The Reunion: Ashley's Mountain Retreat (Starting Over Series) Read Online Free PDF
Author: Angelina Rose
place is gorgeous!” she said putting her hand over her mouth. “You’ve done well for yourself…” she said continuing to look around. “My cabin must feel like a shoebox to you.”
“Not really. It can get very lonely here. This place is a might too big for me.”
“Why did you buy it then?” she asked.
“You will think I am a nut…”
“No, I won’t.”
“I got a sign,” he said quirking his lip up.
“A sign?” she asked cocking her head in confusion.
“Well, three years ago, my buddy, Landon, and I were down in Atlanta. His Dad was sick, and I went with him to the hospital down there. Anyway, we were sightseeing in Atlanta. This woman, a psychic, came up to us on the street. She said she had some vision for me. I laughed it off until she started saying things about my life that only I would know,” he said.
“Really? Wow…” Ashley sat down on a stool.
“Anyway, she said that Franki was telling me that it was time to move on. She was sending me someone who could love me like I deserved. She told me that I had to move forward and start over, and that when the time was right the woman would appear.”
“And?” Ashley said, her voice shaky.
“I brought you here because I thought you might be that woman, and I wanted to see what it felt like to have you in my home,” he said softly. “I guess that was kind of sneaky of me, huh?”
“A little sneaky, but sweet,” Ashley said, flattered by what he had done.
“I still don’t know about all that psychic stuff, but I just wanted to spend more time with you. I know this probably feels rushed to you, but I…” Before she could stop herself, Ashley shot up off the stool and kissed him passionately. He matched her passion as he pushed her back against the counter. Running her fingers through his hair, she pulled him in as tightly as she could. She could feel through his rugged jeans just how excited he was for her to be there.
He picked her up and put her on the counter as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. His kisses trailed down her ear to her neck and then to her collarbone. Ashley couldn’t remember a time when she felt so much passion for a man she’d just met. At forty years old, she was comfortable in her own skin and in her sexuality, but this was taking it to a whole new level.
“Parker, wait…” Ashley said coming to her senses.
“What’s wrong?” he asked pulling back a bit.
“We can’t do this. I’m leaving tomorrow, and I don’t know when I will be back. I just can’t start something like this right now,” she said jumping down from the counter.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you here… I put you under so much pressure,” Parker said.
“No, no… Please don’t think that. Parker, I really like you. I mean I really like you a lot. But, I live in Texas. My work is there. My home is there. This cabin will just be a getaway a few times a year. I can’t do that to you.”
“Do what to me?” he asked cocking his head.
“I can’t lead you on. You deserve an amazing woman who can share your life with you. It just can’t be me…” Ashley said. “I think it might be best if you take me back to the cabin now.” She stood by the living room doorway as he gathered his keys and wallet. Without looking at her, he opened the front door.
The drive back to the cabin was silent. He didn’t appear to be angry, but she knew he was hurt. She felt awful about the way she was leaving things. She had only come to Georgia to buy a cabin, not to fall in love with Prince Charming. How had this happened so fast?
When he pulled in front of her cabin, he shut the car off and looked at her.
“I want you to know that I will handle this real estate transaction professionally. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Of course you will, Parker. I never questioned that.”
“I
“Not really. It can get very lonely here. This place is a might too big for me.”
“Why did you buy it then?” she asked.
“You will think I am a nut…”
“No, I won’t.”
“I got a sign,” he said quirking his lip up.
“A sign?” she asked cocking her head in confusion.
“Well, three years ago, my buddy, Landon, and I were down in Atlanta. His Dad was sick, and I went with him to the hospital down there. Anyway, we were sightseeing in Atlanta. This woman, a psychic, came up to us on the street. She said she had some vision for me. I laughed it off until she started saying things about my life that only I would know,” he said.
“Really? Wow…” Ashley sat down on a stool.
“Anyway, she said that Franki was telling me that it was time to move on. She was sending me someone who could love me like I deserved. She told me that I had to move forward and start over, and that when the time was right the woman would appear.”
“And?” Ashley said, her voice shaky.
“I brought you here because I thought you might be that woman, and I wanted to see what it felt like to have you in my home,” he said softly. “I guess that was kind of sneaky of me, huh?”
“A little sneaky, but sweet,” Ashley said, flattered by what he had done.
“I still don’t know about all that psychic stuff, but I just wanted to spend more time with you. I know this probably feels rushed to you, but I…” Before she could stop herself, Ashley shot up off the stool and kissed him passionately. He matched her passion as he pushed her back against the counter. Running her fingers through his hair, she pulled him in as tightly as she could. She could feel through his rugged jeans just how excited he was for her to be there.
He picked her up and put her on the counter as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. His kisses trailed down her ear to her neck and then to her collarbone. Ashley couldn’t remember a time when she felt so much passion for a man she’d just met. At forty years old, she was comfortable in her own skin and in her sexuality, but this was taking it to a whole new level.
“Parker, wait…” Ashley said coming to her senses.
“What’s wrong?” he asked pulling back a bit.
“We can’t do this. I’m leaving tomorrow, and I don’t know when I will be back. I just can’t start something like this right now,” she said jumping down from the counter.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you here… I put you under so much pressure,” Parker said.
“No, no… Please don’t think that. Parker, I really like you. I mean I really like you a lot. But, I live in Texas. My work is there. My home is there. This cabin will just be a getaway a few times a year. I can’t do that to you.”
“Do what to me?” he asked cocking his head.
“I can’t lead you on. You deserve an amazing woman who can share your life with you. It just can’t be me…” Ashley said. “I think it might be best if you take me back to the cabin now.” She stood by the living room doorway as he gathered his keys and wallet. Without looking at her, he opened the front door.
The drive back to the cabin was silent. He didn’t appear to be angry, but she knew he was hurt. She felt awful about the way she was leaving things. She had only come to Georgia to buy a cabin, not to fall in love with Prince Charming. How had this happened so fast?
When he pulled in front of her cabin, he shut the car off and looked at her.
“I want you to know that I will handle this real estate transaction professionally. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Of course you will, Parker. I never questioned that.”
“I