Their Second Chance

Chapter 8: Baby steps

Ashton Pov:

    “No. I can do it.” I look at her as I see her trying to take her clothes off in the couch that’s inside her bathroom.

    “Autumn.” She is struggling to take her shorts off. She doesn’t want my help. So why am I here? I cross my arms over my chest. Still she looks cute. I bit my lip to not laugh or smile or giggle, even chuckle. Anything that will set her off. “Ugghh. I give up.”

    I walk over and take them off. They were already by her knees, they just got stock. I don’t know how, but they did. “You need help with that?” I look at her bottom suit. She blushes hard and drops her head. “No. I can do it.”

    “Suit yourself.” I move a little. “Wait no. I’m not wasting anymore time.” I move back and she stands up. “Put your hands on my shoulders.” When she puts them there I feel a little spark of electricity. Did she felt that? I move my hands to her hips and undo the bows on the sides.

    The bikini falls on the floor. Autumn stays close to me. I take the top of too and she shivers under me. I move my chest away a little and let it drop. She is still sexy as f**k. I look at her breasts and I think they're bigger. “Stop staring.” She mumbles and moves a little from me.

    She was going to fall, but I put my hand around her waist. “Gotcha.” She looks at me gulping.

    “Come on.” I lift her bride style. I thought she would have protested. Instead she let me put her in the tub. It was already filled with warm water. I carefully put her down. “Thanks.” I nod. I see something in her hip. “Is that a bruise?” I point to her hip.

    “No.” I let it go and let her clean herself. “I’ll wait outside. Yell for me if you need me.”

    “You can sit on the couch there. I don’t mind.” If she says so. I sit on it with my back to her. We stay silent. The only thing I hear is her as she cleans her body. “I have a question. Can I ask it?” She doesn’t say anything, maybe she decided to ignore me. “Ask it.”

    “Why does Anna have your necklace?” I turn my head and see her biting her lip. She doesn’t see me and turn my head to the front looking at her big shower that can fit more than five people. “A few months ago we we’re packing, and she saw it. She wanted it. So I gave it to her.”

    “Oh. She told me that day in the ER that she saw me once. Why was that?” She sighs.

    “That day she saw some photos of us.” Hmmm at least I wasn’t a complete stranger. “You okay?” I heard her struggling. “Yeah, but I can’t reach the shampoo. Can you hel-” I stood up and look for the shampoo without seeing her. It’s a really hard task to do. Because everything in me wants to see her as she is right now, naked.

    I open the bottle and put some in my hands. I start washing it. Knowing full well she would not do it properly in her state. Pulling pressure on her lower body, sitting will only make her leg hurt more. She moans lightly. I don’t wash, I massage. While the tub drains the water I clean her with the shower hose. “Cover your ears.”

    I clean her hair slowly, taking my time. This is the last thing left to do. I want to enjoy it a little bit more. “Done.” I close the hose and get up to get her towel. I put it around her and lift her. I dry her with my eyes close. I need to respect her privacy. She can’t keep seeing me as a jerk.

    She puts her hand on my cheek and I open my eyes. Autumn gives me a small smile. “A gentleman as always.”

    I lift her in my arms once I make sure the towel covers her. “Where’s the closet?”

    “Outside.” I walk out the bathroom with her in my arms and she points to a door next to the bathroom. I sit her on the counter there. She tells me where her pajamas are. I see a man’s clothes in here. She has a boyfriend and decides not to tell me? I stay quiet and dress her. “Stay.”

    I was getting the towel from the floor when she humps down. “Ow.” I turn around and see her holding her leg. “I told you to not move.” She looks at me mad. “You said stay. I’m not a dog.” Sammy barks from the bedroom hearing the word dog. “Okay.” I once again take her in my arms and put her in her bed.

    She mumbles a thanks. “What?” She hisses and I smirk. “Thank you for everything. You didn’t have to.” I can’t help myself and kiss her forehead. She doesn’t fight me this time. “You’re welcome. Now. I’m going to take a shower.” I walk away and head to her bathroom.

    “What? No.” She screams at me. “Hey. Be glad that I didn’t do it while you were in the tub.” I so wanted to do it. I wanted to show her what she does to my body. “Ashton.” Sammy barks and I hear her shutting him up. “Sorry babe. Can’t hear you.”

    “Ugghh. He is the death of me.” She hits the bed with her hands. Funny, I used to say that to her whenever we had s*x. I strip down from my clothes and walk to the shower. I don’t want to leave her alone for long in case she needs me to take her somewhere. So I won’t take long. “Oww.” Sammy comes running in and starts barking like crazy.

    I get out and put the towel around my waist. She’s on the floor with her phone. “What happened?” She lifts her head and moves her hair out of her face. “I fell.” I know silly. I wanted to say but refrain from doing so. I help her up and see her looking at my upper body.

    She licks her lips and shakes her head. Her cheeks are tomato red. I pretend that I didn’t see her. “There’s some clean clothes in the closet.”

    “I don’t want to used your boyfriend’s clothes.” I look down at her. She tasks and looks up. “I don’t have a boyfriend. They aren’t used, just take them.” If she didn’t have a boyfriend then why the man’s clothes in there? I don’t ask her the question I so want her to answer and go get dressed.

    I walk back in and look for house clothes. I look through the cabinets in the side of where the man’s clothes are. I found a white shirt and black joggers. They’re my size. I close the cabinet and look at all the formal clothes. They’re my size too. Now I have more questions.

    When did she bought this? Maybe this are clothes of an ex-boyfriend. But if this aren’t another’s clothes are they meant to be mine? I walk out. It’s better if she thinks that I’m not snooping around. She is laying down on the bed now. “You okay?” She nods still looking at the ceiling.

    “Can you walk him? And feed him?” She asks me shyly. She hates asking favors of people when she can do something. It must be killing her to do nothing. “Sure.” I walk over her. “You need anything before I leave?” She shakes her head again. “The house locks itself. This is the number for the passcode to the door.” She sends me an eight-digit number through text.

    “Where’s his leash?” I motion for Sammy to come with my hand, and he gets up practically running to me from where he was laying down. Smart dog. “One must be in my en-suite or one in the kitchen.”

    I look check the en-suite and like she said there is one. “Let’s go buddy.” I put it on easily and we walk out of the house. We’ve been walking for thirty minutes. Some women are sizing me up like I’m candy. Autumn has weird neighbors. It’s night not late but not early. So for them to be outside is because they want to ogle at me.

    I put the passcode in the front door and walk in. But before I do a petite blonde woman is looking at me intensely from across the street. I close the door and hear it locking itself. I take his leash off and go upstairs to her room. “You have cougars as neighbors. I think all the woman in the block were out just to see me.”

    I hear her laugh and I walk further in. She is in the same position I left her but has a pillow under her ankle. “They are a gossip mill. First day I move in one of them came and practically started asking me questions if I was single or married or with a partner.”

    “At least they said partner and not boyfriend.” I laugh and she joins me. “True.”

    “Can you do two more things for me?” She looks me in the eyes. “Of course.” She smiles. I love her smile. “Check that Anna is asleep and bring me a bottle of water. Thanks.” She doesn’t smile this time, but her eyes are shiny. Like they were once when we were together.

    I haven’t seen them like this all this time. “I will.” I was going to check on her again. I left her an hour ago with her covers over her. I see that she is still asleep. Doing this, seems and feels normal. Like I’ve done it hundreds of time. And I want to, but only with them. I leave the door ajar and get my queen her bottle of water.

    I go back to her room and see her looking through her phone. “Here.” I open the cap and put the straw I found. “Thanks.” She drinks half the bottle. I put it in the table next to the armchair. I walk to her bed and lay down taking my shoes off. I know I should have ask, but sometimes is better to ask for forgiveness that permission.

    She stays quiet and so did I. I hear and see a tail moving to us. He jumps to the bed and lays down between us. Sneaky dog. Now I can’t touch her. He acts like her guard dog instead of her pet. “Why were you cold when Mr.- I mean dr. Rourke talked to us?” How can I tell her that even though I know he’s married and happy with his wife I was jealous of how he made her be carefree.

    I haven’t seen her like that the last weeks. She has walls when it concerns me. I don’t mean physical because I know that she reacts to my touches and stares. But emotional she has walls the size of the sky. “He’s my superior. I need to be professional.” I lie to her. And I know she knows.

    “Liar.” See? The only one that knows me completely. I hear some little moans. I look around and see no one. “It’s Anna.” She checks her phone. “Sammy go to Anna.” The dog runs out of the room, and I see from the corner of my eye that he entered her room. He jumps on her bed and snuggles her. 

    “Wow smart dog.” She smiles at my words. “Yeah, they’ve always been inseparable. They can’t be away from each other for a long time. It was torture when Ana was two weeks at my parents’ home and Sammy was back in NY with me.”

    “Thank god for facetime.” I like how she looks whenever she talks about them. She’s more happy and joyful. It’s like she’s floating around without a care in the world. I’m delighted that Anna and Sammy are in her life. I want them in my life but more than friends. As a family. I’m such an i***t I could already have this if I wouldn’t have left like that years ago.

    I would have been in her life and slowly get her back. By now we would be together. The possibility of making my life next to her is what keeps me hopeful. My question is; will she want me too? I turn, worry since I haven’t heard her talking.

    She has her eyes close, and her arms are in front of her chest, hugging herself. She has her mouth open a little and I can hear her low snores. She only snores when she’s really tired. I get up and move the comforter and blankets from my side.

    I then take her and put her under the blankets. I tuck her in and kiss her on her forehead. I look down at her lips; soft and wet, just how I like them. I peck them and walk back to Anna’s room. She and Sammy are sleeping profoundly. The dog didn’t even lift his head to look at me.

    I walk back to Autumn’s room and move the comforter and blankets. I lay down and turn to my side to look at her. I don’t know how long I stared at her. Next thing I know I’m being shaken. “Mmm. What?” I move to the other side and ignore the person trying to wake me up.

    I want to sleep in. I’ve had a long week at work. “Ash wake up.” I open my eyes hearing a little girls voice. I look around and remember that I’m in Autumn’s house, room, and bed. I sit up and rub my eyes softly. Looking at my right and see Autumn still asleep.

    I look to my left and see Anna with her head to the side with Sammy next to her. They look adorable. I want to take a photo so much. “Hi princess.” I search for my phone and see the time. It’s six in the morning. Oh, wow. It’s still early.

    “I’m hungry and Nick is not here.” I give her a small smile. “You brush your teeth?” She nods her head fast. I’m scared she’ll get a whiplash. “Okay. Then let me do the same.” I walk to the bathroom, and I hear them walking out of the room. That dog is glue to her. It’s a miracle that she isn’t shy around people.

    I exit the bathroom and see that Autumn is still on the bed. I move to her side to make sure she is asleep, and she is. I move her hair from her face. Before I do something to pissed her off, making me start again with her, I left to make the princess breakfast.

    I enter the kitchen and see her opening the fridge taking out eggs, flour, sugar, bacon, vegetables, ham, cheese, etc. I think the entire fridge. “Princess what are you doing?” She pouts. “I don’t know what I want to eat. It is hard to decide.” I chuckle and go to her. “How about some scramble eggs with bacon and pancakes?”

    “Yeesss.” I lift her and sit her on the counter. I put everything that I don’t need back in the fridge. “Princess who’s Nick?” Maybe that’s Autumn’s boyfriend or whatever they are. “Our chef.” She sings it. “Oh. And is he single?”

    “No silly. He is perfectly married and have two kids.” I move around the kitchen as she tells me where to find everything. For her mom to not cook, she clearly knows where everything is. Forty-two minutes later we are eating in the breakfast bar. I’m so thrilled to have Sunday’s off.

    “Is it good?” I look down at her and she nods. “I love it. Can you sleep over more?”

    “I don’t know. I only stay because your mom is injured and needed my help.” She continues to eat and them mumbles something, spitting food out. “Anna don’t speak with your mouth open. Wait.” I get a napkin and clean her mouth and then the food that fly off to the counter.

    She swallows. “Sorry.” We continue to eat joking around. “Do you like my mom?”

    That question came out of nowhere since we’re talking about her favorite shows. “Yeah. I do. Why are you asking?” I take the plates and put them in the dishwasher with the rest. “When the boys find out about me they stop coming around mommy.” She looks sad. How come not one of them want to be around this two precious girls?

    “Is that why she doesn’t date?” She nods. “I want a dad. Like the other kids.” It saddens me that she’s speaking like this. She’s a kid she should only worried about having friends and playing around or what toy she wants. “I love mommy so much. I don’t want her to feel like I don’t by asking for a dad.”

    I hug her. “Your mom loves you with all her heart princess she won’t think that. You don’t need those boys that stop liking your mom because of you. And if you want a dad, I’m here. Okay?” I mean it. Even if Autumn and I don’t end up together I’ll be her dad. She smiles and gives me a kiss on my cheek. She starts to play with my hair once her mood changed.

    She likes to play with it. Maybe because it’s soft and curly. I give Sammy his food. 

    “Want to go with me and walk him?” She nods. I look up and see Autumn in the corner watching us with a smile on. I smile back. She mouths me a go. I take Anna’s hand once we exit the house. I breath in the hair. It’s a beautiful morning.