It Took The Death of Hope

Chapter 40 - I Love You.

2 Months Later;

Des Moines, Iowa;

Corey Taylor...

Ever since that first night we had sex - Ash and I were like teenagers, finding hidden moments to take advantage of each other, we even managed it a couple of times on the bus during the night - the fact we had to be silent only intensifying the pleasure of it.

However, if I said that I wasn't worried about Ash I would be lying. For over a month now - she has been mislaying things and not realising that she is doing it. She is forgetting things to the point where I am seriously considering taking her back to the hospital to get her checked over again.

What if this was some sort of delayed reaction to the head injury she sustained at the hands of Cole? I would never forgive myself if something awful happened to her.

It wasn't just that though - she kept telling me that she feels like she is constantly being watched. I mean I get that - since the news of us being an item broke; the fans have been somewhat relentless. Interviews always seemed to come back to me and my girl. I would be lying if I said it didn't piss me off a little. Personally, I am used to the lack of privacy at times; but Ash has never really had to deal with any of this, so of course it feels like being in a fishbowl to an extent.

Honestly, I am just glad that we are finally home for a couple of months. Getting in late last night - we had all but crawled into bed and fallen straight asleep. In fact, last night was the first time that we hadn't had sex since we had started. I don't mind. Just knowing that she is mine and that she trusts me - fills me with a sense of complete content that I have never felt with anyone before.

Dy and I finally found a ring last week in LA. We had been unable to find anything in Seattle. It had to be perfect and I know that the one I found last week was absolutely perfect. I just hoped that she loved it.

So here I am - stood in my kitchen, making Ash her favourite breakfast - pancakes, fresh strawberries and whipped cream, with a strawberry, raspberry and watermelon smoothie. This is the day I am proposing - I never intended on doing it on the road because it just didn't feel like the right place, or the right time. I think there is a very small part buried deep inside me that is slightly fearful that she will turn me down. And I certainly don't want an audience for that.

Placing everything onto a tray and the single rare black Orchid, which was Ash's favourite flower, that I had ordered while on the road and picked up this morning when I was out getting all these ingredients. I make my way to the bedroom to find the woman of my dreams stirring slowly.

"Morning beautiful," I smiled as her eyes peeked out from under the duvet. God she was adorable.

"Morning? Already?" she mumbled - the girl was not what you could ever call a morning person.

"Well, it's almost noon,"

"I didn't realise just how exhausted I am," she sighed, "how long have you been up?"

"A couple of hours," I admitted stopping as she stretched - the covers falling from her naked body, damn it - my cock strained and right now, it was unwelcome because I didn't want this to be about sex.

"You're weird!" she smiled at me as she caught me staring, "see something you like Mr. Taylor?"

"You know I do!" I groaned trying to think of something that would deflate the tent in my jeans.

Airports - the people, the waiting, the queues, the smell, the utter stupidity of people...that's it. Finally feeling a little more composed, I make it to the bed and place the tray over her lap.