by Aliyah Burke
“I’m in agreement with your father. He made you cry.”
Fear settled around her heart. Her parents were formidable. “Let me handle it, please,” she begged. “I didn’t mean to get you involved. I just needed to get it off my chest.”
“Well, if you’re sure,” her father drew out.
“I’m sure.” Aspen pulled the blanket back up around her head and therefore missed the conspiratorial wink shared between her parents. “Can I stay here tonight? I don’t feel like going back home.”
“Of course you can, honey.” Shoya patted her daughter on the shoulder and left her alone on the couch, cocooned in a huge quilt.
That evening she spent helping her parents trim their tree. They had eggnog and the room was full of cheer, considering one of them was missing. But from its place on the mantle, Ashton’s picture overlooked them all.
As she crawled into bed, Aspen fell into a restless sleep. Waking around four, she found herself downstairs in front of the tree.
“You know, I remember when you and Ash would try to sneak down here Christmas night and try to see Santa,” her father’s voice reached her from a corner of the room.
“We never made it past that third stair. It always creaked and one of us would unfailingly step on it.” Aspen found her father sitting on the couch, illuminated by the lights from the tree. She walked over to him and curled up against his solid body.
“And then, Christmas morning around five, you both would come jump on the bed, demanding to be allowed to open your gifts.”
“I miss him, Papa.” Tears filled her eyes as her father settled his arm around her.
“We all do, pumpkin. We all do.” They sat in silence until her stomach growled. “Did you eat yesterday?”
“The last time was when I had lunch with Julian.”
“Well, come on, let’s get you some food.” He stood and pulled her up after him. Together they walked into the kitchen.
“I can make it, Papa,” Aspen insisted.
“Well, I have to get to work soon so why don’t you make something for me, too, while I go change.”
“Okay. Will do.” Aspen made a big meal and it was ready at five-fifteen when her parents walked into the kitchen together. Her mother always got up to see her husband off to work.
“Thanks, pumpkin,” her father said, taking an already-prepared plate for himself and sitting at the table.
“No problem. Thanks for letting me crash here.” Soon all of them were eating.
Aspen left the same time her father did. With a hug for both her parents, she headed back to her home. Opening the door, she headed upstairs and took a shower before getting back to work on her research.
One of the many rooms in the house had been turned into her office, and she had two laptops with wireless capabilities at her disposal. She was deep into her work when the chime of the doorbell rang through her house.
Shoving her chair back from the table, she hurried down the stairs in socks to answer the door. Opening it, she smiled at the sight that greeted her: Kelly and the twins. “Come on in, guys.”
Kelly looked exhausted as she shepherded them in the door. “Thanks, Aspen.”
Getting the kids, Tyrone and Tyesha, out of their thick clothes, Aspen didn’t say anything until she had them sitting at the table with a cup of hot chocolate in front of each of them. Then she turned her attention to the woman in the room. “Are you okay? You look horrible!”
“Good news,” she said weakly. “I’m pregnant.”
“I want to scream out my congratulations but I’m not sure you’re happy about this.” Aspen led her friend to the bar and sat her on one of the stools. “You are happy, right?”
“I’m so exhausted I can’t think straight right now. I know once I get some sleep I will be,” she slurred.
“What are you doing driving? Why didn’t you call me?” Aspen looked at the kids and said, “Stay here, I’ll be right back.”
Taking hold of Kelly’s arm, she propelled her up the stairs and into the guest room that Colt had used when he had been here. Getting Kelly out of her coat, she sat her on the bed and removed her shoes. Pulling back the covers, she pushed her friend back onto the soft mattress. “Get some rest. I got the kids.”
Kelly barely managed to nod, as sleep took over her body. Covering her with blankets, Aspen left the room, closed the door behind her, and headed back down to where the kids were still drinking their drinks.
Clapping her hands to get their attention, she asked, “Okay, so what do we want to do?”
“Where’s Momma?” Tyesha asked.
“Upstairs taking a nap. She’s exhausted, so it is just going to be us three.” She glanced at the twins. “So, how about we go out to the field in the back and build a fort?”
“Yeahhhh!” they shouted in unison.
Bundling them back up, Aspen herded them out into the late morning and into the field to play. They dug tunnels, made forts and snow angels, had snowball fights, and totally wore themselves out.
Aspen found the keys to Kelly’s vehicle and got out their sleds, so they could slide down the slope as well. They went inside for lunch and then went back outside.
It was close to five when Aspen and the twins headed back in for the night. Aspen dragged the sleds behind her as each child had a hold of her hand. It had been so long since she had played like that.
Entering her house, Aspen smelled food and as she took the snowy clothes off the kids, Kelly poked her head around the corner. “There you are.”
Taking off her jacket and boots, Aspen took in how much better Kelly appeared. “You are looking better,” she commented as the kids ran to their mother and told her of the day they had.
Plunking her children down at the table, Kelly put some dinner in front of them. “I made enough for you as well,” she said as Aspen took a seat at the table. “I didn’t mean for you to take them for the day, Aspen.”
“Nonsense. Playing with them was much more exciting than anything else I could have done.” She winked at the kids, who smiled back. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better. I guess I didn’t realize how exhausted I truly was until you pushed me back onto that bed.”
The doorbell went off and Aspen got up to answer the door. Opening it, she saw Steven standing there with a worried expression on his face. “She’s in the kitchen,” Aspen said as he bolted past her. She had called him at work, telling him where his wife was.
The second Steven was gone, Aspen found herself face to face with Colt. “What are you doing here?”
“I gave Steven a ride, can I come in?”
Groaning, she stepped back to allow him in. “Sure, I guess.”
He kept his hands in his jacket pockets as they walked to the kitchen. “Thanks.”
Leery, Aspen watched him out of the corner of her eye. He wasn’t acting like himself. “Can I get you some coffee?” she offered.
“That would be great, thanks.”
Steven and Kelly looked up when they entered the kitchen. Steven opened his mouth to say something, but stopped as Colt reached out and grabbed Aspen’s arm.
Aspen didn’t fight it; in fact she wanted it as much as he did. So when he spun her back into his embrace she was ready. Her mouth was already slightly open to accept his searching tongue. Her arms wound around his body, drawing them closer together, heedless of the fact he was very cold from the winter night.
When he drew away from her mouth, his eyes glowed with resolution. “Mine,” he growled against her lips before letting her go.
Aspen turned back around and looked at her friends who were watching her. “Eewww,” Tyesha exclaimed, “You let him kiss you.”
Colt stepped up against her back and settled his hands along the curve of her waist. He was making his claim in front of her friends. “Quiet, Tyesha,” Kelly ordered. “Well, this explains a lot.”
“Say nothing unless it is in support of this, Kelly,” Colt said in his deep timbre. He wasn�
��t going to put Aspen through the same thing as before.
“Hey,” Kelly said. “The only thing I can say is it’s about time.” Rising, she looked at her husband. “I think we should be going home; besides, I have some news for you.”
Soon, the house was empty except for Aspen and Colt. They stood in the living room side-by-side, not touching. Suddenly nervous, Aspen began to straighten up the pillows on her couch.
“Come here,” his command rang through the silent house.
Setting the last pillow back down, Aspen walked over to him. Stopping in front of him, she looked at him and waited.
“I missed you today.” He ran the back of his hand along the side of her face.
“Really? What, no one else to kiss?”
“Baby, I didn’t want her to kiss me, and if I could hit a woman, I would have. I’m sorry, I have people who followed my career as a bull rider. I don’t want anyone but you. No one but you, Aspen.”
“I don’t have any claim on you, Colt.” She shook her head. “You can kiss whomever you want.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really,” Aspen said.
“Okay, then.” Colt reached for her and pulled her in closer. His lips settled familiarly along her mouth. “I want to kiss this woman right here.” And he did.
Aspen felt the response her body had for this man. She wanted him. Unfortunately all he did was pull away. “What?” she whimpered.
“I have to go. I’m leaving for the weekend.” He pushed some hair away from her face. “I wanted to tell you personally and give you my cell number in case you needed to get in touch with me.”
“Oh,” she muttered. “Okay. Let me get a pen.”
“Get your phone, and give me your number as well,” he ordered. As she moved across the room to her phone, he said, “I don’t want to leave you, Aspen, but I have to check out this business proposal.”
“Sure.” Her tone was full of doubt.
Pulling out a piece of paper, he pressed it into her palm. “This is where I am staying, the name of the hotel, my room number, and the direct line to the room. You can call me anytime, day or night,” he told her.
“I won’t be checking up on you, Colt. I don’t want to.” Aspen looked away from him.
“I don’t want you to. I want you to call me because you miss me, Baby. That’s all.” His voice was husky.
Her eyes narrowed before she queried, “Who’s taking your dogs?”
“I’m leaving them with my parents. Now, come on, give me a kiss so I can get going.”
Stepping in close, Aspen looped her arms around his neck. “Have a safe trip.”
“I will. Will you miss me?”
“Yes, I’ll miss you.” Aspen dug her fingers into his thick hair.
“Will you dream of me?” he purred as his mouth moved closer to hers.
“As much as I always do,” she retorted.
“Good.”
“I don’t dream of you, Colt Larkin,” she quipped. I really shouldn’t lie like that.
“Then you better get your old diary out and read up. ‘Cause I know you do and I plan of making those dreams come true, very soon,” he vowed.
“Don’t have it anymore,” she replied as her body trembled at the thought of making love to the man who held her.
Lowering his face so their mouths were millimeters apart, he murmured, “Well, my Aspen has one hell of an imagination. I’m sure you will think up something, and I can’t wait to hear all about it. How it felt to have my thick cock sliding in and out of you. What it feels like to have my mouth sucking on your breasts. How many different positions and ways we make love. Over and over and over again, until neither of us can walk.”
The whimper escaped her mouth that time, Aspen shook with need. She knew he felt it too, because his erection was hard against her. Her hips bucked against him, and he groaned. “Oh, no, baby. Not yet. I don’t have nearly enough time to enjoy your body the way I have longed to do for years. Now, kiss me.”
Their mouths met with enough heat to melt the snow outside. Tongues dueled for supremacy and when Colt took control of the kiss, he allowed his hands to wander over her curves.
Strong hands kneaded her buttocks before sliding up along her sides. Aspen had locked her hands around his neck to keep from falling to the floor. His mouth never left hers as he touched everywhere he could reach. When he moved down her thighs and back up to settle back on her firm derriere, he pulled away from her mouth. The heat from his gaze burned her. “Goodbye, my Aspen.”
Eyes heavy, Aspen swallowed a few times before she could get her voice to work. “Goodbye, Colt.”
Gently he set her away from his body and as her eyes ran over his aroused physique, it took all his willpower not to drag her upstairs and show her what that did to him. “See you next week, Baby.” One more gentle kiss and he walked out of the door and disappeared into the dark of the night. Standing at the door, Aspen watched as his tail lights faded away.
Chapter Nine
By Wednesday, Aspen still hadn’t seen Colt. She didn’t call him and had ignored all his calls to her. She kept her nose to the grindstone and sent a big chunk of work off to her supervisor.
Christmas was getting closer and so was the town’s party. Aspen shut off her car and sat in the still-warm interior for a moment. Pulling on her gloves, she zipped up her coat and got out of the car.
She was surrounded by winter’s silence as she walked toward her destination. Holding the bouquet of flowers in her hand, she picked her way carefully. Stopping, she knelt down on the snowy ground, heedless of the cold sinking through her pants.
One gloved hand swept the snow off the headstone, exposing the bold printing: ASHTON LEVAR TOWNSEND. Gently placing the flowers against the cold stone, Aspen blinked back tears. “I miss you, big brother. It just isn’t the same without you around.”
Her hands continued to clean the snow from his grave. “I was offered a job in California today. I think I am going to take it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the house, but it’s too much for me. I just haven’t found the courage to tell Mom and Dad yet.”
The wind picked up, swirling around her. “I will always come back and visit, but I don’t know if there is anything here worth staying for.” The sound of snow crunching under boots caught her attention and she turned to see Colt walking through the graveyard to her side. He too, had some flowers in his hand.
“Well, maybe there is,” she murmured before he reached her.
“Mind some company?” he asked by way of greeting.
“Not at all.” Colt took a blanket from his arm and set it on the ground, gesturing for her to kneel on it beside him. Then he placed his bouquet of flowers beside hers.
“Hey, Ash, my man,” he said in a low voice. “I know I haven’t been by in a while, but something told me to come today. I know it was you.” One strong hand brushed at some snow that Aspen hadn’t gotten. “We miss you, Ash. We miss you.” He sniffed and accepted the silent comfort that Aspen offered by slipping her arm around his waist.
The two friends sat in stillness and quiet for a while, reflecting on the life and friendship of Ashton Townsend. Colt draped his arm around Aspen as she cried over the loss of her brother.
When they were finished, together they rose and as Colt shook the snow from his blanket, Aspen placed a gentle kiss on her brother’s headstone. “Goodbye, Ash,” she whispered.
Colt offered his arm and they walked away back to their vehicles parked along the snowy road. He stopped her a bit from her car, turning her face him. “Are you okay?”
Wiping away the last of the tears, Aspen nodded. “I’m fine. What about you? Are you okay?” she asked as she pressed the automatic start on her car.
“I’m better now,” he confessed. Opening his vehicle, he put the blanket inside and started it, so it would warm up. Shutting the Jeep door, Colt gathered Aspen in his arms and pressed her to his black wool coat.
She inhaled deeply, smelling the sce
nt of Colt as the scratchiness of his coat rubbed her face. This was right. The wind picked up and both of them looked up at the tree that hung over them as the wind whistled through the branches.
Hanging down above them was a sprig of mistletoe. Colt chuckled, “I don’t believe it.”
“I don’t, either,” Aspen muttered.
“Well, we can’t disappoint them, now can we?” His question was tender.
Aspen knew what he meant, and without hesitation she tipped her face up to his and awaited his kiss. As his lips touched hers, the winds picked up and blew around them, sending the snow flying.
Moaning, Aspen leaned into his spellbinding caress. She put everything she had into the kiss. They joined in more than just the physical at that moment. Pulling away, she looked up into his molten gaze. “I have to get going. Thanks for coming.”
Her gloved hand cupped his cheek as she stepped away from his touch and headed to her car.
* * * *
Colt could hardly move. Never in his life had he ever felt such a connection to anyone before like he did with Aspen. He knew she felt it as well, but she seemed to be running from it.
Climbing into his own vehicle, Colt drove himself home.
By Friday, he still hadn’t seen her, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. He was going to bring her to his home. Putting his dogs in the Jeep, Colt headed out of town to Aspen’s house.
As he pulled into the drive, he watched as the door opened and Julian walked out onto the porch with Aspen. Her head lifted when she saw his vehicle pull in and she smiled at him, even as she continued to talk with Julian.
Waving goodbye to Julian, Aspen stayed up on the porch as the man headed down to his Lexus RX330, climbed in and drove off. She leaned against the pillar and waited for Colt to get out of the vehicle.
She grinned as she witnessed his dogs jump out and come running up to her. “Hey, Valor, Duchess! Good to see you both.” She rubbed their heads as they ran around her. Aspen remained up on the porch.
Colt headed up the shoveled path to stop at the bottom of her steps. “What was he doing here?” he ground out.
“Hello, to you, too.” Aspen cocked her head at him. “Coming in?”