by Skye McNeil
Grandma Jane’s weathered hand patted Jessie’s arm. “Oh, that was years ago, honey. We all know the two of you don’t sleep separated at home.” She lowered her voice. “I wouldn’t let him sleep in a different bed if I were you.”
“Grandma!” Jessie cried, mortified yet again by her grandmother’s obsession with her New York boyfriend.
Grandma Jane chuckled but didn’t apologize. “Dinner is in half an hour. Get settled in then join us downstairs.” The short woman winked and then disappeared down the hall.
Resting her head against the wall outside the room, Jessie knocked it on the wood again and again at her fate. She was sharing a confined space with Asher, which meant Bobbi and Tommy were in separate bedrooms. Her mother called it the bridal experience. Whatever that meant. At least it was what her mother insisted upon for the last two cousins who had their wedding in the mountains. Knowing her mom, she could’ve changed her mind about the rule since the last festive occasion.
Composing herself, she smoothed her shirt and told her hands to stop sweating. She was forced to concede they wouldn’t when she entered the room to a shirtless Asher. Holy damn. She felt her mouth drop open and she diverted her eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you were changing.” Swirling on her heels, she moved for the door.
“Don’t go,” he called. “It’s not like you haven’t seen me like this before.”
Jessie spun around. She had seen him shirtless, but it wasn’t because she ripped the useless artifact off him like she wanted to this moment. “About that, why are you so comfortable tossing your shirt off everywhere? Are you a model too?”
Asher’s face broke into a smile. “A model?” He chuckled. “No, definitely not.” He slipped a shirt over his head. Jessie watched in disappointment as it covered the ripped abs which were the result of obvious hard work in the gym. “But I don’t see a reason to be ashamed of my body either.”
A grunt escaped from her mouth as she rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “With a body like yours, I bet not.” She crossed to the window and glanced at the trees surrounding the cabin. From her spot, the upper deck of the cabin as well as the driveway was within range.
“Aren’t you going to change?” Asher quizzed from behind her. Too close behind her.
“Yes, but not with you in the room,” she stated with a tinge of remorse.
“Ah, so you trust me to go chat with your mom and grandma alone then?” he asked, which made her twirl to face him.
“No,” He was less than a foot away. Shaking her head, Jessie swallowed at the scrumptious man sporting an impish smile. “I don’t need you screwing this up.”
Asher plopped onto the queen-sized bed, sprawling on the quilt as if he owned it. He was too at home already. “In that case, I’ll wait for you.”
Jessie retrieved her bag, but felt his gaze on her. Standing, she crossed her arms when he rested his arm behind his head on the pillow. “Really? I didn’t watch you change.” She saw Asher’s eyebrows cock, so she amended her statement. “Okay, I didn’t mean to watch you.”
“Tell you what, I will close my eyes and you can pretend I’m sleeping. Will that make you feel better?” he suggested after seeing the room offered no place for her to hide.
Stomping over to him, Jessie placed his arm over his cheery green eyes. “Only if you close your eyes and keep your arm over them.”
He chuckled, but his arm remained over his face. Sighing momentary relief, Jessie waited a good thirty seconds before trusting him with the task.
Turning away from him, she dug through her suitcase until she found a suitable shirt. Choosing a casual cool blue tank top, she switched shirts as fast as possible. Not sure how long Asher could keep his word, she straightened the shirt, not wanting to explain her tattoos. “All right, you can open your eyes.”
Facing the bed once more, she found Asher as she placed him, but with a large grin on his lips. The recent recollection of what those lips were capable of made her skin tingle. Despite how enticing the memory was, she couldn’t let it happen again. They had to make their relationship appear legitimate and she had gone along with the kiss since it helped the cause. She never expected her family to see her sucking face with the hottie from New York. It can’t happen again, she told herself, tucking her hair behind her ear. Distance was what they needed to maintain when they weren’t in the limelight.
“Lie down with me.” Asher’s voice interrupted her inner monologue. He patted the bed when she didn’t move. “We have a few minutes before dinner and I think our entrance should be a grand one.” He revealed his eyes from beneath his arm, staggering her with their dark hue. “Don’t you think?”
Weighing the pros and cons of subjecting their faux pas to her inquisitive parents or staying in the bedroom until the last possible moment, she sighed and shook her head in favor. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Jessie kept her eyes fixed on the wood floors. Lying beside Asher was dangerous. No, she needed to stay upright around him. Who knew what her body would do otherwise?
“Rest your head for a bit, Mina. I promise not to snuggle you.” His light teasing put her at ease in an instant. For the most part, she hated to be teased, but the way Asher did it made her relax.
“All right, but skootch over. I don’t want your stink on me.” Asher chuckled, but moved over an inch. With prudence, she lowered her body to the bed barely big enough for the two of them. Any thought of keeping her distance was impossible. His athletic frame filled the bed without hassle, so the sole way they would be able to sleep was to get close.
Resting her head on the fluffy down pillow, she let out a satisfied sigh as she closed her eyes. “This is nice.”
“It is,” Asher remarked, staying in his place. His earthy tones overwhelmed each breath Jessie inhaled. She discovered she didn’t mind being this close to him as much as she thought she would. Their breaths synched until she was certain he was asleep beside her. She may have joined him, had not a trace of her mother’s voice echoed from below.
After ten minutes, she felt the mattress sway as Asher repositioned beside her. Jessie felt his breath on her arm and knew he faced her now. Keeping her eyes closed, she flinched when she felt Asher’s hand trace down her arm, sending goose bumps sprawling over her.
“Whatever happens this week, you should know I’m glad I made you a crappy cup of tea.” He tapped her nose and she opened her eyes. “And even when you spilled tea all over me as you bumped into me.”
“Me too,” she agreed with a half-smile. “But maybe I can teach you how a proper cup of tea is supposed to taste. I don’t know what they’re teaching you at the shop, but that isn’t it.”
Asher propped up on his arm. “I thought it was excellent. You have horrible taste in hot drinks. I mean tea? Yuck. Coffee is the way to go.”
“Not on your life,” Jessie squelched, and he rolled his eyes.
“Maybe I have bad taste when it comes to baristas,” she shot back in jest.
“Oh, so this is how it’s going to be, huh?” He reached over and tickled her side. Jessie squealed with laughter which further encouraged him. Asher sat up and continued to wiggle his fingers into her ticklish side. “Tell me I’m the best barista and I’ll stop.”
Jessie fought the giggles erupting from her belly. She couldn’t remember the last time a guy tickled her, much less made her laugh in genuine glee. “Nope. You’re the worst I ever met.” She egged him on.
Asher feigned hurt, so Jessie poked him in the stomach. It was a bad idea as it had zero effect on him and succeeded in injuring her finger. When she tried to grab his arms to stop his tickling, he snatched her bare feet and started in on those.
Flailing like a mad woman, Jessie felt giddy tears run down her cheeks. “All right, all right.” She hollered over the hoots. “You’re not the worst.” Asher raised his eyebrows and tickled beneath her knees, unmoved by her fervent statement. “You’re decent.”
“Yeah, it doesn’t
work for me,” he said decidedly, his fingers sending her into another fit of laughter.
“I concede,” she managed under his sweet duress. “You’re the best barista. Now, stop tickling me. I’m going to break.”
Still tickling her, Asher straddled her, hugging her tightly beneath him. He bent down until he was inches from her face. All laughter halted at his actions. “Now, tell me you’re glad you picked me for this crazy scheme of yours.”
Jessie wrinkled her nose. “I can’t.”
His face flashed alarm. “Why not?”
“Because we got here an hour ago. You have five days to make me regret you,” Jessie reminded him, holding back a smirk. He looked adorable, hovering over her. Somehow the fact of their two-day acquaintance didn’t bother her in the slightest bit. Why, this man had gotten further with her than the last three men.
“I don’t think you’ll regret me.”
“Oh, yeah? Why’s that?” she asked, her fingers caught on the belt loops of his jeans.
Asher lowered his head farther until he brushed his lips against hers. She didn’t regret bringing him for a second, but she wouldn’t tell him. It was more fun to see him on his best behavior. He nipped at her bottom lip. Or his worst behavior works too, she thought as he slid his mouth over hers. She never imagined she would enjoy a stranger’s touch, but it was the sense of adventure which kept her lips fastened to his. And his body that doesn’t quit.
It amazed her, as her hands snaked up his torso, how comfortable she was with their actions. If someone told her she would love being caught in the arms of an Army Ranger whom she met two days prior, Jessie would’ve scoffed at the notion. Her breath hitched when Asher’s lips left hers and trailed to her neck.
The last time she kissed a man like this was when she first arrived in New York and was feeling lonesome. Since then, nary a man made it to first base, let alone second, with her. She didn’t want the hassle of feelings, but as Asher’s tongue found hers again, Jessie threw the faulty notion out the window.
His hands strummed through her hair, teasing her with every touch. If her family wasn’t directly below them, Jessie would have ripped her clothes off just to feel the heated gaze of his green eyes on her naked body. She shivered at the thought of Asher without clothes and tugged at his belt loops.
“Good Lord, every time I see the two of you, you’re necking.” A humored voice cut into their escapade.
“Grandma, don’t you knock?” Jessie yelped, shoving Asher off of her. Stumbling to her feet, she patted down her hair, mussed from their tickle fest.
“This is my cabin, missy, I won’t knock unless I want to,” the spitfire replied with a sassy grin. She reviewed their disheveled state. “It’s good to see you happy, Jess. You deserve it more than anyone.”
Jessie pondered explaining the situation, but it would fall on deaf ears. Her family was buying their charade. It was what she wanted. Glancing at Asher, still on the bed with eyes glazed in desire fixated on her, she knew this wasn’t fake. Not altogether. And she didn’t want it to be, she recognized when her heart quickened as he pulled his shirt over his abs.
“Come along downstairs, lovebirds. Dinner is ready and I need you to set the table,” Grandma Jane informed them with a wave of her hand. “The two of you can find a special spot in the woods later and finish what you started.” She grinned. “Twice.”
“Oh, my God, Grandma. You’re killing me,” said Jessie, slapping her hand over her eyes. If this was a precursor for the rest of their time in the woods, she might as well paint her face red and be over with it.
»»•««
Fifteen minutes and an unsatisfied body later, Asher stood across from the group of people gathered in the dining area. All pleasantries aside, the Davis family was somewhat stunned he was there. Their doubt in Jessie’s ability to snag a date bothered him. Looking at her now, he couldn’t see anything to deter every man in New York from following her swaying hips until she buckled to love.
His eyes scanned the happy group and noticed he was at least a head taller than the patriarch, Dennis, when the man entered the cabin covered in fish guts. The entire troop was a smidge taller than the average person on the street. He contributed Jessie’s height to that factor, though both she and her sister were all legs.
“We caught one, Dawn!” Dennis yelled with a hoot. A shorter man followed close behind with a lone trout on the line. “Well, two, but one exploded all over me when I tried to clean it.”
Asher was unnerved when Jessie’s eyes locked on the shorter man beside her father. He knew without introduction it was her ex-fiancé, Tommy. A low ache filled his gut at the thought of the pretty brunette wrapped in Tommy’s scrawny arms. The man wasn’t bad-looking, quite the opposite with his illustrious green eyes, but after feeling Jessie’s body come alive beneath him, Asher didn’t want to imagine her tangled with another man. This jealous surge surprised him. He didn’t get jealous. It was one of his personal favorite attributes. Theirs was a business arrangement.
Catching Jessie’s blue eyes, he accepted it was void in his book. She may want him for a warm body alone, but Asher wanted her for an utterly different reason. It was preposterous. They’d only met a few days prior.
Granted, he was always the lover in his familial tree. Compared to his brother, Asher was as Romeo as they came. Jessie compelled a slumbering side of him. The part he buried deep before leaving for Iraq. The military and love didn’t mix well. He saw one too many relationships fail because of deployment.
Shutting those memories away, Asher fixated on the exchange two feet away. Jessie’s close proximity made it all but impossible. Her damned perfume smelled like sex on the beach. If he moved away, it would be too obvious, so he stayed put and endured the delightful torture.
“Dennis, honey, that’s great,” Dawn cooed, touching her hand to her husband’s cheek. “Now, clean up. You smell like pond shit.”
Dennis laughed as he turned around. Spotting Asher beside his eldest daughter, he paused and swung his eyes to her. “And who might this oak of a man be, Jess?” Dennis asked after hugging her.
Jessie snuggled close to Asher and was pleased when he saw a flash of resentment on Tommy’s face. “Dad, this is my boyfriend, Asher Whitaker.”
Dennis tilted his head, surveying the man in front of him. Asher held a warm smile, but deep down hoped the man didn’t recognize him. His face was plastered on many websites, if one looked hard enough.
Finally, Mr. Davis held out his hand. “Dennis Davis. Good to meet you.” He nodded his head to Jessie. “I’m glad you convinced her to come.”
Asher shook the hand lathered in fish scales without remorse. “The pleasure is mine, Sir. Mina has been raving about Colorado for months. It made sense to come out for such a festive occasion.”
Every eye in the cabin fixed on him at the mention of Jessie’s nickname. He anticipated a similar reaction, but it still caught him off balance.
“You call her Mina?” a new voice asked from behind Dennis.
Asher tucked Jessie under his arm and kissed her cheek. “Of course.” He met her baby blues. “It’s a beautiful name, after all.” When he glanced back to the man an inch taller than Jessie, he held in a scoff.
“I’m Tom.” The other man produced a hand, but Asher merely stared at it.
“Oh, it’s Tom now, huh?” Jessie stiffened at his side. He didn’t like that feeling. He preferred the malleable Jessie who crumpled under his touch.
Taking control of the situation, Asher replied, “Yeah, I know who you are.” He wasn’t about to shake the man’s hand. He would rather gut the trout.
“Right, of course,” Tom said, retrieving his hand.
Silence settled into the room and Asher glanced down at Jessie. She looked quite content in his embrace. In all honesty, the way she felt against him was comforting. Her slender body tucked beneath his bulky shoulder seemed as though they were made to fit together. During their tickle fight and subsequent kiss, he’d g
otten a rather good scope of her body. Beneath her Prada clothes, she was a slim and toned woman.
Asher lightly rubbed her back and she rested her head on his chest in response. Eyeing her ex, he noticed the man loop his arms around Bobbi’s waist as if to challenge their chemistry. Well, if the man wanted to act like a fool, then he was more than willing to go the distance. Playing an outrageous couple in love wouldn’t be hard. At least not for him.
“All right everyone stop their gawking and get in here,” Grandma Jane broadcast. “The stew is getting cold.”
Maintaining his hold on Jessie while the rest of the group dispersed, Asher was frightened at how in tune he was to the woman in his arms. His list of girlfriends was short, but he failed to pick up on the subliminal messages those women sent until months or even years of dating, yet all it took was a stiffening of Jessie’s spine for him to know what was wrong.
Once they were alone, she detached her grip on him, making him miss her long arms along his waist. “Thanks for that,” Jessie whispered, placing a kiss on his cheek.
“With a tool like him as an ex, I can do much better than mere hugs for you,” he reassured.
Jessie began walking toward the dinner table, and then looked over her shoulder and said, “Maybe you’re not such a bad barista turned boyfriend.”
Chapter Four
Shrugging on a T-shirt, Asher smoothed the Army emblem on the front. Behind him, Jessie’s noisy attempts of dressing made him chuckle to himself. It appeared she was having difficulty getting her bathing suit on, but he wouldn’t dare offer to help. His phony girlfriend was too proud for any nonsense. His New York charm only went so far in the Rockies.
Asher stuffed his hands into his pockets and lowered his eyes to his flip flops. The day thus far had been intriguing. Jessie’s family accepted him as well as expected, though he wasn’t holding his breath. The jury was still deliberating from her ex-fiancé, not that Asher cared what the jerk thought.
Cracking his neck, Asher let out a breath when Jessie huffed from her corner of the room. As adamant as his pretty accomplice was about keeping their distance from each other, Asher knew better. She couldn’t force two people to spend time together and not feel anything. It had been clear when they first arrived.