by Skye McNeil
“She sure did. She needs your help to set it up. Something about new obstacles. I didn’t pay much attention to her,” Grandma Jane added and then shrugged. “Unless the two of you need to take care of—”
“Nope, we’re good here,” Jessie shouted before the woman could finish her thought. She shot Asher a sorrowful glance and hooked her arm through her grandmother’s.
Sitting in the now-freezing water, Asher watched the two hike through the trees. The way the water plastered Jessie’s shorts to her legs made getting up too uncomfortable to bare. “Yeah, another minute or two,” he resolved with a satisfied grin. This woman’s grip on perfection was unraveling almost as fast as his resolve to remain a fake boyfriend.
»»•««
After a rained-out attempt at a game of croquet, Jessie sat on the patio with a can of ice-cold beer. Her alcoholic beverage of choice was wine, but when in the Rockies, one drinks the bullet. Thanks to the fire ban in the community, a fire crackled from the electric hearth inside and she heard her sister talking in her obnoxious way about the wedding ceremony. To her relief, the rain tapered off almost as soon as everyone skipped inside. Despite the weather changing, the Davis crew deemed the ground too wet to finish their croquet. It didn’t bother her in the least when Bobbi and Tommy scampered off to go over wedding details. They were the last people she wanted to be around.
Jessie took sips of beer and watched in contentment as Asher and her dad threw horseshoes nearby. They looked rather competitive, since her dad was beating Asher by two points. It was odd to see the two of them bonding.
“How long have you known him?” Grandma Jane’s voice asked as Asher threw a ringer.
From the corner of her eye, Jessie saw her last living grandparent sit in the patio chair beside her. “Ten months,” she said and took another drink.
“Hmm, it doesn’t seem like it,” her grandma guessed.
Alarm coursed through Jessie’s mind. Were they transparent? They still had three more days before the wedding. She couldn’t fail this soon in the game.
“I mean, it’s good to see you still have a new relationship spark,” Grandma Jane amended. “The way he looks at you is the same as how your grandpa looked at me.”
Swinging her eyes to her so-called boyfriend, Jessie caught Asher’s smile when he scored a point which pushed him into the lead. Her heart rate skyrocketed when he looked over his shoulder and met her gaze.
“That’s the one,” Grandma Jane said.
Asher focused back on his game, so Jessie turned to her grandma. “I think it’s too early to tell.
Her grandma clucked her tongue. “Nah. By day three, I knew your grandfather was the one for me.”
“Wow? Three days? Talk about fast.” Her mind spun in place at the startling news.
“When you know, you know, Jessamine.” The woman dressed in blue patted her granddaughter’s hand. “Don’t overthink it. Love is messy and can’t be controlled. There’s no use in trying.”
Jessie smirked at the truth in her statement. Her time with Asher thus far was anything but controllable havoc. A moment of silence passed as the two women watched the competitive game below.
“I want you to have this,” said Grandma Jane, grabbing Jessie’s hand. She plopped a ring into it.
Jessie’s eyes widened when she opened her palm. “Grandma, no. This is your wedding ring,” she protested, but the woman shook her head and closed her hand over the ring once more.
“I don’t need it anymore. Your grandpa gave me more happiness than I ever thought was possible. He gave me your mom and you as it happens.” Her blue eyes glistened with tears. “I want you to be happy and live life.” She stood and added, “With or without Asher.”
The matriarch pecked Jessie’s cheek. “To be happy, you have to forgive your sister.” They both glanced at Bobbi inside. “I don’t care about you forgiving her fiancé. I never would.” Grandma Jane squeezed her hands and then retreated into the cabin.
Once alone, Jessie looked at the wedding ring she’d long coveted. A large white pearl sat in the middle of the white gold band glittered with diamonds on all sides. The double band was lined with smaller diamonds, and it took Jessie back to each time she saw her grandpa fiddle with the ring on her grandma’s finger. It was cute the way he’d doted on her then, and it was a memory she would never forget.
Both she and Bobbi hoped the ring would be passed down to them, but Jessie always guessed their mother would end up with it first. She was glad Tommy bought his own ring instead of groveling for the family heirloom.
“Jess, do you want to play the next game?” her dad called up to her.
Stuffing the priceless pearl ring into her pocket, Jessie stood and patted her pants. “Be right down,” she replied, moving to the stairs. She might not have a clue what she would do with the ring, but for now, a game of horseshoes sounded like a good way to stall.
»»•««
“Psst. Jessie. Asher. Are you guys awake?”
Jessie pushed Asher’s arm off her shoulder as accompanying knocks peppered their bedroom door.
“For the love of sunscreen, who is it?” muttered Asher.
Chuckling, Jessie opened her eyes in the dark room. Asher lay beside her, one tattooed arm covering his eyes while the other rested on his bare chest. In the minimal lighting, he was stupendous. “Sunscreen? For real? Sunscreen was the best you could do?” she teased, easing out of the bed.
“Hey, it’s late, and I was having a dream about lathering you in sunscreen,” he countered in a sleepy voice.
Padding to the bolted door, she peeked over at him one last time before ripping the door open. “What?” she asked, perturbed at the interruption. Watching Asher sleep sounded like a much better plan.
“Oh, you’re awake. Good,” Evie whispered.
Jessie eyed the small entourage of cousins. “I am now.”
“Perfect. We’ve a secret campfire started outside. Come on! We’re going to roast marshmallows,” Bobbi said, holding up a bag of the sticky treat.
It was like her kid sister to ignore the mountain rules every chance she got. Bobbi tended to live in the gray area, unlike her, in all aspects of life. Pushing the past to the back of her mind, Jessie focused on the present. The temptation to slam the door in their faces was outweighed when Asher’s musky scent surrounded her. Without looking, she knew he stood behind her, looking like a demi-god.
“We’d love to join you,” Asher told them, his warmth transferring to Jessie by his proximity alone.
The Davis cousins shrilled with joy and pulled them out of the room and down the stairs. Jessie couldn’t get a word in edgewise before the entire group was outside, near the glowing fire.
The dull roar of the licking flames and crumbling wood sent shivers down Jessie’s spine. Rubbing her hands over her sleeveless arms for warmth, she found a seat closest to the fire. From her spot, she watched her cousins dance around the campfire. Bottles of whiskey circulated the small group and rambunctious songs pierced the mountain air. Jessie grinned at the epitome of a Davis family reunion. Granted, there was never booze involved when they were younger, but everything else remained the same.
Snagging a marshmallow, she skewered it on a pointed stick and prodded it over the flames. Her cousins harmonized the ending of a song at the same time as her marshmallow caught on fire. Before it disintegrated, she snuffed the flame and frowned at the charred remains.
“You know, you’re supposed to lightly toast the marshmallow not disintegrate it,” chided Asher with a nod at the item. He pulled up a lawn chair beside her and offered her a cheeky smile.
“And I suppose you’re the master of the flame as well?” Jessie asked, handing over a stick and fresh marshmallow.
Asher smooshed the white treat onto the weapon and held it over a smoldering chunk of wood. “You know it.”
The two sat in humored silence as they watched the entertainment before them. Evie, Ally, and Bobbi were attempting to sing an N’Sy
nc song but were failing at every note. Sneaking a peek at Asher’s roasting abilities, she held in a laugh. The damn thing looked like it was made in a factory. Browned to perfection and ready to eat.
“Do you think they’re buying it?” Asher whispered, nudging closer to her seat.
Jessie studied her family, save the adult-adults, and bobbed her head. “I think so, yeah.” A breeze drifted through the pines and across her skin. At the moment, the fire wasn’t doing much to help her failure to bring a sweatshirt.
Reviewing his piece of art, Asher displayed it for her. “Good. Now, grab this before it falls off,” he instructed.
Jessie retrieved a graham cracker and piece of milk chocolate and created a lopsided s’more. “Here, you should have it. It’s your creation after all.”
Asher eyed the campfire specialty and guided her hand to his mouth. Jessie couldn’t help but stare as he took a bite. His simple act mesmerized her more than staring at a mirage.
“Yum. Try it,” he urged, pushing it back toward her.
The smudge of chocolate and white fluff on his upper lip paused her urge to dig into the s’more. He couldn’t look more adorable with no shirt, flannel pants, and the remnants of chocolate on his face.
Instead of taking a bite, she leaned over and wiped her thumb over his lip. “You had a little something there,” she said, licking her finger.
Asher’s eyes darkened at her act, and he smeared the s’more on his mouth once more. “I was saving it for later,” he said with a pleased grin.
Smiling like a fool, Jessie reviewed his adorable appearance and leaned over. “Maybe I want it now,” she said, lowering her eyes to his lips. They were too alluring to pass up.
Closing the minimal distance, she licked the chocolate and marshmallow from his top lip. Asher’s breath hitched at her bold move, but he didn’t move. He remained entranced by her actions.
The fire crackled as Jessie pulled away from Asher. In the background, her sister and cousins howled at the moon like pansy werewolves, but she was too engrossed in the subtle passion flooding Asher’s green eyes.
“Yep, that’s a damn good s’more,” she admitted in a whisper, not once looking away from him. Swallowing hard, Jessie began to panic when he didn’t respond.
To her relief, Asher dropped the s’more stick to the pine needles below and caught her face between his hands. “I’ll be glad to supply one whenever you crave it.”
“Promise?”
Asher flicked his gaze to her lips and then back to her eyes. “Oh, yes. Any time.”
Jessie’s stomach flipped at his tone, as husky as the night air. Her anticipation heightened when his lips collided with hers in one swift movement. The campfire’s heat paled in comparison to the flames flickering between their bodies as she met his exuberance. The sweet taste of chocolate and marshmallow combined with the aura of smoke enticed Jessie to cling to his neck for dear life.
Asher all but broke his chair when he pulled her onto his lap. A gasp escaped Jessie’s mouth but was consumed as soon as it was produced. Running her fingers along his short hair, she slipped her tongue between his teeth and enjoyed his body’s reaction. Every muscle in his body constricted around her. His hands were everywhere at once. In her hair, around her face, and tracing her sculpted ass. Every time he touched her, Jessie’s heart skipped along with the sputtering flames. Nothing could’ve stopped their embrace.
“Oh my God, you two. Stop making out all the time!” yelled Ally.
Except that. Talk about an interruption to kill the mood, along with any hope of moving the party on to somewhere else. Jessie dropped Asher’s kiss after a second, but couldn’t help but smirk at the sticky residue left on both their lips.
She pointed to her seat. “I better go back.” When she moved to escape him, Asher caught her waist.
“I don’t think so.” He nestled her on his lap to face the fire’s glow. “You’re staying here.” He nuzzled his nose against her ear. “I need someone to keep me warm.”
Laughing, Jessie reached back and playfully smacked the back of his head. “All right, but just because you’re cold,” she tossed back when he caught her hand and tangled it with his.
Gazing at her frolicking crew, Jessie did her best to focus her attention on their antics. It would’ve been easier if Asher’s cologne didn’t drift up her nose every second he held her close to his chest.
Chapter Seven
“Day two of the charade,” Jessie slurred when rambunctious voices woke her the next morning. Without seeing the lot downstairs, she knew her extended relatives had arrived. It would be endless questions and jokes from here on in.
“We could hike into the mountains and accidentally on purpose get lost for three days,” Asher’s groggy voice replied. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled. Last night, he’d tugged her hair free from its messy bun again. It was clear he didn’t like the fluff ball in his face. “You smell like bug spray and campfire,” he remarked.
Swatting his head, Jessie pushed away from him. “Yeah, yeah, I need a shower. I would’ve taken one last night but all of what we did yesterday wore me out.” Asher sniffed her hair and groaned, so she added, “You sure know how to make a girl feel special.”
With his eyes still closed, Asher hauled her back to him and pressed a kiss to her neck. “Sorry. Do you want me to make it up to you?”
Butterflies lined her stomach at his sultry tone. Every time he put his lips on her, he set the entire zoo free in her gut. She had felt butterflies before, but nothing compared to the havoc he sent through her veins. It made sense because they were all but strangers. It was the reason she short-circuited when their skin molded together. “If I say yes, we would be here all morning.”
Asher’s eyelids popped open and his green eyes pinned her to her spot. “Oh, would we? Do I have so much to atone for?” He propped up on his side and the quilt slipped down his chest.
Jessie couldn’t help but stare at the tattoos covering his muscular physique. “What do these mean to you?” she asked, tracing the ink on his chest. It resembled an eagle perched on a rifle. She could guess, but she would much rather hear it from his lips.
He placed his hand over hers. “This one is my Ranger tattoo. My brother and I got matching ones with our buddies when we were deployed.” He slid her finger to the tattoo on his arm. “Here is a sleeve. Self-explanatory there.” He chuckled as the annoyed expression crossed her face. “It’s a mixture of all the things that makes me, me.” She traced a small grenade intertwined in the tatted sleeve.
Asher guided her hand to the tattoo on his toned pectoral above his heart. It was a set of initials in the middle of a barbed wire loop of the Army’s motto. The artist’s concoction of designs made her wonder who the talented person was.
“And this one?” she asked, feeling his heart pounding under her touch.
His face shadowed at her query. “And this means the most. It’s a list of the friends I lost in Iraq.”
Jessie’s face fell at the explanation. “What happened?”
Instead of answering, Asher led her fingers to his tattoo of two tribal arrows intersecting. “This tat reminds me any life that intersects with mine was done for a reason.” He kissed the tips of her fingers. “I think you’re a pretty significant intersection.”
Whether it was the way his words hit her like a romantic brick or her unspoken craving for him, Jessie closed the distance to his lips and unabashedly kissed him. Whatever secrets he hid beneath those tattoos were powerful. Something she knew well about the man himself. Jessie found she didn’t give a shit about his mere barista status. His checkered past and positive outlook on everything he touched forced her to interact with life once more. It was a liberating feeling. One she was becoming addicted to.
Deepening the kiss, Jessie rolled onto him and savored his hard body under hers. “Why do I like kissing you so much?” she inquired, breaking free from him.
Asher pushed back her hair and scanned her face.
“Because I’m so good at it.”
Shaking her head, Jessie grinned. “Shut up and kiss me.” She didn’t have to tell him twice. His lips ravaged her mouth, but not as much as his tongue. His hands wandered up her back and then traced down her spine. The tenderness in his touch was unlike any she’d felt in her life. Stranger or not, Asher knew how to touch her to make her body come alive.
“You know, I usually take girls out on a few dates before I make out with them,” he teased, his fingers circling her navel.
“When we get back to New York, you can make me a couple cups of that coffee of yours and we’ll call it even,” she remarked with a light kiss. Asher’s face flashed confusion then what looked like agony, but he covered it up with a smile before she could question him
“Are the two of you decent in there?” a voice called from the other side of the door.
Asher met her eyes and chuckled. “Well, it depends on your definition of ‘decent’,” he called back, holding Jessie in place.
She rather liked his possessive hold, but knew if they didn’t get up, someone would find them. “We should get ready,” she whispered. “Or they will break down the door.” He tossed her a disbelieving glance. “You don’t know my cousins. They’re a bit on the wild side.”
“You better listen to her,” a new voice cautioned from the other side of the door.
Asher’s eyes widened. “Another cousin?”
Jessie rolled off him and padded to the door. “Unfortunately, yes.” She swung open the door. “Freaking vultures, the bunch of you,” she bellowed at the impatient group of five, waiting for them to make an appearance. She bit back a smile at the cheerful faces of her beloved cousins. It had been much too long since their last reunion.
Putting on her angriest face, she continued, “Can’t a girl wake up in peace?”
“Not when Grandma says you have a hottie inside a locked room,” her cousin, Megan, said with a wink. “Let’s see him.”
Jessie pulled the door closed so only her body was visible. When her cousins pouted, she sent them a satisfied grin. “You’ll see him later. He’s got bedhead,” she lied. Asher sporting bedhead would never look bad.