AspenTrilogy (Boxed Set)

by Cindy Stark

  The whole situation was messed up. She turned and headed toward the pond, needing a moment to align her emotions. Her initial lust for Milo had morphed into something deeper each day she spent with him. He was willing to put his life on hold for her. But when the end of the month and the trial rolled around, her life and the lives of these caring, decent people would be tossed around again. Without a doubt, there would be another gaping hole in her heart. Not that Milo had meant to make her care. On the contrary. He could only be accused of being himself, a kind, funny, and far too sexy man.

  A soft breeze skittered across her bare shoulders and sent ripples racing across the surface of the pond, wrinkling the reflection of the setting sun. The scent of burning wood mingled with a woman's laughter. Probably Jen. She seemed the most vivacious of the group.

  "Hey." Milo had come up from behind and took her hand. "You okay?" The concerned look in his eye only increased her melancholy.

  "Of course. I'm just playing the part of the new wife, jealous that you're talking to an old girlfriend."

  He lifted one side of his mouth, giving her a crooked grin, but there was nothing genuine about it. "I didn't think about how that might appear to everyone."

  "I'm sure they wonder if you still care for her, and as a new bride, I shouldn't be very happy about it." She winked, burying her sadness beneath a layer of teasing.

  He widened his grin, becoming more sincere. "Great. I'm in the dog house. Now I'm going to have to spend the rest of the evening trying to win you back." He glanced at his friends, and she followed suit. No doubt, the newlywed couple was the talk of the evening. "Guess I'd better start now."

  Before she could question his intentions, he pulled her toward him, wrapping his arms around her waist. Her hips bumped against his, and she inhaled a surprised breath as hot desire spiked her blood.

  "What are you doing?" It was one thing to tell everyone they were married. It was quite another to act the part.

  "Trying to make up with you." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, as his bright blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "I'm so sorry for talking to my old girlfriend. I promise, you are the only one for me."

  Her chest compressed against her heart. Her brain knew he was acting, but her heart questioned if there was a hopeful spark of truth in his words. The spot on her fingers where his soft lips had been moments before burned, and she was immediately transported back to their passionate kiss beneath the raging stormy sky. She couldn't speak even if she could find the words.

  He lifted a hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Please don't be angry with me."

  She looked down, afraid her expression might give her away. "Okay. You're forgiven."

  He chuckled. "I'm glad you're so easy to please. All wives should be like you."

  She flashed him a warning look that made him laugh again. "If we were truly married, you wouldn't get off near as easy." He still held her, belly-to-belly. The caution bells firing in her head advised her to back away, but he wouldn't let her go.

  "Yeah? Are you the jealous type? What would you do?"

  She swallowed. This was all a little too real for her. "Who wouldn't be jealous? If we were in a committed relationship, I would expect you to respect me, to respect us. If you were flirting with your old girlfriends, I would have a problem with that. Don't tell me you wouldn't if I flirted with other guys."

  His expression softened. "I wasn't flirting with her. I only felt I owed her an explanation, since we had been pretty friendly in the past."

  Was he really apologizing to her? "It's okay. You can talk to her."

  He ran a thumb down her cheek.

  "This feels like more than acting." His action affected her as though it was real.

  He traced a finger across her bottom lip, scaring her. "Does it?" He leaned in and brushed a soft kiss across her lips. "I must be doing a good job then."

  She pulled away and headed along the edge of the pond, away from Milo, away from the others.

  He caught up to her within a few seconds. "Okay. I admit it. That was a dumb move on my part. I thought it would look good for the others."

  She kept walking. She needed distance. Distance from the man who protected her life, but endangered her heart.

  He tugged her to a stop, but she refused to meet his gaze. "I apologize. I lost my head there for a minute. I thought it would make things look more authentic."

  She jerked her gaze upward. "You promised. We promised we'd keep things professional, for both our sakes. That kiss was anything but professional."

  He scrubbed a hand over his jawline, turning his gaze toward the pond. "You're right. I let myself get caught up in the fun, but that's not an excuse." He looked back at her. "I truly was trying to give them a good show, but I lost my head and took it too far. Maybe we should make our excuses and head home. They'd all think it was because we had a fight."

  "No." She crossed her arms, trying to ward off a chill. With the sun so close to the horizon, the breeze rolling across the water had nothing to warm it. As difficult as it was pretending with Milo, she craved the company and the chance to be out of the house. "I'm sorry, too. I overreacted. It was just a kiss, right?" She needed to ground herself in reality and fast. "These are your friends, and I don't want to make things more difficult for you. You caught me off guard with that kiss, but I'm good now. I'd prefer it if we go back and try to have fun. I want to roast a hot dog and drink a beer and forget about the world for a while. Besides, I like your friends, and it beats sitting home."

  * * *

  Ariana stood at the tailgate of Luke's truck, using the light from the full moon and Lily's cell phone to help her sort through the songs on her iPod, trying to create a playlist of music appropriate for their wild ass party as Lily called it.

  "What do you think about Jason Aldean?" Lily tossed her long blond ponytail over her shoulder as she eyed Ariana.

  "I don't think I know him."

  Lily laughed. "Oh girl, you are missing out. When you get home, you'll have to look him up on the internet. He is one hot cowboy. Kind of reminds me of my Luke."

  Ariana smiled. Luke could definitely hold his own in a room full of handsome men, but Milo had him beat hands-down. "I'll check him out tomorrow."

  "Okay, but in the meantime, we're definitely putting My Kinda Party on the playlist, and don't feel bad. I didn't really know country music until I met Luke, either. I'd always listened to pop and rock, and I was surprised at how many songs I could relate to."

  "Thanks for being kind to me, Lily."

  "What are you talking about? Why wouldn't I be?"

  "I'm a virtual stranger who stole one of Luke's best friends when no one was looking. I'd expect you all to be a little leery of me, maybe even a little hostile." Although it seemed Sierra had that area covered. She no longer shot Ariana visual poisoned arrows, but she'd steered clear of her the entire evening, clearly preferring to spend her time talking to Tyler and Kim.

  "You're crazy, Anna. From the second Milo introduced you, I could see how much he loves you. It doesn't always take people eons to know they're meant for each other."

  Love?

  "And it's obvious you love him, too." She tilted her head, studying Ariana's face. "Don't you?"

  "I do." She did…and that thought didn't sit well with her. None of the scenarios she'd imagined ended well for her or him if they fell in love.

  "See? It's all good." She arrowed down on the iPod. "You might find yourself worrying about acclimating to a small town after being in a big city, because really what could be smaller than Aspen, but I think you'll find you love it. The people are just so wonderful."

  Ariana smiled. "I love what I've seen so far."

  "Do you work? I have a background in marketing, but I've made it work for me here, too. I've helped most of the local businesses, and I'm expanding into the surrounding areas. Plus, I've found a few clients online. With all of the tools at our disposal, we can do so much more from a re
mote location."

  Ariana laughed. "You have this all figured out, don't you?"

  "I do. When Luke asked me to stay, I knew I wouldn't be happy just sitting home, so yeah, I worked some things out." She grinned.

  "I have degrees in education and mathematics, but I haven't really put them to use yet."

  Lily raised interested brows. "Look at you go, girl. I'm impressed. I know they're searching for two new teachers at the high school to replace some retirees. Maybe you'd be interested in teaching there."

  If only. "You know, I believe I would enjoy teaching high school. Some people find older kids to be difficult, but I think I'd like challenging their minds in fun and interesting ways." When she spoke to Quinn again, she'd add that to her list of possibilities for her new identity.

  "Good. Talk to Milo. He's good friends with the principal there, and he could tell you how to apply and maybe put in a good word."

  She nodded, a twinge of sadness pinging inside her. If she were lucky, she would be able to teach kids, but it would never be in this county.

  Lily plugged the iPod into a set of speakers and suddenly the sounds of a rocking guitar filled the night air. A sexy country voice followed.

  "Jason," Lily said with a smile as she moved her shoulders to the beat. "Mmm…"

  "I love this song," Jen said as she joined them. She started dancing to the music, and Lily jumped off the tailgate and followed her lead.

  Jen motioned to her. "C'mon, girl. Put that bottle down and get over here."

  "Come on," Lily coaxed as she twirled in a circle.

  What the hell. She would only live once, and no one knew for how long. She slid off the tailgate, and Lily grabbed her hand, pulling her into a dance.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Milo took a hearty swallow of his third beer. The bitter liquid chilled his throat, and he hoped it would cool the rest of him. A slight buzz cruised through his veins, calming his mind and easing the tension that had been an inescapable part of his life since he'd met Ariana. Normally, he wouldn't drink while on the job, but Ariana was safe here, and his doctor had finally cleared him to consume alcohol again.

  God knew he needed the temporary distraction and a chance to let off a little steam. Between the fire and Ariana moving her sexy body to the beat of the music, he'd overheated and fried his brain. He leaned back in his chair, eyeing her over the flickering flames. She laughed as Lily tried to teach her a dance step. He remembered when he'd taught Lily how to two-step back before she'd hooked up with Luke, and now she was teaching Ariana.

  Small world.

  It made him happy to know the two girls had hit it off. The sound of Ariana's laughter was a balm to his restless spirit. She'd been through a lot recently, and she needed this chance to unwind as well.

  Luke turned a log in the fire before sinking into the chair Ariana had vacated a while ago. "I like her."

  Milo snorted. "Glad you approve."

  "Not that you care. I can't believe you went to Vegas and came home with a wife, and didn't tell any of us. That is not like you at all. Bet your mom is ticked." His beer hissed as he twisted off the cap and tossed it into the fire.

  "Yeah. She wasn't too happy." He shook his head wondering why he'd ever thought it was a good idea to keep his mom out of the loop. He'd done it to protect Ariana, but man, had that backfired.

  The sound of raucous feminine laughter stole his attention. Lily stood inches from Jen's body, shimming her way down and back up in a series of sexy moves. When she stood, all three women laughed again. No doubt the beer had loosened their inhibitions, but they were having a great time.

  "You try it," Lily persuaded Ariana.

  Ariana took a long draw on her beer before setting it on the tailgate. She moved in close to Lily. With slow, fluid movements, she gyrated her hips to the tempo. Twisting her hands in sensual moves, she alternated between caressing her own body, tugging her t-shirt up to expose her stomach, and drawing invisible patterns in the air. Good God almighty. He tried to swallow past the dry knot in his throat.

  Ariana descended toward the ground and then rocked her way back up. She looked expectantly at her companions who seemed to pause in surprise before they all started laughing again.

  "Woo, Anna! You've got some sweet moves." Jen held out her bottle, waiting for the other two to claim theirs and make a toast.

  Luke jumped out of his chair. "I'll be damned if I'm going to sit here while my woman's making moves like that." His beer tipped over in the dirt as he walked away.

  "Damn," Milo whispered under his breath. Scott apparently had the same thought as Luke and left his conversation with Jerry to dance with Jen.

  Ariana leaned on the tailgate, laughing as the men joined in. Lily and Jen practiced their moves on the guys. Luke tried to mimic them, but fell on his ass, making the crowd laugh. Scott was apparently the smart one and didn't waste any time pulling Jen into his arms.

  Milo glanced at the other couples still sitting on the sidelines, jerking his gaze back to Ariana when he realized Sierra had him in her sights. He couldn't have her thinking there was trouble in paradise. For the moment, all of his friends needed to fully believe he and Ariana were in love. He'd deal with how to explain the break-up later on.

  Speaking of love, he'd better get his ass in gear because now he had Scott alternating between glancing at Ariana and giving him a what-the-fuck look.

  If Scott was the intelligent one for claiming his woman, and Luke was the clumsy one who'd still get his wife, what did that make him? The jackass who left his girl sitting alone watching the others.

  Yeah. Not good.

  He stood, his movement attracting Ariana's attention. There was no mistaking the intense desire burning in her eyes as she watched him approach, and he couldn't deny that her expression made him ache to hold her. With her, it was one tricky situation after another. He held out a hand. "Care to dance?"

  She raised a brow as though questioning his intentions before she slid her fingers across his palm. Damn if Quinn hadn't put them in an impossible spot. Of course, there was no way Quinn could have predicted this insane attraction between him and Ariana.

  He pulled her into his embrace the way a good husband would, ignoring his senses that fired in rapid succession. It was hard to discount the satisfying way her body molded perfectly against him, so he'd have to find a way to disconnect his attraction from his actions.

  If he were still with the marshals, protocol would require he be reassigned. Something he should have done three years ago. Not that he'd been physically attracted to Jane, at least not like he was with Ariana, but he'd come to really care for her, which had kept him from making unemotional decisions. Deep down, he knew it had been her choices which had ended her life, but that didn't erase his contributions to her death. If he had it to do over, she'd be alive today. Now, here he was in another compromised situation with absolutely no way out. He couldn't act on his feelings, but he couldn't leave her, either.

  "You have some impressive moves there."

  Amused laughter spilled from her as they slow-danced to the music. "My college roommate and I spent hours watching music videos, trying to learn the dancer's moves. That one is a little risqué, but I think Lily and Jen liked it."

  He snorted. "Forget the girls. I liked it."

  "I didn't realize you were paying that much attention." She pulled from him ever so slightly, the rocking of her hips and shoulders growing more pronounced as a flash of naughtiness lit her eyes. If they had been alone, he would have stopped her before she could take it further. But with all his unsuspecting friends around, he was helpless to do anything but watch.

  Her gaze never left his as she danced her way down his body, her fingers sliding from his neck and trailing across his chest. When they dipped dangerously low, she smiled, and slowly made her way back up.

  He leaned close to her ear, ignoring the enticing scent of her hair and the way the breeze tickled the soft strands against his skin. "Oh, darlin'. Yo
u like to test me."

  "I do." She turned, leaning into him. He rested his hands on her hips as she gyrated against him in one sexy move after another.

  He couldn't let her continue. He was already rock hard, and each move she made stole more blood from his brain.

  In a minute, he wouldn't be thinking at all. In a desperate attempt to regain control of the situation, he twisted her in his arms.

  "Sorry. I don't mean to keep encouraging you like that. Flirting is a bad habit of mine, made worse by beer and a pretty woman."

  "Don't worry. I'm on to your seductive ways." She traced a finger along his jawline and over his bottom lip.

  He swallowed hard. "Ariana," he whispered in a warning tone.

  She tugged his head to her. "Anna," she whispered back. She met his gaze, and he knew he was in deep shit. Wanting and need burned as bright in her eyes as it did inside him. Her lips were inches from his, and it didn't take her long to close the distance. He should move. He should pull away, but he didn't.

  Her slick, glossed-lips slid against his, and he was lost. He crushed her to him, her soft breasts pressing into his chest. A slight hint of cherry tickled his tongue as he slipped inside her mouth.

  She matched the passion of his kiss. The feel of her fingers slipping beneath his shirt, her nails digging into the flesh of his back nearly drove him insane. He slid a hand along the curve of her ass and hauled her to him.

  A hard punch to his right arm broke them apart.

  "Get a room, ya horny bastard." Scott laughed. "I recognize you're newlyweds and all, but if you keep up that shit, you're going to get everyone all fired up, and we'll be having us an orgy around the fire."

  Milo glanced at the group, astounded at how easily he'd lost sight of his goal to remain unaffected. Apparently, everyone had stopped dancing and talking to catch the Milo and Ariana show. Everyone but Sierra. He laughed to cover his embarrassment. "Sorry guys." He shrugged and glanced at Ariana who didn't seem sorry at all. She widened her eyes and bit her bottom lip. He could sense the laugh ready to burst from her lips. The beer she'd consumed had obviously loosened her inhibitions more than his.