Chapter 3
Aspen
What just happened?
I would really like an answer. But I don’t know what the heck just happened.
I watch Sebastian dance around the kitchen happily with his little daughter who’s laughing and telling him to stop even though she’s not trying to pull away.
It’s the cutest damn thing I’ve ever seen and I don’t know how my ovaries haven’t gone up in flames at this point. I never realized that they were combustible but there’s no way that they aren’t on fire and dancing right now.
Charlie is the most adorable little girl. Her blue eyes are the spitting image of her father’s right down to the little sparkle in them.
“Aspen! Come in here and dance too!” She hollers at me and my cheeks turn pink, my mouth dropping open when Sebastian turns to me and winks…winks!
“Come on in here, Aspen! Don’t make me be the only one up here dancing with Charlie.”
Biting my lip, I stand slowly. “Ummm….I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“Don’t start the klutz talk again or I’m gonna…”. He stops talking and I can’t help filling in the blanks in my head. What’s he gonna do? Tell Santa on me? Spank me?
Sparks tingle up and down my spine, settling in my core. My mind can’t stop picturing lying across his lap with his big palm on my backside.
Sucking in a sharp breath, I watch Sebastian’s eyes darken to sapphire blue, gold glints firing up. His broad chest is rising and falling a lot faster than it was earlier and I can’t help wondering if he’s having the same thoughts that I am.
A low grumble rolls through the sudden quiet of the room and my head shifts right and left, searching for a dog.
“Did you hear that?” I ask. “Do you have a dog?”
Charlie frowns, her little brow scrunching up. “No.” She darts a glare at her father’s back as he turns back around and quickly flips the sizzling burgers on the griddle of the stove. “I keep asking Daddy if we can get one but he keeps telling me no.”
Her father smirks at me and there’s something knowing and hungry in his blue eyes that has me flushing dark red.
“If you want a dog you’re going to have to take care of it and I don’t think you’re ready for that much responsibility.”
“I am. I really am.”
“We’ll see.”
Charlie rolls her clear blue eyes. “Right. Well, I’m gonna go upstairs and do my math homework. Can you call me when it’s time for dinner?”
“Sure. Is it only math homework tonight?”
“I already did my reading homework and I wrote my report for English class so yeah, that’s it.”
“Okay. Since you only have that little bit to do, we could watch your favorite Christmas movie tonight.”
Charlie pumps her fist and “Who0-hoo’s!” Making me laugh out loud.
“What’s your favorite Christmas movie?” I ask her.
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” Sebastian says, his blue eyes sparkling happily. “She’s watched it with me every year.”
I lift a brow. “I thought that movie had a lot of bad language in it.”
Shrugging, he shoots me a smile. “They have done a lot of cleaning up for some channels so I know where we can watch it without all the salty language. Of course, it’s not like she hasn’t heard stuff like that when she went to the games but I don’t like to push that kind of thing.”
Nodding my head, I tug at my sweater. I went home and changed when they invited me over for tonight. And took a nice, hot shower.
I still can’t believe that he saw me with all that crap all over my face and hair. Ducking my head, I fight the brick red blush painting my cheeks.
My hand tugs nervously at my thick, dark ponytail and his blue eyes follow the movement hungrily. His tongue darts out and coats his firm lips.
“Ummm. So how about you stay and watch the movie with us tonight, Aspen? Or have you got plans?”
“What plans?”
“Well, it’s been awhile since I saw you with that jerk face. Maybe you’ve got a new boyfriend.”
“Nope. I’m fancy-free. I decided I needed a break after you know who.”
“He didn’t deserve you..”
“That’s nice of you to say. But I know he tried.”
“He didn’t try a damn thing. All he did was use you for what he wanted. Until he was ready to move on.”
And leave me in the dust.
“He’s an idiot. You deserve so much more than that guy. You deserve it all, Aspen. Don’t ever settle for less than that.”
Tears start to my eyes and my lips twitch into a strained smile. “That’s nice of you to say, Sebastian.”
“I don’t say anything I don’t mean.”
Ducking my head, I tug at my sweater again. Glancing up from under my eyelashes, I lock eyes with him and my heart skips a beat.
It’s hard to describe the look on his face, but if I didn’t know better, it almost looks like affection.
Sighing, I push that thought down. He probably thinks of me like a little sister.
Ugh! How am I going to stay here and watch the movie while his scent and the incredible blue of his eyes makes me want to climb into his lap and beg for his big Christmas package?
Yeah, I have a feeling tonight’s going to be a special kind of hell. Here’s hoping I don’t embarrass myself too much!