Chapter 30 Aspen
Aspen
Fingertips tickle the side of my face. I inhale deeply and know exactly who it is. I spent all night wrapped up in Brooks’s arms. It was blissful, and I’m scared I’m going to get used to it too quickly. He feels like a drug that I can’t get enough of.
“Good mornin’, darlin’.” He runs his nose down mine before giving me a quick kiss on the lips.
I stretch out my legs and slowly crack my eyes open. It’s still dark in the bedroom.
“What time is it?” I ask him.
“Early. But I was kinda hopin’ you’d be up for a morning ride to watch the sunrise.”
This man loves to ride, and I’m starting to enjoy it just as much. If not for the beautiful views, then for the time I get to spend with him. “That sounds amazing.”
“Good. Let’s get going then.”
Brooks jumps out of bed, while it takes me a minute to slowly roll out on my side.
We brush our teeth side by side in his bathroom before getting dressed.
He lets me borrow one of his shirts, and I tuck it into my jeans from yesterday before I slide into my boots.
Boots are slowly becoming part of my daily wardrobe.
I have two pairs now. One for riding, one for daily use.
The ranch is quiet at this time of the morning. There’s no one out. Not even Beck is at the stables yet.
“Will we get in trouble for taking the horses out?” I ask as Brooks gets the saddle situated on my horse. Sparkles is quiet but clearly excited to go out.
He chuckles. “Aspen, this is my ranch. Who are we gonna get in trouble with?”
“Right. I guess, I mean, won’t Beck worry if he gets here and two horses are missing?”
He smiles at me from over his shoulder as he adjusts the stirrup for me. “I doubt it, but I can leave him a note if it’ll make you feel better.”
“Maybe. Just in case.”
“I’ll do that as soon as I finish up here. You know, I’m glad you care so much about the ranch and the people here.”
I shrug. Without realizing it, this place has started to feel like home. More of a home than I’ve ever had before. “I like it here.”
“I like having you here. We all do.”
I look away so he doesn’t see me blush. This feels too good to be true, but I’m too desperate to have a place to call my own that I can’t see past the here and now.
This feeling that I get from him, like he truly cares about me and not just what I can do for him, is addicting.
He’s the one who wants to take care of me, and I’ve never had that before. Ever.
I know when the news of our unconventional relationship gets out, things won’t feel as smooth. I don’t even want to think about how Zach is going to react. Hell, he might personally try to run me out of his hometown.
Until that happens, I’m going to embrace this little bubble Brooks and I have created and get as much enjoyment out of it as I can.
“Alright. All set.” He hands me the reins for my horse.
We mount our horses and set off down one of the trails we’ve done before. It’s an easier trail, but it’ll give us a great view of the sunrise.
Brooks and I ride in silence, taking in the morning. The world feels calm and serene as it wakes up around us. A few birds chirp, the leaves rustle in the wind, and the sky is turning a beautiful shade of purple as we trot down the trail.
We come up to a small cliff overlooking a lake just as the sun peeks over the horizon.
We tie our horses to a tree and sit down on a nearby boulder to watch.
We’ve done this before, but this time, Brooks has his arm around me, and I’m tucked in close to him.
He kisses my head and tells me this is one of his favorite things to do on the ranch.
I smile and inhale the fresh morning air.
What I don’t say is that everything about this place and him is becoming my favorite thing.
I’m afraid to get too attached, but I also want it so damn bad.
“Thanks for bringing me out here this morning,” I tell him once we’re back on our horses.
“Sorry about the early morning wake-up.”
“Eh, it’s not so bad getting up early when you’re there.” I laugh at myself. “That was cheesy, wasn’t it?”
He shakes his head. “Maybe, but I feel the same.”
I assume Brooks’s plan was for us to be back and have the horses in their stalls before anyone else showed up at the stables. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Beck is standing with his arms crossed, looking between us when we ride up.
“You two are up early,” he says slowly, probably trying to figure out what is going on.
“Should say the same for you. What’re you doing here so early?” Brooks asks. He sounds so unbothered, but I wonder if he’s worried about Beck finding out about us.
“Got to get a head start on some things, and I have an early trail ride for a family before they check out,” he explains.
Brooks nods. “We’ll get these horses back up for you then.”
He offers no explanation about why the two of us are here, and Beck doesn’t ask any follow up questions, but I see the confusion in his eyes. I try to think of some sort of explanation, but my mind is blanking.
“You can leave Sparkles tacked up. I’m using her on the trail ride,” he says instead of asking the questions he really wants to.
“Ok.” I walk Sparkles to the fence and tie her up.
Brooks says something to Beck, and then he motions for me to follow him back to the UTV we rode over here in.
“Aren’t you worried Beck is going to tell people he saw us together?” I ask once we’re far enough away from the stables.
“No. Beck isn’t like that. He won’t say a word to anyone until he hears it straight from me. If he asks me, I’ll tell him the truth but let him know we’re keeping it to ourselves for now,” he assures me.
“And what exactly would you tell him?”
“That I’ve fallen head over heels for the most amazing woman.”
I turn my face slightly so he doesn’t see the huge grin on my face. While Brooks has definitely shown me just how interested he is in this thing between us, it’s different hearing him say it. It makes it more real, like I’m not making it up in my head.
“You don’t think he would judge us? Not only because of Zach but because of our age difference?”
“I think our ages will certainly be the talk of the town for awhile once people find out, but I’m not worried about it.
It’s none of their damn business if I’m being honest. They can huff and puff all they want, but at the end of the day, my happiness is not dependent on what this town thinks of me.
” He pauses, and I notice his hands tighten around the steering wheel. “Does our age difference bother you?”
The only time our age difference bothered me was when I realized I was attracted to him.
It scared me because it felt wrong, but really, I think I was worried about what other people might say.
Brooks is right, though. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.
We are who we are, and we’re not doing anything wrong.
“No, it doesn’t,” I tell him honestly.
The corner of his mouth tips up in a small smile. “Good.”
When we get back to his house, he makes breakfast while I shower and get ready for the day. It all feels so strange and domesticated, yet I’ve never felt so calm and content in my life. Brooks makes me feel safe. He makes me feel wanted.
I can only hope that this doesn’t completely blow up in my face, but I’ll enjoy everything he gives me while I can.