Chapter 32
Aspen
“Have I died and gone to Hell?”
I turn around at the sound of Brooks’s voice. He’s standing by the kitchen entrance staring me up and down.
“Oh, do you like it?” I ask, posing to show off the Halloween costume Jazz let me borrow. It’s a black and silver witch costume, but the dress is extremely short, and the top definitely does not hide anything.
“Oh, darlin’. I more than like it. Please tell me I get to take this off of you later.” He walks toward me and runs his fingertip along the top of my breasts.
“Yes, but later. After the festival.”
His eyes fly up to meet mine. “This is what you’re wearing tonight?”
“Well, yeah. Is there something wrong with this?”
“It just shows… a lot.”
“I know, but if you can believe it, this was the best option she had. Everything else felt more like a bathing suit than a costume.”
“Jesus.” He looks me up and down again. “Well, I’m gonna have to stay away from you tonight then. I can’t be walking around with a hard-on all night.”
I lean forward and cup his cock and confirm he is, in fact, hard right now. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re taken care of tonight.”
“With the costume on?”
“Whatever you want.”
He kisses me hard, not caring that he’s smearing my red lipstick. I don’t care either. I love it when he kisses me like he can’t wait another second.
“Fuck,” he moans, pulling away. “I’ve got to stop, or I’m gonna rip this off you right now and fuck you on this counter.”
“If Jazz wasn’t on her way to pick me up, I might let you.”
He exhales deeply as if he’s trying to get himself under control before he takes a step away. “You are trouble.”
“But you love it,” I tease, and his face changes from tortured to something more serious.
The look in his eyes makes my heart flutter.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been pretty inseparable.
I can’t even remember the last time I slept in my cabin.
Anytime we’re not working, we’re together.
It’s been so nice to feel like someone actually wants me around.
There have been several moments where I thought he might tell me he loves me, but every time I think it’s coming, the moment slips away.
I know we haven’t been together very long, but what we have feels more important than any relationship I’ve ever been in. I know Brooks cares about me, but I know I can’t be the only one who feels like I’ve met my other half.
“That I do,” he agrees after a moment. He gives me one more kiss before I hear a car horn, alerting me that Jazz is here to pick me up.
I wish Brooks and I could go together, but I know we’re not there yet, unfortunately.
I’m trying to be patient with him. I know telling Zach is going to be hard for him, but keeping us a secret is getting harder and harder.
“I’ll see you there?” I ask him.
“Yeah, I’ll be the one drooling over you.”
He slaps my ass as I turn to leave.
“Be careful, darlin’.”
“You too.”
He watches me leave, and I just know his eyes are glued to my ass. I grab my bag and meet Jazz in the driveway. As soon as I open the passenger door, she says, “Yeah. I knew this would be hot.”
I laugh. “Brooks certainly enjoyed it.”
“I bet he did.”
She drives us to town, finding a spot close to the town square where the festival is happening.
The sun’s getting lower in the sky, creating the perfect backdrop for the night.
There are games, bounce houses, a haunted house, and so many booths with fun treats and items. I can smell the sugar from the car.
Jazz pulls a flask out of her bag. “Little pregame.” She takes a long sip from the flask before she hands it to me.
“Aren’t you driving tonight?”
She gives me a knowing look. “You know Daddy Brooks is gonna sneak you out of here as soon as he can, and I may or may not have plans to get some myself.”
“So Owen’s here tonight?”
“He’s at the mobile bar they have set up.”
I smile, happy that my friend has someone, even though she refuses to say they are anything more than a situationship.
“Well, in that case.” I take a big swig of what turns out to be straight tequila. My eyes water from the burn, but I make it through.
Jazz gives me a devious smile before we get out of the car. She links her arm in mine and leads me to the festival, pointing out all of her favorite things and letting me know when she sees something new for this year.
I wave at Mayor Cunningham when we see him by the haunted house. We pass Beck and his daughter, Jade, playing a carnival-type game. She dressed up as a princess, and I assume Beck is meant to be her prince, but the cowboy hat throws it off a bit.
We meet up with Jazz’s friends by the mobile bar, and Owen makes us a drink before we start playing games.
I know the moment Brooks shows up at the festival. It’s like I can feel him. And when I look over my shoulder while we’re in line to play some sort of ring toss, Brooks is already watching me as he greets Mayor Cunningham.
Harper is by his side, dressed as a football player. Brooks isn’t dressed up, but he’s telling everyone he’s a cowboy. I can only imagine he does that every year.
I wish I could be the one by his side, and by the look of longing on his face as he stares at me, he wishes I could be, too. Hopefully, this will give him the extra push he needs to tell Zach what’s going on.
I’m so focused on Brooks that I don’t notice when someone steps in front of my view. I let out a little shriek, and the person laughs.
“Didn’t mean to scare you, Asp.”
Even though his face is painted, I still recognize Zach’s voice.
“I wasn’t paying attention.”
“I can tell. You ok?”
I square my shoulders and force a smile onto my face. Zach has been leaving me alone like I asked him to, but I still have a sinking suspicion that he hasn’t quite given up yet.
“Yeah. All good.”
“You look great,” he says, and I can feel his gaze run down my body. While I feel confident in this outfit, in this moment, I wish I were wearing more clothes.
“Oh, thanks. Jazz let me wear one of her costumes.”
“Yeah, it definitely looks like a Jazz kind of thing.”
Jazz hears him and gives him the finger from behind her back. She doesn’t bother turning around to greet him.
“So… how are you?” he asks. It’s weird that it feels so awkward to talk to him now. The same person I thought I’d be with forever, who I thought knew me better than anyone else, is now a complete stranger to me.
“I’m good. Really good.” I want to add ‘because of your dad,’ but I manage to hold my tongue. “How about you?”
“Good. I’ve got one more month before I graduate from the police academy. It’s been going really well.”
“That’s awesome. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks, Aspen.” He pauses and then says, “I wish—”
“Zach,” I warn, cutting him off.
“No, I know. I know you’re done with me, and I still hate myself for fucking this up. But I do wish things were different. I hope we can try to be friends one day.”
I shrug my shoulder non-committally because I know his feelings on that may change once he finds out about Brooks and me. “Maybe.”
He smiles like I’ve just given him the world. “I’ll take a maybe.”
Someone calls his name, and he turns toward his group of friends who are waiting on him. He looks back at me. “I’d better get going. I just wanted to come say hi.”
I nod.
“You really do look amazing,” he tells me as he starts to walk away.
“Yeah, she knows,” Jazz says, linking her arm and pulling me close to her. “Ugh, we are so done with him.”
“I know, but I have to be nice. He might be in my life for awhile in a different way, you know?”
She laughs. “Yeah, I know. You’ll be his stepmom!”
“Let’s not go that far.”
She gives me a knowing look. “It’s true, though.”
“We’re going to pretend like it’s not.”
“Ignorance is bliss, I guess.” She holds up her plastic cup, and I tap mine on hers before we both take a sip.
When I look back over my shoulder, Brooks is nowhere to be seen. Jazz quickly gets my attention again when it’s our turn to play the game.
We spend all night playing games, eating Halloween-themed treats, and checking out everyone’s costumes. Before I realize, the best costume award has been announced, and people start heading out.
Jazz makes heart eyes at Owen while I look around for Brooks. There’s a chill in the air now, and I wish I had more than this flimsy cloak to wrap around myself as I stand off to the side of the square watching people leave.
A hand slides around my waist, and for a moment, I panic until I inhale the spicy scent I’ve gotten so used to.
“You ready?” he whispers in my ear, sending goosebumps down my arm.
“You have no idea.”
Someone walks in front of us, and Brooks quickly removes his hand from my waist. I visibly deflate as soon as his hand leaves my body.
I hate hiding what we are. It was fine at first, but it’s starting to feel like I’m not important enough for him.
It could also be the couple of drinks I’ve had that are making me feel angrier about this.
“Let’s go.”
I say a quick goodbye to Jazz, who is more than ready to run off with Owen, and follow Brooks to his truck, keeping a safe distance from each other so no one gets the wrong idea. Or I guess it would be the right idea in this scenario.
We spend most of the ride home in silence. The secrecy put a damper on my mood real fast, but I still let him take my hand to help me out of the truck. I still find comfort in his hand on my lower back as we walk inside. And it still feels like I’m home when he shuts the door behind us.
I walk to the kitchen and grab a glass of water.
“You’re mad,” Brooks says from somewhere behind me.
I sigh and turn to face him. “I hate feeling like a secret. It was fun at first, but I don’t want to hide anymore.”
He nods. “I know. You’ve been incredibly patient with me, and it’s not fair to you. If I’m being honest, I’m scared to tell him, which is what’s taking me so long.”