Chapter 24
24
MILES
“F uck, you’re a grumpy asshole this morning,” Aiden groused as he poured coffee into a travel mug, lip curling in disgust at the black liquid. He wasn’t a fan of how I made coffee but he didn’t wake up early enough to run to Sips for his fancy-ass shit like normal.
No need to wonder why. If I had Aspen in my bed, I wouldn’t have woken up early for something as simple as coffee either.
“Fuck off,” I snapped, proving his point, if his arched brow was any indication. Scrubbing a hand over my face, I groaned, hating that he was right. “I don’t like leaving her unprotected.”
With a slow nod of agreement, he leaned a hip against the kitchen counter. “I get it, but like we discussed five times already this morning, we don’t have a choice. Plus, we can’t keep her locked up in our cabin, Miles, or expect her to stay here all day, every day of her own free will.”
“Why not?” I griped and took a sip of my coffee, savoring the bitter flavor.
“Now who sounds like a serial killer?” Aiden joked while pointing my way. “She’ll be fine. Aspen is a capable woman who understands the dangers out there and is prepared now.”
“I should get her a gun.” Or a knife. Or both.
And a Taser.
“Yes, we should, but that can’t happen right this second, Mr. Anxious Pants. We don’t know if she’s had any gun safety instruction or even feels comfortable firing one.”
He had a point.
I fucking hated it, but he had a point.
“I’ll put in an order for a Taser from Brad at the gun store,” I grumbled.
“You do that, you overbearing mother bear.” I shoved Aiden’s shoulder as he walked past, headed for the front door. “We need to leave in ten minutes to get the bikes ready and not be late.”
I nodded, too focused on texting Brad about the Taser. Putting the phone into a side pocket of my black cargo pants, I swiped my mug off the counter and headed toward the front door. A soft laugh filled the chilled morning air the moment I opened it, which brought a smile to my face and eased some of the anxiety that had built the second Aspen was out of our line of sight.
She was simply on the front porch reading, and I’d gotten all worked up. Fuck, how would I make it through the day, miles away from her and hours without communicating?
“You guys are killing me,” she huffed, though the smile on her lips said she wasn’t really frustrated. “Go do your jobs. I’ll be fine.”
I leaned a shoulder against a post and took a sip of coffee. “What are your plans for the day?”
Aspen peeked up through her lashes while taking a small drink from the mug in her hand. She grimaced. “First order of business, go into town and get a decent cup of coffee. You guys are great at a lot of things.” Pink stained her cheeks, making me smirk. Damn right, we were. “But making coffee isn’t one of them.”
“He made it special for you.”
I shot Aiden the bird, making him laugh.
“So, the tar-like texture is special?” She eyed the steaming liquid with disdain.
I did the same. Damn, if she didn’t like my coffee, then we could get one of those fancy machines that had been on Aiden’s Christmas list for the past two years. Maybe that would make her stay inside. All day long, with the door locked.
Her next words pulled me out of my head. “After I grab drinkable coffee, I might go hiking to get more pictures.”
“No,” I growled, standing up straight and widening my stance.
“Um…” Aspen looked at Aiden while chewing on the corner of her lip. “That’s actually not your call, Miles. There’s a lake at the end of Wolf Run Trail I researched before coming here. It’s said to have amazing views and is a quick in-and-out, nothing that will require me to stay overnight.”
“And I said no,” I gritted out. I sounded like a stubborn asshole, but for her safety, I’d be anything I needed to be to protect her. Even if that meant protecting her from herself. “It’s not safe. You know why we feel that way. It has nothing to do with your capability.”
Her look of annoyed determination softened as she stared up at me. “I get it, Miles. I do, and if I go up there, I’ll be careful. I haven’t decided yet anyway. I might just hang around town and snap some pictures there.”
I didn’t like that either.
Fuck, why couldn’t we just lock her up in our cabin until we came home?
“I think you might have broken him.” Aiden stood from the swing and poked a single finger into the center of my chest. I swatted his hand away with an annoyed snarl. “Nope, still alive and grumpy as hell.”
My nostrils flared with the deep, calming inhale to keep from knocking out my best friend. “I just want you safe, Aspen, which means staying here.”
“And I won’t sit around your cabin waiting for you two to come home while you have all the fun,” she snapped back.
“It’s our job,” I clarified. “We have to do it or we wouldn’t be leaving you. It’s not like we’re going out on a hike for the hell of it and leaving you behind.”
“I get that, but your job is fun, being out in nature where you get to ride bikes and snowmobiles.” The swing rocked side to side when she stood, holding up the hand that didn’t have a death grip around the coffee mug. “Trust me, Miles. I can take care of myself. Promise. I’ve been doing it on my own for a while now.”
Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I pulled her close until both of her arms went around my waist.
“Nothing can happen to you, baby girl. I know you’ve taken care of yourself, and you’ve done a hell of a job on your own. I just don’t like it. Hell, thinking about you living in Seattle alone makes me see red, and I didn’t even know you then.” Her dark hair ruffled with my slow exhale to calm my racing pulse. “And I do trust you—it’s every other fucker out there that I don’t.”
“Not trying to ruin the sweet yet controlling-as-fuck moment, but we gotta go.” Aiden slapped a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “I don’t like it either, but there’s nothing we can do about it. We have a job to do, and you said no to locking her in the basement.”
Aspen’s head whipped around to Aiden, and her eyes narrowed into thin slits. “You don’t have a basement.”
He shot her a wink as he walked off. “Don’t give him any ideas. He’ll probably start the plans for one today while we’re gone. Enjoy your day, sweetheart, and please stay out of trouble.”
After pressing a hard kiss to the top of Aspen’s head, I reluctantly retreated a step, hating to put distance between us.
“Be good,” I ordered with a stern look, which had her rolling those dark eyes to the top of the porch.
“Or what, Mr. Bossy Pants?”
At her sassy tone and mischievous smirk, I closed the distance between us once again and bent low until my lips brushed the shell of her ear.
“Or I’ll turn that fine ass of yours so red you won’t sit for days without thinking about me. Don’t test me on this, Aspen. The other day’s punishment was gentle compared to what I’ll do if you put yourself in danger.”
Her throat worked with a hard swallow. “Just so I understand. If that was gentle the other day, then what’s your idea of not gentle?” she asked with parted lips and crimson cheeks, glassy eyes blinking up at me.
A dark chuckle rumbled in my chest while my cock twitched just imagining the future punishment. “Not gentle would be Aiden’s cock balls deep in your cunt with me taking your ass while I spank you raw.”
With one slow blink, then another, she gaped up at me. “Oh.”
Huffing a laugh, I stepped back, taking in her flushed cheeks and quick breaths. “Fuck, baby girl. Based on how turned on you look, maybe that’s more incentive to be a naughty girl than not.”
A single slender shoulder rose as she shot me a sassy wink. Damn, this woman would be the death of me.
“Fine, if taking us both at the same time isn’t a deterrent to be good, I could always threaten to hide your camera or have us hold out on you as punishment.”
Dark eyes widened before narrowing. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Which one?”
“Either.” Rolling her eyes, she tossed up her free hand. “I’ll be safe and aware of my surroundings, stranger danger, and all that if I go into town. Promise. Now go.” She shoved my shoulder, though I barely even shifted with the push. “Before you’re late for work.”
With a clipped nod, I forced myself to turn. Boots slamming to the steps, I picked up the pace to a quick jog to catch up with Aiden, who was already halfway down the street. As we rounded a corner to take the path to the equipment shed, I chanced one last look over my shoulder. Aspen still stood on the porch, both forearms resting on the railing, coffee cup in hand, the wind whipping at her loose hair. Noticing me, she smiled and made a shooing motion with her hand.
My heart lurched, thumping almost painfully in my chest at the picturesque scene.
Aspen Carter was absolutely everything we wanted and never knew we needed.
And I’d do anything to keep her safe.
No matter the cost.