Chapter 12 Aspen #2
I grimaced. “My parents named my two brothers and me after the places we were, um, conceived.”
“No?”
“Yes. Embarrassing, right?”
“Actually, I think it’s kinda nice. Besides, Aspen is a lovely name and a fucking good ski resort. What are your brothers called?”
“London and Roman.”
“Fortunately, your mother never visited Twatt or Wetwang in her last trimester.”
I happened to be mid sip of my water when he said this and, of course, it went down the wrong way. At least a minute passed while I hacked up a lung and dried the tears from my cheeks.
When I recovered, I said, “You’re making that shit up.”
He raised his hands on either side of his head. “God’s honest truth. Twatt with a double T is in the Orkney Islands, and Wetwang is in Yorkshire.”
“Oh, my God.” I covered my mouth, my shoulders shaking with laughter. “I may just rename my brothers the next time they piss me off.”
“Please let me be there when you do.”
“An audience to maximize the impact? Even better.”
Our food arrived, and we settled into easy conversation.
Joz had this way of making everything feel lighter despite the tragedy he’d had in his life.
I didn’t have to try with him. There were no awkward silences or difficulty coming up with subjects to talk about.
Granted, he still flirted outrageously, but the longer I spent with him, the more I realized this was just Joz being Joz.
It was kind of endearing, actually. The interesting part was that he didn’t flirt with anyone else, only me.
So, while he might be a self-confessed flirt, it wasn’t as though he sprinkled it around.
He had this way of making me feel like the only woman he saw, even though the restaurant was filled with attractive females.
Both of us declined dessert, but when I asked for the check, our server said it was taken care of.
“Penn,” I explained to Joz when he looked at me with a question in his eyes.
“That’s good of him.”
“He’s a good person.” I scooched out from the booth. “Shall we go?”
“The night is young.” He winked.
“For you, maybe. I’m a morning lark. Ten o’clock is already way past my bedtime, and we have to stop by your hotel first.”
“We’re stopping at my hotel, and you’re talking about bed? Christ, woman, at least pretend you’re trying to resist me.”
To hide the way my pulse jumped, I rolled my eyes and pretended to need something from my purse, giving me the perfect opportunity to look away from him.
“I’m not biting. My driver will take you to your hotel. You will go inside, then he will drive me to my home.”
“Spoilsport.”
Ignoring his shit-eating grin, I moved past him and walked outside. My driver was waiting in one of the VIP spaces, and as I approached, with Joz a foot or so behind me, he got out of the car and opened the rear door.
“Kingcaid Midtown, then home, please.”
Joz gave me a teasing nudge with his elbow. “Sure I can’t change your mind?”
“As you pointed out, as difficult as it is for me to resist you, I’m going to pass. But thank you for the offer.”
He chuckled while climbing into the car after me. “It’s an open offer. Any time, any place. Just say the word and I’ll make sure I warm your side of the bed before you arrive.”
“How benevolent of you.” I clipped my seat belt in place, then settled my head against the head rest. “And how interesting that you assume I’ll come to you. Believe me, that is not how this would happen.”
“Ah, so you agree it’s going to happen.”
“I never said that.”
“You and me, Aspen. We don’t need words. We have a connection.”
“Good Lord. You are incredible.”
“Thank you.”
“Not a compliment, Joz.”
“Sounded like one to me.”
I stared out the window. “Exasperating man.”
His low laugh felt like a physical caress. So much so, I shivered.
“Cold?” He sounded amused.
I kept my gaze out the window. “Not at all.”
We fell silent—the first time we’d been quiet during the entire evening. Yet it wasn’t anymore awkward than our rapid-fire exchanges. I couldn’t recall the last time I felt this comfortable with someone I didn’t know well. It unsettled me, yet I craved more of it.
More of him.
My car stopped outside the hotel.
Joz unclipped his belt. “Aspen?”
I turned to face him. “Yes?”
Leaning in, he went to kiss me. Whether he intended a peck on the cheek or something deeper was moot. I couldn’t take the risk of falling under his spell. Not yet. Even if I was halfway there already. I pressed a hand to his chest, stopping him midway.
“I haven’t decided what to do yet. Until I do, I’m not getting sucked in by your probably considerable kissing skills.”
He gave me a broad, perfect smile. “Don’t worry, Spitfire.
I’m not known for my patience, but for you I’ll figure it out.
Besides, I have a strong wrist. It must be all that playing guitar.
” Pushing down on the handle, he got out, then stuck his head back inside the car.
“Oh, a word of advice, just to, you know, help with my blue balls. Please don’t say sucked if you’re not planning to blow me.
” Granting me another one of his panty-melting grins, he slammed the car door and sauntered into the hotel.
Every muscle south of my belly button contracted simultaneously.
The temptation to abandon my morals and chase after him was almost too hard to resist, but somehow, I kept my seat belt fastened.
The second the car moved off, I pulled up my contacts and put in a call to Asher.
It was only seven-thirty in Seattle, so not too late. My cousin answered on the fourth ring.
“Hey, Aspen? How are you?”
“Awful.” I groaned. “I need your advice.”
“Go for it.”
“Tell me how you reconciled Kiana being an employee with you wanting to fuck her.”
“Interesting question for a Friday night. Probably because I knew from the moment I met her that she was never going to be just a fuck to me.”
“Right.” I sighed. “So, you felt it passed the ick test because you wanted more?”
“What ick test?”
“You know. Boss, employee. Power imbalance.”
“Oh, I see. Want to give me more context on the reason for this question?”
“No. But I suppose I have to if I want good advice.”
“Hit me with it.”
I took a deep breath. “I’ve kind of, sort of, got a little bit of a crush on Joz Raynor, and he’s made it clear he’s more than interested.”
“Hardly a power imbalance. He’s one of the biggest rock stars in the world.”
“Yeah, and as you well know, he just signed with my label, making me his boss.”
Asher’s deep laugh sounded in my ear. “On paper, maybe. But this isn’t some intern like Kiana was.
This is a grown-assed man who I would say wields equal power to you, if not a little more.
He could walk away from Kingcaid Music tomorrow, and he’d have a dozen offers on the table by lunchtime.
It’s not the same thing at all. And if I could square it with Kiana, I’m sure you could square it with Joz.
It’s all about intentions. If your intentions are good, then it’s not a problem.
But if your intentions are to use a relationship as leverage to coerce the other person into doing something they don’t want to do, that’s a whole different ballgame. ”
I thought about what he said for a few seconds. “You’re a smart guy, Asher. I knew you were the one to call.”
“Look, I say follow your heart. You’re single, and I’d like to think he is too, or you wouldn’t be giving him the time of day.
You’re both adults. You’re both powerful, successful people in your own right.
If you’re looking for roadblocks where there aren’t any, then maybe there are other issues stopping you from following through. ”
I frowned. “Such as?”
He hesitated, and I was about to prompt him when he spoke.
“Don’t get mad, but I know you, Aspen. You’re so determined to prove your worth, that you can not only compete, but that you’re better than your competitors, you’ve forgotten how to have fun.
You’re young. Live a little. You don’t have anything to prove.
You’re a badass. You’re smart, resourceful, an amazing Chief Exec, and you’re a pretty amazing fucking person. Joz would be lucky to have you.”
The truth of his statement pummeled me squarely in the chest.
I was so tired of putting on this persona of cool-headed businesswoman who could stand toe-to-toe with the best in this industry that I’d forgotten how to be me. Not the strait-laced CEO of Kingcaid Music, but Aspen Kingcaid, a young woman who used to know how to let her hair down.
Maybe it was time to untie the scrunchie and do just that.
“Love you, Asher.”
“Love you, too. Call me anytime you want relationship advice. I’ve clearly missed my calling.”
Laughing, I hung up the phone. In one conversation, the self-imposed restrictions I’d placed on myself lifted off my shoulders.
There was nothing wrong with having a sexy-as-fuck guy give me multiple orgasms, even if he was technically an employee of my company.
Asher was right. There was no power imbalance between Joz and me.
Suddenly, tomorrow evening couldn’t come soon enough.