Chapter Fourteen
Aspen’s flirting had officially broken Mo.
So much so that she hadn’t said more than a few comments about the trail, allowing Aspen to set the pace by just trotting along behind her.
Every so often Aspen would glance back, finding a slightly flushed Mo just doing her best to keep up.
The effect she was having on the taller woman was addictive, and she was overjoyed that they had made up from the previous day’s disagreement.
But even as Aspen craved to just turn around, grab Mo by her shoulder straps, and pull her in for a heated kiss, she knew in the back of her mind that a part of her wanted more than just a quick fling.
And that idea scared the hell out of her.
“How is it already three o’clock?” Mo asked suddenly from behind Aspen, making her jump a little.
Aspen glanced down at her watch, confirming Mo’s assertion. “Well, we have been going at an elderly person’s pace.”
“Really?” Mo sounded a tad tired and disheartened.
“We talked a lot, and I don’t know about you, but I slept like shit last night, so I purposefully kept our pace kind of slow. It doesn’t matter, though. This isn’t a race by any means.”
“Maybe not for you,” Mo mumbled, obviously joking.
“Oh, so you’re an expert again?” Aspen jabbed lightly before looking around at their surroundings and explaining, “We are just past 44 Camp. There is a sharp turn in the creek up ahead that is thin. We’ll cross the water there, then camp right when it begins to widen again.
Should only be another ten, fifteen minutes of hiking. Tops.”
“Aye aye, captain,” Mo agreed half-heartedly, adjusting her pack and nodding for Aspen to continue.
Aspen treaded toward the sharp turn, getting off the trail and onto the rocky bed of the creek. She spotted a decent-sized, rotting stump and beelined for it. “Let’s sit on this stump and trade our boots for Crocs.”
“Why?” Mo questioned harshly. Before Aspen could even react to it, Mo sucked her teeth at her own tone.
Aspen watched as she closed her eyes, her handsome face going slightly slack before she breathed in deeply.
Once she finished two deep breaths, Aspen watched her open her eyes and give her an apologetic look.
“I didn’t mean for it to sound like that.
Why are we putting on Crocs instead of keeping on our boots? ”
Aspen bit her lip, her heart pulling her toward Mo. She reached out and squeezed her forearm gently before consoling her. “It’s okay. We’re going to walk through the water, and it’s a whole ton easier to just get our feet wet in the Crocs than our boots.”
Mo’s left hand went up to cover her eyes as she chuckled lightly. “Duh.”
“No worries,” Aspen said to soothe her. The feeling of being respected without asking for it was pretty new to Aspen.
She shivered uncomfortably, deciding to remove her pack and start the process of changing her shoes to avoid lingering in the feeling for too long.
But as she looked over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of Mo’s embarrassed little grin, her plan seemed destined to fail miserably.
“So…your birthday is coming up, right?”
Aspen forgot she had told Mo that. “Yep. In a couple of weeks.”
“What day?” Mo sounded casual, even as Aspen wondered if she was making plans to spend it with her. A fleeting wish that she knew she should not get her hopes up about.
“June fourteenth,” Aspen said, removing both of her shoes and socks. “I think it’s a Wednesday, but I’m not sure.”
“You have plans? Are Virginia and Salvador gonna take you somewhere nice? Maybe a trip?”
“A trip?” Aspen snorted, removing her Crocs from the large carabiner that kept them secured to the side of her pack. “Do I look like I go on trips?”
“We are on a trip right now,” Mo declared loudly, and Aspen turned to watch her motion to their surroundings with her Crocs.
“This is my backyard. It would be like me staying with you in San Francisco and you saying we are going on a ‘trip’ to the Golden Gate Bridge.”
“I’ll have you know,” Mo began as Aspen slipped on her last Croc, moving to stand and watch her companion’s response. “It’s an hour from my old house to the Golden Gate—on a good day. Closer to two during peak traffic. Sounds like a trip if you ask me.”
“You are infuriating,” Aspen said, making her best faux grumpy face toward a smug Mo. “Now get your Crocs on.”
The pair crossed the water easily, Aspen making sure to keep her eyes firmly on Mo, who was reacting with childlike wonder to the sensations, sounds, and sights of the creek up close.
Once on the other side, she turned to watch Mo bend down precariously, still not used to the weight of her pack, and choose a rock from the creek to examine.
“Redwood Creek is one of Earth’s best rock tumblers,” Aspen noted, smiling from ear to ear as she watched Mo gingerly return the rock to its home.
“It’s pretty cool,” Mo stated, her voice filled with the same wonder as her eyes. “I think I am beginning to understand why Annie kept coming back here every year.”
Aspen didn’t know the best response, so she just waved for Mo to follow her as she started toward the location she had mentally picked for their campsite tonight.
She had admired it previously, on one of her more rigorous backpacking trips, noting how nice the spot would have been if it were another two or so miles down the creek.
Their lazy pace had guaranteed that she could finally enjoy this section of the trail.
“Wow, lots of sand here,” Mo said, walking around the spot before stopping near the water’s edge. “Is it deeper in there?”
“I believe so.” Aspen joined her. “Looks more than four or five feet toward the middle.”
“Wow, it’s so weird in comparison to where we just crossed. That was only ankle deep.”
“The joys of this creek. Well, and the danger. It’s even deeper in the winter, especially if we get good rain,” Aspen explained before finding a good place to take off her pack. “I’ll get the tent set up if you collect rocks.”
“Around the size of last night?” Mo asked softly, obviously trying to be more useful.
Aspen nodded at her. “Get enough to make a circle similar to what I made last night. Then I’ll go with you to gather wood and tinder.”
“Ooh, tinder,” Mo said smoothly, putting her pack down next to Aspen’s with a relieved sigh. She then looked Aspen up and down before declaring, “I’d swipe right.”
Now Aspen was the one left a little dumbfounded, not expecting Mo to flirt so easily.
Sure, it was obvious that Mo was attracted to her, but it was a different thing altogether to hear her verbalize it.
Mo seemed to be waiting for a response, her eyes twinkling with affection that Aspen was unsure she had ever seen directed at her.
By anyone. Ever.
“Wow, that was easy.”
“What?” Aspen managed to squeak out.
“Make you speechless,” Mo said with self-satisfaction before backing up. “Now I’m off to find rocks.”
Aspen watched her saunter away, her stomach tying itself into knots.
Normally she’d love this kind of banter—sexy, flirty, and free.
But currently Aspen only felt fear at what she had seen in Mo’s eyes.
There wasn’t just lust. There was something else.
And something else was not in the cards for her.
* * *
Setting up camp took far less time today than it had the previous night.
Mo did a lot better than Aspen thought she would, excelling at gathering the fire-circle rocks and the wood they would need later.
Aspen had just finished setting up the second ultralight camp chair as Mo was bringing in the last bundle of tinder needed to get a good fire going.
After she deposited it close to the fire, Mo waddled over to her pack.
Aspen watched her gingerly pull her sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and ground cover out from inside.
The woman hugged all of the items as close to her as she could, standing to her full height but not moving toward the tent.
Aspen crossed her arms curiously, observing Mo look around the campsite like she was trying to find the most respectful place to set up her meager lodging.
“You don’t have to cowboy camp.”
“Cowboy camp?” Mo looked confused.
“Just a thing people call camping on the ground with no cover.” Aspen turned to point at her tent. “I have a good two-person tent over here. It’s a little cramped, but you are invited—if you want.”
Mo eyed the tent before twisting her lips in contemplation. “I don’t want to intrude on your space.”
“I don’t see you as an intruder.” Aspen took a step toward Mo. “Besides, the California sun can be tricky. It may feel good out here right now, but tonight the temperature is gonna dip. Which I assume you experienced last night. It’s warmer in there with me.”
Mo didn’t respond, instead crossing over to the tent and kneeling to put her stuff just inside the already tied-open flap. She then went to stand next to Aspen, changing the subject. “Anything else we need to set up?”
“Don’t think so.”
“Should we start the fire?”
“No, too early still.” Aspen looked up at the edge of the still-visible sun. “I probably could have shown you how to set up the tent—”
“It is kinda toasty out here, huh?” Mo interrupted Aspen, her eyes directed at the creek.
“Yeah?”
“We smell like shit.” Mo turned to lock eyes with Aspen, a mischievous look plastered across her face. “That water is looking mighty inviting…”
Aspen instantly wanted to decline. She knew that even if the sun and air were warm, the water was going to still be pretty cold. But she watched the twinkle in Mo’s eyes spread to her entire face, and she was powerless to say no outright. “It’s really not warm at all, but…”