Chapter Fifteen: Owen

My days felt lighter since the night Aspen stayed over at my place. I'd woken at four in the morning, only a couple hours after we'd fallen asleep, with her delectable mouth on my cock.

It was the fucking best blowjob I'd ever had. And not because Aspen was skilled, but simply because it had been from her. I knew she was as innocent as they came. The moment I pushed a finger inside her slick pussy and found it tight beyond measure, all signs pointed to a virgin.

She'd hinted at it enough in the time we spent together, but it was different when I could feel it. I'd had many women claim to be virgins, or claimed I was their first time after the fact, but none were as believable as my cricket.

It still made me chuckle whenever her face hardened each time I said her nickname. But in the bedroom, she nearly purred. Which left me thinking she secretly liked it.

We hadn't spent as much time together since that night. I knew she was busy with the farm, and I tried to give her the space she needed. Not because I wanted to, but because she was purposely ignoring me… again. I was growing addicted to her. Her taste, her smell, the way she made me laugh even when she wasn't trying. It made me realize I'd been pretending with Vanessa. I guessed I wanted it to be real, but I never felt an iota for Vanessa what I did for Aspen.

Which caused a whole other problem.

Vanessa reached out to my lawyers. She wanted to fight me for the house and the ring. Which was ridiculous, because the house was in my name, and I had it prior to our engagement. The ring had been a hefty purchase that she selected, but there was no way a judge would rule in her favor. Especially since video of her indiscretions before the wedding started making their rounds. Mostly from guests, but a few of the hotel staff members posted their own takes, catching the couple in multiple areas of the resort.

I was certain her modeling agency and their lawyers were trying to get the videos taken down as fast as they could, but replicas continued to pop up with a flourish.

I no longer cared. My lawyers were certain it was going nowhere, though they suggested giving her money to keep her quiet. I wasn't about to play that game with Vanessa. She graced enough covers and walked numerous catwalks for high-end designers. She didn't need my money.

Or at least that's what I'd been told by her and her "best friend." I never expected something was going on between the two of them, but maybe I'd been blinded by my career. Baseball took over most of my life. If I wasn't out on the field, I was training. There was very little personal time. Though, in hindsight, a lot of my teammates had families and looked forward to each day off they had. Many traveled with us when they could.

I'd never thought about having a family in the stands. Vanessa was only interested when the Coyotes were in the Championships and the game was on national television. Otherwise, she told me numerous times that baseball was boring and that there was no point in her sitting in the family section.

My coach tried to convince me to get my mom to come out, but I'd been hesitant and declined.

With our rocky relationship, I knew she would mess with my game. I'd find myself taken back to a time I'd rather not remember. To this day, I would never know how I held myself together all those years I played while living under my father's thumb.

I was driving my sports car the back way to the bed-and-breakfast, where I was meeting my mother for lunch. Though most roads in Ashfield took a good while to travel, this route took me around one mountain that created a boundary around our town.

Our?

It had been years since I considered Ashfield my home. It was nothing more than a place I once lived. Whenever a fan or reporter asked where I was from, I always said California. But something recently changed how I felt about the picturesque town.

It was… different. Or more specifically, I was different while I was here. I'd made friends with owners in the shops. Chuck at the grocery store chatted with me about his grandchildren and their love of science. Garret, owner of the hardware store, emailed me a bunch of links about how to fix things around a home, since I kept coming in and asking questions when I decided I want to replace the back deck for Rory. The owners of the coffee shop knew my order the moment I walked inside their building. And Ronald McEntire now had a signed picture hung of me and him in his restaurant. With a standing reservation.

My teammates were still amazed at that feat.

Ashfield was different. So was I. And I knew exactly why the change happened.

The road swerved and wound around the mountainous landscape, bringing me to the backside of my family's property—or what used to be our property. It belonged to the Easterlys, who now owned a massive expanse of land in Ashfield. As I passed the overgrown grass and the lake that looked like it had seen better days, I tried not to feel a sense of bitterness. I knew selling the land was the best thing my mom could have done. Not only to rid herself of the debts my father left, but to rid herself of my father all together.

God, I hated that man.

I'd slowed down as I crested a hill and stared over at the house that looked worse than when I'd seen it a few weeks ago. I'd done everything in my power to keep from coming back to the property.

What caught my eye was the slew of large equipment parked beside the house. A bright green dumpster stood out against the red brick and changing leaves of the trees.

Anger at what my father had done bubbled up to the surface.

"Fuck you, old man. I hope you're rotting in hell right now."

Off in the distance, a bird called out, and I took it as confirmation that he was decaying away somewhere. Mom and I didn't have a funeral for him. We didn't even claim his body. Once the police identified him in the cheap motel room, surrounded by booze, that was all the validation we needed. It wasn't until we had to collect his things that I even paid much attention to the fact that he died.

My tires squealed as my foot punched the accelerator, propelling the car forward. Traveling faster than necessary, I nearly spun out around a tight turn that led me toward the Easterly event venue.

The renovated barn stood majestically at the top of a hill, with a gorgeous view of the mountain range just beyond. I knew from pictures in Rory's house that the venue was home to some of the best sunset views around.

A few minutes down the road, Sunny Brook Farms came into view, and my heartbeat sped up. With the windows down, the sound of combines and tractors could be heard over the purr of my engine. I wondered if Aspen was out there wearing those denim cutoffs I loved so much.

A car was traveling down the driveway and pulled out behind me as I passed. Behind the wheel of the sleek vehicle that could rival my own, there looked to be a large man. I kept glancing behind me as I followed the road toward the BB and was surprised when the car pulled off when I did.

Curiosity got the best of me as I peered out my window when the car parked beside me in front of the double-porched farmhouse. I was surprised when I realized Andrew was the driver of the car. I'd only ever seen him driving a beat-up pickup truck.

"Hey, man," I called out in greeting as I stepped free from my car. "Surprised to see you here."

"Hey. Yeah, I needed to speak with Aspen, and Mom said she was here."

"Oh. I didn't know she was going to be here." That was news to me. She mentioned this morning that she was working on the farm all day.

"Something about lunch. I figured you knew, since she's your girlfriend and all." Andrew seemed to still hold some skepticism, as did Alex, while Aspen's other two sisters had come around. Our parents were over the moon with our relationship. If they ever found out it was fake, it would crush them.

None of it felt fake anymore though. At least not to me. Aspen still hinted at future dates she'd go on when I left, asking me for advice, but I shut her down and distracted her.

"I only knew she was working hard at the farm today," I said sardonically. "Why aren't you there working with everyone else? To be honest, why aren't you the one learning the ropes so your dad can retire? Seems strange it's all being left to your little sister."

Andrew may have been older, but as I crossed my arms against my chest and stood to my full height, I had about two inches on him.

"I have my reasons. And besides, this is what Aspen's always wanted."

I huffed out a sarcastic laugh, then said, "Are you sure about that? Have any of you actually asked her what she wants?"

"Of course we have," he replied, but his tone made him seem less convinced than before.

"Owen, you're here. Oh, hi, Andrew," my mom called out, breaking the tension between me and Aspen's big brother. I didn't really care what he thought of me and my relationship with his sister. What bothered me was that the Easterlys did not know what Aspen wanted to do with her life.

I knew she wanted to see the world and write books and blogs about traveling on a budget. She'd shown me the few things she's written when she was in Nashville and Knoxville. The towns were close to her, but she wrote in a way that made it seem as if she was seeing them for the first time.

"Are you staying for lunch as well?" Mom asked Andrew. He shook his head as he told her he wasn't, but greeted her warmly with a hug before heading inside.

My mom turned toward me and smiled, but I could see there was still a wariness there. The creases around her eyes didn't divot the same way they did the first day I was home. That was before she threw me for a whirl I wasn't quite ready for.

"I've made some brisket sandwiches with au jus for lunch."

Leaning down, I kissed my mother's cheek and thanked her. I knew she'd chosen my favorite meal as a peace offering. We'd been to a few more Sunday dinners at Sunny Brook Farms, but most of my time was spent with Aspen. Usually, I'd pick Mom up, we'd eat, and then we would leave, before I'd drive right back and stay with Aspen.

Though I liked Aspen's house, it was a little cramped for the both of us. Since the night she spent with me, I'd been asking her if she wanted to stay there while I was still in Ashfield, but she hadn't been throwing off the signals that she was interested in that step yet. I was hoping to convince her soon.

Mom and I strolled inside the house together. A few guests were lingering in the large living space with a local tour guide Autumn commissioned. From what I'd been told, they offered winery and brewery tours, as well as historic outings and hikes.

Farther back in the house, I followed my mom toward the kitchen area. The house boasted a regular-sized kitchen as well as a butler's pantry, which was essentially a second kitchen where staff could eat. That's where we found Andrew and Aspen. My girl looked antsy as she listened to her brother, and I wanted nothing more than to step in, but I knew it wasn't my place. Instead, I followed Mom toward the side deck, where she'd set up the bistro table with our lunches.

I handed her the bag with the potato salad she requested from the store, and she scooped it onto our plates with a spoon she had ready at the table.

"This looks great, Mom. Thanks again."

"You're welcome. I feel like I see you here and there, but we don't get a chance to chat."

She was right, and the words stung. I just didn't know what to talk about with her. The hands of my father bruised and battered our entire relationship. Somehow, our conversations always came back to that time in our lives.

"Well, I've been speaking with Coach Rudicell about holding a few camps. I'm not sure how long I'll be here. Maybe until Thanksgiving. The weather should be nice until then."

"That will be nice. The Easterlys are almost done collecting their corn, so you should have some time to spend with Aspen."

That was news to me. I assumed it would take much longer to harvest, but I'd done some reading about combines and the attachments that pulled the corn kernels and removed the silks and stalks.

"That will be nice," I repeated her words awkwardly. "Of course, I'm sure she'll be busy with something else. If I remember, the farm is always going."

"That's true. I haven't paid too close attention over the years."

Silence filled the air as we ate. This time, it wasn't awkward like it had been in the past. Instead, I listened to the birds chirping and wondered if I could fit in a hike before the leaves changed completely.

"So, have you and Aspen talked about what you'll do when you go back to California? Are you going to try the long-distance thing?"

It's the same question I'd been asking myself but kept having to remember we were only temporary. Apparently, we were just really good at fooling everyone.

"I'm not sure. We're just having fun right now."

"Ah, I see," my mom said as she reached for her glass of water and sipped it with a saucy smile. I knew what she was most likely thinking, and Aspen and I had the furthest thing from that kind of relationship. Hell, I was just happy to be in the same room as the pixie.

"Whatever you're thinking, it's the opposite."

"Sure," she giggled just as Aspen walked onto the deck.

"I just wanted to pop over and say hello before I head back," she said with an infectious smile, her sparkling eyes trained on me. I wasn't sure if men got butterflies in their stomachs, but I had a ferocious nest of hornets buzzing in my abdomen when she grinned in my direction. She wore nothing fancier than a buttoned shirt tied at her waist and a pair of denim cutoffs. And with her trusty cowboy boots and signature hat, Aspen looked like the sexiest cowgirl I knew.

"Hey," I said, reaching out, grabbing her wrist, and tugging her toward me. Aspen fell onto my lap with a grunt. "Have you eaten yet?"

"I was going to eat when I got back to the ranch," she tried to explain as she wiggled on my lap. I tightened my hold around her waist and held her firmly against me.

"No, you're going to eat now."

"Owen," she argued, but I held up my sandwich a couple of inches from her mouth, refusing to move until she took a bite. Her answering moan told me how hungry she was.

With a mouthful of food, Aspen lifted a hand and covered her mouth as she spoke. "I didn't intend to spoil y'all's lunch together."

"Oh, no worry, my dear. I'm happy to have you join us. In fact, I'll go grab another plate and sandwich."

"There's more?" I asked with delight. I really did love this sandwich. Mom chuckled as she stepped back into the house, and Aspen turned her upper body to face me.

"I've missed you," I told her as I set the sandwich back on the plate, swept her hat off her head, and placed it on my own. It was way too small, but I'd do it a hundred times to make Aspen giggle the way she was.

"You know what they say about wearing a cowboy"s hat," she implied, and I leaned forward, brushing my nose against hers.

"It's the number one rule, and I always follow the rules. You can expect a good ride later."

Her cheeks reddened like the leaves on the oak tree that currently offered its shade over the deck. "I'm looking forward to it."

I removed the hat and placed it in an open space on the table, then wrapped my other arm around her waist. My thumb brushed against the bare skin of her lower back.

"I told you I missed you," I reminded her, and she moved her arms around my neck.

"You saw me earlier this week."

I shrugged, because I didn't care if I saw her every day. I'd still miss her.

"I miss you too," she confessed.

"Come over tonight."

"Owen, I don't know if…." She closed her eyes, ending her sentence midway. All signs pointed to her turning me down again. Either it wasn't a good idea, or she was busy, or the farm needed her. She was stretched thin, and I was doing a poor job of trying to show her she couldn't be everything to everyone and still maintain a relationship. Something had to be cut, and I prayed Aspen knew love or a relationship shouldn't be that item.

"Owen! There's someone here for you," Andrew called out almost angrily, surprising both me and Aspen. I hadn't been expecting anyone, and my first thought was that Vanessa had shown up unannounced.

"Shit," I mumbled as I gently lifted Aspen off my lap. She weighed no more than a rag doll, but her body was stiff from the sudden news.

"You don't think it's your ex, do you?" Aspen asked, as she followed me into the house.

"I sure as fuck hope not."

Thankfully, when I turned the corner, the woman in question who was chatting with my mother happened to be a solid foot shorter than my ex.

"Hello, I'm Owen." I walked toward the newcomer, not missing Andrew's scrunched face of as he leaned against the hallway wall, hidden in the shadows.

"Hi!" she greeted me enthusiastically as she stepped around my mom. "It's so nice to meet you. Well, again, that is."

"I'm sorry. We've met before?" I asked impatiently and with a harsher tone than I meant, but I felt like I was missing a very important detail in this woman's arrival. How had we met? Was this a crazed fan?

"This is our new guest," Beverly piped in. "She's a physical therapist for the Nashville Bears."

"Oh!" I chimed in. "You're the one my coach was sending."

"Yeah. I apologize. It took a couple of days longer to get here than I planned."

"That's okay." My mom moved toward the check-in area, in full manager mode. Andrew stomped off in the other direction, and Aspen and I both flinched when the mud room door slammed. I imagined the screen door bouncing a time or two.

"I am. I just need to get my stuff, then maybe we can get together to come up with a training plan. I'm Kelsey, by the way. Kelsey Davis. I met you at spring training two years ago. Your athletic director mentioned it's your shoulder you're worried about?"

I nodded and explained I also needed a solid training regimen while I was here. Kelsey agreed, and we planned to meet once she was settled in.

Guess I was spending the day at the BB after all.

As Mom went to help Kelsey with her bags, I looked at Aspen and shrugged.

"I feel like we're missing something," she mumbled as we made our way back to the porch. Along the way, I grabbed the sandwich Mom was making before Kelsey arrived.

"About what?" I asked her as I sat in my previously vacated seat, then tugged her back down on my lap.

"Andrew's reaction. He was so angry when he found out a woman was here and then stormed off without even meeting her."

I had my suspicions, but I planned on keeping those to myself. Andrew could think what he wanted about me. Even in a fake relationship, I would never cheat on his sister. I wasn't the scumbag he wanted me to be. Although I wished he trusted his sister more. She'd never tolerate a man who gave off the slightest inkling he was cheating. Aspen may have been a wallflower, but that made her observant.

"Yeah. Maybe he just forgot to rotate that stick in his ass or something," I said in jest, and Aspen nearly choked on her bite of food as she laughed.

"He really is so straightlaced sometimes. I bet he thought she was here for you for some… nefarious reason."

Leave it to Aspen to come to the same conclusion as me.

"Probably."

We finished our lunch, and eventually my mom came back to check in with us, apologizing a thousand times for Kelsey's interruption.

Aspen and I helped clean up, since my girl claimed she really needed to head back to work. But I hadn't spent nearly enough time with her.

As we finished wiping down the clean dishes, Aspen reached for my wrist and tugged me toward the opposite side of the house. There was a hidden narrow stairwell that my shoulders barely fit through as we climbed.

"This was part of the original design of the house. During the renovation, most everything was knocked down, but Autumn wanted to recreate as many original features as she could. This is my favorite one of them."

I followed along, reaching up to grip her hips a few times, which brought her ass to my chest.

The staircase twisted twice, and by the time we reached the top, I realized we were on the third floor. It was a small room, no bigger than a nursery or an office. The only light came from a dormer window overlooking the backyard. Aspen quickly informed me that when Autumn and Colton lived here full time, they used this as the office. She gestured toward the hidden door that led to the living area my mother now resided in. There were two chairs and a coffee table in the space. It looked like a nice private place to get away and relax.

Aspen stepped toward me, and my hands settled on her denim-clad hips.

"Why'd you bring me here, cricket?"

"Because I won't see you for a while, and I want to make sure you'll be thinking about me when you meet with Kelsey later."

"Jealous?" I asked, smiling as she placed her hands on my chest and slowly trailed them downward.

"A little. She's quite beautiful."

Leaving her hips, I rested my hands on both sides of her face, drawing her attention to me. I waited for her eyes to meet mine. "You're the only one I see, Aspen. I told you the other night that this thing between us didn't feel fake anymore. I meant every word. This is as real as it gets for me. Understand?"

"Yeah," she whispered. "It feels real for me too, and that… scares me."

"Why?"

"Because then it makes everything I'm feeling real. It makes the hurt real."

"I won't hurt you, cricket. Not intentionally. I can promise you that."

It was clear she didn't quite believe me, and not because she'd been hurt before, but because she didn't trust the idea of relying on someone else.

Her hands lingered around the waistband of my jeans, and when a single finger dipped just inside the elastic of my boxer briefs, my cock jumped in anticipation.

"You know what I find interesting?" she prompted, nuzzling her nose against my jaw. I'd never felt so weak in the knees as I did when she sensually ran any part of her body against mine.

"What's that?" My breath caught when her teeth nipped at my stubble-covered chin as her fingertip ran across the head of my cock.

"Even with the girls flocking around you when you're in town, and the social media posts that have shown our pictures—"

I interrupted her immediately. "Grainy pictures in which no one could tell who you and I were."

"Regardless, the articles say I'm just a fling and a way to get back at Vanessa. But you know what?"

Her sultry voice wafted over me in waves of lust, and I was drunk on her words.

"What?" I growled.

Her mouth moved over to the other side of my face, nipping the skin. "I wasn't jealous of any of that. Not a single woman or picture made me jealous… until today."

"Kelsey?"

"Yes. Kelsey. I'd never felt that before."

"Yeah? And what does that mean?" I could barely hold my eyes open as she lightly stroked the mushroom head of my cock.

"I don't know. Maybe I need to mark you somehow."

The thought of Aspen branding me as hers turned me inside out. I was itching to feel her on me and me in her.

"Mark me, cricket, and I'll put it on my skin permanently."

"Hmm…"

My brain had entered a lustful haze at this point, but I was doing what I could to pay attention to Aspen as she stroked my cock inside my pants.

"So, if I… let"s say, left a bite mark on your cock, you'd get it tattooed on your skin?"

"Um… probably not, but if you bit anywhere else… 100 percent. I'd add it to the others that mean so much to me."

Aspen grew quiet but never stopped her explorations of my dick. After an hour—I swear that's what it felt like—Aspen unbuttoned my pants and pulled down the zipper before tugging my cock free from the confines of my boxer briefs.

"I've been thinking about having your cock in my mouth all day," she mumbled as she stroked my rock-hard dick.

My brain shouted hundreds of questions and ran multiple scenarios as she stroked me, but the moment her delectable mouth opened and slurped me like a melting popsicle on a hot day, I was a goner. All thoughts and cognitive thinking left my mind.

"Fuck," I groaned as I watched my erection slide effortlessly into Aspen's mouth to the back of her throat, then back out. She repeated the motion until I was forced to close my eyes and roll my head back.

As one of her hands cupped my heavy, sensitive balls, I felt the tingling at the base of my spine.

Immediately, I dove my hand into her hair, tossing it to one side so I could see her face when I opened my eyes. "I'm going to come, baby."

I thought she'd retreat, but as she continued on, her hand at the root of my cock started increasing its pressure and strokes.

"Yes," I groaned as I pumped into her mouth, and within seconds, streams of my cum shot down her throat, and Aspen swallowed it up with a smile in her eyes.

When she pulled back, my cock popping free from her mouth, she wiped at her lips and a smudge of my cum from her chin with the back of her hand.

"That was…," I started, but I couldn't find the words to explain what her form of branding meant to me. I'd never be able to be with another woman without thinking of Aspen ever again. Not that I could before. I'd always had her with me in some form since I met her.

"Good?" she added as she moved up from her knees to stand in front of me.

"Amazing," I told her. There was no hesitation on my part to kiss her, and it lingered as we stood in the third-floor room. The sun was bright and shining through the window, and I felt like I was on cloud nine.

Slowly, Aspen pulled back, a blissful smile on her lips as she glanced up at me. "Now, I really need to head back to the farm. We're just about done, and then we start cleanup. Carrie is most excited."

Her mention of the cow got a chuckle out of me. I hadn't been back to see the heifer, but Aspen told me she'd been on her best behavior recently. The stitches on Aspen's arm dissolved, and now there was a faint line in its place that would eventually fade. I hated that the cow caused her harm, but the injury brought us closer than we would have been otherwise.

"I'm sure the therapist will want me to test my shoulder tomorrow, but can I see you Saturday?"

"I thought you have the camp. Remember, all those fans are coming to get your autograph and number?" She giggled wickedly.

My body shivered at the thought of all those girls showing up.

"Yes, I remember. Can you come in the afternoon, and we can do something after?" I pleaded with puppy-dog eyes that my mom used to say would get me anything I wanted. It may have only worked as a kid, but I was willing to try now too. I could sense Aspen was slowly coming around. I threw out a persuasive "pleeease," then smiled triumphantly when she agreed.

I followed her down the narrow steps that returned us to the main floor and then out the back of the house, where her UTV waited. With a chaste kiss, she was on her way, her hair flapping in the breeze. Her faithful hat was still on the back deck table where we left it. Now I had an excuse to drop it by her house tonight. Just thinking about the taste of her pussy had me adjusting my bulge as I made my way back inside.

Tonight could not come soon enough.