21. Aspen

CHAPTER 21

Aspen

Iawoke suddenly, the events of the night before crashing over me as I realized where I was.

Crossland’s chest was my pillow, and the leather couch in his office in the club he owned worked as a bed.

I had no idea what time it was, and now that I wasn’t lust-starved and needy, I cringed.

Seeing Crossland last night had flipped some internal switch inside me, reducing me to the baser instincts of need, wanting to use our bodies to work things out instead of our words.

But that’s not how life worked, and even though I was laying against him now, I didn’t know where we stood.

Had last night simply been triggered by a sense of territory claiming because some other guy hit on me? Had it been our last time together as some sort of closure? Breakup sex?

I didn’t know.

And I chided myself for not even bothering to ask before I had fallen into him.

Sex had always been easy between us. Mind-blowing and electric, but easy.

Words were harder.

But I couldn’t hide behind the struggle anymore.

I shifted against him hard enough to wake him up.

His eyes blinked open, and he stretched beneath me, an easy smile shaping his lips.

“What the hell are we doing?” I blurted out the words, unable to soften them.

Crossland blinked a few more times and then sat up, dragging me with him.

“Bangor, Maine,” he said.

I furrowed my brow. “What?”

“I hear it’s the best small town in America, and it also happens to be where I own my second NHL franchise.”

Shock radiated through me.

“I love you, Aspen,” he said. “If you hadn’t shown up last night, I would’ve been at your door this morning. These past two weeks have taught me how much I need you in my life. It’s been agony not waking up with you, not laughing and joking with you, not exploring the city with you, not being able to touch you anytime I want. And I know I handled that night poorly. I know I was venting and in my head, worried about how this would affect me and my sister’s image. I shouldn’t have reacted that way. I’ll work on it. I’ll⁠—"

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I cut him off. “I did. I got so scared. I closed off because I didn’t want my parents to keep using you like they did. Using me to get to you. The last thing I ever wanted was to drag you down or ruin a night that was so special to you. It wasn’t fair to you, but I shouldn’t have left like that. I should have stayed and talked to you⁠—”

“We both should’ve done a lot of things,” Crossland said. “But now we know. We have to talk these things out. We can’t assume what each other is thinking. So, I need you to know that I don’t give a shit about your parents and their hopes to squeeze me for more money. I have people who can handle situations like that, but what I can’t have is you trying to distance yourself to protect me. If that’s what you’re trying to do.”

“I thought you’d be better off,” I admitted, tears stinging the backs of my eyes.

Crossland cupped my face, shaking his head. “The only way I’m better off is with you,” he said. “However that life looks, I don’t care, as long as you’re in it.”

I took a deep breath, shuddering slightly as he wiped the tears off my cheeks with his thumbs. “Bangor, Maine?”

He grinned. “I can buy a coffee shop,” he said. “If you want to be a barista. Or we can build that bookshop bar you’ve always wanted. Or if you want to do nothing but self-care for the next decade, I don’t care. I just want you with me. I want you to live with me, not because of any contract between us, but because you want to. And if you don’t, I’ll understand. I’ll find a way to make sure I’ll leave you alone⁠—”

“Crossland, these last two weeks have been hell,” I admitted. “The last thing I expected was to fall in love with the billionaire who hired me to be his girlfriend, but I did. I fell in love with your playfulness, your heart, your ability to take care of those that you love. I don’t want to spend another second where I’m not yours.”

Crossland’s eyes guttered and he captured my mouth, kissing the breath from my lungs.

I pulled away, concern still lingering in my soul. “But what about my parents? Even if we move, they’ll figure it out. They’ll try⁠—”

“You don’t need to worry about them anymore,” he said. “You don’t need to waste one more second of your energy worrying about them. It’s time to let someone help you for a change, and in this, I assure you, they will not bother you again.”

A deep sigh of relief slipped from my lips, and I leaned my forehead against his. “I’ve never lived away from Brecken.”

“If you’re not ready,” he said. “Then we’ll wait. We’ll wait until you are. Bangor isn’t going anywhere.”

“You’d do that for me?” I asked, my heart expanding in my chest, his words knitting together every break that had been there before.

“I would do anything for you.”

My smile hurt, it was so wide. “I love you,” I said, and it was so freeing to finally say those words. “And I’m ready. I would love to move to Bangor with you.”

“Really?” he asked, his eyes hopeful. “No contract required?” he teased.

I shook my head. “No contract required. I just want you.”

Crossland kissed me again. “You have me.”