8. Jasper

Every night this week, it's been nothing but me FaceTiming Aspen in the quiet of my travel trailer with her an hour away in her lonely apartment. Something she's told me on more than one occasion. I even joked that she had my apartment keys, to stay there if she needed a change of scenery. The look on her face caused me to chuckle. Aspen admitted she'd thought about it on more than one occasion, even if only to steal a shirt and my pillow. I one-upped her and told her if she wanted, my place down here was open to her.

The smile she gave me told me everything I needed to see. My woman needs to feel me surround her, much like I need to do the same thing.

Which is why she's traveling down here and spending the night. I hate like hell that she is driving an hour by herself, but she put me in my place, telling me she was an independent woman and one hour wasn't going to kill her. It's not like she was stopping to get food or gas. It was just going to be her and an open road. I love this feisty side of her, that's for sure.

The only shitty part of this situation is that I won't to be able to make her the meal she'd get if we were both at home. This one will be more simple, cooked on the grill, and consist of steak, potatoes, and some sort of vegetable I have in the freezer. When I informed her of that, all she had to say was, "Good, I'll be the dessert." Damn straight, she fucking will.

I'm sitting outside under the awning when she pulls her Tahoe next to my truck. Damn, does it settle something deep inside me seeing that. This will be our future, maybe not in a travel trailer, but a house on some land—my woman coming home to me, or me coming home to her. A couple of children, and all kinds of animals that I'm sure Aspen will collect, if what she says is true. On her days off when she has nothing to do, she goes to the local animal shelters to volunteer.

"Damn, are you a sight for sore eyes." Aspen steps out of the vehicle, a bag on her shoulder, her skin on full display with the barely-there dress she's wearing.

"Jasper." She drops her bag and runs towards me. My arms are out and open, my feet firmly planted on the ground. Her legs hug my hips, her hands already pulling at my hair, and our mouths are fucking fused together. I missed the taste that is all Aspen. She's a safe harbor in the worst of a tropical storm with winds blowing on end.

Our kiss is anything but soft. There's no way it could be. Not after being away from each other for so long. I start to walk into the trailer, my only thought of seeing her spread out in my bed, she stops me.

"Honey." Her voice is soft, whisper-soft even though there's no one out here, least of all any of the other guys. Most of them are in the bunkhouse; only a handful of us brought our own travel trailers.

"I need you, Aspen."

"And you can have me, but the grill is lit, I'm starving, and I dropped my bag. Plus, my car door is still open. I'm not saying this place isn't safe, but I bet an animal would love to tear up the inside." Fuck, she's right. I reluctantly let her go.

"Close your door, grab your bag, then get your ass back to me, and stat," I tell her before turning around and throwing the steaks on the grill. I put the potatoes on earlier knowing they'd take longer to cook.

"Sir, yes, sir," she smarts off, but I see Aspen doing as I asked. I'm not by myself for long until she comes to stand beside me. My arm goes around her shoulder, and she wraps her arms around my waist. I kiss her head. We stand at the grill, not talking, just basking in each other's presence.

"I know you have to wake up early tomorrow. I'm probably going to head out when you do. There's a new designer not far from here, and she wants me to look at a few things. I can come back or head home. I didn't make any plans in case things changed on the rig."

"I'll be here. I'm on days for the time being," I tell her, greedy for her.

"Then I'll be here when you get back. I'll take care of dinner tomorrow. I know we don't have much time together, and I'll have to be at the shop the day after tomorrow, but I'll come back the weekend after next if you're still on? My sisters and Berkley have finally picked a date for our girls' weekend." She rolls her eyes, but I know for a fact she's happy as a clam.

"That's good. I know you're looking forward to that. I hate like hell I won't be able to meet them, but we'll get to Virginia on my next stretch off." I take the steaks off the grill once they're done. Aspen helps with the door and utensils. If she weren't starving, I would have said ‘screw the food.' Aspen can be my food source.

"Don't look at me like that, Jasper Knight. Food first. Then you can have me." She sashays into my place, and damn, do I love the way she moves.

I shake my head. I'll need dinner to keep up with her tonight. Clearly, she's in a feisty mood, and I can't wait to see that unfold in my bed.