30. Aspen

Thirty

Aspen

It’d been a hell of a week since seeing my parents with Boone. I found out that Parker never had intentions of showing up that day, and it was all a plan orchestrated by Boone and him to get me there. Boone knew he was going to show up first and talk with my parents. He also knew I heard everything he said. That night, we went back to my place and I let him show me just how much he cared about me.

Today, I was at the farm stand by myself, because Jill was working with the library manager to get whatever she had planned for the charity ready. The annual block party was next weekend. I was still in the dark about what Jill needed from me. That made me a little uneasy. Regardless, I’d push through to make it happen.

The daily lull in traffic hit, which gave me time to restock and call Penny. After everything with Boone happened, I called her and told her about him and me.

I swear, anyone in a fifty-mile radius could hear her squealing with joy. I hadn’t seen her since, so I thought what better way to celebrate than to have my friends and Boone’s friends plan a night at The Tequila Cowboy.

Putting the phone between my ear and shoulder, I listened to the phone as it rang. Finally, the dialing cut off, and Penny’s voice filled the air.

“Hello!” she sang. “Switch to FaceTime. I wanna see your beautiful face!” I placed down the box of honey I was carrying to the display and propped the phone up on the table. Instantly, Penny’s face filled the screen and her bright smile made me smile too.

“How’s the library going? Are you ready for the block party?” I asked while stocking the shelves.

Penny huffed. She was sitting at her desk in the library. The muted color walls behind her were decorated with pictures and cute quotes like “libraries are for everyone” and “reality is overrated.”

“I’m dying here. I’m preparing expense reports and crunching numbers to prove what we need for the Fall. There’s no way we’ll get there without the help of the ranch and the block party. Everything is riding on it.” I could tell she was stressed out, her hair was in a messy bun, pieces framing her face.

“Whatever Mrs. Cassidy has planned, she’s excited about it,” I said, trying to reassure my best friend that everything would be okay. “I’m going to do everything in my power to hustle everyone for money.”

Penny let out a laugh. “You? Hustle? I can’t wait to see that.” She took a deep breath and leaned back in her desk chair. Standing from the crouched position, I grabbed my phone and the empty box and walked to the counter.

“What I think you need is a night out,” I said, grabbing a bunch of wildflowers I picked this morning to fill the buckets. “I was thinking, what if we all went out to The Tequila Cowboy? You, me, Boone, Rhodes, Logan, Mac, and we can even see if Theo is up to it.”

Penny groaned, taking her glasses from her face and placing them on her desk. “I would love that. Speaking of Mac, since the night at the bonfire, we actually speak whenever he comes into the library. Not only is he insanely hot, he’s so funny.”

“Well, use this as another chance to see him! I’ll make sure he’s working when we go this time.” I picked apart the flowers to organize them. Taking the same colors and placing them together.

“Please, and thank you,” Penny said. “I think Theo and Rhodes hit it off too. They were non-stop talking at the bonfire. How cute would that be? It’s straight from a romance novel.”

“Ugh,” I groaned. “I love the ‘not his baby’ trope. Talk about swoon.” I fanned myself with the flowers in my hand.

Placing the last few stems in their designated pile, I picked up the bunches and walked them over to the “make your own bouquet” display. “Knox Eden could respectfully get it every time,” Penny chimed in from the counter. “If that man claimed my baby as his and cooked for me like that, I’d have another baby that was his.”

Barking out a laugh, I came back to my phone and propped it up against the register on the counter. I leaned down to be in the frame and said, “The things I’d do to be in one of her romance novels. Those men are chefs kiss .”

“It sounds like you have one of them to me,” Penny said, wagging her eyebrows.

“I guess I kinda do,” I admitted, grinning at her. Boone was my very own fictional boyfriend. Not only was he attractive, but able to share how he felt, loved his family, and genuinely knew how to impress a woman.

“Have you spoken to your parents since the Boone thing went down?” Penny asked.

I shook my head. “Nope. I’ve been giving my dad time to cool off. I texted my mom and asked them to come to the block party to help support the stand.”

“And?” Penny replied, tilting her head towards the camera.

“They said they would come, but who knows? Town functions aren’t their thing,” I confessed.

My parents very rarely took part in anything Faircloud had to offer. While I loved this town and its events, it felt like my parents hated it for that exact reason. Growing up, I’d have to beg them to do things like trunk or treats, block parties, or library get-togethers. I wanted to be a part of the community and they wanted to avoid it at all costs.

“I can’t imagine they wouldn’t show up to support you.”

Rolling my eyes, I looked at Penny. “I could count the number of times my parents came to The Coffee Cup on one hand and I worked there for years.” My mom stopped in honestly maybe three times and my dad once during the time I was there. Their disapproval was loud and clear.

“I think whatever Boone said to them changed something. That man can captivate an entire room with his looks let alone his words. The fact your dad didn’t throw him out says a lot,” Penny replied, giving me a sad smile.

She was right. My dad wouldn’t have thought twice about kicking any man to the curb for showing up at his house uninvited like that. Especially, to tell him they were going against his wishes and still going to see his daughter. The fact Boone and I left together meant something that was said hit a nerve enough to possibly spark some change.

Putting my hands up in mock surrender, I let her have the win. “You could be right, and I hope you are. I have to get going. I’ll text you and Theo with the details for The Tequila Cowboy.”

Penny blew me a kiss, “Talk to you later. Love you.” I pretended to catch the kiss and blew one back. “Love you too.”

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was slower than usual. I had maybe seven or eight customers, but they kept me busy until closing. I turned my back to the door, counting down the money from the day when I heard the heavy thud of familiar boots. Spinning around, I wore a huge smile on my face as Boone walked through the door. He was sweaty and dirty, just how I liked him. Seeing him after a long day of work made my core clench, I wanted him badly. Nothing was better than a man who worked with his hands for a living.

“Hello, Darling,” he said, coming up to kiss me on the cheek. His arm wrapped around my waist as he pulled me closer. I put the money down in the register and wrapped both my arms around his neck. His hot skin touched mine, and it sent electricity down my spine.

“Hi, Cowboy,” I whispered, looking into his eyes. I went on my tip toes and gave his lips a small peck. He returned the kiss with a second one once I pulled away.

Boone’s hat sat lazily on his head, his hair messy and wet at the edges. “Are we going to clean up and grab something to eat? I’m starving.” I was hungry too, but not for food.

“Mhmm,” I mumbled, kissing him again. I couldn’t keep my mouth off him. There was the taste of salt that coated even his lips. His mustache tickled my upper lip as I went in again and again. The moment was heating up quickly.

Boone pushed me back, my ass hitting the counter. I could feel his cock getting harder in his jeans. He rubbed it against my thigh, hinting to me that he was ready to take me home. I couldn’t wait that long. I was a different woman around Boone, he made it hard to control all the desires I had.

“You better take it easy. If you keep it up, I’ll have to take you right here. My mom may not like that,” he muttered against my lips. I kissed him back, slipping my tongue into his mouth. He welcomed me, matching my energy. My hands came from around his neck and explored their way to his hips. I put a finger in the waistband of his jeans, touching the skin, and then came around to meet at his belt buckle.

“She doesn’t have to know,” I said against his lips, pushing him back. Boone’s body hit the counter as I sank to my knees. I wanted him in my mouth. I wanted to watch him come undone in a space where someone could see. What the hell was happening to me?

Boone groaned, tossing his head back to look at the ceiling. I swear I saw him mouth something, a prayer maybe, before I undid his belt and lowered his jeans. His boxers clung to his muscular thighs, I licked my lips at the sight. Quickly, I pulled down his boxers to his ankles and his cock sprung free.

“I’m taking my time,” I said, looking up at him through my lashes. He was staring down, his pupils larger than before. Boone stood with his hat on, shirt held up, and a look of pure lust on his face. I had to adjust myself, pulling the sundress I had on above my knees so it wouldn’t hold me back.

Leaning forward slightly, I placed my hands on the backs of his thighs and opened my mouth to welcome his hard length in my mouth. I started slowly, circling the tip with my tongue. Boone cursed, not looking away from me while I was hard at work.

I took his tip into my mouth, sucking lightly. A salty taste hit my tongue and I savored it. Opening my mouth wider, I took him deeper while sucking gently. My cheeks hollowed and I pulled away, a popping sound coming from my mouth. I wanted to torture him, taking his length slowly.

“You’re killing me,” he said, his free hand coming up and gripping the back of my ponytail. I had my hair up today, which proved to be the right choice. He pushed my head back towards his cock. Looking up through hooded eyes, I kept eye contact as I fit him in my mouth. He was so big I gagged when the tip of his length hit the back of the throat. My nails dug into the back of his thighs, leaving my mark. I didn’t back down. Instead, I pulled back slightly and did it over and over. Tears began to prick in the corners of my eyes, but I pushed through.

“Darling —” he moaned. “Faster. I want to come in that pretty mouth.”

Teasing him, I pulled back and ran my tongue underneath his cock, and when I hit the tip, I lingered. Boone grew frustrated because he pushed my head down and pulled it back up with my ponytail.

“Suck,” he demanded.

With my eyes locked on him, I brought my hand up to my mouth and spit on it. I jerked his length in my palm before bringing his cock to my mouth and spitting on that too. Before he had time to react, I went in. I started sucking and licking fast along his length, using my hand as added friction.

“You’re such a good girl,” he groaned, wrapping my little ponytail around his fist. “That’s right, suck me.” I kept going, faster and faster, moving my hands along his shaft in a twisting motion. That sent Boone over the edge. He let out a grunt and his head flew back again, that damn hat staying on his head which made me even more feral. I hummed on his length which was his final straw.

I felt a spurt of warm liquid fill my mouth. I made sure he was looking at me before I swallowed, my tongue darting out to clean the side of my mouth. I’ve never swallowed before or even let someone come in my mouth.

“You amaze me,” he said, laying both his hands on either side of my face. He pulled me up to him, kissing my swollen lips.

“We forgot to shut the door,” I said, noticing the breeze coming from the front of the stand.

“Even hotter when I do this, everyone can see,” he muttered, placing a kiss on my cheek and down my neck. Swiftly, he scooped me up and twisted to put me down on the counter, my back facing the front door.

“Boone,” I warned, but he clearly had other plans. He pulled up his pants and redid his belt.

“I said I was starving. I think I need a little treat before my main course.” He took the hat from his head and placed it next to me on the counter. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were filled with need.

Boone sank to his knees and pulled up the skirt of my dress. He slipped underneath, covering himself completely. I couldn’t see him, I could feel him. Boone placed soft kisses on the inside of my thigh, working his way to my core. My legs trembled under his touch.

His calloused fingers brushed against my swollen clit, moving my panties to the side. A warm, soft touch was placed on me, which I knew was his tongue. Boone licked me in small, repetitive motions that drove me crazy. The teasing of his hot breath and soft touches was more than my body could take. I felt my leg quake.

Boone removed my underwear, my sex on full display centimeters from his face.

“You’re so wet already,” he said, kissing me again and again. “Did sucking my cock make you this needy?” If he kept teasing me like this I wasn’t sure how I was going to react.

Groaning out an “mhm,” I shoved myself into his face, hoping to give him a hint. He laughed, his mustache scratching against my swollen clit.

“Message received,” Boone said before devouring me. He let all control go and began to feast on me like a man who was truly starved. He used his tongue and teeth to pleasure me. A moan escaped my lips and I couldn’t stop the string of curse words that followed. My core clenched a warm and tingly feeling built up. The sounds that he made as he feasted on my sex were feral. The wet noise sent me into a tizzy, my vision was fuzzy as I panted like a damn dog.

“Boone… yeah, like that. Keep going,” I whispered, my one hand flew to the back of his head, gripping the strand of his hair and pushing his mouth into me.

I came with Boone between my legs, he licked and sucked as I rode my climax. He didn’t shy away so I had to physically push him away because the sensation became too much.

“Fuck,” I breathed, panting heavily.

“Hey, Aspen. Is Boone here? He forgot —” My head flung around so fast I swore I gave myself whiplash. Logan was standing in the doorframe, eyes wide open like he just saw a ghost.

I faced back around and my head fell back. Are you shitting me?

Boone came out from under my skirt, standing up. He towered over me, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand with a shit-eating grin on his face as he looked at Logan over the top of my head. I couldn’t turn around again, I was too embarrassed. The only solution was to move far away and change my name.

“I’m here,” Boone said, a little too friendly, that cocky son of a bitch. He grabbed his hat from next to me on the counter and placed it back on his head. Bending down he kissed my cheek and muttered, “I’m not sorry,” before leaving me to recover.

“Jesus Christ,” Logan scoffed. “It was, uh, nice seeing you again, Aspen.”

I lifted my hand in a lazy wave, refusing to turn around. “Yup. You too, Logan,” I sighed before dropping my head and letting out a laugh to myself.