Page 23 of The Story We Wrote

“I had a blast tonight!” She laughed in my ear, placing a wet kiss on my cheek. “Call me in the morning!” I held her tight, soaking in the warmth from her before pulling away. “I will.” I replied, giving her a half smile.

I wasn’t looking forward to the rest of the drive alone with Boone. I wished I could blink my eyes and I’d be home, in my bed. Silence took over the truck, the radio wasn’t even on to fill the void. Watching the trees pass by in the dark, I thought about how much of an idiot I was to let my guard down. This was why people needed to make my decisions because clearly, I wasn’t fit to control my own life. The anxiety was talking and I wish I couldjust get rid of her. I tapped into my breathing, closing my eyes and focusing to calm my racing heart.

Boone and I pulled up to our little cabins. Before he could even put the car in park and shut it off, I climbed out. Walking fast to my door, I fumbled with my key.

“Aspen, wait!” Boone called, jogging up to me.

“Come on.” I groaned, trying to wiggle the lock open. “Dumb stupid old hunk of metal!” I sighed, pulling the key out again. I felt warm hands wrap around mine. Boone took the key and put it in the door. As it opened, I hurried in.

“Aspen.” He muttered again, shutting the door behind him. I swayed a little, trying to find my way to the kitchen for a drink.

“What, Boone?” I asked, refusing to make eye contact. “I got it; your reputation was on the line. I shouldn’t have thrown myself all over you in public like that.”

I heard Boone let out a pathetic laugh, “What the hell are you talking about?”

I placed both hands on the sink for the second time tonight, allowing my head to roll back so I was looking at the ceiling. “Me, running into your arms tonight. Me, putting on your hat. It all looks a little too comfy cozy for us. I wouldn’t want it to get around town that I was all over you and tie you down.” Now, I spun around, my dress moving with me. “I know what my actions meant, Boone. It isn’t the first hat I’ve put on my head.” The last part was a lie. Boone’s jaw ticked, our eyes locking on each other. I thought I was strong enough to stand toe to toe with Boone Cassidy and give him a piece of my mind.

He surprised me when he said, “You wanna ride me then, huh?”

My stomach dropped and blush began to creep down my neck. My skin felt like a million bugs scattered down my spine. Riding Boone would probably be the best sex of my life, but itwould complicate everything we had grown here, a friendship that was blossoming into something new and fresh.

I wondered what I would miss if things went wrong. Would I lose him helping me clean up at night, would he stop coming around to watch the stars at night?

I let out a huff and walked passed him down the small hall to the bedroom. I needed to get these shoes off. My butt hit the bed when I flopped down.

Boone’s boots gave him away. He was coming to the room. I could hear the anger through his footsteps, the deep thuds grew louder.

“I didn’t do or say what I did because I have my reputation to protect. I did it because it doesn’t seem like you to throw yourself at a man while drunk in a bar. By putting my hat on your head, you pretty much told everyone in the bar you wanted to fuck me. How does that feel, Aspen? Do you want the whole town to know that you’d be screaming my name?” I’d never seen Boone raise his voice like this. Not that he was yelling, but his voice wasn’t the soft lull it usually was. This was deep and loud, a different kind of Boone that he reserved for very few. “Wasn’t it you who was so worried about your brother finding out about the swimming hole?”

I didn’t know how to respond. My body was reacting to his every word, thinking about fucking Boone made me tingle everywhere. Thinking about his hands on my body, exploring parts of me that haven’t been handled in that way. I also grew angry. Him bringing up what I said outside the hardware store was too far. I was angry and horny, a recipe for disaster.

“Don’t you dare throw that back in my face. You know I didn’t mean it like that.” I refused to back down now. My jaw tightened, fists formed at my sides. I was having a down right temper tantrum. “You don’t know me. What gives you the right to make that assumption? Maybe I did want everyone to knowthat I’m attracted to you.” I took a step closer to him, the tension building. “Maybe, just maybe, I like the thought of everyone knowing how badly I want to scream your name.”

“We aren’t having this conversation right now. You’re drunk.” Boone shook his head as he turned from me.

I was pissed off and embarrassed. I didn’t like feeling this way, so my mind jumped to defense mode. “You don’t want to talk about me riding you, Cowboy?” I replied. There was no way I would let him win. Being drunk was giving me the courage I needed to go round for round with the 6 foot 3 man before me.

“Goodnight, Aspen,” Boone replied. “I’ll see you in the morning. I’ll bring the coffee.” Boone didn’t let me reject his offer before he left my cabin.

After his departure, I groaned and threw myself down on the bedspread. I shouldn’t have toyed with him, I should’ve left it alone. The whole night was a confusing mess, I acted in ways I’d never seen before. I said things that were way too brazen for someone like me. Who was I?

While doing a half-assed attempt at my skin care routine, I talked to myself in the mirror replaying everything I wish I had said to Boone.

You don’t control me. Drunk or not, I’d still want you. Take advantage of me.I needed to shut up because I was just getting myself riled up, physically and mentally. I had to stop thinking about how I acted and move forward to try and fix it in the morning.

Eleven

Aspen

I woke up with a pounding headache. I’d been hungover more times in the last week than probably in my entire life. When I said drinking was not my thing, I meant it.

Getting out of bed, I put my cow slippers on and shuffled to the bathroom. The room was spinning and my brain knocked against my forehead. Splashing my face with cold water, I hoped it would make me feel alive. Right now, I felt like a walking corpse. Looking at myself in the mirror was an awful idea because I was appalled at the red eyes and puffy bags looking back at me. I was lucky I had enough sense to at least attempt my skincare before going to bed.

I wanted to avoid thinking about last night because it made me literally sick, or maybe it’s the hangover. I was ashamed and mad at myself for the way I acted. I didn’t know what I was thinking, placing my claim on him like I did. Taking his hat and putting it on my head was stupid., I honestly didn’t know how that would play out. A part of me hoped it would have gone much better. Unrealistically, I expected him to carry me out of the barand throw me in the back of his truck. When I saw him come into the bar, my sex drive took over. He showed up when I called, way too drunk to drive home, which added another layer of sex appeal. We love a man who does acts of service.

With regret on the brain, I called the one person I knew would talk some sense into me. On the second ring, Penny’s face crowded the screen. “My brain is a raisin!” She yelled into the phone. I could see she was still in bed with the covers pulled up around her head.

“Shhh…” I hushed, putting my fingers on my temples. “Penny… I fucked up last night.

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