Page 23 of Forever Theirs

Until tomorrow.

Just like that, his thoughtfulness, those simple lines from a practical stranger…

And I suddenly didn’t feel so alone.

8

AIDEN

The steady vibrations radiating from the seat faded when I killed the Honda’s engine. Lifting the sweltering helmet off, I raked several fingers through my sweat-damp hair to push it out of my eyes, only for it to flop back in place immediately despite the effort. The rumble of another bike had me hooking the helmet on the handlebars and twisting to check over my shoulder, spotting Miles tearing along the path, speeding my way.

Normally, this would be a solo tour, since the bikers with us—currently off exploring the trails on their own—were experienced riders, and only two were in the group, but with the dangers lurking around Anchor Bay, Miles tagged along like Hudson advised. Leaning forward, I stared off into the distance, the beautiful scenery and snowcapped mountains still just as breathtaking as they were when we first arrived in Alaska five years ago.

Miles skidded to a stop beside me, dirt and rocks shooting out from beneath the tires before he killed his bike. I watched as he removed his helmet just like I did, wiping off the sweat dripping into his beard, and as I expected, that damn smirk was still on his face like it had been all morning.

“Fuck, you’ve got it bad,” I joked, knowing I wasn’t any different. Just those few hours yesterday with Aspen and I was borderline obsessed with the woman. Not in a creepy, make-a-skin-suit-out-of-her type of way, but more of a want-to-be-around-her-and-monopolize-all-her-time type of way. I eyed him as he checked his phone. “Did she write back after you sent the address?”

Without verbally responding, he tossed his phone my way before reaching for his water. I caught it mid-air and immediately flipped it around. With the screen already unlocked and on the text thread, I scrolled up to find the time stamp from earlier in the morning.

Me: Good morning. See you this afternoon.

Me: Let me know if you have any trouble with the address I sent.

Aspen: FML. I forgot how early the sun rises here in the summer.

Me: Sorry?

Aspen: Think any of the shops in town sell an eye mask or something? Another night of little sleep and no one will want to be near me. #grumpy

Me: I can ask one of the women at work if they can spare one. I’m sure they won’t mind.

Aspen: And I need coffee. Lots of coffee. Where should I go?

Me: The main building at the resort has breakfast and coffee. Or there’s a shop in town that roasts its own beans, Sips. At least that’s what Aiden says. It’s near Dave’s.

Aspen: Ohhh. Fellow coffee snob. Nice. I’ll stop by there on my way out.

Me: Out? Out where?

Aspen: Outdoors? I want to get some shots before meeting you and Aiden later.

Me: That’s not safe.

Aspen: I’ll pack my bear spray, Dad.

I chuckled at her response. Of course the bastard was already obsessing over her safety. Though with all the shit going on, I was glad he was thinking about it, since she wasn’t aware of the situation. I frowned at the phone as I continued to read Miles’s texts detailing all the safety provisions for going out alone, the gear and weapons he wanted her to pack, and the tracking device she thought he suggested as a joke.

It wasn’t.

“We need to tell her,” I said as I tossed the phone back to him. “I know we have nothing concrete yet, but I don’t like the idea of her going out alone unaware. She thinks all she has to worry about is the wildlife. If she knows what we suspect, then she’ll be on guard and be suspicious of strangers who approach her when we’re not around.”

Miles nodded. “Agreed.” Holding up his phone, he frowned at the screen. “Caroline hasn’t written me back. She knows I worry about her when she goes out alone.”

I huffed and shook my head, recalling all the arguments between those two about her feeling untouchable. Though she wasn’t technically a native to Alaska, having moved here with her family when she was a baby, she sure as hell knew the land like one. She took risks when they weren’t needed, always going out on her own, which drove Miles’s protective instincts crazy. He saw her as a sister to protect after her dad passed two years ago, and he took that role to the extreme.

“When we get back, we’ll talk to Hudson.” Until Brandon came back from Montana, Hudson was our point of contact for anything related to the case and Uplift. You’d think we would push back, considering a new guy was placed as the company’s temporary leader, but the guy was rock-solid, trustworthy, and knew what he was doing on the investigation front. “We could be overreacting. It hasn’t been that long since she left, and she’s just as capable of being out there on her own as we are. Though it is unlike her. Maybe she just isn’t reaching out because it’s a dangerous area and knew you would disapprove of where she went.”

But even as I said the words, I knew that wasn’t the case.

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