Page 56 of Forever Theirs

“Why the fuck is your dick out?”

I blinked at Miles before slapping a palm over my mouth to quiet the bark of laughter that would’ve surely woken up the sleeping beauty in front of us.

“I woke up, and she was gone. Pants didn’t seem like a priority.”

His dark eyes cut my way. “Pretty sure pants should always be a priority, but I get it.” His gaze slid back to her. “When she’s involved, everything else ceases to exist but her and her safety.”

I waited for him to explain what the hell I’d walked in on, but he stopped talking and went back to just staring at Aspen.

“Miles,” I whispered.

“Aiden.”

“What the fuck is going on?”

He looked at me again. “I was hoping you knew. I woke up to Jubie scratching at the door, begging to go out like something was wrong. When I did, I noticed Aspen asleep in the chair.”

“And you’ve been standing here, watching her sleep since?” He nodded. “And I thought I was the one she’d think was a serial killer after my captive-in-the-basement slip yesterday.”

“What?”

“Nothing,” I grumbled. “We should just go back into the tents and let her sleep. We can find out why later.”

“What if something happens to her?” he asked, slight panic raising his voice.

“We can leave Jubie?—”

The words dried up, and we both froze at a soft sound coming from Aspen’s parted lips. Her long dark lashes fluttered open. The chair shifted beneath her as she jerked, eyes wide, flicking between us.

“Um, hi,” she rasped, voice thick with sleep. She shifted and winced, hand coming up to press against her neck. “Shit, I slept funny.”

“Why did you sleep out here, in a chair?” Miles demanded, arms now crossed over his chest and feet spread in a defensive position.

“Um.” Her gaze slid to me before dipping down. “Really? Still no pants?”

Tossing both hands up in the air, I strode for the tent. Pulling the boxer briefs off my pack that I had set out, I yanked them on before going back out to join them.

“What?” I asked, catching them both smirking at me.

“Nothing,” Miles replied, though it seemed he hid a laugh.

“I said you had a cute ass.” She made a pinching gesture. “I just want to pinch it.”

“That is oddly…”

“Adorable?” she added.

“Erotic.”

“Can we all please get back to why I found Aspen out here sleeping? Alone?” His dark brows furrowed. “What did you do?”

“Um, it wasn’t because of him,” Aspen cut in before I could. Miles and I both shifted our full attention to her. Playing with a few strands of hair, she kept her gaze anywhere other than on us. “It was you.”

Miles frowned and tapped his chest. “Me?” She nodded. “What did I do?”

“Nothing,” she said in a rush. “But I heard something and came out here to investigate.”

“Alone?” I growled. “Don’t you know the dangers out here?”

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