Page 34 of Festive Faking
Mac
True to her word,Aspen was still inside the cabin when I woke. Honestly, with how last night had gone down, I wasn’t sure she would be.
My need for release had become unbearable after spending all afternoon and evening with her yesterday. So, I’d hopped into the shower, praying that a shock of icy water would be enough to cool the lust simmering beneath my skin. When that didn’t work, I decided to get it over with, squeezing my cock in a punishing grip and stroking with Aspen as my muse.
Imagine my surprise when, just as I came, I realized I wasn’t alone. No, the woman I couldn’t get out of my brain had been standing there for God knows how long.
The flush on her cheeks, visible in the mirror, betrayed that she enjoyed watching. Then panic set in, and she bolted when I rasped her name—the same name I was desperately trying not to groan out when my orgasm hit like a freight train.
I tried to make it okay for her, to let her off the hook by apologizing. But then that little vixen outright admitted that her only regret was that I’d discovered her presence while I jerked off thinking of her.
You could bet your ass that had my cock springing back to life.
With all my blood pooled below my waist, I wasn’t as cautious in my response, teasing her, that nickname rolling off my tongue. Her embarrassment crept back in, and I forced myself to shut it down, knowing it might ruin any chance I had with her if I pushed too hard.
We hadn’t gotten to the bottom of her little disappearing act yet, so I decided to bring it to light. I might not have gotten answers as to why she kept running from me, but I got her to promise not to do it again. Well, at least for one day. I still wasn’t sure it would be enough to make her want to stay beyond that.
When I opened my eyes this morning, I was surprised to find Aspen dressed for the day, curled up on the loveseat with a book. A dreamy smile graced her lips as she turned the pages, unguarded. I could have watched her like that all day.
I scratched my bare chest, my voice rough from sleep. “Morning.”
Her head whipped up, and bright blue eyes scanned my prone form with interest.
A small thrill of victory coursed through my veins that she was blatantly checking me out. It was as if any pretense of subtlety was gone now that she’d laid eyes on every single inch of bare skin I possessed.
Guess she liked what she saw. We can work with that.
Pink rose up from her neck when I smirked at her, and she turned back to her book. “Morning.”
“What’s on the agenda today?”
Her teeth chewed on a corner of her lower lip. “I’m set to help out at the Breakfast with Santa event in town.” She picked up her phone to check the time. “I actually need to head out soon . . .”
The unspoken meaning that she was hanging around to keep her late-night promise had my heart swelling as hope lit up my chest.
“Sounds like fun.” I sat up, rifling around beside my makeshift bed for a shirt.
“Oh, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
“Why wouldn’t I go?”
“It’s just . . .” She let out a deep exhale. “I know going to community events is a lot. They have the potential to become overwhelming, especially for a newcomer. Everyone is curious, and they have a tendency to forget boundaries.”
“I had a great time getting to know everyone who crossed my path yesterday,” I confessed. “There wasn’t a single person who made me feel unwelcome. In fact, I found them to be more genuinely kind than most people I’ve met in my life.”
“Oh.” Her mouth formed a perfect circle around that word.
The urge to drive it home grew too strong to ignore. “Do you know what it’s like to live in a world where people look at you and see only what you can do for them, how their connection to you will furthertheirinterests?”
“Mac.” My name was said softly as I laid myself bare in the harsh light of day.
If she was done running from me, I was done hiding from her.
“Not a single interaction yesterday had a hidden agenda. I didn’t have to wonder when the small talk would transition into a pitch about an ‘exciting business opportunity.’ It was so goddamn refreshing. They didn’t see the billionaire’s son with unlimited funds and crucial connections. They took me at face value and nothing more.”
Aspen set her book on the coffee table before standing and walking toward me. Her eyes never left mine as she kneeled. “I had no idea.”
Before I could utter another word, she threw her arms around my neck, hugging me tight. Her hair tickled my nose, but I breathed in her scent as I held on for dear life.
