Page 11 of Aspen Heat
She places her hand on my face. It's been a long day and the gentle gesture makes me melt right at her feet. As she comes closer I wonder if we're going to have that first kiss, but she kisses my other cheek instead. A gentle, warm touch of her delicious mouth, and then it's over and I'm left wanting more.
FIVE
MELISSA
I wokeup to a message from Aspen on my cellphone. I never gave him my number, but he does have that list with all of people's information when he went to evacuate everyone off my side of the mountain.
Aspen: Good morning. Did you have a good night's sleep? I have to do more grunt work today and was wondering if you wanted to go with me. It's boring work, just checking on some folks again and maybe we can stop by your cabin and I can fix that door for you.
That makes me perk up and I rush to text him my response.
Me: I'm totally in! I can be ready in thirty minutes.
Aspen: That's great. Don't have breakfast, we can have it before we head out.
Me: Perfect.
I jump off the bed, eager to get showered and dressed. When I catch myself in the mirror, I remind myself that I've only known this hot firefighter for one day and I spent half of it mad at him. Boy am I in trouble. I like him way too much and I promise myself to play it cool when I'm with him.
With that decision made, I run through my morning routine, though a little bit rushed because I said thirty minutes so he wouldn't think I was a diva. When I leave my room I find Vivian having her morning breakfast in the dining room.
"Hi Vivian. Aspen is going to pick me up so we can go do some welfare checks again. Do you need anything?"
"Nothing for me. Don't you want to eat something before you leave?"
"Aspen and I are getting something before we head out."
"Aspen, is it?"
I have the decency to blush profusely as a result of her tone. She's implying there's more going on between us and I can't really deny it.
"Do you know much about him?"
"I mostly mingle with his grandparents. They think the world of him, as grandparents tend to do."
"Any good bits that might give me the upper hand?"
She laughs at that as if it was the funniest thing she had heard of in ages.
"You'll have to discover those things yourself, dear."
"Okay, I'm going to wait for him outside."
"You'll do no such thing. Wait until he gets here and comes to get you."
"This isn't the fifties, Vivian."
"Trust me. You will thank me later."
So I spend the next ten minutes accompanying Vivian as she has her coffee and eggs. She starts trying to get me to agree to play gin with her and her sisters, but I've heard rumors that they cheat, so I'm not falling for that.
When I hear Aspen's truck arrive, I'm edgy and want to go outside, but Vivian puts her hand over mine.
"Let him be a man, dear."
Soon after, there's a knock on the door and I watch as Vivian gets up slowly from her seat while signaling for me to wait. I find it comforting that someone is interested in my well-being and relax a little. Then I hear her questioning Aspen at the door.
When I look their way, I catch Aspen trying to get a look at the inside of the house, as Vivian is barring the entrance. We lock gazes and he waves at me. Finally, Vivian turns and calls me and I take my cue and move towards the entrance.
