“Aspen. I thought Julie was coming, but I think I know what happened.” Yes, she saw now. Siblings had each other’s backs.

She understood that and wasn’t mad at Julie for pulling a fast one on her. She’d do the same for any of her brothers and sisters.

“Shall we?” Aspen walked up behind her and held out his hand. “The town festivities await, milady, and we must not be late.”

“No, we must not.” She giggled at how they sounded, loving every second of the play.

He pulled her back against his front and wound an arm around her waist. Pulling her into him she could feel the massive bulge against her ass.

She sucked in a lungful of air. “Aspen.”

Aspen moved aside a swath of hair and pressed warm lips to her now exposed neck. “Let’s get you into the slay and then you can ask all the questions you want.Ifyou can.”

She peered over her shoulder at him with a smirk. “If, huh? And what’s that supposed to mean?”

He only offered that cock-sure grin of his in answer.

She stepped up into the sleigh and Aspen quickly rounded the back before slipping in beside her. He reached over the back of the plush, red velvet seat and before she knew what he was doing had her wrapped in a massive blanket that covered them both and then some and snuggled her close to his side.

“I never thought a man would think of everything, but you haven’t missed a beat.” She found his hand under the blanket and wound their fingers together. “Where did you get a sleigh at this hour?”

He tapped the reins slightly and off they went. Only a slight swoosh and the crunch of hooves in snow cut into the peaceful silence. No cars, no horns...they were alone and she loved it.

“Kade has a friend that offers sleigh rides so he set me up.”

Aspen’s expression melded into one of contemplation as he guided the horse and sleigh toward town and she knew where his thoughts had turned.

“Ivy Sunday. Last night I meant what I said. Please stay.”

“We have so much history together.”

One tug and he had her on his lap, legs spread wide. He growled low in his throat feeling her body glide over his, no doubt. The heat in his eyes was a good indicator. He sensually slid his hands under the long winter skirt she opted for tonight and stroked warm hands from her knees all the way up to the band of her panties.

At some point, he’d lost the gloves and the callused skin of his palms and fingers sent a shiver to rush up her spine.

“Aspen, I—”

“What, Ivy Sunday? You what? Love me? But don’t know how to say it? Don’t let pride get in the way. I told you, you’re not leaving Dixen and if you do manage to slip away, this time I‘ll chase you and move heaven and the fucking earth to convince you to come back with me. Or, I stay where you are at.”

“Fuck, Aspen.”

“I’m telling you the truth.”

Between them, his cock was hard as stone and she couldn’t help grinding her hips against the length held back by a strong zipper.

The truth was, the more she thought about it, the easier it was getting to see she belonged in Dixen with Aspen, but

He tugged the blanket around them and cocooned them in warmth.

His eyes burned into hers and she got the strong impressions he did mean every last word he muttered between them.

“Believe me, Ivy Sunday, this time you’re not getting away from me. I want to see you round with my baby but before that, I want to spend days and nights relearning how to pleasure your body. Take you to heights you’ve never reached and cum so deep inside you my mark will never be erased from your body.”

“Fuck, Aspen!” Did she already say that? Who cared!

She slicked her tongue over her bottom lip and his cock became impossibly harder nestled between her pussy lips with only a scrap of cloth between them.

“I want you, Aspen. Fuck me. Right now.”