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Chapter Two

  Aspen shook all the way back to Wisconsin. It had taken much from her to hold her head up after that incident. Part of her felt betrayed by the fact that her brother and Colton had remained such close friends over the years, but she loved her brother and kept her feelings to herself.

  When her brother Ashton, died, he left her his house. That was where she was staying. It was an older, three-story Queen Anne style. Little by little, Aspen was turning it into her own place.

  Pulling into the drive, she backed into the garage and shut out the late wintry afternoon. Unloading all her packages, she turned up the thermostat and went to the kitchen.

  With a thud, she sat at the drop-leaf round table and let her mind wander back. Back in time to high school. Back to the man with the quicksilver eyes.

  * * * *

  Colt Larkin had been the man all through high school. Three years older than Aspen, she, along with the entire female student body, had dreams about him. Even in high school, Colt was blessed with a man’s body. Six feet and three inches of rippling muscles. A star athlete; quarterback of the football team—the team had gone to and won state all four years he was there. Thick, sandy-brown hair covered his head, and he had striking silver eyes between sinfully full lashes.

  Aspen had an older brother, Ashton, in the same grade as Colt, and so she had seen Colt play ball long before she got to high school. Being one class ahead, Aspen was a sophomore Colt’s senior year. Although he frequently crossed her thoughts, she, unlike many, harbored no illusions.

  Colt Larkin was an upperclassman, a jock, and Caucasian. Aspen—being a sophomore, bookworm, and black—didn’t see any potential for development of a relationship.

  There was also the fact he always had a cheerleader on his arm.

  Still, Aspen was young and full of big dreams. Dreams which included Colt Larkin. And, because of that youthful naiveté, when he approached her at the town Christmas party saying he wished to speak with her, she willingly followed.

  “What can I do for you, Colt?” she inquired as they walked through the crowd together.

  “I have a question for you,” he responded, his hand settled on the small of her back, gently guiding her to where he wanted.

  “Okay.” Aspen pushed her big Coke-bottle glasses further up on her face.

  Colt stopped her. They were in a doorway leading to another part of the building. “Okay, so here it is,” he began in his deep voice.

  Smoothing her hands down her red velvet dress, Aspen turned her eyes up to his. The Christmas music seemed to fade into the background.

  Colt wore jeans and a black shirt. His hair was unruly, falling forward over one eye. Even amongst the rich aromas of food and mulled spices he smelled like the crisp outdoors.

  “Well, the thing is,” he started again.

  Aspen waited patiently, not in any rush whatsoever to make him hurry. She felt so safe when he was around her.

  His eyes moved to her lips and back up to her catch her gaze. He seemed uncertain. Finally, he just latched onto her arm and pointed up with his free hand.

  Following the movement of his finger, Aspen gasped when she saw the sprig of mistletoe above them. Nervous now, her eyes moved toward his face.

  His free hand cupped the side of her still-plump face before plucking her glasses off and pressing them into her hand. Then both of his warm, callused hands held her face as he lowered his mouth to hers.

  Colt’s mouth covered hers gently as his tongue slid between her lips to wander around in the warmth of her mouth. Their tongues touched and the explosive shockwave of feelings that spread through them ripped both sets of eyes wide open.

  Determination flared in Colt’s metallic gaze as he pressed closer to her and swept through all recesses of her mouth. He pulled back and traced her kiss-swollen lips with the pad on one thumb. “Merry Christmas, Aspen,” he murmured in a voice deeper than she could ever recall him having.

  Aspen blinked slowly and when her eyes opened again, it was just her, the mistletoe, and the lingering scent of Colt.

  She spent the next few hours in a daze. Her imaginative mind had concocted a great story, starring her and Colt. Her euphoria lasted until she overheard a few boys talking about the money they owed Colt since he won the bet. The bet of whether or not he would kiss a black girl.

  Aspen’s heart shattered as she recognized harsh reality. From that moment on, she avoided all contact with Colt. Her nose became even more buried in books. Aspen was more determined than ever to make it out of the small town.

  And she had. Aspen had gotten a full scholarship to the University of Southern California. The last time she had been back to her hometown was for her brother’s funeral, ten years ago. Now she was back, living here, for better or worse. And her past had come back.

  * * * *

  Aspen sat up at the table. “I thought I had moved past this,” she mumbled as her stomach echoed her low words.

  Shoving the memory of Colt Larkin into the furthest part of her mind, where he belonged, Aspen stood up and took out a frozen casserole for dinner. Preheating the oven, she jumped at the shrill ring of her phone.

  “Hello?” she answered.

  “Hey, girl. What’s wrong? You sound worried.” Kelly’s voice rang clear.

  “Just hungry. I got home a bit ago.” Her steps took her through the house and up the stairs to the master bedroom, where she peeled off her ruined slacks.

  “What’d you do, buy out the mall?”

  Aspen laughed. “Felt like it, but no. You make it home okay?”

  “Yes. They were asleep before I made it out of the parking garage.” Kelly paused and then said, “Hey, you know what I said earlier about someone being back? I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds.”

  Closing her eyes, Aspen smiled. “Don’t worry about it. What passed between us twenty years ago isn’t enough to warrant my attention.” Way to go, Aspen. Lie to yourself and your friend.

  “I just didn’t want you to be upset with me.”

  “Never.”

  “Good. Now, we are going tonight to get our tree. Steven says we’re going to swing by and pick you up. So we’ll be there around eight. Gotta go, see ya.” Click. She was gone.

  Setting down the cordless phone, Aspen shrugged out of her shirt, slipped on her robe, and took her clothes and the phone back downstairs. The phone went back in its charger and the clothes into the laundry room, where she put some stain remover on them.

  Entering the kitchen, she slid the casserole into the oven, set the timer, and headed back upstairs to shower and change into something for the evening.

  Aspen was straightening up her kitchen when the doorbell rang. “Come on in, it’s open,” she hollered.

  “Auntie Aspen!” The yell was crystal clear as booted feet thundered across her wooden floor and headed into the kitchen.

  “Hey, guys,” she said with a smile for the twins, who stood with arms outstretched for a hug. They had big snowsuits on and looked adorable. Aspen went down on a knee and hugged them both. She glanced up to see Kelly and her husband Steven standing there. “Hey to you, too.”

  “Evening, Aspen.” Steven’s deep voice reached her easily. He was a bear of a man. And perfect for Kelly.

  “Hey, Aspen.” Kelly smiled at her. “Okay, guys. Give her some breathing room here.” The kids backed off and glanced between the adults. “Ready to go?” Kelly asked.

  Draping the dishrag over the divider of the sink, Aspen nodded. “Just gotta grab my coat.” She had changed into a pair of blue jeans, hiking boots, and a dark green long-sleeve shirt.

  Grabbing her coat, keys, and purse, Aspen locked the door behind her as they left. Her outside porch light was on and the group made its way to the Pratts’ SUV. “You ride up with Steven, Aspen. I’ll sit in the back with the kids,” Kelly ordered.

  At the lot, they grabbed some hot cider and strolled among the pre-cut trees. They had gone a bit out of town to the place the whole county seemed to come to
if they were not chopping down their own tree.

  Standing beside a potential winner, Aspen just about choked on her cider when she heard, “Hello, Aspen,” whispered behind her.

  * * * *

  The rest of the evening, Colt couldn’t get her out of his mind. If he had known what was said he would have squelched the rumor. It did explain why Ashton cold-cocked him the next day. He knew Ashton would be upset, but he didn’t think the man would be that pissed. He was.

  After dropping off his sister and nephew at their home, he headed out to his place. He had a typical stick-style home. Two stories, and for him it worked. Here in Tuttle, he was a celebrity, but he was also one of them and so they gave him his privacy. He liked that.

  Parking his old Jeep Wagoneer in the garage, Colt entered his home. He was greeted by his hunting dogs. A large black lab named Valor and an orange-and-white female Brittany named Duchess. “Hey, guys. I’ll feed you, just give me a second.”

  Soon they were eating happily while he sat alone at his table, eating a bowl of soup. “Jesus, this is pathetic,” he grumbled as he dropped his spoon. “I can’t get her out of my head.”

  Setting his dirty dishes in the sink, Colt went to his office and sat down to look over some proposals. He stayed there until his dogs demanded his attention. Then, as he stood against the bar in his kitchen, the phone rang.

  Lizzy. She told him they were going to get a tree. He should come along and meet them there. They would be there around eight-thirty.

  Letting his dogs back in the house, Colt swore under his breath. He didn’t want to get a tree. He wasn’t in the Christmas mood this year. This was his first year not competing in the bull-riding championship and he was having mixed feelings about it. But the whole trimming-a-tree thing wasn’t top priority either.

  Then it hit him—most of Tuttle went to get their tree this day. Aspen could be there. Her image planted in his mind, he shoved his arms into his jacket and grabbed his keys before heading out into the cold night.

  Meeting up with his sister, her useless excuse of a husband, and his nephew, Colt looked around, searching for the dark beauty who had been with him for twenty years, doggedly occupying his mind. Colt rounded a row and stopped. Aspen stood there, alone, staring at a tree. Her head tilted from side to side as she tried to come to a decision on it.

  Colt could see the way the denim jeans molded to her lower body. He groaned deep in his throat as his body reacted. Adjusting his jeans so they weren’t as uncomfortable, he moved up behind her and spoke softly, “Hello, Aspen.”

  * * * *

  Turning her head so their eyes could meet, Aspen hardened her heart against the childish feelings that came swarming back. “Hello.” Her response was as warm as the evening.

  “I think we need to talk,” he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.

  “We have nothing to talk about.” Aspen narrowed her eyes.

  “Look, my sister told me why you are angry with me and—”

  “Aspen,” Kelly’s voice interrupted. “Oh, there you are! Did you find one? I…oh, hello.” She appeared with her family in tow beside Aspen. Steven looked like he would have no problem beating Colt into the frozen ground. The twins were sound asleep in the stroller.

  “Kelly, good to see you again. You as well, Steven,” Colt said.

  “Colt,” Kelly responded with less emotion than Aspen had. “What are you doing here?”

  Colt bristled. “I was just seeing if I could pay for her suit that Dale ruined today,” he said. Those eyes returned to Aspen’s face.

  Aspen’s gaze flew up to meet his while Kelly asked, “What suit?”

  “Don’t worry about it, Kelly. Or you either, Colt. I meant what I said.” Aspen tried to control the beating of her heart.

  “My nephew ran into her at the mall and got chocolate all over the pants of her suit,” Colt explained. “My sister and I feel horrible. So I insist on paying for the cleaning or getting you a new suit.” His gaze flowed over the adults before settling back on Aspen. “I will stop by tomorrow and make arrangements. Goodnight, Aspen,” he added, before melting away into the rows of trees.

  Aspen could feel Kelly’s eyes on her. Ignoring her, Aspen drained the rest of her cider. “I like this one.”

  Steven picked it up and carried it up to the front, leaving the women to follow with the sleeping boys.

  “What the hell was he talking about?” Kelly pressed as they made their way to the cashier.

  “Just what he said. Dale got away from Lizzy and ran up to me, covered in chocolate. He kind of wiped it off on my pants,” Aspen told her.

  “Didn’t you think that I would want to know about this?” Kelly growled to her.

  “About what?” Aspen couldn’t get past the fact he said he would be by tomorrow.

  “The fact that Colt is interested in you.” Kelly stopped and faced her friend. “Don’t deny it. That man never looked away from your face once the whole time we were there.”

  “You are reading way too much into this, Kelly,” Aspen insisted. Why did that suggestion make her heart beat all fast and out of control?

  “I know a man ‘in like’. And that man is ‘in like’ with you. Serious, like.” Kelly began pushing the stroller again.

  Shaking her head, Aspen decided not to dignify that with an answer. As Steven and one of the helpers tied the trees to the roof of the vehicle, Kelly kept looking at her and winking, the whole way back to Aspen’s home.

  “What happened to the girl who used to have such a vivid imagination?” she asked as Aspen was climbing out of the SUV.

  Aspen stopped and looked her friend in the eye. Steven had gone inside with the tree, leaving the women alone. “She grew up, Kelly. I don’t have time to waste on fanciful dreams.” Leaning in to kiss her cheek, she said in a softer voice, “Thanks for the invite. See you later.” As she went up the steps, Steven was coming down. “Thanks, Steven.”

  “‘Night, Aspen.” He hugged her and went down to his vehicle to take his family home.

  Alone, Aspen went inside her house and closed the door behind her. She made sure the tree would be okay where it was for the night and headed up for bed.

  Even as sleep claimed her weary body, Aspen could feel the presence of Colton Mercer Larkin surrounding her.

  Chapter Three

  Six o’ clock found Aspen in her kitchen, whipping up a big breakfast. She never got into that whole sleeping-in thing. She was pouring herself a cup of coffee when the doorbell rang, and surprised her into spilling her coffee. Mumbling a curse, Aspen wiped up the mess and padded in her thick wool socks to the front door.

  Swinging the door wide open, her greeting froze on her tongue. In front of her stood Colt Larkin. His hair was windblown and she could see he was trying not to shiver.

  “What are you doing here? And at this hour!” she demanded.

  “I told you I’d be by to talk to you today. I figured if I waited until later on you would be gone, or have an excuse to be on your way out. So I have been waiting for the lights to come on,” he replied with an easy shrug.

  The wind picked up, sending the snow flying around them both. Aspen shivered. “So, you were stalking me?”

  His eyes heated up at her teasing remark. “Possibly. Can I come in, or were you planning on letting me freeze out here?”

  Stepping back to allow him in, she let her gaze roam over his body as he moved past her. Another pair of jeans, cowboy boots on his feet, and the leather jacket he had worn last night.

  Closing the door behind him, he took off his jacket. He wore a long-sleeved white crewneck shirt. “Thank you, it was getting cold out there.”

  Walking to the kitchen, Aspen asked over her shoulder, “What if I hadn’t come downstairs and turned on the lights?”

  “As cold as it’s getting, I probably would have come knocking on your door.” Reaching for another mug, she poured him a cup of coffee and set it in front of him after he sat down at her s
mall table. “Sugar? Cream?” Aspen asked.

  “Both, please.” He smiled as another shiver overtook him.

  Silent, Aspen placed them in front of him and turned her attention back to the stove where she was cooking pancakes. She didn’t say a word until after she had made breakfast.

  After the pancakes, bacon, fruit, grits, hash browns, and eggs were on the table, Aspen set a plate and utensils down in front on him. “Dig in,” she said by way of invitation.

  “Thank you,” he said. His deep voice caressed her.

  The feeling in the room eased a bit as they ate as a momentary truce was called over the meal. After she was full, Aspen topped off both their coffees and sat back down across from him.

  Colt took the mug and sipped the brew. His eyes moved familiarly over her face, as if he had been doing it forever. “That was wonderful, thank you.”

  Nervous again, she stood and began to clean up. Aspen felt his presence, but did her best to ignore it. Soon her kitchen was cleaned up, aside from their mugs of coffee.

  “We need to talk,” Colt said.

  “I already told you, I don’t want or need anything for the suit.” Aspen stirred her coffee, keeping her gaze occupied anywhere but the man in her kitchen.

  “You know I don’t mean about that.” His tone was just how she remembered. Smooth. Dangerous.

  “Then we have nothing to discuss.” Her eyes met his, anger in hers. “I have no desire to relive that day. None!”

  “It wasn’t like that,” he pushed the issue.

  “I don’t give a damn!” Aspen heard the catch in her voice and shoved back from the table before bolting from the room.

  * * * *

  Colt ran a hand over his face before getting up and following her out of the room. He found her in the living room, sitting on an ottoman, looking at the pine tree and holding the tree stand in one hand. “Want some help setting it up?” he offered as he walked into the room with both coffees in hand.

  “I can get it,” Aspen said softly.

  “Nonsense. Let me help.” Colt set down the drinks and crouched beside her. “Do you know where you want to set it up?”