Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
“Damn,” I said. “I guess that means I need to work a little harder.” I playfully smacked her ass as I carried her through the kitchen, down the hallway, and into my bedroom.
“Didn't you just say you didn't want me to be jealous or hurt?” she asked, laughing as I plopped her down onto the mattress, planting an array of kisses along her neck.
I grinned down at her as I worked it out in my head. “Technically speaking,” I said.
That got her laughing even harder, and I dipped my head down to kiss her some more before falling to my side next to her, so we were facing each other. I smoothed some of her colorful hair back, content to study the lines of that beautifully open smile.
“We could feed them a story, you know,” she said. Her hands slid casually over my chest, the intimate comfort we shared something I never experienced before. Normally if I dragged a woman into my bed, it was all teeth and clothes off and carnal sex. And while I'd had that with Aspen, this was different. This was more. And of course, I wanted her. I always wanted her. But just laying here, talking and teasing each other? It was the kind of joy I didn’t know I’d been missing.
“Oh yeah?” I asked. “And what story would you like to give them?”
“It could be anything we want,” she said. “You could tell them the truth, and it wouldn't change anything would it?”
That felt like a dangerous question, but I answered as honestly as I could. “It would make my integrity look questionable,” I admitted. “Not only to the public and possibly my business partners that I have ventures with, but to my friends.” I already hated lying to them enough, but the longer I’d been with Aspen the less it felt like a lie.
“Oh,” Aspen said nodding. “Of course,” she continued. “That's why you had me and Jesse sign an NDA before this all started. Because we're in a contractual agreement to be with each other and talking about it would be a bad thing.”
Something like sadness flickered over her eyes, and I had to wonder if I'd said the wrong thing? Or did the truth mean something different to her now?
Anxiety clawed up my throat with a heavy dose of anticipation as I felt the confession of my conflicting emotions dancing on the tip of my tongue. Maybe I should just tell her, maybe I should just tell her what I wanted. Which was...
What was it that I really wanted from her? Beyond her not going anywhere, I really didn't have a solid answer, and I didn't really feel like that was fair to her.
“Aspen,” I said taking a breath.
“Do you ever get tired?” she asked, the question completely throwing me off guard. “I feel like you do, Cross. I know I've only been in your life for a couple of months, but watching you constantly work on so many different facets of your life, not just business or your hockey team but with everything. I feel like you never sit still, and with the media and the press and the constant access to your life, don't you get tired?”
I nodded, my heart aching in the center of my chest. “I do,” I answered. “Remember when you asked me about what I really wanted that had nothing to do with growing the empire?”
She nodded, never taking her eyes off mine.
“I told you I'd get back to you when I figured it out. And I think I have. I'm tired of spending my time bouncing from Calgary to New York and back again and everything in between. I'm tired of paparazzi constantly waiting outside my apartment hoping for a picture of me in some precarious position or with poor company. I'm tired of being hounded by the need to continue to expand and expand until I don't even know what I have my hands in anymore.”
Aspen smoothed her hand comfortingly over my cheek before gently massaging my temple.
“Bristol is taken care of and living out her happily ever after with her husband. She doesn't need me anymore. And I can see my friends whenever I want. And lately I've been considering selling off half of my assets and moving to some small town like Cedar Rapids, Iowa, or Sedona, Arizona. Somewhere paparazzi aren’t as prevalent, and the pace of life is a little slower.”
Aspen’s grin was breathtaking. “You could wear jeans more often,” she said, then her eyes brightened. “No, sweatpants. You could wear sweatpants all the time.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you, kitten?” I asked, grinning at her. “Unrestricted access to me.”
“Won’t try to deny that,” she said, then sighed. “I've always pictured myself in a smaller place too. Somewhere with a bookshop that serves coffee and signature cocktails in a small town where everybody finds comfort in hanging out. Now that Brecken is doing so well on her own, the possibility seems closer than ever.”