Prologue
Jasper
Three Weeks Earlier
This life I live isn’t for the faint of heart—it’s long hours, hard days, and more relationships fail than succeed.
I’m dirty. She’s pure as snow. We’re opposite in every way that matters.
It’s what’s been holding me back from going after Aspen Jennings, owner of Vintage Threads in Valentine, Texas. Woman of my every waking fantasy and walking wet dream. Long, dark wavy hair, green eyes that sparkle with warmth, and when she gives me that smile, the one that’s only for me, it fucking devastates me that I know Aspen isn’t ready for me.
Not now, at least. It’s pathetic to say, but word around town travels fast. It doesn’t help that my own mother is Aspen’s number-one fan, employee, and paying customer. When Mom mentioned Aspen was flying back and forth to Virginia because of her own mother’s health, I knew it wasn’t the time to claim her as my own.
So, for right now, I bide my time. I work my ass to the bone while I’m out on the rig, working for two weeks at a time, then come home for the next two weeks. Then doing it all over again. And if I get glimpses of Aspen or those smiles she loves to tease me with, all is well.
That doesn’t mean I’m not fisting my cock every chance I get when a fantasy of her appears in my thoughts late at night. Believe me, I do. Her body is all womanly curves, hips that are meant for me to grip while I’m taking her from behind, and those tits of hers I know bounce with every step she makes. I can imagine her riding my cock, her chest heaving with every downward thrust of her body. My hands cupping her tits, rolling my thumbs over her nipples, already imagining the color much like her lips.
“Fuck,” I grumble. I take one last sip of my beer. Tonight was my first night off, and a bunch of roughnecks and I always land here for a drink or two before we make our way home.
I thought I’d see Aspen tonight, but maybe she’s still in Virginia. My last stretch off, she was up with her family. Not that I can blame her, but it still sucks just the same.
“I’m out of here,” I tell Sloan and Nate, two of the guys that work on the oil rig with me.
“Not sticking around to see if Aspen is coming?” Sloan lifts an eyebrow already knowing why I stuck around in the first place.
“Fuck off.” I place a twenty-dollar bill on the bar and nod at the bartender, getting his attention.
“Just saying, man, not sure how long you’re gonna hold out for her. Maybe it’s time you cut your losses.” Sloan may have a point if it were anyone else besides Aspen, but it’s not. She’s my fucking forever.
I grunt, wave them off, and start making my way to the exit. If Aspen isn’t here, I may as well get home, see what else I can work on for the next two weeks, and see if my mom needs any help around her house. She raised me on her own, working two jobs to keep a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs. More times than not, she wouldn’t eat. Those were the weeks I knew it was a bill week—rent, water, power, and food. That was the week we always struggled the most. As soon as I could get a job at the age of fifteen, working at the grocery store, bagging, that’s what I did. There was no way I would let my mom starve when I could help.
When I’m off, I’ll work at her place, trying to make sure she has everything she’ll need or fix anything she needs worked on.
My thoughts are on a certain raven-haired beauty when I walk out the door, desperately wanting to see her, but luck isn’t on my side tonight.
I’m almost to my truck when I hear, “Jasper.” I’d know that voice anywhere—soft, sweet, it’s a melody to my ears.
“Aspen.” She walks right up to me, her hair blowing in the evening wind. The dress she’s wearing, fuck, it’s my damn kryptonite. Long-sleeved, flowing, the deep V that shows off her smooth skin. If I slid my hand to its side, I know my hand would feel the fullness that was made for me.
“Are you leaving?” She rocks back in her heels. Leather straps are wrapped around her ankles, making me think all kinds of indecent things.
“Yeah, you okay?” I ask.
“Not sure yet. I got the call and need to head back to Virginia. I was just stopping by to let you know in case your mom isn’t at home when you stop by.” Aspen’s hands are moving around in the air, something I know she does when she’s nervous.
“Do you need a ride to the airport?” I offer.
“Are you sure you have time for this? If not, I can leave my car at the airport or grab an Uber.” She finds a lock of her hair, twirls it around her finger. I’m unsure if she’s nervous or shy but I want that to be my hand in her hair.
“Yeah, when are you leaving?”
“My flight leaves in three hours. I just need to grab my luggage from my car. I’ll leave it at the shop in case your mom needs something.” Stubborn woman that my mom is, she’s driving a car that’s close to twenty years old. I offered for her to take my truck when I’m on the rig or to buy her one. Instead, she insists on driving her car. Which is in the shop more times than not.
“Alright, come on. We’ll drive to the shop, then I’ll take you to the airport. I’m only home for two weeks, but if you need something, you call me, okay?” I take her hand this time, bringing it up to my lips, kissing the pulse point. I’m staking my claim on Aspen. She knows it, I know it, the whole fucking town knows it by now.
“Okay.” She’s breathless. I watch as her nipples pucker under her thin dress. I give her wrist a lingering kiss, tasting her, and wishing like hell my lips were on hers right now. The timing’s not right, but I know as soon as she’s back home, Aspen will be mine, and there’s nothing that will stand in my way.
I help her into my truck, watching her ass the entire way, already hating that I don’t know when she’ll be back, and who knows if I’ll be back at work by then.
“Thank you, Jasper. I know you’re probably ready to be home and in your own bed.” She turns in her seat. Fuck, but this truck was made for her and me right now. I step between her legs, wanting my hands on her.
“Anything for you. This shit is happening when you get home. You hear me, wildflower?” I’m thinking about how I’ve already wasted damn near two months of not being around her. And it’s my own fucking fault. I put the thought in my head that she’s better than me, deserves more than this roughneck life. But I’m done with that shit. I need Aspen in my life more than anything.
“I hear you.” Her hands slide from mine that are gripping her legs, until they meet my upper arms. I love the feel of her touching me.
“Alright, I’m not starting something we can’t finish.” I squeeze her legs before taking a step back and hating it all the same. Right now, though, she has a plane to catch, and I’d never do anything that would stop her from seeing her mom.
Aspen nods, sliding her legs inside the truck. I shut her door, and we make our way to her car and then to the airport. I’m exhausted, still stained with oil from the rig. That doesn’t stop me from being there for a woman I know will one day carry my last name.
One