“That’s fine,” Aspen chuckled. “I’ve got a good imagination. I guess my only follow-up question is, how epic was the hangover?”
“God, so bad,” Eve groaned.
Aspen smiled. “Yeah, I’ve had a few of those, myself.”
“It was seriously the worst,” Eve whined.
“Yeah, but the stories that go with them are usually pretty good,” Aspen countered with a little laugh. She sighed as her gaze drifted toward the windows opposite the bed. The sun was now well above the ridgeline, and depending on what Eve had planned, they might need to head out soon. Winter in Aspen was always a little chaotic, but the week before Christmas was evenworse than usual as the town was overrun with holiday travelers. “So, any idea what you want to do today?”
Eve shrugged and glanced out the window at the mountains beyond. “You seemed pretty keen on the idea of snowboarding when you were packing yesterday. We can maybe get breakfast somewhere and then hit the slopes?”
That sounded great to Aspen, but she could snowboard any time. She wanted to do something that Eve wanted. She tapped Eve’s hand to get her attention, and arched a brow when clear blue eyes flashed back to hers. “Is that what you want?”
“I want you to do something you like.”
“And I like to make you happy,” Aspen said. It was a playful quip, but she meant it. She’d wrestle the keys to her helicopter from Kyle, tell the clients who’d booked today’s trip months ago to fuck off, and fly Eve anywhere she asked if it meant Eve would keep smiling at her likethat. “I am totally down for hitting the slopes if that’s what you want, but I’m fine with just staying here all day, too, if that’s what you’d prefer.”
Eve blushed prettily. “I’d like to go skiing.”
Aspen nodded. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”
“So, last run of the day.” Aspen hiked a thumb toward the trail sign behind her. “Which one will it be?”
Eve was glad for her polarized lenses that hid her eyes as, not for the first time that day, she found herself hypnotized by the shape of Aspen’s lips instead of focusing on what she was saying. It wasn’t her fault, really. Not when she could still recall, in perfect clarity, how thoroughly wrecked their kiss had left her the day before.
And the way she’d woken up in Aspen’s arms certainly didn’t help matters.
Not just because Aspen had been irresistibly charming and sweet about the whole thing, but also because she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so carefree and safe waking up in her parents’ house. Which was probably pathetic given that barely twenty-four hours had passed since they’d met, but to claim otherwise would be a bald-faced lie. She didn’t know what it was, but there was something about Aspen that just called to her. And trying to resist that pull was turning out to be as futile as trying to fight gravity.
Eve’s stomach clenched as those perfect, kissable lips quirked with amusement.
As if sensing the effect she was having on her, Aspen leaned in close to tease in an unfairly sexy murmur, “Earth to Eeeeeve.”
How Eve found the strength to not just lean in and kiss her was a miracle she’d probably regret later, but for now she aimed a light jab at Aspen’s shoulder and muttered, “Oh, shut up.”
Aspen gasped dramatically and grabbed her shoulder. “Ow!”
Eve laughed. “Please. I didn’t hit you that hard.”
“Says you.” Aspen jutted her lip out in a little pout, making her look even more kissable than before. And that was saying something, because Aspen looked so very kissable pretty much all the time. “I’m gonna be bruised and wounded and injured for like the rest of the weekend.”
Eve rolled her eyes. “Oh boo-hoo.”
“You’re really boo-hoo-ing me after you beat me up?” Aspen shoved her goggles up onto the top of her helmet. The golden flecks in her eyes glinted with the bright, late-afternoon sunshine that reflected off the snow and more than a little mischief. It was a damning combination for Eve, who was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
“I didn’t beat you up,” Eve scoffed.
“You punched me!”
“Lightly!” Eve defended. “And only because you were being so, so—”
“What?” Aspen interrupted, her feigned distress forgotten as she grinned beautifully and brilliantly at Eve.
The strength Eve had a moment ago was nowhere to be found as she grabbed the front of Aspen’s snowboard jacket and tugged her close. She stared, spellbound by the way Aspen’s eyes darkened as their breaths mingled in the space between their lips. Seeing the effect she had on Aspen was a rush like nothing she’d ever experienced, and her grip on Aspen’s tightened as the world swam around her.
“So, what, Eve?” Aspen prompted softly.
Eve’s pulse stuttered in anticipation as she looked down at Aspen’s lips. “So fucking kissable,” she whispered
