I snort. Aspen is basically Eden’s complete opposite. “Not at all.”

  Eden had trouble giving up control in most things. She had a spreadsheet for every occasion. Even letting me cook was like some big ordeal. I didn’t chop the tomatoes the way she liked, or my garlic wasn’t minced fine enough. Whereas Aspen just lets me do my thing and appreciates it.

  “Maybe that’s a good thing,” Nelle says, making a pleased sound, but I don’t respond.

  I have no idea what the hell I was thinking telling Nelle about Aspen. Aspen and I are a very temporary thing. Someone fun to distract myself with this summer. And Nelle isn’t likely to forget that I brought her up. With my luck, she’ll be asking me about bringing Aspen home for Christmas. And by Christmas, we’ll be long over. We’ll be back to hockey player and assistant.

  What was I thinking even bringing her up?

  “It’s not a big deal,” I say. “She’s just a friend.”

  Nelle’s expression softens, her smile growing. “Okay. If you say so.”

  “I’m serious, Nelle.” My tone holds a warning, but my sister just smiles. “Don’t think too much into it.”

  I don’t bother explaining that Aspen and I are both coming off breakups, and that this is a rebound. I’m pretty sure there’s a law against nature about explaining to your sibling that Aspen and I have mutually agreed to blow off steam by hooking up this summer.

  The only reason I brought it up is because I’d feel weird not telling anyone about Aspen. She’s who I’ve been spending all my time with, after all.

  “Let’s go drive some go-karts before we have dinner. You game?” I ask.

  Nelle calls out to Jaxon, and he leads the way.

  After a couple of laps around the track and a slice of pizza, Jaxon finishes his game and jogs over to where we’re standing by the windows. “I lost. Twice,” he says glumly.

  “You know how many times I’ve lost in my life?”

  He shakes his head.

  “Lots.” I hoist him up onto my shoulders. “So, don’t sweat it, kid. Losing makes you hungry.”

  “But we just ate,” he says in protest.

  I chuckle. “Not hungry for food, little man. Hungry for more, for competition. Hungry to improve. And win.”

  “Oh,” Jaxon says in a knowing tone.

  Nelle gives me a look. “We’d better get going.” She’s always been pretty strict, and I have a feeling by the time they make the drive home, it’ll be long past Jaxon’s bedtime.

  I walk them out into the parking lot and over to where Nelle’s parked. “Pick out the SUV you want, and text me,” I tell her.

  She rolls her eyes. “The van’s still got some life in it.”

  “Not for you, it doesn’t. I’m buying you the SUV.” Last Thanksgiving, she admitted to me she liked the look of the new SUV model when I pestered her about the minivan starting to show its age.

  “You want the one with the built-in screens to watch movies, right, Jax?” I say, setting him on his feet beside the minivan, and he cheers.

  “Yeah!”

  Nelle rolls her eyes. “It’s just an added expense. And believe me, he gets plenty of screen time.”

  “It’d be a good feature to have for road trips. Like when you guys drive up to Boston and see me. Right, little man?”

  “Can you get us tickets to a game, Uncle Alex?”

  “Of course I can.” I ruffle his hair. “I’ll even get you into the dressing room to meet the guys.”

  “Thanks for tonight,” Nelle says. “Stay out of trouble, okay?”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “Oh, and Alex? Say hi to Aspen for me.”

  Shit.

  • • •

  The following day flies by coaching ten-year-olds on the ice. We have a short ceremony at the end, where each kid is presented with a puck signed by me and a certificate of completion.

  Tonight, I have plans to grab an early dinner with the other coaches, but first I check my phone to see if Aspen messaged me. There’s nothing from her, but a message from Tate, the Titans rookie, pops up instead. He joined the team last year. I haven’t hung out with him much, but he seems cool.

  Where have you been hiding this summer, big guy?

  Canada.

  No shit? Me too. Come over and visit anytime.

  Canada is a big country, moron, I type back, chuckling.

  Ha. True, he texts back.

  I’m crashing at Saint’s place in Ottawa. You?

  Hiking in Vancouver. This place is sick.

  Nice. Just you?

  Yup, all by my lonesome. Just wanted to say don’t be a stranger. We’re gonna kill it this season.

  Hell yeah, we are. I grin at his enthusiasm. Oh, to be young and optimistic again.

  I’m going to make that points differential my bitch.

  I laugh. You do that, rookie.

  He texts back a thumbs-up emoji. See you at training camp.

  See you then.

  I consider texting Aspen next, maybe to ask her how she’s faring without me. Some taunt perhaps about what she’s doing for dinner without her personal chef. But when I look at the time, I realize I really do need to get going. I don’t want to be late meeting the other coaches.

  I stuff my phone in my pocket and head out to the local barbecue restaurant where we agreed to meet. While the rest of the guys order beer, I stick to water because Tate was right. Soon, I’ll be at training camp, and it will become glaringly obvious who spent the summer drinking beer and who spent the summer training.

  While I’m at dinner, my lawyer, Hugh, leaves a voice mail, but I’m in no mood to listen to it.

  After I pick up the check for dinner, there’s some bro-hugs and handshakes, and then I’m alone in my car, driving back to the hotel. I’m scheduled to stay another night and drive out in the morning, but I realize that if I leave now, I could make it back to the cabin by midnight. And I’d much rather sleep with Aspen tonight than alone in the hard hotel bed. With that decision made, I rush back to the hotel, pack my bags, and check out early.

  • • •

  When I make it back to the lake house just before midnight, I see that the porch light’s been left on.

  I considered surprising Aspen, but then I realized arriving after dark would probably scare the hell out of her. I didn’t want her to think someone was breaking in and panic. So I called her from the road and told her I was on my way. That was around nine, and she was already yawning.

  “Don’t wait up,” I told her, but I secretly hoped that she would. But the house is dark and completely quiet when I let myself inside.

  I find her in my bed, curled up onto her side. Her head lifts from the pillow as I step inside the room. We’ve been sleeping in her room, so I’m a little surprised to find her here.

  “Hey,” I whisper. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

  Wordlessly, she reaches one hand toward me. With a grin, I strip down to my boxers and climb in behind her, pulling her into my chest. Aspen makes a sleepy, satisfied sound and relaxes, her soft curves pressing against me.

  Man, it feels good to just hold her. I need to brush my teeth. And plug in my phone. But I’m way too comfortable to move.

  And knowing how few nights we have left . . . I stay put and just enjoy holding Aspen.

  19

  * * *

  ASPEN

  I wake up still wrapped in Alex’s arms, and a smile spreads across my lips before I even open my eyes. I curled up in his bed last night, even though we’ve mostly been sleeping in mine. This bed smelled like him, so I climbed in to await his return.

  While he was away, I thought of nothing but him. I thought about the first time we had sex, and how the morning after he tried to push me away. It hurt. And maybe it shouldn’t, but it actually endeared me to him even more. Alex tried to do the right thing and put the brakes on our attraction as it skidded out of control. Tried to give me an out, or at least time to think.

  But all I did with that time was think about how much I wanted him. His scorching-hot kisses and his strong arms wrapped around me. His sweet gesture with the hot tub sealed the deal. I all but pounced on him that very same night.

  To be honest, this summer has been everything I could have dreamed of and more. It feels cliché to admit, but I really did need to get lost in the Canadian wilderness in order to find myself. Leaving the cabin is going to be a lot harder than I ever could have anticipated when I took the job. Who would have known that I’d grow so attached to the place? Not to mention the man who came with it . . .

  Alex was only gone for two nights, but being alone in the middle of the wilderness seemed to make the hours tick by more slowly. I’ve missed him, and while I can’t admit that with words without inviting all kinds of intrusive questions that I’m not ready to answer, I can show him.

  Turning in his arms to face him, I’m surprised to see Alex is already awake, a sleepy smile on his full mouth. “Morning.” I press a kiss to his throat.

  “Morning.”

  “Been up long?”

  “Not long,” he says, running his fingers through my hair. “Just a few minutes.”

  I nestle into the broad expanse of his chest and let out a happy sigh. “Let’s stay in bed all day.”

  Alex chuckles. “I’m good with that plan. But . . .”

  I groan. “Why does there have to be a but?”

  He kisses my forehead. “What about coffee?”

  I concede the point, since it is a very valid one. “Okay. But can we drink it in bed?”

  “Absolutely. Give me five minutes. Six, tops.”

  He rises from the bed dressed only in his black boxer briefs and disappears into the hallway, while I lift on one elbow to watch his sexy retreat.

  Deciding a quick trip to the bathroom is in order, I climb out of bed reluctantly. After getting my hair and morning breath under control, I slip under the heavy duvet again.

  A minute later, Alex returns with two steaming mugs of coffee. “Here you go.”

  He hands one of the mugs to me, and I take a small sip. It’s delicious.

  It’s going to be hard going back to the real world. No one to make me coffee or cook for me. No muscular, hunky hockey player to share my bed.

  Don’t think about it.

  Not yet.

  Alex settles in beside me, quietly sipping his coffee. I lean back against him, happy to use his shoulder as my pillow. I ask a few questions, and he fills me in on his trip to New York and his time spent with his sister and nephew.

  I don’t want to admit it to him, but part of me has wondered if he’d just decide to stay in the States. Maybe getting back in the hockey scene would have made him homesick for hockey or his teammates. I even braced myself for a phone call saying he wasn’t coming back. Instead, we kept in touch, texting throughout the days about inconsequential things. Mostly, he teased me about my inability to feed myself. It was cute.

  “We could make a bonfire tonight,” he says. “And maybe even go fishing. Catch ourselves something for dinner.”

  I smile at the idea of that. “I’m game.”

  When I set my coffee mug on the nightstand, a bottle of lubricant catches my attention. It’s a small bottle—half-full—unscented. It isn’t something we’ve used together.

  I pick it up and lift one eyebrow in his direction. “You use this?”

  Alex chuckles. “Uh, yeah, to jerk off.” He’s certainly not shy.

  “Mmm, that’s a nice thought. Could I watch?”

  He sets his coffee down next to mine and faces me on the bed. “You want to watch me?”

  I nod, my eager gaze locked on his. “Why not?”

  He touches his lips to mine, considering this, then strokes his fingers through my hair. “Your hand would feel better than mine. But yeah. I’ll show you how I like it . . . if you want.”

  My heart rate accelerates. “Okay.” I breathe out the word as he kisses me again.

  He’s already half-hard, the front of his boxers tented in the sexiest way. As we lie side by side, I brush my palm against him.

  He deepens our kiss with a hoarse groan and tilts my face toward his. The weight of his hand rests against my throat, his thumb right beneath my chin.

  Everything about this man is so perfect, and spending time with him these last few weeks has meant everything to me. But I can’t stop these intrusive thoughts about where we stand.

  He was right—sex does complicate things. I have a sexy man, plans for a bonfire, and good food to look forward to later. Why can’t I just be happy and enjoy it? Why do I constantly have to be thinking about what’s next?

  Alex’s hand slides from my throat down to my chest. He pushes my tank top out of the way and fills his palm with my breast, teasing me.

  “This okay?” he asks, dropping his mouth to my neck where he leaves hot, sucking kisses.

  “Yeah,” I murmur.

  His hand moves between my legs, where he caresses me with soft touches. I arch against him and part my knees.

  Oh . . . wow. I thought I was going to be the one pleasuring him, but Alex’s skillful fingers are working me right toward the edge.

  “Love touching you,” he says, whispering the words against my parted lips.

  I push my hand inside his boxers while he flips open the cap to the bottle and drizzles some lube into his palm. Then he closes his fist around his swollen shaft and begins slowly stroking himself.

  It’s hot as hell watching his hand move over himself . . . his muscled forearm bunching with the effort. The halted breath that shudders in his chest. As he strokes himself with one hand and me with the other, I can do little more than writhe beneath his touch.

  I bring my hand to his groin and push his boxers out of the way, then trail my fingertips down until I can cup his balls in my palm.

  Alex groans quietly. “That’s a girl.”

  With a moan, I come apart, clutching his forearm between my legs and riding out the waves of pleasure. When I open my eyes, Alex is gazing down at me.

  I press my mouth to his. “This was supposed to be about you.”

  He kisses me quickly. “Believe me, it is. It’s hot as hell watching you get off.”

  I curl my fist around his, needing to touch him. His chest rises with a quick breath, and I can tell he’s getting close.

  “Ahh. Fuck,” he mutters, his abs tightening as my hand moves along him in a quickening pace.

  A few more strokes and Alex lets go, a deep groan rumbling in his chest. When his mouth finds mine, I feel the warmth of his release on my skin.

  “Don’t move,” he says, a little breathless.

  Then he moves through the bedroom, naked but completely comfortable. He returns with a soft expression and a box of tissues, which he uses to wipe the sticky globs from my stomach.

  I gaze up at him adoringly while he concentrates on his task of cleaning me. But I’d give anything to know what he’s thinking.

  20

  * * *

  ASPEN

  Sitting on the deck, I scroll absentmindedly through the apartment listings on my phone. Believe me, I’ve tried, but I can’t ignore this task forever. I’m going to be back in the real world soon, and it’s time I started acting like it.

  A cool breeze rustles the treetops, yet another reminder that summer is on its last legs. Which means I can only enjoy the perks of freeloading at Saint’s cabin for a few more days.

  The apartment search was something I’ve been dreading ever since I packed up my old place and moved in with Eden and Holt. But there’s no avoiding it now. With the extra cash I’ve earned from this summer gig, I might be able to afford a nice little studio after all. Or at least one that’s not in the shady part of town.

  Although, it’ll never be as nice as the cabin I’ve been calling home. The truth is, I don’t love this place for the amenities, although those are absolutely a perk. I don’t even love it for the views, which are unforgettable, of course. I love this place for the memories I’ve created here with Alex.

  But now’s not the time for fantasy. It’s time to be practical.

  You can do this.

  I sigh, making a mental note to compare the places that have utilities included in the rent. I’ve sent out a few inquiries and scheduled some tours for when I’m back in Boston. Luckily, there’s no shortage of units available this fall, and the agents seem eager to get rid of the dead weight left from the summer. Turns out, I’m not nearly as nervous about finding a place as I am about leaving this one.

  Almost as if he knows I’m thinking about him, Alex steps out onto the deck in a navy-blue hoodie, gray sweatshorts, and bare feet. His hair is still wet from his morning shower.

  God, he’s gorgeous. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how handsome he is. He takes my breath away.

  “You’re up early,” he says. He’s carrying two cups of coffee and offers me one. Black, because he knows that’s how I like it. “Thanks for getting the coffee going.”

  “No problem,” I say with a smile. I already feel a thousand times more at ease with Alex near. “I woke up before my alarm and couldn’t fall back asleep.” Truth is, I barely slept at all last night.

  “Hate when that happens.” He heaves a sigh as he sits across from me in one of the deck chairs. “I’m gonna go into town today to grab some supplies to fix the shed. Is there anything you want me to pick up for you?”

  I shrug, a proud grin spreading across my face. “Nope, because I finished the last of my to-do list yesterday.”

  “Well, lucky you . . . Little Miss Overachiever.” Alex scowls playfully, nudging my knee with the bottom of his foot. “The shed is the last job on my list. I don’t know much about replacing shingles, but I did some reading up on it last night, and it doesn’t look too complicated.”

  As he recaps his findings, I decide to memorize this moment.

  I take him in fully, from the dusting of dark hair along his muscular legs, to his flat stomach, all the way up his sculpted chest, then to his large, calloused hands casually holding his coffee mug. I commit to memory the angle of his Adam’s apple, the curve of his upper lip, his dark eyelashes surrounding his strikingly blue eyes.