Timberline

by Skye McNeil

  “Asher, Jess, and Bobbs, get in here. The food is getting cold,” Grandma Jane yelled out the screened door.

  Reaching the top of the stairs, Asher exchanged a smile with Jessie. She looked wondrous today with her hair in a curly mess, jean shorts and long sleeve white shirt. His red flannel shirt was wrapped around her waist like a 90s afternoon fashion statement. It warmed his heart to see his shirt was stolen for her spontaneous jaunt through the woods. Though he was worried for her safety with Tommy on the loose, Asher resolved she could handle her own. She was a New Yorker with a Colorado twist. She wouldn’t flinch before punching her douchey ex once more.

  As Jessie needed space, he needed to catch another trout on his line. Luck was on his side when he found a lake ten minutes down the road. Being a lone fisherman soothed him in more ways than one.

  “Well, it looks like you were successful,” Jessie presumed, linking her arm in his.

  “It was refreshing to get a few lines in without a pretty distraction,” he thought aloud as he strung up his line of fish on the table. “It seems you’ve had a productive morning as well.”

  Jessie’s eyes followed her sister inside then swung back to him. “Yeah, I accept her. Not him, though. Never him.”

  Recalling his scuffle with Tommy then the unexpected scene on the deck, Asher couldn’t agree more. The man was a snake. “A compromise is always good.”

  A black sedan pulled into the long driveway and unfamiliar smiling faces popped into view. “I take it the wedding guests are arriving today.”

  The more strangers arriving at the wedding made him antsy. Any one of them could follow him on Instagram or Twitter. Well, he should say, they followed Mike pretending to be him. There was many a selfie he didn’t pose for on both websites.

  “Yep. Some came in last night, but most of them will be here today. I’m glad they’re not staying in our cabin. That would suck.” Jessie snickered. “You think Tommy is bad, wait until you meet his stuck-up parents,” she alerted, attempting to fix her hair. It was no use. The curls were in too much disarray to be cured.

  Asher found he liked it better this way. Not having to worry about messing up a girl’s hair made her much more attractive. “Hey, so I was thinking we could sneak off sometime today, just us,” he proposed with hope. The time they spent alone together was far and between for his liking. Since she was now his girlfriend, he wanted to know her without the hazard of nosy wedding guests.

  Jessie led him to the sliding door and paused before entering. “I would like that,” she replied before they stepped into the familiar ruckus.

  Squeezing her hand, Asher planned to make their great getaway as soon as eyes left them. After eating a lunch of homemade lasagna, Jessie whisked him through the crowd before they overwhelmed him. Thankful for the distraction, he smirked when she led him to the four-wheelers waiting outside. “Are we going somewhere?”

  Nodding, Jessie clipped on a helmet and tossed him one. “Yep. We’re going up to Hancock.”

  Stifling a smile, Asher slipped on the helmet. “Wait, Hancock? Where do I start with the jokes on this one?”

  Jessie rolled her beautiful blue eyes. “Hancock is a ghost town, you perv.”

  “Oh, right, I knew that.” He climbed on the black four-wheeler and turned the key. “Lead the way, gorgeous.”

  “Keep up if you can.” Revving her engine, Jessie peeled out of the driveway, leaving a puff of dust and needles in her wake.

  Taking a moment to admire the way Jessie’s dark hair fluttered behind her, Asher sighed in contentment. An adventurous woman who also kicked ass. Yeah, he could get used to someone like her. Cranking the gas, he accelerated, not wanting to lose her on the mountain paths.

  Trees flew by him once he caught up to her. They passed through the Timberline community at whizzing speed, waving at the tenants as they went along. Crossing the bridge, Jessie pointed to the creek below. Asher slowed down just enough to see a doe and her two fawns drinking from the rushing water. Grinning at her, he nodded and picked up his speed, leaving her in the dust for once. His victory was short-lived when he came to a stop sign and didn’t know which way to go.

  “Let’s go slow poke,” Jessie teased, turning to the right.

  If he was honest, Asher didn’t mind riding behind her, though he didn’t like it either so he pulled up beside her as they blazed up the dirt road. Every once and a while, Jessie would slow down to point out scenic views or wildlife, but Asher was much more impressed with his view whenever she glanced his way.

  After fifteen minutes, they veered off the road and to the left when the trail marked Hancock - Five Miles and an arrow pointing up.

  Jessie shot him a grin. “If we keep going straight, we’ll get to St. Elmo. The rehearsal dinner is up there tonight.”

  Asher watched a truck zoom in the direction she pointed. “Cool. Where to next, tour guide?”

  Her answer was to hit the throttle and disappear from his view. Zipping through the dense wooded area, Asher marveled at the sights. He could fill a book series from the mere idea of pioneers living up there back in the day. Staying up in the mountains would be monumental for his writing career. Why, Mike would buy a cabin right next door to his just so he could pick up the finished manuscripts as they flew through Asher’s hands like hot cakes.

  When they came across an abandoned mine straddling the mountainside, Asher skidded the four-wheeler to a stop. It was magnificent, even more so than the log cabin they saw. The boards of the mine were chipped away from years of snowfall and decay, but it still demanded awe. With Mount Antero in the background, Asher knew a photo of this would win awards. Cursing at himself for not remembering to bring his DSLR camera, he snapped a picture on his phone before catching up with Jessie.

  “Just a little farther,” she assured as they rode side by side.

  The temperature dipped the farther they climbed the mountain trail, and he was glad Jessie still sported his shirt around her waist. He might be cold, but at least she would stay warm.

  At long last, the trees broke free to an expansive meadow. Asher’s eyes swallowed the majesty of the lush greens and vibrant wildflowers as they peppered the mountainside. From their spot, it wouldn’t take long to walk to the crest of the mountain. “Damn,” he muttered, slowing the four-wheeler.

  “It’s pretty magnificent, isn’t it?” Jessie added, pulling up next to him.

  Asher scanned the meadow. It looked like it was ripped from another realm. Fluffy white clouds lingered overhead but threatened rain nonetheless. Swiveling his gaze back to her, he nodded. “You have no idea.”

  “My family used to come up here with a picnic lunch and throw Frisbees around.” She smiled at the memory. “Those were good times.” Jessie tore off her helmet and set it on the ATV. Even helmet head made her look delectable.

  Prying off the helmet a tad too small for him, he reviewed the expanse which once held a thriving mining town. One building stood in the distance, beckoning all tourists.

  “There’s the saloon.” Jessie pointed to it with a grin. “It’s the last thing left of Hancock.” Her eyes graced the leaning timbers. “It’s fitting the one place still standing used to be the whorehouse.”

  Asher chuckled, but it was ironic the mountain preserved a certain building instead of any other one. Looking around the bend, one other vehicle rested farther up the trail. From Asher’s view, it looked like the passengers took one of the hiking trails up to the pass.

  Hopping off the four-wheeler, he surveyed a small inlet, leading to the sloping forest. Tall grasses and a fallen log settled on the moss. Tucking Jessie beneath his shoulder, they stood in revered silence as they watched birds swoop in for prey and butterflies flitter to wild roses.

  “There are so many stories here waiting to be told,” he guessed, his mind spinning with ideas. “I wish I could’ve seen it back in its prime.” Excitement flooded through him as the town rebuilt before his eyes. He could fill a notebook with story plots had he br
ought one along.

  “Me too,” Jessie agreed, resting her head on his chest.

  Inhaling the high mountain air, Asher’s heart swelled at their scene. Two people gazing out onto the untamed beauty of Colorado while woodpeckers nodded in the distance was what perfection looked like to him. Jessie opened up a side of him he long forgot. He wasn’t worried about paparazzi at twelve thousand feet. The solitary thing humming his mind involved the woman cradled in his embrace and the hundreds of stories waiting to be told.

  “Asher, look,” Jessie’s quiet voice interrupted his daydream.

  Following her finger, Asher spotted a large moose sneaking into the meadow. “Wow, it’s amazing,” he whispered back at her, mentally chastising himself for not bringing a decent camera with him. “I’ve never seen one up close,” he proclaimed as they watched the moose graze with caution a mere twenty feet away.

  Jessie squeezed his hand. “Neither have I. My parents said they’ve seen them up here, but I figured they were trying to make coming up here more exciting.”

  As if hearing their gleeful words, the moose lifted his head and stared at them. Neither Jessie nor Asher moved for fear of breaking the tantalizing spell. After a moment, the moose lost interest in the human spectacle and wandered back into the forest.

  Asher couldn’t believe his good fortune. Spotting a moose in Colorado wasn’t something he thought he would be privy to, now or ever. “I’m glad we came up here,” he said decidedly, kissing the top of Jessie’s rebellious hair.

  Craning her neck to him, Jessie’s sparkling eyes met his gaze. “Me too.”

  Not able to help himself, Asher leaned down and captured her lips with his own. There was something magical about this place that demanded a kiss as payment to its beauty. Jessie matched his zeal as her hands traced over his chest. If he had his way, he would lay her down right then and there and make love to her. Nothing would make him happier, but he would settle for a little over-the-sweater boob action.

  When Jessie’s hands snuck under his shirt and traced his stomach, Asher’s once stern commitment to keeping their romantics at a minimum flew out the window. Hoisting her off the gravel, he smirked when he heard Jessie’s giddy gasp. Trampling over vibrant wildflowers, Asher didn’t stop until they reached a grove of evergreen trees.

  Settling her against the thick trunk, he met her lips with thirsty resolve. The mountain air urged him forward almost as much as the groan that escaped Jessie’s mouth. Dropping his lips to her neck, Asher lingered over the alabaster skin as she arched her back against the tree. He couldn’t contain the overwhelming passion flooding through his veins when he looked up to see her blue eyes ablaze with desire.

  “God, you’re beautiful,” he managed, pulling up her shirt. A light drizzle showered down over the trees and peppered Jessie’s halfway bare chest. The dropping temperature sent goose bumps over her skin but also made feasting on her so much more enjoyable. Lowering his head, Asher enclosed a pebbled nipple in his mouth. Jessie’s hands captured his short hair, pulling him closer. His body reacted in turn at her display, urging him onward.

  Clasping his hands beneath her toned ass, he leaned farther into her, ravaging her mouth. When Jessie wrapped her legs around his waist, Asher couldn’t help but show her how she affected him. Her tongue dallied with his, deepening with each gentle thrust of his hips.

  To his defense, he wasn’t usually this forward with women he’d known for less than a week, but Jessie was unique in every facet. Leaving her wanting wasn’t on his agenda for today or any other day. Unhurried, Asher moved back to her nipple and held it between his teeth, tempting her as he pulled it close then withdrew. Her breathing hitched at his every movement.

  Meeting her eyes, Asher all but lost control at the sheer magnitude of her. Lust wasn’t close to the word to describe her now. Beyond a doubt, she was lost to him. This was the first of its kind for him.

  “You need to stop being so perfect,” she asserted, her hands on his belt. “Because a girl could get used to it.” Jessie’s fingers slipped between his jeans and boxers, sending his blood racing.

  Asher offered her a lopsided grin and leaned close. “Good, that’s what I was hoping for.” He rested an arm above her head on the tree and kissed her delicate lips. Rain continued to drip off the branches, sheltering their embrace.

  “Jessie? Asher? Are you up here?” a ladylike voice yelled among the raindrops.

  Letting out a guttural growl, Asher detached his lips from Jessie’s. Without a doubt, it was Bobbi and along with her came her annoying fiancé.

  “What the hell?” Jessie mumbled, maintaining her grip on his hips. “My family sucks.” Asher moved a meager distance away, but she wouldn’t release her legs from his waist. “I’m sorry,” she apologized, her face wrinkled in frustration.

  “It’s okay,” Asher confided, though his body rebelled at the idea of walking away from her even for a moment. Not once had they been given an ounce of privacy to complete light petting. Though frustrated at the constant interruptions, he couldn’t blame her. She was worth the wait; it had never been more clear.

  With unstable hands, he settled her shirt back into place, mourning the loss of her skin to his vision. “I was getting cold anyhow.”

  Jessie rolled her eyes and set her feet on the ground. “Uh, huh, sure you were.” She ran her hand across the front of his jeans, smirking at the obvious bulge. “I can tell you’re super cold.”

  “Maybe I’m like this when it’s cold,” he shot back with a gleam in his eyes.

  “Oh, well, in that case, I can’t wait to see what you’re like hot,” echoed her sultry comeback, as she swatted his ass in jest.

  “Keep it up and you will,” he warned, remaining in the shadow of the tree for adjustment purposes. He watched Jessie high step out of the grass and place her hands on her hips when she saw her sister on a dirt bike. From his spot, he couldn’t hear the exchange, but he was certain it wasn’t a cordial one.

  Appropriate at last, Asher caught up to the mini reunion. Bobbi’s irritated voice met his ears.

  “Jess, were you planning on staying up here all day? The family is waiting for us at the cabin for our wedding gift opening,” the bride told her with a scowl.

  “Sorry, Bobbs. I guess we lost track of time. It’s easy to do up here,” Jessie explained, grabbing her helmet. “We’ll make it in time.”

  Asher reached his four-wheeler and pulled on his helmet, not wanting to get roped into the conversation. He hadn’t realized how late it was until Bobbi interrupted them. Time was a foreign concept when Jessie was around. He rather liked it.

  “I think you lost more than time,” muttered Tommy behind Bobbi on the dirt bike.

  “Sorry, want to mumble that again?” Asher called out, his eyes glued to the man.

  Tommy fumbled with the key to the dirt bike before turning the machine back on. If Asher had any sense, he would pull Bobbi aside and tell her what kind of man her fiancé was when it came down to it. Even without knowing her, Bobbi deserved someone better. He tossed a glance to Jessie, but she was already astride her four-wheeler and turning the machine back down the trail. Turning the engine over, Asher wished any other couple had found them in the meadow. Even her grandma would’ve been better.

  Chapter Eleven

  Other than the occasion glance from Grandma Jane, Asher and Jessie remained out of the horde of attention her cousins created. Jessie was more than grateful for the transferal to Bobbi and Tommy. With both Tommy’s family and her own crammed in the cabin, her nerves were bouncing.

  “It’s too bad you and Tommy didn’t work out,” Tommy’s mother commented when she first saw Jessie.

  “Yeah, we miss you,” Tommy’s dad said with equal sincerity.

  The words Jessie wanted to murmur caught in her throat when Asher appeared by her side in the nick of time. “Hey, babe, there you are. I got you a drink.” He handed her a full glass of red wine and then lingered when he kissed her.

 
“Thanks, hon,” she replied, her face bright red.

  “Anything for you, Mina,” Asher retorted with a charming grin.

  After their exchange, Tommy’s parents steered clear of them both.

  “You didn’t have to make a scene,” Jessie commented as she and Asher claimed the loveseat as their own.

  “Yes, I did,” Asher explained. “They don’t know the truth about what happened otherwise they wouldn’t try to be all chummy with you.” He took a sip of his beer and winked at her. “Besides, you look much better with me than with him.”

  Jessie couldn’t disagree with the admission. She and Asher were a striking couple. Much better than her union with Tommy. Of course, it could have to do with the fact that Asher towered over her, a trait Tommy never could master with stilts.

  Bobbi’s voice caught her attention and Asher squeezed her thigh in support when her sister began unwrapping presents. Any other happy couple ripped open the wedding gifts after the wedding, but Bobbi and Tommy weren’t regular.

  Jessie braced herself for the coos and sighs of brevity as wrapping paper drifted to the floor. For the time, wine was her best friend. Well, and the stunning man beside her.

  “Do you think I can toss this chip in your cousin’s mouth?” Asher asked half an hour later.

  Turning her eyes to see her cousin, Tim, slouched in his chair with his mouth open while he snoozed made Jessie stifle a giggle. “Nope. I think you’ll miss.”

  “Ouch! I find your lack of confidence in me disturbing,” jested Asher in his best Darth Vader voice.

  Sliding to the edge of his seat, he let the corn chip soar. As expected, Asher missed his mark, but the chip landed on Tim’s cheek instead. Tim woke with a start and glanced around the room with foggy eyes before closing them once more.

  Jessie jabbed Asher in the gut when her sister looked their way with a scowl. “Don’t let her sense your fear. She’ll devour you,” she recommended with a chuckle.

  Glancing to her glass, she frowned when she saw it was empty. “How long has this been going on? I feel like I’ve aged five years.”