Taunting Callum (Big Sky Royal 3)

“Thank you for sharing a little of her with me.”

Aspen’s green eyes fly to mine. “You’re welcome.”

“I just have one more very important question about your past, Aspen, and then we’ll leave it be for the time being.”

Her green eyes look guarded as she waits for the question to come.

“Did you ever have swimming lessons?”

She blinks rapidly. “Of course.”

“Good.”

I pick her up, sling her over my shoulder, and walk right into the cold water, making Aspen squeal and thrash.

“Callum! Holy shit!”

I squat so she’s in the water, and then laugh as she comes up sputtering.

“You’re going to pay for that, Charming.”

I cock a brow at the nickname. “Oh? And how will I do that, love?”

She launches herself at me, sending me backwards into the water. We swim and splash, laugh and play.

And when we finally trudge our way out of the water and back to the table, I pull Aspen into my arms and kiss her. I don’t care that we’re both sopping wet and getting a chill from the river.

I need my lips on hers.

And by the way she holds onto my arms as I deepen the kiss, I’d say it’s mutual.

When I pull back and smile down at her, her eyes are still closed, and she has a soft smile on her lips.

“Are you okay?” I whisper.

“Yeah,” she whispers back. “I’m just soaking it all in.”

“The sunshine?”

“The moment. I’m basking in the moment.”Chapter 7~Aspen~“Kelli called out again,” Gretchen says with a roll of her eyes as she joins me behind the counter. “Seriously, why is it so hard to find good help these days?”

“If I could clone you four times over, I would,” I reply with a sigh. “Did she claim to be sick?”

“Yeah, it’s a headache this time,” she says. “She gives me a headache. I won’t leave you alone this afternoon. I’ll cover it.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s no biggie. Just do me a solid and find someone who actually wants to work.”

“I’ll have a conversation with Kelli, but I have to be careful because there are labor laws.” I sigh and watch as a kid walks over to the coffee station where I have sweeteners and self-serve coffee set up, along with creamers and such. I watch in horror as he decides he should pour half and half all over the floor.”

“Daniel!” his mother yells, her eyes wide and cheeks pink with embarrassment. “What in the world? Ask Aspen for a rag to clean this up.”

“Sowwy,” Daniel says. He’s not sorry. But I grab a rag and walk around to where he’s standing.

“I’ve got this.”

“He should clean it up.”

“He’s three,” I remind Cindy with a shrug and a sympathetic smile. I remember what it’s like to have a toddler. “I’ve got it.”

I quickly wipe up the mess. When I turn back around, I see Gretchen looking at her phone with a corny smile on her face.

“Don’t tell me.”

“I met someone,” she says.

“I said, don’t tell me.”

Gretchen laughs as she tucks her phone back into her pocket. “His name is Miles Johnson. Do you know him?”

I frown, searching my memory. “Doesn’t ring a bell. Is he a fireman?”

“No,” she says and casually reaches for some tongs to move muffins from one plate to another, consolidating them. “He’s actually between jobs, but he says that’s because he does construction. He just finished with a house, and they’re between projects.”

“Hmm.” I brew myself a cup of lemon tea.

“He’s super hot,” Gretchen continues. “And he’s totally obsessed with me. I mean, I just met him last Saturday, but we’ve spent every night together since. He texts me all the time and gets really concerned if I don’t reply right away. Like he’s worried or something.”

Red flags are waving all over the place. “Gretchen, that isn’t normal. This is Tuesday. You met him four days ago. There is such a thing as someone being too into you.”

“I’m needy,” she admits with a sigh. I already knew that. “I want a guy who thinks about me nonstop. I want him to miss me when we aren’t together. I love that he checks in on me and wants to be with me.”

I blink at her, watching as a goofy smile spreads over her pretty face.

“He’s just so… sweet. Like he won’t let me make breakfast in the morning. He wants to take me out. Well, I pay, but still, at least he’s thinking of me and doesn’t want me to overdo it.”

“Putting a bagel in the toaster is overdoing it?”

“It’s nice not to have to make my own breakfast,” she insists and looks down, avoiding my gaze. “It’s not expensive.”

“Okay, I’m going to say this right here, right now. I don’t like this. He sounds like a mooch, and he’s glommed onto you, and tells you what you want to hear so he can take advantage of you.”