Page 45 of Liberated By the Logger

“No, I wasn’t cool with anything,” Aspen says, rolling her eyes. “I was checking out. I should have ended things months ago when I stopped asking for more from you. Sadly, a part of me seemed to think I didn’t deserve better treatment, until I found someone who puts me and my needs first.”

Aspen looks at me, her lips lifting into a beautiful smile. My chest puffs out as my ego inflates, learning I give her what she needs.

Me, the luckiest a-hole on the mountain, satisfies this feisty woman like no one can.

“And this,” Gary says with a huff, waving a hand at me with disdain, “old dude⁠—”

“Hey!” I bark, interrupting him. “I’m not old. I’m not even a decade older than Aspen.”

Gary continues, uninterested in what I have to say. “He gives you what you want?”

Aspen wraps her arm around my waist, leaning into me. “He does.”

Bragging seems wrong in the moment, given Gary is getting his ass handed to him by my woman. However, inside, I’m whooping with pride.

Her ex rubs his neck, looking put out. “Wow. This is not what I expected—losing my girlfriend to a logger.”

“You didn’t lose me to a logger, Gary. You lost me because you’re an asshat.”

He shrugs, finally accepting defeat. “Whatever. Can I still use your shower when I need it?”

The nerve of this loser.

“Are you for fucking real, dude?” I want to say more, but Aspen beats me to it.

“Read the room, Gary. You’re no longer welcome. You’ll need to find other accommodations for bathing.”

With the biggest exaggerated sigh, Gary returns to the corner of the building where his pack leans against the brick veneer. He slides it on to his shoulders before giving us a two-finger salute.

“See you around, Aspen,” he hollers over his shoulder. “When you come to your senses, you can find me in the park.”

“Not a chance in hell,” I grumble, tightening my arm around my woman as I lead her to the entrance of her apartment complex.

When Aspen walks past the entrance, I raise an eyebrow. “Where are we heading? Is there another way in the building?”

“We have to make a stop at the U-Haul store before heading into my apartment.”

“O-kay?” Confused, I open the door to the U-Haul store next to her complex. “And why are we stopping here?”

“To buy boxes for the move, of course.”

My heart stutters in my chest, halting me in place and Aspen with me. I look down at my woman, hope surging through my veins. “You saying what I think you’re saying?”

Aspen gives me a flirty wink. “If you’re thinking I’m agreeing to move in with you, the answer is yes.”

Hollering like I won the lottery—because I did with her—I hoist her into my arms and swing her around in a circle.

“Give me your lips, woman,” I husk before attacking her with kisses.

Aspen giggles against my lips. “Put me down, big guy. We got boxes to buy.”

“Right,” I say in agreement, placing her back on her feet.

Taking her by the hand, I stride to the front counter like my shoes are on fire. The clerk behind the register’s eyes grow wide when I slam my credit card down on the counter. “Give us all the boxes.”

“Not all the boxes,” Aspen corrects, trying not to laugh. “I don’t have a lot in my studio apartment.”

“Right,” I agree with her before addressing the sales clerk again. “Give us some boxes—a variety.”