Page 75 of Broken Boundaries

“Aspen—”

She holds up her hand. “No. I don’t want to hear it again. I know why you won’t do anything with me. I understand it. But I cannot sit around pining over another Calloway man.”

“I know that.”

“I’m trying my best to move on. To get you out of my head. Dawson is nice. He’s responsible. He’s fun and attentive. He should be the perfect guy for me. I’m trying to focus my attention on someone besides you.”

I grit my teeth and try to remain calm. “I understand that, Aspen.”

“Really? Because it seems like you’re judging me for staying out late with a man who has been nothing but kind to me.”

“Fine, Aspen. Do whatever you want. I don’t care.” I’m not mad at her. I’m mad at myself for caring so much. I’m mad that she’s right. I am being unfair. I’ve said that nothing can happen between us, but every time we’re near each other, I want her all over again.

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

She turns on her heels and storms out of my office. Not even a second later, Harper appears in the doorway looking very confused.

“Everything ok?” she asks slowly.

Shit. I wonder how much of that she heard. “Yeah. All good.”

“You sure? Aspen looked pretty upset…” She looks from me to the hallway.

“She’s fine. Do you need something?” I snap at her.

“Whoa. Someone’s in a bad mood. Is there… something going on between you two?”

Obviously not now. “No,” I state firmly.

“Are you sure? Because if there was, you know you could tell me, right?”

Harper has always been kind to me. We’ve been through so much together over the years, and she’s my right-hand woman here at the ranch. If I ever needed to get something off my chest, she would be my go-to.

But I can’t find it in me to admit that I have feelings for Aspen. I mean, she’s over a decade younger than me, and Zach… God, Zach would never forgive me if he found out what’s happened between Aspen and me.

No, I need to keep all of this to myself.

“Yeah, I know, Harper,” I say, much calmer than before. “But nothing is going on there.”

She sighs. “Alright. I was gonna see if you wanted to grab lunch later at that new place down past Fourth Street, but I don’t really wanna go if you’re gonna be like this.”

“No, let’s plan on it. I need to go into town anyway.” I stand from my desk. “I’m gonna go ride for a bit. Text me when you’re ready to go.”

“Ok.” She looks at me strangely, but I don’t stop to try to figure out why. I need to get out of here, and I do my best thinking on the back of a horse.

I spent the rest of the day avoiding Aspen. Childish, yes, but necessary. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I’ve never been this messed up over a woman. Maybe it’s because she’s the one woman I can’t have. Maybe it’s because I actually enjoy being around her. Maybe it’s because it feels like she’s the perfect woman for me but we’ve been thrown into a shitty circumstance. I don’t know.

What I do know is that I want her to be mine. I don’t know how to stop wanting her. No matter how hard I try, she’s always on my mind.

So that evening when I see her step out of her cabin with an overnight bag on her shoulder, I freak out.

She’s trying to forget me like I’m trying to forget her, but I know deep down that I don’t want her to forget me. Which means I have to stop her.

She’s going to him.

Blood thunders in my ears. I can’t let her go.