Aspen Falls

BRB -- December 21st

      I looked over at Hunter hoping he would help me out.  He just stood there with Bristol not doing a damn thing.  "You knew about this?"

      He nodded while smiling.  "Yeah man.  We usually got videos while they were being done."

      "Sometimes we got pictures when Grant was doing them."  Jason added.

      "We got even more pictures when they were healed."

      "He drew some of them."  Aspen leaned in and whispered.  She could sense that my confusion was slowly turning into anger.  "All the guys have."

      "Can we go now?!  I'm ready to dance!!"  Wyatt whined.   Clearly he had pregamed before getting here.  He got a lot of groans in response.

      "I am not  dancing with you tonight.  No matter how many shots I have in me."  Baylee was shaking her head.  Apparently Wyatt's moves hadn't got any better in the last two years...he just was a shit dancer.  Hopefully his moves had got better in the relationship game.

      "I'm offended."  Wyatt was going to tickle her and she flew out the door to escape.  It was becoming more clear to me that this gang of ours had started to get to the point where settling down was becoming an option.

      Jo, Bris, Hunt, Jase, Addison--all headed to the front door.  Trenton looked at me and shrugged.  "We just didn't want to open a can..."  I saw Apspn shoot him a death defying glare and he shut up immediately.  He tugged on Kodie's hand and led her out the front to the trucks, behind everybody else.

      "It's not a big deal, really B.  It's just ink."  She shrugged.  "Come on.  Unless you want to stay here, we can double back after they leave out."  She had her tiny little hand out to me.

      I tried to shove my anger down and took her hand.  "No.  Come on.  You know they'd send one of the guys back to get us."  I picked her up and basically threw her down in my truck.  My voice was dark.

      "Thank you."  Hers was quiet.

     I just nodded and got in my side.  I was trying to figure out why I was so angry.  Aspen was right...they're just tattoos.  But what got under my skin was that Jason had pictures and videos and he never once showed me.  None of the Ellington boys, my best friends, my unblood brothers, did.  Hell, we fucking lived in the same house, for Christ's sake.   What did Trenton mean open up a can?  A can of what?

      I felt her slide her hand into mine and she tugged so it was closer to the middle of the console.  "Why are you really angry?  Because I know it's not the fact that Bris and I have tattoos."

      It was bubbling under my skin and she could read me.  I just shook my head hoping she'd let it go while I worked thru the muddy shit that I called my brain.

      By the time we'd pulled in The Jump's parking lot, I still hadn't said a word.  Aspen slid out without even waiting for me to help.  Ah Hell.  My anger and quietness had made her shrink back into a hole.  Which meant she was going to be quiet and indifferent toward me the rest of the night if I didn't shut my shit down soon.

      I opened my door and she was standing there hands on hips.  God she looks sexy when she's flustered.  The dress was hugging every one of her curves, setting my nerves on fire.  I knew Bristol was half joking about stripping her in the bedroom and making me eye fuck Aspen all night...but damn...I was going to be doing that anyway.  Even tho Bris hadn't done anything revealing at all.

      "I'm not here because the rest of those stupid people.  Stupid people that involved three of my brothers.  I'm not wearing this damn dress because Bristol shoved me into it.  I don't like body hugging things and I don't like these places and you know it Brighton.  I only went along with it because it seemed like something you  wanted to do.  So what the fuck gives Beau?  If you're going to be an ass the rest of the night, let me know so I can take Hunter's truck and go back to my pajamas and oven."  Damn.  Her spunk had grown in the last two years, if that was even possible.  It was an even bigger turn on.

      She meant every word.  I knew it.  She would literally march right up past the bouncer, thru the club, and take Hunter's keys and go home.

      I tried to hide my smile that she'd just admitted she'd done all this for me and took a step toward her.  "I did want to come."

      "Okay?  And now?"   Aspen questioned me.  "I didn't like that truck ride.  I'll take our damn sexual tension infused rooms over getting the silent treatment from you the rest the night because of some damn..."

     I cut her off by getting into her bubble and holding my finger over her mouth.  I put my forehead on hers.  My body seemed to know what to do even tho my brain was still muddy as fuck.  "I'm sorry.   I promise to stop with the silent treatment."

     "I'm still not going in there until you tell me what is going thru your head."  Hands still on her hips, not giving a fuck that I was all up in her bubble.  "And I know you're going to be stubbornly closed off about it so just give me the 5 second version and I'll call it a draw."

     "I seriously can't think straight with this dress."  I tried distracting her by dragging my hand down her arm.  She stared at me, not caring, not even phased.  Well she was a little phased because I felt the goosebumps.  I breathed out deep.  "Okay.  Only because I know you're serious as fuck."  I put my hands on her waist and held her out a little so she could see my face.  "I'm not mad about the tattoos.  It's not my place."

      She nodded.  "This I know.  It's our bodies."

      "I don't know ACE.   I don't know what's going on in my head.  Its getting to me and I'm kicking myself because I personally picked to stay away from you the last two years.  I thought I knew exactly what I was doing.  Putting distance between us.  But fuck.  Hearing you joke around with your brothers so easily...seeing you with my mom yesterday...watching Trenton light up bout these...."  I ran my other hand down her tattooed arm.  "I was supposed to be that person to take you to get your first one.  ME.  But you just jumped head first into getting not one but a whole fucking sleeve and leg piece just to keep up with us guys.  It's wrecking me.  Then you telling me that most those guys had a hand in drawing up some of them..."  I squeezed both of her wrists hard then let go.  "I don't know what I thought would happen but I'm seeing I missed out on a lot."

      "Ok then."  She accepted that attempt of a sorry excuse and went to walk away.

      I shot my hand out to grab hers again.  "What did Trent mean?  What can?"

      She didn't turn to look at me, just answered into the dark ahead of her.  I heard her just the same.  "I asked them not to."

      I tugged her back so she was leaning into my chest.  I pulled her chin up so I could see her eyes.  "Asked them to not what Aspen?"

      She huffed out a clipped sigh of frustration.  "I didn't know where I stood in your life, okay?"  She squeezed her eyes shut tight.  "I didn't know if I was still your best friend.  I didn't know if I was still "Beau's Girl"  I didn't know if you'd care."  That last part was barely a whisper.  It nearly broke my heart that I made her question so many things.  "So after I figured out how to bury the hurt, I asked everybody to not bring me up to you.  I didn't want a shit can to be opened so I told them to just leave me out 100% whenever they talked to you.  Seeing your reaction to the tattoos...I say they did a better than expected job."

      I wrapped her in my arms and hugged her into me.  I kissed the top of her head before I opened my mouth.  "Don't."  I shut my mouth.  "If you're going to apologize....don't.  Okay?  Let's just take all this shit and call it even and go inside and get a beer okay?  You have to see how Wyatt's dance moves have gotten worse."

      She was once again giving me an out.  I didn't deserve her...even as a best friend.  "That can't even be possible."  She ran her hand down my arm and put it into mine.  "I wasn't fucking kidding tho ACE...this dress...Bristol made sure I couldn't keep my eyes off you even without the revealing outfit.  Tonight with all those guys in there is going to be brutal.  Fucking torture.  Which.  By the way.  You need to tell Bris that I really want to see what she had in mind."  I smirked at her.

     Aspen scoffed and tugged me forward.  "I will not tell her that.  This dress is disappearing after tonight anyhow."  I play pouted.  "But hey...if it's going to be so much torture then you better keep me in reach all night long then."  My pout disappeared while I tried to cover my choke when she winked at me over her shoulder.

      It was new but she would have no complaints from me.  If Aspen wanted my hands on her all night, then by all means I wouldn't deny her that simple request.