Aspen Falls

ACE -- January 4th

      "Lauren Elizabeth!!"  Beau and I had finally come down from my room...our room as he likes to call it now...to the kitchen/living room where everyone decided to meet before heading out to Eli's.

      "Fucking Christ.  How can someone so damned tiny have such a huge set of lungs?"  Beau laughed behind me.

      "Don't act like you don't like it B."  He raised his eyebrows, clearly not expecting sass.

      He smacked my ass, hard.  "Behave A."  He had his fingers, his face, buried between my legs inside me not even twenty minutes ago but from the look in his eyes and the warning in his voice...he wanted to be back upstairs reminding me just how much he liked me being loud.

      "Gross..."  Jason groaned.

     I turned to glare at him.  "This is what you signed him up for Jase.  You beat him to man up."

      "Which...."  Beau slid up behind me, slipping his hand under my shirt to press me closer.   "Thank ya Jason.  She definitely likes that all man."  I could feel him trying to hold in his laughter.  Beau liked torturing my brothers.

      Jason squirmed.  "eewwwwww....I repeat...grooossssss.  Don't make me kick your fucking ass again Brighton."  I still don't know how he got away with it the first time seeing as Beau was very much his commanding officer.  "That might be your ring but she's still my little sister."

      "This time I'd throw a few back."  I couldn't see Beau's face behind me but Jason tried to hide his nervousness at Beau being allowed to punch back this fight.

      "Anyhow.  LAUREN!!!"  She was upstairs getting ready with Kodie.  Since Mom had Hudson this was her first night out in a minute.

      "What the hell do you want?!  Jesus."  Lo came down the stairs shaking her head.

       We heard a whistle coming from the living room where most of the guys were.  "Daammnn....lookin good lil mama."  Chris.  He was the only one who could probably get away with it.  Casey and him were closer than the rest somehow.  He snapped a picture around Leah setting on his lap.  I forgot just how perfect they looked together.  "Casey's gonna see and curse himself hard that he's still in a sandbox halfway around the world."

      I could feel Beau's phone vibrate against my ass from his front pocket.  He slid it out and placed it on the counter.  I saw Reagan's name flash on the screen with an image text.  That's cute.  They have their own group chat.  Beau slid his hand in my front pocket of my jeans and kissed my neck.  "We'll have very specific orders from him about any guy that even breathes the same air as her.  Wait for it."  As soon as he answered my unasked question, his screen lit up again.   This time it was Casey's name.  "What'd I tell ya?"

      "Y'all really do that?"

      He laughed.  "You bet your ass we do."   Alright then.

      I laughed a little and turned back to Lauren, she was rolling her eyes.   "Tell him that I can take care of my damn self."

      "Not a chance.  Let him have it Lo."  Trenton collapsed on the couch next to Chris, tugging on a curl on Leah Belle's head.  "It helps when we're over there."  That got a small sigh from Lauren.

      "Fine.  He wins.  Just tell him to come back so he can take care of me himself."  Trenton nodded.  "What were you hollering bout Aspen?"

      "Question.  The redhead you did a shoot with the other day.  Name?"

      "The cute little innocent one?"

      "Yeah!"  Beau not knowing who we were talking about, gripped me a little harder.  I should have never told him that his possessive side turned me on.

      "Teagan Knight.  She made my job super easy."  Lauren had caught on to Beau and just glared at him above my head.  Letting him know Teagan was a girl, no threat there.  She'd never admit it because she was fiercely independent...even more so being a 'single mom' while Casey was deployed...but she loved the possessive sides of the guys too.

      "She looked adorable.  She legal?"

      That made her grin.  "She catch somebody's eye did she?"  I grinned back.   "Yeah.  She's 23.  Couldn't never tell though.  Who are we trying to set up?"

      "Dec."  My grin got bigger.  "He mentioned her the other day.  Saw your Instagram teasers and subtly wanted to know if I knew her."

      "Oh!!  She'd be good for him!!  She's a sweetheart!  Awe.  Dec's a good guy."  Lauren was animated and rubbing her hands together.  "Let me feel her out.  Should we see if she wants to join tonight?  Dec's coming yeah?"  I nodded, still grinning.  "Is that okay?  It's your celebration night."

      Beau laughed.  "We've had our celebration today."  Three Ellington heads shot up and glared daggers at him.  I swore if Hunter and Jason didn't have their girls in their laps then Beau would have been hit.  I rammed my elbow back into his rock hard abs, hurting me more than I did him, I could guarantee.  "You know Aspen is just fine shoving the spotlight on somebody else."

      "Still.  You finally  asked Brighton.  And she said yes."  I was really glad she had Mom watch Hudson and came out tonight.  Without Baby H, she was her sassy self just like the rest of us girls.

      "Casey just had to go and marry a feisty one too."  I heard him grumble as I slid my hand between us and got my phone out of my back pocket.  Full on teasing him.

cookiemonster: if Lo gets the little redhead to agree...
     you good with meetin her tonight?
inkstabber (Declan): don't fuck with me Little Ell
cookiemonster: *mock hurt gif*
cookiemonster:  i would never!  jesus.  why do i even
try to help you guys?  i just asked Lo for her name and if
she was legal!  you're welcome
inkstabber: and she ran with it?
cookiemonster: :)  i'll tell her you're on board then
inkstabber: i'll be out after the last client.
don't let the guys scare her off before i get a shot, yeah?
cookiemonster: i'll lay down the rules.  her names Teagan.
23.  Lo can tell you more :)
inkstabber:  fuck.  now im nervous.

      I just laughed.  I couldn't imagine Dec actually getting nervous.

      "It happens you know."  Beau said.  "We get nervous too."  He definitely was reading over my shoulder.  "I basically sweat thru my entire uniform the day your brothers..."  He shook his head a little.  "I was nervous as fuck when I saw you out there surfing the day we got back."

      "He dropped that damn ring box a thousand fucking times yesterday before he even got it into his pocket."  Hunter chimed in.  Well.  That's cute as fuck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      "It'd be wise to get your hands off me."  My voice definitely took on Hunter's famous calm tone.

      "Why?  Is he  here?  Up there watching you like a hawk?"  Oh...joy.  Fucking alcohol.

      I rolled my eyes.  I didn't understand why he was like this.  Why Clay never understood that we were strictly friends.   "You know damn well he's up there Clay.  After the last time we were here...I'd bet my entire bank account that yes, he's watching me like a hawk.  So...I'll say it again.  Hell, I'll even blame it on the alcohol.  Last chance, get your hands off me Clay."

      He laughed.  I didn't know how many he'd had but it was definitely teetering the line to make him feel like he was invincible.  Or he honestly just didn't give a fuck.  It was always hard to tell when it came to Clay Walker.    "What's gonna happen?  Is Brighton gonna come chargin down here and pry them off you?"

      My anger started to rise.  Why did he always have to push things?  "He didn't get to take tags off and fight last week sooo... I wouldn't tempt fate Clay."  He paused for a second, which was all I needed to get away from him.  All I wanted was to come over and thank Dallas.  Why couldn't I just have that one simple thing?  Jesus.  Fucking clubs.