Page 64 of High Water

“No. Let her have some fun.” I nod to the game. “Can I join?”

When I look up at the screen after I bow out of a second game and see Aspen on the mechanical bull, I know it’s my cue to take her to bed. Or put her there, rather, so she can get a little sleep. She’ll need it if she’s going to make it through our wedding tomorrow night. That and some electrolytes. I say my goodnights, and Levi stops me at the door.

“See you tomorrow. Get some rest tonight yourself, yeah? No cold feet?”

“If I could sign the papers tonight, I would.”

“All right. I’ll come by in the afternoon. You can give me the rings, and we can have a drink before we send you to your fate.” Levi flashes a grin at me.

“It’s a plan.”

“Excited to finally make you my brother tomorrow. Officially, anyway.”

“Me too.”

He wraps me in a one-armed hug, a few quick pats to my back, and sends me on my way.

“Hey, gorgeous, you ready to hit the hay?” I ask, sidling up to the bar next to Aspen as she finishes the story she was telling Dakota. She looks at me, eyes wide and a little glassy, and a laugh tumbles out of her.

“What?”

“The hay. I forgot about the hay.” There’s a small fit of giggles. “Remember how it left my ass all scratched up? It was so much less sexy than I imagined it was going to be.”

I press my lips together as I try not to laugh. Drunk Aspen is much freer with her memories of us than sober Aspen.

“Yeah, honey, I remember. It was hot as fuck up in the loft too.”

“You were so sweaty, but it was kind of sexy the way it was dripping down your chest while—” Her eyes go wide, and she covers her mouth with her hand when she sees Dakota raising a brow.

“Are you telling me our very serious, very studious family matriarch has a wild side?” Dakota asks me, grinning at her future sister-in-law.

“Had,” Aspen corrects.

“Oh, she had a wild side a mile wide. She came up with things that I don’t think I’d have conjured up in my wildest dreams.” I grin at Aspen, and she gently slaps my arm and rolls her eyes.

“You were always up for it, so what does that say about you?”

“A lot of things that I don’t think I should be saying in front of family.”

“Psshhh.” Aspen waves her hand. “Dakota is a different kind of family. You should see the bachelorette party gift she got me.”

“What’s that?” My curiosity is piqued.

“I can’t show you in here. It’s X-rated. In fact, I’m not sure I can ever show you. It would probably scandalize you. It scandalized me.”

A mischievous laugh bubbles out of Dakota as she walks off to serve another drink.

“Why don’t you tell me about it on the way up to your room?”

“I was dancing!”

“It looks like you’re drinking—” I pause to take a sip, and she makes a gasping noise like I’ve shocked her. “Water. As I suspected. So I think that’s a sign dancing is over for the night, and sleep and some more fluids are in order.”

“Fluids.” Aspen giggles like she’s a teenager again, and now I know she needs more water and sleep.

“Okkkkay. Yeah. It’s time for bed.”

“I have to close out my tab.”