evergreen — tyriq withers.
pairing ⁀➷ ledger ward x plus-size!blackoc.
synopsis ⁀➷ aspen moore desperately needed a break. from troubles with her ex-boyfriend to struggling to complete the finishing touches of her long awaited novel. she plans a trip to her family’s cabin home in wisconsin. all is well, until she finds out she’s not alone and has to share the space with handyman ledger ward.
song(s) of the chapter ⁀➷ ‘man i need’ & ‘i’ve seen it’ by olivia dean, ‘pisces’ by trey lorenz ft. mariah carey & ‘blue moon’ by zara larsson.
word count + warnings ⁀➷ 9.5k || 18+, nsfw, no minors! forced proximity, foul language, snowy weather, snowed in, mentions of celibacy, alcohol usage, flirting, tickling, kissing, breast play, nipple play, pet names (baby, doll, babygirl, babe) fingering, praise, small teasing, body admiration, p in v, floor sex, condom less sex (wear a hat!) riding, missionary.
a/n— this was supposed to be published a while ago yall😭. i lost track of time and started posting other stuff, but i hope you guys enjoy this one. it’s a little lengthy, but i promise it’s worth it!! yall will throughly enjoy this fic. think of it as the morning paper!! grab a mug of whatever you want to drink and sit back and relax!
‘you’re overthinking that i’m only here to hurt you, that never crossed my mind.”
the distinct smell of homemade peppermint bark mixed with notes of cedar and smoke, felt all too familiar to aspen moore.
her hefty silver suitcase thunked against the vintage hickory oak flooring as she hurriedly entered the cabin home, attempting to escape the ferocious windstorm outside.
“shit,” she huffs, slamming the wooden door behind herself. taking a second to catch her breath, aspen untied the crème cashmere scarf from around her face and neck.
it felt good to be home. she couldn’t worry too much about the storm brewing on the other side of the door because she was here taking in the beauty of her family’s cabin home.
a moore legacy, this space was.
memories of aspen and her older sister running through the front yard tossing snow at each other crosses her mind as she peeks out the den’s window. the charming rustic kitchen, illuminated by yellow overhead lights, brought her back to the delicious soups her father prepared to warm his family up. the brick and mortar built fireplace her parents lit right before the girls went to bed, reading them a quick story as they cozied up to the flames.
aspen kicked off her furry snow boots and undid the zipper of her columbia maxi coat. she placed both items in the hanger closet nearby and proceeded upstairs to unpack.
treading up the stairs, aspen turns on the light to she and her sister’s erin’s bedroom. the same decor and set up as they left it a few years ago. a full-sized walnut wooden bed, covered in various stitched quilts, a cute matching dresser and nightstand tucked in the corners of the room and two rectangular windows on each side of the bed, giving a beautiful view of the winter forest outside.
she spent the next thirty minutes, unpacking her items and placing them into drawers, before searching the linen closet for bath and dry towels. aspen couldn’t be more excited to shower and hit the hay.
an exhausting four-hour drive over to the cabin, whooped her for the evening. she’d already been stressed with responsibilities back home, she should’ve known the ride here would only add to the strain.
with an incompetent boyfriend who served almost no purpose in her life, aspen felt it deep within she’d be the one to call things off. almost three years in the making and no wedding or family plans in sight, the relationship was bound to go down the drain. the two of them held different ideas of happiness. aspen craved love, attention, affection. maybe kids and a wedding were too soon, but absolutely no kissing or touching was asinine and she would be an even bigger fool to stick around.
the next thing was the novel in dire need of being finished. pressure from her publisher and supporters from all over became a never-ending cycle in her head. there wasn’t exactly a deadline, but more-so the need to create an exciting follow-up to her highly acclaimed story ‘lovesick’. this week's vacation would be her time away to really outline the plot of her sequel. seclusion, deactivated social media and a nice hot mug of cocoa would get her together. she’d be able to focus and get her writing in order.
aspen stripped off her jogging set and tossed the items in a nearby clothing bin. she collected her body wash and oral care supplies, heading into the bathroom to bathe. the bathroom was probably aspen’s favorite part of the home. a modern yet country feel to the space. round corner glass shower, freestanding flat bottom bathtub, all wooden ceilings and walls, freshly cleaned from the housekeeping her parents hired throughout the months.
she took a much-needed shower. soaking in the hot water and scrubbing her skin of today’s labor. the gentle smell of dove’s rejuvenating pomegranate and hibiscus body wash wafted through the air as she brushed and flossed her teeth. rinising her mouth in the sink, aspen finished her routine for the night. tiredly she dried her body down, before wrapping the white towel around herself, aspen exited the bathroom and proceeded back to the bedroom.
aspen dressed in a comfortable silk striped pajama set after applying her favorite vanilla body cream to her skin. her macbook, reading glasses and favorite pink furry ballpoint pen rested in the bed before she did. aspen read the time from the analog clock hung above. 11:35pm. still early. she was ready. at the very least, a chapter of this story would get written tonight.
aspen pulled the duvets to the bed back and prepared to slip into the comfy mattress, but the faint sound of someone pounding at the front door stops her dead in her tracks.
“what the hell?” her voice is a confused hush. who could be here this late? furthermore, who could’ve known she’d be here? hardly anyone visited this home if they weren’t already staying here or were paid to clean the place.
aspen turned on her heels and began a quiet tiptoe down the stairs. she quickly searches the kitchen drawers for a weapon. something compact but could still do damage if need be. a box cutter. small with a sharp blade.
the knocking ensues again. rough and loud along the wood door. she should’ve ignored it, but the person on the other side wasn’t letting up. aspen grumbled and stomped over to the door, peeking out the peephole, she can only get a glimpse of the back of someone’s neck.
“who is it?!” she yells from the safe inside the cabin home, hoping the person would answer her and eventually leave.
“um?” his deep voice grumbles against the strong winter wind. his? it was a man standing opposite of the door. “um, is this mrs. moore?”
mrs. moore? he knew her last name, albeit the wrong title, but she got the point nonetheless. aspen stood on the tips of her toes again and glared out the peephole. this time, she’s able to see the blue orbs of his eyes as he stared back into the peephole. she gasps, fumbling backwards.
“do you think you can open the door, mrs. moore, it’s freezing out here.”
her eyebrows raise as she scoffs. “i absolutely can not. i don’t have a clue as to who you are, and i’m not letting a stranger into my home. are you insane?”
he chuckles after a brief pause. deep and sardonic. “is something funny?”
“you must be aspen, the moore’s youngest daughter.”
she was, but how did he know that? “is there a reason why you’re here, sir?”
“yes, i believe there’s been a miscommunication of some sort. maybe you can call someone and try to get things cleared up for us.”
“i don’t know, possibly your mother or father. they’re the ones who hired me to work here.”
“hired? what did they hire you for?”
“house repairs. maintenance a few times out of the week during the winter, stuff like that,” he sighs. “now, do you think you can open the door?”
aspen ignores him and searches for her mother’s contact. with speed, she calls her, waiting as the phone drones in her ear. the first call goes to voicemail. it was late, after all, her mother must’ve been fast asleep. she tries again and waits as it rings once more.
“i’m here,” aspen answers with annoyance in her voice. “give me a sec.”
her mother, rachel, answers the phone with a drained voice. aspen didn’t intend to wake her mother this late at night, but this situation needed her urgently.
“hi, mommy, i don’t mean to wake you but, i’m at the cabin in wisconsin and i got a visitor saying you and daddy hired him to work, is this true?”
“baby,” her mother groans, squinting into the bright facetime camera. “yes, that’s ledger ward, we hired him a while back, he’s supposed to be staying there.”
aspen’s stumped. “but, mom, i’m staying here. i’m trying to finish up some work out here.”
“oh, sweetheart, i understand, but we need ledger to fix the leaky sink upstairs along with countless other things. you know your father and i are trying to get the house approved for air b&b. had i known you’d be staying there this week, i would’ve told you beforehand or sent ledger elsewhere.”
aspen scratches her head, the yellow box cutter still in hand for safety. “so, i’m supposed to just let him in?”
“yes, penny, could you, please? ledger is a good guy, you should have no worries,” aspen can hear her father groaning in the background of the phone. he must’ve been waking up from her mother’s current conversation. “he’s denice’s nephew, remember my friend denice, baby?”
“denice with the sphynx cat that bit me when i was twelve?”
“yes, her. did you know she recently got surgery on her knee? something ab—” if aspen let her mother continue this conversation, they’d be on the phone all night.
“okay, mom, i’m gonna call you in the morning, alright? love you, goodnight.”
aspen hangs up the call and sets her phone on the nearby coffee table, now gripping the box cutter tightly in her hand. she twisted the locks on the front door and braced herself to face this strange man.
and to her surprise, he was everything but strange.
“it’s fucking freezing out there,” he’s shivering as he slowly enters the home, dragging a utility bag and suitcase in tow.
aspen scoots to the side and allows him room to enter. she still held on tightly to the box cutter for emergency use. aspen silently watches him as he dusts off the snow from his head and shoulders.
“you should really be wearing a coat.”
she says it without hesitation, noting the hunter green flannel and light jeans he wore. of course, he was shivering and on the verge of hypothermia, he dressed as if he were taking a stroll through a rainy forest preserve and not a subzero snowstorm.
his gaze flicks upwards at the sound of her voice, and their eyes meet. stone-cold. probably colder than the 12 degree weather outside.
ledger, or whatever his name was, didn’t look like a handyman to aspen. he looked as if he belonged on the cover of gq magazine. maybe shirtless and oiled down—aspen could see that, undoubtedly. and it wasn’t just the nine-month celibacy drought she was going through talking.
a light-brown low cut with a scruffy beard and moustache to match in color. the sleeves of his flannel are buttoned up to his forearms, showing a sample view of the tattoos he had etched alongside taut muscles and veins. maybe nordic, greek or even viking symbols? they seemed familiar, but aspen couldn’t quite put her finger on it. the one thing she could confirm was his height. he was tall. much taller than aspen and she came in at about 5’9 to 5’10—-a height she struggled with as a child but came to love and appreciate as she got older.
all in all, this man looked nothing like a maintenance worker, and aspen was sure he came here to bullshit and lounge around.
“i’m ledger, i believe mrs. moore introduced me already,” his tone is sarcastic as he extends his giant hand for aspen to greet, a smirk pulled on his thin lips. she takes it against her will and shakes his hand for only a second.
“aspen. i’m sure my parents mentioned me before.”
“that they have,” he nods.
he’d meet the moore parents and the oldest sister, erin, a few times before. they’d hired him to work on whatever repairs their home needed, thus leading him to stay every so often throughout the years.
he’d never met aspen, though.
heard about her, saw a few pictures the moore couple showed and occasionally came across her name in the ‘sizzling authors’ section of the nearby bookstore, but never ever had he’d met the beautiful woman before him.
she looked a lot like her older sister erin. same cute features, coily hair type and deep olive skin undertone—the main difference was their body types. erin was a slimmer figure and shorter in stature, while aspen was built like a fucking stallion. a few inches shorter than him with full hips, ass and bosom that he tried his hardest not to eyeball at.
silk pajamas wrapped around her waist in all the right ways, a small lining of her plush stomach exposed as the shirt she wore hung off her sculptured shoulders. little smooth hairs cascaded around her neck and ears as the rest of her tresses set tucked underneath an all black bonnet. and just a smidge of lip balm glossed over her pretty two-toned lips as she pulled them into a soft pout, most likely from irritation of his presence.
“i hope they’ve said good things.”
“that they have,” he repeats, chuckling while aspen shakes her head, turning around to go back to her bedroom. he notes the little box cutter wedged in her hand as she walks away.
“there’s two other bedrooms in the house. i’m bunking in my old one, so it’s already occupied. please take off your shoes and make yourself at home.”
ledger snorts. he’d been here a few times before and already built a routine of his own in the cabin home, but whatever princess aspen wanted, he’d happily oblige to.
‘i’ve seen the films, i’ve read the books. my mom and dad, they got me hooked.’
“my thing is why even bother to have a store sale, if you’re only going to take twenty percent off, that’s stupidity. it’s after christmas and prices are practically the same.”
“do you want me to apple pay you some money, erin? i can help you get whatever you need, sweetheart.”
“thank you mommy, but it’s not about the money, it’s the principle. these stores are robbing people with no gun to their heads, it’s injustice.”
aspen sighs and shifts in the desk chair. the conversation her mother and sister were having was completely valid and she even agreed with their sentiments, but her focus was supposed to be on the blank document before her. the only thing she managed to type was the letter ‘t’, while the text cursor continued to blink. she felt like spongebob when he had an 800-word essay to write and did everything but.
and matters only worsened as the distracting clanging from the basement downstairs became unbearable. ledger spent the entire morning stomping around the house, going to and from, fetching tools as he fixed things around the house.
he was noisy as all hell.
aspen’s mother noted the heavy sigh her daughter continuously expressed. “yes, mommy, i’m fine. i’m just trying to get some writing done here, that’s all.”
“well, what have you done so far?” erin chimes in.
aspen chortles. “absolutely nothing. i have nothing typed on this page and i don’t know what's wrong with me.”
“there’s nothing wrong with you, aspen. your brain juices just aren’t flowing at the moment.”
that garnered a small smile from aspen.
her family were the sweetest people ever. a mother and father who supported her every move and an older sister who never talked down to her, aspen couldn’t ask for better. the moore family’s legacy began in 1980, when rachel and brian fell in love while attending stanford university. together, the two of them finished schooling and began their law firm, winning cases throughout the years by helping their clients get the rights they deserved.
much later they introduced two baby girls to the world, erin and aspen, two angels born three years apart. erin followed in her parent's footsteps. she joined them in their family firm, while aspen took another route. finding more interest in writing stories, she began by reading erotic fanfics online, from there her love with the art blossomed.
she began writing on those websites and thoroughly enjoyed the engagement she received, but ultimately decided to take things further. short stories first. smutty short series that publishers and fans alike couldn’t refuse. aspen created something other authors hadn’t. her works were realistic. she crafted stories readers could relate to—stories that showcased every day life. the fun, the insecure, the ugly and the intimate. through the positive feedback, aspen built the courage to publish a full-length novel.
the love and admiration from people all over was overwhelming. aspen couldn’t believe everyone enjoyed her writing so much. as always, though, the imposter syndrome came to creep in. the fear of doing and executing put a blockage in aspen’s writing, thus making it impossible to complete a sequel to the novel. she had solid ideas of endings to the story, but ran into a brick wall when time to execute.
a difficult process, but aspen loved her career and was willing to do whatever to bring her dreams into fruition. which is why she booked a trip to this cabin home miles away. it’d been her peace since childhood. she hoped coming here would bring back that peace and give her the ability to write and potentially finish her novel.
“i don’t know you guys, maybe i should shave my head, move into the mountains and become a monk or something.”
the group facetime call erupted into laughter as erin and rachel cackled at aspen’s foolishness.
“aspen, girl, you’re so dramatic. you got this. your sequel is gonna be fire, you’re going to get loads of love from folks and possibly get your work made into a movie. if bullshit like colleen hoover’s gets admiration and love, then i know real book readers will enjoy your work.”
aspen’s heart swelled at her sister's compliment. at the expense of colleen hoover, unfortunately, but oh well. “you think so, ‘rin?”
their mother chimes in. “yes, aspen, we know you’re going to create magic. me and erin can’t stop rereading the first part of ‘lovesick’. i’m still stuck on how cree’s character could get away with a crime that grand.”
“hopefully, i’m able to finish this story and you guys can get your answer.”
the conversation stops abruptly and the phone call ends, at the same time her macbook and bedroom lights go out.
“what the fuck?” she huffs, standing from the chair. aspen checks underneath the desk to see if she accidentally unplugged something. everything remained intact. she then inched over to the light switch and agitatedly flicked with it, and once again nothing came about.
marching down the stairs, past the den and straight to the basement entrance, aspen became furious upon realization. aspen at the breaker panel ledger stood. entirely ignoring aspen’s presence while continuing to work diligently, a bright headlamp perched on his cranium.
“ledger, what’s going on with the power? everything’s out upstairs.”
voice muffled as he holds a screwdriver between his front teeth. “i’m working on that right now.”
aspen scoffs. he doesn’t seem to take this seriously. “i have work to do, how long do you think this will last?”
“not quite sure. still getting everything in order now.”
she blinks. “this is crazy. the power was working perfectly fine an hour ago, now everything’s out. i’m not understanding.”
“have you eaten today?” he changes the subject completely, confirming to aspen that he thought she was a joke. she wants to smack that smirk right off his chiseled face. “i cooked some breakfast a while ago. i see you’re a late riser, so i put away a plate for you.”
she could give a damn less about breakfast right now. aspen thinks to say something, something like “you stupid, handsome asshole, do you think this is a fucking game?”
she instead takes a deep breath, turns and stomps up the basement stairs and back to her bedroom where she patiently waits for the power to be restored.
it’d only taken a whole hour.
‘already know i can’t leave it alone. you’re on my mind.”
aspen spent an entire night and two days with ledger ward. she didn’t know much about him, but there were a few things she’d picked up on in their short time together.
firstly, ledger rose early every morning. two full days in the cabin home, and each time he’d awaken at 6 am sharp. she couldn’t believe it. aspen slept in late. maybe a good 10 to 11 o’clock—12 if she’d been up rewatching ‘gilmore girls’, but nothing earlier for sure, so it was a surprise to her when she heard the distant banging of drills and hammers in the early hours.
second thing. he whistled all day long. whether he’d be working, watching sports or even showering, aspen knew when the songbird tweets of ‘walk on by’ by dionne warwick began, ledger ward wasn’t very far.
the last thing was the heady scent of his cologne. a delicate mix of pine, powder and natural musk, made aspen stomach flutter each time he passed her bedroom door. ledger would knock and occasionally peek in to ask if aspen needed anything. each and every time she declined. he’d leave, but the smell of him lingered throughout.
aside from the distractions of ledger, aspen was finally able to complete two chapters to her novel. she worked—and she worked fucking hard. tucking herself into her father’s work study for peace and inspiration.
she remembered being an excited child, running into the book and paperwork filled office to spin around in her father's leather chair. she thought of all of his and her mother’s sacrifice—the difficult hours put in to achieve their dreams, and used them as ammunition to type into her keyboard.
not an easy task, but aspen preserved. even if she had to type nonsense and bullshit onto the word document, aspen filled the page with content and that’s all she needed. she could always come back and edit whatever don’t make sense, but for right now she required a break.
a drink, a slice of cake—hell, even a cigarette. she’s unsure as to which comes first, but aspen knew one of them would be the remedy to her stress.
fetching her winter coat and scarf, aspen jogged down the hallway steps into the quiet den where ledger is. on his hands and knees he’s analyzing the inside of the fireplace, unaware of aspen’s presence.
she speaks softly, not wanting to scare him. “it doesn’t work.”
his back tenses as he sits up from the squatted position. he turns around to face her, that cheshire grin on his thin lips. “i see that. i’m trying to get it back running now.”
“it hasn’t worked in years. i honestly can’t remember the last time we’ve used it.”
he nods, taking her words into consideration, before twisting his head in realization. “you going somewhere?”
“uh, yeah. gonna try to head out to the market and find some food, i’m starving in here.”
“i don’t know if that’s the best idea,” he stands up from the floor, dusting leftover ash onto the sides of his dark denim overalls.
“well, for one, it’s freezing like hell out there. i also believe another storm is about to hit, meaning many stores are either closing or already closed.”
aspen chuckles and ledger’s brow raises. “a lot of talk for someone who didn’t even bring a coat.”
“i have a coat, it’s in my truck, thank you very much and this isn’t about me, it’s about you. i can’t let you go out in the weather all by yourself.”
why did he care? “ledger, there’s no food here. no one’s delivering anything this far up the road, and i refuse to stay here and starve.”
“you’re not going to starve,” he walks into the kitchen, pulling open the retro white refrigerator to showcase the contents inside. “there’s plenty of food here.”
aspen examines from the other of the room, arms folded across her chest in slight frustration. “everything is ingredients. it all requires cooking.”
“what do you usually do at home, aspen?” he’s asking with genuine curiosity.
“i order out, buy frozen meals, let my friends cook for me—i don’t know, why do you ask?”
he licks his lip as he laughs lightly. “because you’re scaring me. how are you surviving off junk food?”
“i make do,” she shrugs. “now, if you don’t mind, i will be back in just a few.”
aspen cuts the conversation at the seams, heading for the front door. ledger watches from behind and shakes his head at the determined woman ahead of him.
it didn’t take very long. approximately forty-seven minutes and aspen shivered her way back to her car. rushing to blast the heat, her teeth chittered and clicked together as she blew hot air onto her frozen hands.
this stupid town, she thinks.
wisconsin is always cold throughout the winter. it’s not like the snow just magically dropped from the sky. you’d think the townspeople would be better prepared for this kind of weather. unfortunately for aspen, she came up short on finding food to eat. only a metal tin of oatmeal cookies follow her back to the cabin home.
she pissed, but tries not to let it show as she enters the house. she didn’t need ledger to see that she failed in her stubborn trip into town. exhaling an airy breath, she pushed through the house doors, immediately greeted with the warm aroma of something delicious.
removing her scarf and coat, aspen glares into the kitchen to see ledger working at the stove. he’d changed his clothes from earlier and now wore a clean pair of blue jeans and a white shirt.
“you’re back,” he says without turning around, hearing the slam of the front door when aspen returned. “how’d it go?”
he’s so smug. charming eyes twinkling from the kitchen counter. aspen hates him. “don’t ask. i’m going upstairs to sleep for a bit. i’m fucking exhausted.”
“wait, aspen,” he calls before she goes too far away. “i got the fireplace fixed and i made some soup. i was thinking you’d join me for dinner—no problem if you don’t want to.”
she gazes over him and to the pot bubbling goodness inside. “what kind of soup are you cooking?”
“chicken tortilla,” he smirks, already knowing what the look on her face meant. “now go get cleaned up so we can eat.”
aspen showers and dresses. now wearing a green slip embroidered with lace patterns. bought online from a black owned company, aspen felt glamorous. her glittery ‘flower power’ pink toenails are on display and pressed out curls drape across her shoulders as she saunters through the house. her intentions weren’t to wear something so…inviting, but then again, she thought she'd be the only guest here. this was how she dressed on the regular. delicate silk and fabric lounge wear were her favorite pieces.
“ledger?” she calls, heading into the kitchen. an array of ingredients are prepped along the table, making aspen want to steal a bite of guacamole and chips. she decides against it and continues her search for ledger.
“ledger, are you in here?”
right outside the basement door is a wine cellar wall her parents had installed. they spent years collecting their favorite bottles from all over. napa valley, france and spain just to name a few. keeping them safe in their wisconsin cabin home, they occasionally enjoyed a bottle as a wind down for the night.
ledger was currently searching through the stash.
“hey,” aspen frowns, finding the man of the hour, her eyes immediately dart to the dark amber bottle in his large hands. “what do you think you’re doing?”
she’s teasing, right beside him in the pursuit for the best wine. ledger stands fully, turning to her, gazing for a second as she searches through the wine bottles. she’s so fucking pretty, it makes him want to faint. a daring smile pulled on her full lips as she questions him.
“i’m looking for a treat. something for the both of us.”
“my parents are gonna kill you.”
he shakes his head. “nah, i think i’m good. mr. moore gave me access to the cellar, told me to help myself anytime.”
aspen’s surprised. “they let you in here?”
“yeah,” he laughs. “mr. moore is the first to put me on to cabernet sauvignon wine.”
he says it so perfectly, so smoothly. it rolls off his tongue as if it’s his native language. aspen found it extremely sexy.
“that’s unfair,” she pouts. “they’ve threatened me about this damn cellar and here you are grocery shopping in here. you gotta be kidding me.”
ledger laughs, letting aspen lead the way back into the front of the house. he watches as her hips sway with each step, the body molded dress accentuating her every curve.
“they probably just like me more.”
“don’t you even,” she bursts into a full laugh and ledger follows, enjoying the sound and smile coming from her beautiful face.
‘more smiles than the usual, a little sweeter than i’m used to.’
the soulful tunes of anita baker’s ‘rapture’ album began to play quietly in the background of the mellow living room. aspen is full—satiated. her stomach rumbling comfortably as it digests a mix of dark wine and spicy chicken soup.
ledger ward was an excellent host, truly. an appetizing black bean, corn and chicken soup cooked in a savory broth, garnished with crumbled tortilla chips, fresh homemade guacamole and a creamy jalapeño sauce was the perfect warm up on this frigid evening.
aspen couldn’t ask for better.
subdued yellow lighting from table side lamps are sources of illumination in the peaceful atmosphere. the sun had gone down completely at this time, all thanks to daylights saving.
“i hope you don’t mind. i just prefer old school music,” he imitates the iconic instrument intro of ‘sweet love’ while aspen sits back to enjoy the show.
they’d also ransacked through her parents music collection. vinyls of classic r&b were practically stacked to the ceiling. ledger hooked up their crosley cruiser record player and began to spin his favorite albums. anita first on his list.
he takes a seat on the couch beside her, the leather cushions weighing down from the wear and tear throughout the years. her parents were certainly getting rid of a lot of this stuff before listing their home on the air b&b website.
aspen blinks, forgetting why she’s here. the wine currently working a number on her. “i feel good—i feel great. how about you?”
ledger smiles. “i’m good. i’m chillin’.”
“me too,” aspen giggles, loving his choice of words. “i appreciate you. thank you for the food and keeping me warm.”
they both glance over at the fire place crackling softly with burning flames, all thanks to ledger’s work and numerous pieces of collected wood. her bare feet felt warm against the floor, the heat radiating through her body and skin.
“it’s nothing. don’t want you freezing and starving out here.”
aspen’s hands rest right beside his. she’s leaning close on the couch seats, unknowing of just how close she truly is.
“how’s things with your book going?”
she’s surprised just a bit. he knew about her writing? “they’re going well. much better than when i first arrived here.”
“that’s good,” he tapped his long fingers along the arm of the couch, following the bass of the song. “what’s your story about again?”
“um, it’s a book about a couple with their own relationship troubles. it’s takes place in the deep southern area of new orleans. there’s hints of voodoo and things like that, but you probably don’t want to hear my drawn out talking about it.”
aspen waves, cutting herself short with a giggle. ledger is still listening. “i want to hear about it. tell me more.”
she realizes at this moment that she wasn’t too much. aspen didn’t talk too much or get on people’s nerves with her rambling because here ledger was with open ears, ready to hear all she had to say. maybe it was the troubles of her previous relationship making her think negatively—that her thoughts and feelings were unimportant.
she chuckles, amazed he’s listening so intently. “well, the main character is a housewife by the name of cree. she’s deeply devoted to her husband joseph, but he’s not the best husband to his wife. they have relationship troubles—as many couples do, right? the difference with cree and joseph’s is cree sees and hears things. she might sound crazy to others, but she’s fully aware of the surrounding spirit’s lingering about. with this thing going on in their marriage, cree and joseph find themselves at odds more than any other couple in their small town.”
“oh, wow,” he hums, lost in her lips and intriguing words.
she giggles. “there’s a whole lot more, but i prefer not spoil things for you. i’d much rather you read for yourself.”
he nods, understanding her wishes. “it’s called ’lovesick’, right?”
“yes!” she grins, laughing, accidentally brushing her soft hands along his calloused ones. “how do you know that?”
“your mother told me about it,” he shrugs. “and i might’ve done some of my own research.”
“oh, god,” she groans, holding her face. “don’t tell me this is like the stephen king film ‘misery’.”
“aspen,” he deadpans, cackling at her nonsense, a full deep smile on his face as he does so. “you can’t be serious.”
she’s laughing. “i mean, we’re snowed in, i’m an author mapping out her next novel—it only makes sense.”
“it’s nothing like that. you’re insane.”
“i’m only kidding,” she brushes the outside of his strong arm, surrendering in peace. “i don’t think you’re like that, ledger.”
“hm.” he settles, still smiling. “you’ve been writing for a while now, haven’t you?”
“since i was fourteen years old. i’m thirty-three now.”
“fourteen?” he’s surprised. “what could a fourteen-year-old be writing about?”
she laughs. “fanfics filled with smut. i joined different fandoms and followed other people who had the same interests as me.”
“mr. and mrs. left their babygirl to unrestricted internet access?” he blinks, laughing and aspen follows.
“i know right! i literally talk about that all the time. it was crazy looking in hindsight, but it’s what lead me here to this very moment.”
ledger’s invested. “from prepubescent smut to a beloved author of today?”
“time is a crazy thing, isn’t it?”
“it truly is.” he snorts. “what made you take such a long break? why haven’t you written anything else.”
she pauses and considers her next words. “writers block, as cliche as it may sound. it played a major part in my career. i have so many endings for my sequel and i’m unsure of which i like most.”
“you think i can take a peek and see which one works?” he’s hiding behind his hands shyly, pretending to be scared of aspen’s response.
“stop it,” she swats him. “i would actually love that. it’ll be nice to have an opinion from someone outside of erin, my mother and friends.”
there’s a small silence between them. lasting only five seconds before aspen speaks again. “i know i‘ve probably been rude since the moment we’ve met, but i really don’t mean any harm. i don’t mean to take my frustrations out on you.”
“you’re all good, aspen. i understand totally.”
“i just want to thank you again, ledger,” she says it once more and you would think it’s the alcohol making her repeat previous sentiments, but she’s never meant something so much in her life. “i really mean it. you take care of this place like it’s your own, my parents love you and you seem like a real genuine guy.”
“i try to be,” he chuckles richly. “but, i appreciate your kind words, aspen, i really do. you seem like a good girl as well—a true sweetheart when you’re not upset.”
she laughs because he wasn’t entirely wrong. aspen stands from the couch and heads to the kitchen to fetch the tin of cookies she purchased earlier today. she takes her original seat on the couch, her knee and foot bump ledgers thigh as she gets comfortable.
“you want one?” she opens the container and extends it, offering the hunky handyman a treat.
“yeah. what kind are they?”
“i’m not sure. they’re loaded with coconut shreds, oatmeal, and chocolate chips. a woman at the store convinced me to get some.”
ledger reaches across his seat to grab one of the snacks aspen held, taking a small bite in between the soft treat. “they’re fucking delicious.”
“right! you can hardly taste the coconut and stuff,” aspen shifts in her seat, changing the subject right along with her. “i like your tattoos. i’ve been looking at them since we’ve been here. you got quite a few.”
“yeah, i’ve had these for a while now.”
they both brief over the dark ink etched onto his tawny skin. rose and thorn drawings along broad shoulder blades, intricate leaves traced over sharp collarbones and tiny symbolic tattoos on top of rugged forearms.
“what do they mean?” she leans closer, thick thighs touching his toned ones now. “these symbols right here, do they have any meaning?”
“yeah—uh, these two triangles means balance, union of opposites, you know?”
aspen’s all ears. showing genuine interest as he recalls the meaning to his body artwork. ledger smiles softly as she continues to listen.
“and this one is viking, means “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” nothing major really.”
“no, they’re really nice, ledger. i really like them.”
“well, thank you, aspen. i appreciate it.”
they’d finished their cookies and now sit side by side with each other. ledger can almost taste the chocolate on her breath and the toasted vanilla perfume misted on her skin. she’s so close, it makes his skin hot despite the freezing temperatures outside.
“oh, god,” she groans. “i do, but i cannot show you.”
he laughs, a little confused. “why? is it embarrassing?”
“extremely. i actually need to get it removed, if i’m being honest.”
he smacks his lips, unconvinced. “it can’t be that bad, let me see.”
“no, ledger, you’re gonna laugh at me,” she frowns, shaking her head.
“i’m not aspen, i just want to see it. i promise i won’t poke fun.”
“i don’t trust you, ledger,” she’s pulling away, but ledger holds her still by her wrist. he’s chuckling at her resistance.
“tell me what it is, at least, aspen.”
“that’s just gonna make you laugh more.”
“i’m laughing more at you expecting me to laugh, if i’m being honest.”
his fingers inch up to her, and aspen can’t brace herself fast enough for what’s going to happen. “ledger! ledger!”
she screams wildly as he begins to tickle her sides. flipping around the couch, aspen shrieks in laughter while ledger smirks behind folded lips. light touching on the sides and front of her stomach, inching slowly up her arms and neck. aspen can’t sit still, fidgeting all over the couch to free herself from his grasp.
“ledger, stop! i can’t…breathe!” she’s laughing so hard the wind is knocked out of her chest. through their silly moment, aspen and ledger find themselves collapsing onto the hardwood floor.
“oh shit,” he wide-eyed, realizing his mistake before racing to check on her. “i’m fucking sorry, aspen, are you okay?”
her eyes are filled with tears from laughter. she’s coming down from the giddy high, still smiling from ledger’s previous actions. “yeah…yeah i’m fine, are you okay?”
ledger lays on top of aspen, the weight of his heavy body making her breathing shallow. their faces are mere inches from each other’s. he can practically taste the air surrounding her.
“yeah, i’m good. i like the floor better anyway.”
they both chuckle, noticing the multicolored square tribal rug underneath them both. aspen’s fingers glide across the smooth material, before switching roles and finding purchase on the back of ledger’s neck. she cradles him, fingertips brushing through his soft short hair.
“you’re so pretty,” her voice is low as it’s just the two of them in this intimate moment. “you have the nicest eyes and lips.”
she’s bold, ledger thinks. she’s the first to speak her mind, after he’d been holding these feelings inside since the day they’d met. “i’ve been saying the same thing to myself about you. you’re like a fucking angel.”
“yeah?” her eyes sparkle with wonder.
“fuck, yes. you’re all i’ve been thinking about.”
“why haven’t you said anything, ledger? why haven’t you made any moves?”
he stutters. “i-i don’t know. thought you hated my guts or something. i didn’t want to bother you or make you feel uncomfortable in any way.”
aspen doesn’t have very many words after his confession.
it lingers. silent and all consuming.
she slowly lifts her head from the carpet, while ledger meets her halfway, lowering his to connect their lips in a kiss. passionate and loving, ledger leads the way, pink lips smashing into aspen’s as she pulls him closer.
he grips her the side of her dress while his jean clad leg pries her open, growing a hard on that pokes at her inner thigh. it makes aspen’s mouth to fall open. she gasps hotly into ledger’s and it causes him to groan. immediately turned on beyond understanding, his tongue slips inside her sweet mouth, tasting hints of oatmeal cookies and aged wine on her lush tongue.
“want you, ledger,” she’s hushed as she whispers her truth to him.
“you got me, doll. i’m right here.”
“want you in me. need to feel you, baby.”
ledger growls, her words stirring something deep within him. “how long has it been? how long since you been touched—been fucked?”
aspen’s back arches, pushing herself further into his chest. “too long—months, nine months, ledger.”
he stops his movements for a moment, watching closely. “nine months, aspen? no one’s pleased you in months?”
“yeah,” she’s a bit shy, but certain that she wants this. “haven’t seen anyone since things ended with my ex.”
ledger’s dick jumps at the mere thought of aspen being all his to take care of. he’d be the only one to break her apart and put her back together. she’d be all his for tonight.
“what do you want, baby? where do you want me?”
“everywhere,” her eyes close, already feeling heat pace through her stomach. “touch me all over, ledger.”
he follows her command. peeling away the thin straps to her slip. they fall to her shoulders, exposing plump tits in the process. ledger’s mouth moistens at the sight. rose pink nipples stiff and heavy ample breasts present before him. he kisses one. simple and slow. and it makes aspen moan. she lifts from the floor to get more of him.
he’s a tease, though, whispering out a— “be patient, aspen. wanna take our time.”
how could she? she was in dire need of some stimulation and ledger was here taking his sweet time. but she listens. for the first time since they’d been in this shared space of a cabin home—aspen listened to what ledger asked of her.
he reaches for her left breast, mouth opening to swirl his delicate pink tongue around the poking nipple. aspen hisses, cradling his head and holding him still.
“yes,” she exhales softly. “ledger.”
his substantial hand grips her right breast, coarse thumb bumping aspen’s nipple with this movement. he squeezes around the juicy flesh, mouth continuing to suck on the pebbled nipple in front of him.
“please, touch me, baby. i need to feel you ledger.”
she’s begging, and ledger finally decides she deserves it—deserves more of him. he kisses her skin, littering wet pecks all over the front of her neck and between the valleys of her breasts.
“want you to relax. i gotta know you’re calm, aspen.”
“i am,” she promises. “i’m calm.”
a heavy hand pulls her thighs open further, ledger clutches aspen firmly, fingers surely leaving indents on her skin. aspen can’t be bothered to care because finally, he was touching her where she needed him most.
he fiddles around, searching for true treasure. and ledger groans darkly once he finds what he’s looking for. tucked behind a pair of lace black panties, sat aspen’s soaked pussy. he pushes past a small patch of soft damp hair and bumps directly into her firm clit.
aspen’s moaning upon his arrival, goosebumps prickling her arms and legs. she’s so excited and unable to contain it as ledger proceeded to please her. his large thumb drags lazily over her clit, sending shockwaves through aspen’s body.
she tries to be calm, tries to follow what ledger asks of her, but it’s nearly impossible. he pushes against the button roughly, applying pressure that makes aspen gasp out into the room.
“said be patient, baby,” his lips maneuver back up to hers, collecting the air she expels, swallowing it back down as he kisses her. “you gotta listen, ‘pen.”
he calls her by her nickname, and aspen could overflow right here and now. “i’m trying, ledger, i’m trying to.”
“you gotta listen, ‘member what i said?”
“yes, i remember, ledger, i remember—oh fuckkk.”
with his thumb still attached to her clit, ledger adds a middle finger to the inside of her wet pussy. aspen shudders, unyielding in her grasp of his shirt, that’s now folded into a ball tucked between her fist. he draws in and out of her, a faint squelching sound forming from the explicit act. aspen’s sensitive and wet. so fucking wet, it has ledger wondering how she’s gone without any satisfaction all this time.
“just like that, fuck—yesss.”
“pussy’s been needing some attention, hasn’t she? hasn’t been taken care of in some time, huh?”
“no,” aspen’s answer forms high in the back of her throat. “it’s been forever.”
“damn shame,” he tutts, huge finger plunging deeper, making aspen keen and arch her back to the sky.
he’s trying to ruin her. it’s like he wants aspen to make a three-hour drive up to wisconsin every weekend to visit him and only him. aspen’s still stuck on his words and the work of his middle finger, in such a cloudy haze that when he adds another, she cries in surprise at the action. a whimper flying from her mouth, as ledger jerks his fingers deeper inside, thumb still glued to the drawn bud. she clenches around him, her juices escaping down his fingertips.
she comes unexpectedly and it washes over her like waves at the beach on a sunny day. shaking and spasming around ledger’s hand, her face is tucked gently between his thick neck, muffled moans vibrating through his skin.
“let it out. let that shit out,” he coos, watching as she gyrates onto his calloused palm, pushing herself to the edge.
“oh, my—ledger, i’m cumminggg, babyyy, i’m cumming.”
“i see you, i fucking see you, doll. get what you need. use me if you have to.”
and she does. riding the rollercoaster that is ledger ward, aspen comes down from the wild attraction. full lips pressed to his neck, she lingers kisses there, soft hand rubbing against the bulge in between his jeans. he’s huge. she finds herself trailing to the middle of his thigh as she massages him.
ledger gathers a fist full of her tresses to drag his lips across hers. a heated exchange—hotter than their previous kiss, their foreheads and noses knock into each other as they fervidly touch. ledger’s unbuttoning his pants with a free hand, holding still in the kiss with aspen, not wanting to miss a second.
“i wanna see you. wanna see your body, baby.”
“you gotta let me get up, ledger,” she giggles on his lips, eyes fluttering as he moves down peck to her cheeks and chest.
he groans, but ultimately allows aspen to be released. she stands from the carpet and ledger stretches out on the floor. she can’t take how sexy this man is. spread out like he was getting his picture taken, a tent in the front of his dark briefs and sculpted chest on display, muscles constricting when he stretches.
“so fucking sexy,” ledger admires her as she is. blown curls flowing all over her head, full and ample body filling out every inch of her night gown. she should be framed with how gorgeous she looks.
“thank you,” aspen blushes, reaching behind herself to tug at the fastening on the back of the dress.
she’s able to find it and un-clicks the button, allowing the night gown to fall to her sides. ledger grunts, dark and deep, palming himself as she holds full breasts in her hands.
“you’re like magic. i can’t believe you’re real, ‘pen. shit—you got me so hard right now just from watching you.”
aspen whimpers at his confession, toying with the tips of her nipples, missing ledger’s touch.
“come here,” he commands and she follows, walking over to where he lays, taking a seat over his bent legs.
ledger squints, confused for a bit, before glancing down to the small design beside her thigh. aspen’s face is hot with embarrassment as ledger smirks.
he raises his hands. “i haven’t said anything, baby. it’s cute, i like it.”
the tiniest drawing of an animated avocado rests along her skin. “my best friend and i drunkenly got one years ago, back when avocados were all the rave in the 2010’s.”
he laughs. “you made it seem bad. i’ve seen so much worse, aspen. that’s adorable in comparison.”
“you’re just saying that cause you wanna fuck me.”
ledger snorts, not denying it. “i was planning on doing that anyway, babygirl.”
aspen laughs as she leans down to kiss him again. she begins to grind, wet cunt leaving a damp spot on the front of his underwear. right beside the intimately lit fireplace, aspen and ledger hold each other in a gentle embrace. sharing a moment of bliss where aspen’s small hands glide upside ledger’s toned chest and sides, while his drift to the fat of her ass.
“i don’t have any protection, aspen. i haven’t done anything with anyone and i get checked often, but i don’t know if you’re comfortable with that,” he speaks truthfully.
he’d been in the same boat as aspen when it came to affection. work, home and sleep were his routine with the occasional beer and masturbation shower session to follow up.
“i want you, ledger,” she hums, kissing along his dusty colored beard and mustache. “i believe you.”
her hips rock in the same motion as his, conjuring pleasure up for the pair despite the clothing blocking them. “take that shit off.”
excitedly, aspen slides away her panties as ledger removes his briefs. both garments tossed to the side while the lovers embrace each other in the heat of the dim living room.
ledger’s dick is hot against aspen’s ass. she can physically feel the heat radiating as she bumps into him, plush ass rubbing over him in anticipation. he hisses as he grips the base of the lengthy, veiny member. aspen’s hand attaches right along with his and she strokes him languidly, aligning him with the entrance of her soppy pussy.
“slow,” ledgers reminds. “take your time like i said.”
“yeah, yeah, take my time, i remember,” aspen babbles, truly not listening as she’s too focused on the way his dick is gonna feel when he fucks her.
carefully, she sheathes him inside, lowering her cunt over his member, aspen takes a deep breath, preparing herself for the stretch and burn of ledger. it doesn’t matter how many deep breath or beats she takes, aspen still finds herself crying out in pain and pleasure.
“fuck, baby!” ledger extends his large hand to help her find comfort, clasping her hers into his.
“it’s okay, aspen. take your time, baby, take all the time you need.”
he needed aspen to be patient. she hadn’t done this is so long and he didn’t want her to be overwhelmed—to overindulge in this moment and something go wrong. he wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he were to hurt her.
it’s part of the reason why ledger coaches aspen so often, but another reason is because slow motions felt much better. a paced buildup to the ecstasy they were bound to, would please the both of them greater than a rush job.
ledger’s breathing is just as quickened, sharp pants escape his lips as he tries to adjust as well. aspen’s saturated pussy swallows him whole, tight walls begging for motion as he sits still between them.
aspen’s lips are pulled into a profound pout, thick eyebrows drawn close together and she looked like she was on the verge of tears. she still had ways to go before she could fully ride him.
“you’re so big,” gasping, she opens her eyes to look down, taking in just a few inches more before finally settling over him. “ledger, baby you feel so good.”
ledger senses how emotional this moment was making her. whatever aspen felt she spoke it directly, no beating around the bush—she was unable to hide her true emotions and seeing the way tears pricked her pretty eyes, he knew he had a keeper on his hands.
he wanted to be the only one to make her feel this way—the only man to bring tears to her eyes as he pleased her.
“you got it, babe,” his hands rest at her sides, gently caressing her thick hips. he’s so sweet and patient. taking every second to make sure aspen’s okay, even if her slow pace is killing him inside.
that makes her want him even more.
sniffling, she begins to move her hips. in a slow tandem ledger joins her, rolling within aspen as she holds onto his chest for safety.
“i got you ‘pen—fuck you look so good from up here. wish you could see how sexy you are.”
ledger praises, adding a boost to aspen’s confidence. “really?”
she was fucking adorable. “fuck yes, you got me trying not to nut over here, girl.”
she laughs and it’s brief before indulgence replaces her expression. she’s loosening up, able to move faster than before as the heat of ledger’s dick appeases. soft claps of her thick ass smacks against his thighs when she starts to buck, hips picking up in tempo. the sound collides beautifully with the repeated chorus of anita’s ‘you bring me joy’. the vinyl probably looped for a third time now.
“fuckin’ beautiful,” he slaps the back of her ass, surely reddening the skin there. “takin’ it so fuckin’ good, i’m proud of you, baby.”
“ledger, oh, my god—fuckkk, you’re so deep in me, baby, you’re so fucking deep.”
it’s quick how he does it. without a word ledger flips aspen onto her back, now owning the moment. she shouts in pure ecstasy as the weight of him crushes her in the best way possible, big dick taking the air from her lungs as he pistons inside of her.
“right—“ she pauses, losing her voice, instead following the cutoff with a strangled moan. “right…fucking…there. keep going, keep fucking going, i’m about to cum.”
“push that shit out,” he smacks her thigh, holding her face as close as possible to his, gnawing at her check with kisses and bites. “give it to me, cum on this fucking dick.”
he’s rough and aspen doesn’t expect it, but she’s not complaining in any way. he must’ve grown tired of holding it together and desperately needed to release. his teeth are clenched together as he grittily curses out to her, burning her ass and thighs each time he sends a harsh slap to them.
aspen’s neck cranes in his hold, eyes rolling to the back of her skull as she moans out. “i’m cumming, fuck, i’m fucking cumming.”
she squirts unexpectedly, soaking ledger’s abdomen in the process. he’s surprised, but quickly pulls out and jerks himself off using aspen’s splashing juices as lubricant. she trembles, thighs shaking as the orgasm pushes her over.
“that’s so fucking good, ‘pen. don’t fucking stop, soak me up, baby, get that shit.”
“unghhh,” she heaves and quivers at ledger’s praise and the heavy thump of his dick slapping against her puffy clit. “babyyy. ledgerrr.”
she’s whining, breathless as ledger slides back inside of her. twitching in his arms, aspen watches from a haze as ledger’s groans rumble through the room, tattooed body attached to hers while he fucks with vigor until he’s finally cumming inside her pussy.
“so fucking good. you’re so fucking good, baby. god fucking damn—you got me nutting all in you.”
his words are so obscene. so much so that aspen has to clamp her lips over his to get hush him. holding his praises and grunts behind her lips, aspen moans back in response of ledger’s words.
when they finish, the pair stay on the floor for just a little while longer, snatching a throw blanket from the couch as they heat up near the fireplace.
afterwards they clean themselves up, having another round in the shower, before sitting down to go over aspen’s novel rough draft.
