Page 14 of One Wild Ride

“I don’t mean to be rude, but I prefer not to touch people if I don’t have to.”

Okay.

I slid my eyes toward Tiffany as she frowned. Tiffany pushed her hands into her pockets and I wondered if she had wanted to shake Mrs. Hawthorne’s hand too.

The elevator stopped and the doors flew open. We followed Mrs. Hawthorne down the art-filled hall and through the haunted door, right into Alex’s living room. It was even more beautiful in the daytime with light from the windows overlooking the river and the city. It was as if the window was one of the art pieces.

“Mom, what are you . . .? Aria?”

I turned to find Alex dressed in low hanging sweatpants and no shirt. Heat gathered between my legs and I immediately removed my puffy coat. I will, one day, want this room as my eternal resting place, I just didn’t want that time to start today. If I left the coat on, I might perish due to heat exposure and possible ovary explosion.

“There’s my boy.” His mother walked over to him, cupping his cheeks and kissing both.

“Why are you all wet?” she asked and I instantly glanced down at my jeans for fear my ovaries had already burst.

“I just got out of the shower. Why are you here?”

With relief I realized Mrs. Hawthorne wasn’t referring to what was between my legs. But that didn’t stop my ovaries from threatening total meltdown when I saw Alex’s hypno-eyes staring at me.

Heat was migrating up my body to my cheeks, and I knew I wasn’t the only one taken in by this reclusive Adonis. I turned to find Tiffany staring at Alex’s bare chest.

“To help you of course. I hear you wish to have a mural painted in your bedroom by your artist friend, Ms. Dixon.” She waved her hand at me that glittered from the various diamond rings that littered her fingers.

“But it’s my bedroom, Mother. I don’t need your input.” Alex folded his arms in front of his chest. You would think that would help cool me down, but the way his arms grew bigger, his muscles tighter, I almost drooled at the sight. I could hear Tiffany whimper beside me.

“Alexander, sweet boy, I let you live in this building. Where do you think your money comes from? If you wish to change something, I must have input on it. It’s in the lease.” She placed her hand on Alex’s arm but immediately pulled it back and wiped her palm on her black, wool pencil skirt.

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