Page 41 of One Wild Ride

“I may be a recluse, Aria, but I know simple math and twenty-nine minus twenty-six is three.”

“I turn thirty in June. I will be four years older than you in a little over a month.”

“Who’s to say I don’t have a birthday later this year?” I said knowing I didn’t.

But she didn’t need to know that.

She waved her hands at me. “Three years, four years, that doesn’t matter. I’m still not coming with you, Alex. I have a life here. Chicago may not be a paradise island where we can sip mai tai’s on the beach and make love in a room with the sounds of waves crashing in the distance, but . . . wait, what was I arguing about?”

The more time I spent with Aria, the more I learned what she liked. That’s something you can’t Google. As much as she complained about not wanting to be bought, she sure liked nice things and good food.

“I can make that happen,” I said as the corner of my mouth tipped up. “And just think, I could feed you shrimp caught fresh from the ocean and grilled before us on the beach.”

Her eyes were like saucers as she stared up at me. “I do like shrimp.”

I took a step closer, placing my hand on her shoulder before dipping my head to the side of hers. “You know what I like, Aria? Pie. They make a great key lime pie in the Keys. I like other flavors, too. But when I find that perfect pie—as if it was created just for my tongue—mmm, it makes me want to lick the whole thing.”

“Yes. That does sound good,” she said, her voice but a breath.

I lifted my hand to her neck. My nose dipped, tickling under her ear and it took every ounce of my restraint not to bite her. But I didn’t. I held firm until her chest pushed against mine. Her breathing picked up the more I inhaled.

“I’d love to have pie with you, Aria.”

“So much yes right now.” Her fingers gripped my shoulders trying to pull me closer.

But, again, I held firm. I wanted to give in and let her do what she wanted to me, but I needed something more from Aria. A promise.

I straightened my back and stood to my full height. It surprised her but she refused to let me go.

“Then come with me. Let’s find that perfect island together. No more cold Chicago winters.”

That’s when she gave in. Her eyes widened and her lips—they were the key—spread into a breathtaking smile. Full of as much hope as I felt.

But then one person ruined everything. As she had for most of my life, my mother walked in to take control.

“What on earth?” Aria said as her head turned toward the door my mother walked through moments ago.

She was surprised by mother’s appearance but I wasn’t. My mother had spies everywhere. This wasn’t the first time I tried to leave my home during the day. I once talked an old friend, someone I thought was a friend, into coming to a gallery showing by a new artist with me.

Turned out that friend was one of my mom’s spies. My mother showed up there too. But not before the true beauty of the night captured my heart.

My mom’s gray eyes narrowed on Aria. “Alexander. What are you doing here?”

My instinct was to push Aria behind me, protect her from the woman who used my love like candy. When she had a sweet tooth, my mother would visit me only to chew me up.

I wanted to lie to my mom and never tell her what I was planning, but it was time to face her. Despite my promises long ago to my mother, I needed to do this for me. Even if it meant breaking those promises. She broke enough promises over the years.

“I’m leaving. I won’t marry whoever you picked out for me. This isn’t the middle ages, Mother.” I turned my eyes to find Aria’s mouth wide in surprise. “I’m only here to tell Aria that I won’t need her to paint the mural anymore. In fact, she might be coming with me,” I said before I looked at Aria.

Not wanting to overstep my bounds I asked, “If you’re interested?”

She chewed on her bottom lip. And after what felt like forever, Aria grabbed my hand and smiled up at me. “Yes. I’ll come with you, Alex.”

There was an ache in my chest and a burn that prickled and twisted throughout my body. It was almost too good to be true. This beautiful, amazing woman wanted to be with me.

Noise disrupted my joy and I turned to see my mother clapping her hands.

“Aww, that is sweet, but I’m afraid you can’t run off with your little love, Alex.”

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