Page 12 of Wilde In His Arms

“Hesent them.”

“Nice.So why are you upset?”

Aria raised her head and let her sister see her tear-filled eyes.“Because he wants me.And I want him.And that doesn’t seem to change anything between us.How can we be so drawn together and yet always feel so far apart?”

“Long-distance relationships are hard.”

“Exactly, and that’s not going to change.We want different things.That’s why I’m going on a date tonight.”

Lyric gaped at her.“You’re serious about moving on.”

It wasn’t really that.“I love my life.I love working here with you and everyone else.I’m happy just being me.But being with Nick…it made me see that I could be even happier with someone I love in my life.The days that he was here, or I spent with him in Montana, those were some of the happiest days of my life.I want that all the time.I’m going to prioritize finding a partner who wants what I want and is ready to commit.”

“Okay, then.Who is the lucky guy taking you out tonight?”

Aria’s eyes glassed over at her sister’s support.“Thank you for understanding.”

“I’m your sister.I always have your back.”Lyric clasped her hands together at her chest and her smile brightened.“You should wear that powder-blue dress that hugs your curves.You kill in that dress.”

It was Nick’s favorite.“That one is more a things-are-going-somewhere dress.I thought I’d wear the emerald-green one.”

“That one makes your blue eyes stand out.Perfect.He won’t know what hit him.”Lyric caught herself.“Who are we talking about again?”

Aria’s cheeks heated.“Mark Davis.”

Lyric pressed her bottom lip against her top one.“Is he the guy who comes in here wearing a suit talking about investments?”

Aria nodded, a smile breaking out on her face.“He owns his own financial planning business.He’s successful and looking to settle down.”

Lyric still didn’t seem excited for her.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.He’s a nice guy.Says please and thank you.He’s never rude.Doesn’t give women lewd looks.”

What Aria heard between those words wasboring.“He is nice.And I’d like to get to know him better.”

“Okay.But I’m just saying, Nick is…intense with an edge of dangerous.He’s going to have to look at you the way Nick looks at you.”

“How does Nick look at me?”She already knew.Like he wanted to strip her bare and worship her all night long.

Damn the man for reminding her that no one else compared.

Lyric echoed her thoughts.“Nick looks at you like you’re everything he ever wanted and more.”

“Well, maybe we don’t all get our Mason.”Like Jax found Layla.Like Melody reunited with Fox.

Maybe Nick just wasn’t meant to be hers.

He was already married to his job and seemingly happy with his life just the way it was.

Maybe she needed to find a different kind of happy with someone else.

Chapter seven

AriametMarkdowntownat the new American bistro that had opened a few months back.Melody and Fox had eaten there once and raved about the food.She parked her car, then walked a block to the restaurant and spotted Mark waiting for her outside.

He smiled the moment he saw her.He looked good in slacks and a white button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up.He didn’t have thick corded muscles in his arms like Nick.In fact he was a couple inches shorter than him, too.

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