Page 26 of His to Cherish

“Hmm?” I stared at the ground. He was in front of me. I could see his scuffed work boots and the frayed hem of his jeans.

I didn’t look up. I couldn’t.

This was stupid. I was acting like such a stupid, silly girl.

A quick, shocked breath filled the air when his hand touched my chin. I couldn’t think as he lifted my chin until I was face to face with him.

His eyebrows were pulled in tight; stress lined his forehead and the edges of his eyes.

He was frowning. “You feel okay?”

I nodded slowly. “I’m good.”

“You don’t look good.”

I flinched.

“Not what I meant.”

“I know,” I responded quickly. Too quickly. I tried to jerk out of his grasp but it didn’t work.

“Talk to me.”

I opened my mouth to speak before snapping it closed. Anything I had to say would make me seem like an overemotional, crazy drunk woman. I wasn’t prepared for that kind of humiliation. Thankfully I hadn’t drunk enough to make my filter disappear.

“I’m just tired,” I said to satisfy him. By his scowl, I knew he didn’t believe me.

His tongue slid along his bottom lip, and I inhaled a gasp of air. I needed it. Perhaps the alcohol caused my lungs to stop working correctly.

His eyes darted back and forth between mine. I frowned, wondering what he was looking for and what he saw.

Did he see the insecure girl who had to continually say goodbye to everyone she loved but tried like hell to hide the emptiness that brought?

“You’re always there for me.”

My nose twitched. “It’s not a problem.”

He nodded slowly, just once. I watched something happen in his eyes and then looked down as he fidgeted on his feet, shifting his weight. He seemed nervous, which made no sense.

His hand on my chin moved slowly to the back of my neck, cupping me and bringing me closer to him. He was a breath away from me, his face so close to mine, when he roughly whispered, “But I haven’t thanked you.”

“It’s not necessary—”

His lips hit mine. My eyes flew open and I gasped, opening my mouth. Instantly, his tongue pressed in, circling my tongue and tasting me.

Oh…my…gosh. It was like heaven and hell wrapped up in the prettiest package I could ever receive. Better than a blue box with a silver ribbon from Tiffany.

He tasted better than I thought he would—clean and crisp—and I leaned in, wanting more.

No, I didn’t lean in. Imelted.

My tongue tangled with his and a moan escaped my throat.

It was that sound that made both of us snap back to reality.

He pulled away and my mouth was still open, my brain working too slowly to process what just happened, how absolutely incredible it felt…and the look of regret all over his face.

“Shit.” Aidan’s fingers dropped from my neck and I stood on my front porch completely dumbfounded as both of his hands flew to his neck, clasping at the back. He looked up at the sky and gritted out, “Fuck.”

---