Page 43 of An Enchanted Spring
“What happened?” she cried, scrambling off the couch and racing to them. She glared at Reilly. “I think your ridiculous fighting crossed a line here, don’t you?” She frantically ran her fingers over Aidan’s chest and arms, checking for wounds.
He caught her hands in his own. “Emmaline.” He repeated her name again, and she looked at him. “I’m fine. We were attacked, but it was nothing. The bugger just happened to hit me in the right spot. ‘Tisn’t broken.”
“What about your shirt?” she asked. The tear was long and neatly done, as though someone had taken scissors to it and cut a long line.
“You know, I was hurt too,” Reilly interjected.
“I don’t see you covered in blood,” Emma said in disbelief.
“I’ll go have a shower, then,” Aidan said, gently disentangling his fingers from hers. “Perhaps when I get out, you can check me for injury.”
Emma’s face flamed.
She threw her hands on her hips and gave Reilly a quick once-over. “What happened? Random attack?”
Reilly waved her in front of him and she led him into the guest bathroom. He pulled down a first-aid kit from behind the mirror and handed it to her. “I’ll let Aidan have the glory of telling you. Go tend to him, but be careful, lass.”
“Why do you say that?” she wondered aloud, holding his gaze.
“Because he can’t say it himself.”
She blinked. “How long have you known Aidan?” she asked.
He answered without hesitation. “Many years.”
“And in those many years, how many women have you warned off him?”
He leveled a stare at her. “Not a one.”
Her mouth dropped, and she clutched the kit against her chest as he gave her a swift nod and brushed by her.
Talk about mixed signals, she thought as he headed upstairs. She flicked the bathroom light off and glanced up the stairs after him. He warned her to stay away from Aidan, but handed her a first-aid kit, which he himself clearly didn’t need.
Aidan, however…
Her brows knit, and she wondered if she would ever understand men.
She wasn’t sure shecouldstay away from Aidan. Each time his lips touched hers, an explosion went off inside her brain, and she was powerless against it. Their attraction seemed quite mutual, but he was her boss. She wouldn’t lower herself to sleeping with him.
That’s what she told herself every time she caught his eyes. And the refrain echoed hollowly in her own mind. And she’d gone back and forth about her ethics almost since the moment she met him.
Never before had she been so tempted by a man. Emma had wasted years on the wrong guy. She’d only dated a couple of guys before she met Ben, and that was it. She filled out a profile on Celtic Connections, sure—but nothing ever came of it. She had turned down each date they offered her until she deactivated her profile. None of the men made her want to take a chance.
If she were honest with herself, she knew there wassomething between her and Aidan. She would also admit that she would be a fool not to explore it. But she’d been a fool before, and she once again took stock of her life.
On the run, in a strange man’s home, lusting after her boss.
Oh yeah. Desirable qualities, all.
She heard the shower stop, and drew a deep breath. But maybe this one would be different. He wasn’t pushing her for anything, and in fact seemed as reluctant as she was. Perhaps she should take a chance. She never took chances, and thus far in her life she’d merely hung on for the ride.
She caught sight of herself in the hall mirror. She was stronger than she was when she was with Ben.
She knew what she wanted out of life, though the details on how to get it were a bit fuzzy at the moment.
But she had her life, she had a man who clearly desired her, and she had at least some courage in her back pocket.
She looked into her own eyes and nodded firmly. If the Universe was telling her to get on with her life, she’d start right now, with this man.
