Read with BonusRead with Bonus

Chapter 2

(Aaron)

One night with Charlotte turned into a week-long affair. I learned during that time that her husband, Franklin, is in fact a teacher. An English professor, to be exact. He is also half a million dollars in debt due to a bad business adventure gone south.

Had he won the game that night, he would be debt-free with a nice cushion. She came to my motel that night and left the next morning after nothing happened between us. I wanted to fuck her, but I sensed she wasn’t as game for that idea as she had been at the casino.

We talked all night, which shocked the hell out of me. I think it was the first time I have ever spent all night talking to a woman I had every intention to sleep with. Talking like that just isn’t something I do.

I do now, it seems, and I had to admit that it was a very refreshing change of pace. I was packing to go home when she showed back up a few hours later with tears in her eyes and a suitcase behind her. It felt like I was going back to that night with Rylan.

Rather than go down that murderous thought train, I let Charlotte into my room, and she told me every sordid detail of what she found when she went home. That fucker called her a whore and kicked her out of their home for sleeping with me, but he wouldn't believe her when she told him that nothing happened.

So I decided to stay in London longer to help her out. I learned a lot about her during that week. I surprised myself by opening up to her about Rylan. My feelings for her and what I want to do about them when I go home.

Charlie, as I like to call her, tells me it is about time I pull my head out of my ass and get out of my own way. She made me think about how I would feel if it took me too long to get my shit together, only to find out that Rylan had moved on with her life.

That thought made me feel like I had been kicked in the nuts. It made me angry at myself because that is the last thing I want to happen. I know it is possible. What woman waits forever for a man?

That is what Rylan has done, though; she is loyal to a fault. I can’t expect her to wait for me for however long it takes for me to be less broken. That could take years.

I also told Charlie about the company I created with Quinn and everything we are working towards. She admires what we stand for. It was nice to hear that from someone other than my parents.

Charlotte is an artist; paintings and clay are her mediums. She begged me to let her paint my portrait one night after I finished a vigorous workout. I was covered in sweat as I lay on my back before I hit the shower.

So I let her pose my body however she wanted. She was very interested in my back tattoo but said she had another image in mind. I was hesitant at first, but after a few drinks, I agreed.

I had my arm up and under my head; the silk sheets were around my waist, but my legs were exposed. She positioned my body so that my free hand was right at the edge of the sheet, like I was about to slip my hand under it. My right leg was up and bent at the knee to give a tantalizing peek at my crotch.

The end result was very erotic.

By the time she and I parted ways, I was a little disappointed to see her go. She agreed to have the painting, which I insisted on paying her for, sent to my penthouse. I gave her my number and told her to call me if she was ever in California.

Now I am on a flight home on a rainy Sunday morning. We will be landing in an hour, and I am suddenly nervous to return to my life. Not that there is much to return home to.

My empty house with all those rooms that no one ever sees but me? Living alone has its ups and downs, but I have never wanted to live with anyone. I like my solitude; however, I am now thinking a roommate might not be a bad idea.

Then there are all my cars that no one ever drives but me. I have a small collection of flashy sports cars, a few SUVs, and a motorcycle. I don’t let many people into my garage. It is one of two places that I use as a sanctuary from all the noise in my head. The second is my in-home gym.

Let’s not forget about my job as CEO of one of the largest companies in California. My job is pretty easy most of the time. Meetings, dinner parties, and charity events. Ok, there is more to it than that, but who's counting, not me, that is for sure. It was far too easy to just walk away from my life, but not as easy to go back to it.

I had already called Dr. West before I boarded my flight home. I have an appointment with him tomorrow to get started on my therapy. That is step one on the list I made last night to get my shit together.

That will be a long process, but I have a plan in place with West to get me and everyone I love to the other side of this nightmare in one piece.

Step one of that plan is to sit down with my family and friends, all of them in one place, so that I can admit that I need help. I don’t want to, but Dr.West thinks it is a good idea. He says that I need to get it all out in the open with my family so that they can be there for me when I need them.

I sent a mass email to everyone but Rylan to have them meet me at my house on Friday for dinner. I told them that I needed to talk to them, and what I had to say was important. They all confirmed they would be there.

Instead of emailing Rylan, I decided that it would be better to talk to her face-to-face.

So, early Monday morning, I pull up to the guard house at the gated community she now lives in. She moved here after that bastard Paulson skipped out on his bond and made a run for it. The police have yet to find him.

After getting a visitor pass for my window, I am allowed through the gates. I drive through the tidy streets until I reach her house. It is a nice single-story home with a huge bay window up front. I can imagine her sitting there with a glass of wine and a book.

She doesn’t think I know her at all, but I know her more than I let on. For years, I have just listened to her talk, even though I have actively made it seem like I don’t care about her.

That needs to change.

I pull into her driveway, then just stare like a stupid fool as she steps out of her house in her jogging attire. Tight yoga pants and a halter top that looks like it is barely containing her voluptuous breasts. My dick twitched to life in my pants as her eyes snapped to mine.

There is surprise all over her face, but it is quickly replaced by that cold mask of indifference she has been giving me.

“How do you know where I live?’

I give her a look that says she knows better than to ask that. She shakes her head, then just glares at me as I get out of my car. I hold my hands up to signal that I come in peace as I walk up the paved walkway.

“Why are you here, Aaron? I don’t have time for you right now." She glances at her watch, and irritation flickers across her face.

“Make the time, please.”

I can tell this takes her by surprise because she just stares at me like I have grown two heads and sprouted horns or something. This isn’t going quite as I expected, so I close the distance between us until I am on the front porch with her.

The smell of her coconut-scented shampoo hits me instantly, causing my senses to go a little haywire. She takes a step back, and I take a step closer. This continues until I have her backed against her front door.

“What are you doing, Aaron?” Her voice is a bit breathless as she looks at me with a confused expression on her face.

Instead of kissing her like I want to, I take a step back and tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. Her eyes softened at the action, but then that cold look came back just as quickly. I hate that look more than anything.

“I am having dinner at my place on Friday for everyone and my parents. It would mean the world to me if you were there.”

“You came all the way out here to ask me that? Why? You made it perfectly clear the last time we were together that you wanted nothing to do with me.”

That is what she took out of my act of stepping back from her offer? Well, fuck me. That wasn’t what I intended at all.

“I am going to tell everyone about needing help with my PTSD.”

She shoves me away from her so she can pace around her porch. When she turns to face me again, there is fire in her eyes. I breathe a sigh of relief to see fire rather than ice.

“Why now? Why do you even want me there? You will have your parents, Quinn, and whoever else you stopped to see today. Why me? You don’t even like me.”

“I only came to see you while I emailed everyone else.”

I wait and watch her face as my words sink in. It is important that she know this. She looks away from me for a moment, but when her eyes connect with mine again, that coldness is back.

“Are you in therapy now?”

“I have an appointment with Dr. West later today. We started before I ..”

“Took off to wherever the hell you have been for the last few weeks?” She interrupts me.

I nod my head.

Rylan looks at her watch, then sighs and gives me a frustrated look. "Well, there goes my morning run, thanks. Now I need to get ready for work. Is there anything else you need?”

“Will you be there?”

I feel like she is dismissing me, and I don’t like it, yet I deserve it. I want her to be there; no, I need her to be there. She has been my anchor as well as the catalyst for driving me insane. In a good way.

She looks at me like she is thinking about it, then turns around and walks into her house. The slamming of the door feels like her answer. Fantastic! I knew I would have to work for her trust again. I knew it wouldn’t be easy.

Instead of getting into my car, I take a seat on the top step of the porch and wait for her to come out again. There is a conversation we need to have, and now is as good a time as any. I pull out my phone and text Quinn that I will meet him at the office soon.

That is another conversation that needs to happen. I will be apologizing for how I just took off on him like that. I left him to deal with the beginning stages of the outreach center on his own. I feel like a dick for that, but I know he understands.

Ten minutes later, I turn my head to glance behind me as I hear the door open. Rylan growls in annoyance as she spots me. Her hair is up in a messy bun, and she is wearing the teal scrubs that all the doctors and nurses in the veteran's program wear.

She has a white lab coat over one arm, and her backpack is slung over one shoulder. She stands there, glaring at me for a few seconds, before she stomps down the steps and walks toward her car.

When she reaches her dark red convertible, she opens the driver's side door, tosses her stuff inside, then spins around to face me. “Why the fuck are you still here, Aaron?”

I stand up off the step, then deliberately walk slowly down the walkway to where she is standing. She is practically vibrating with her anger when I stop in front of her. There is fire in her eyes as she crosses her arms over her chest.

I follow the movement with my eyes and stop myself from licking my lips when I look into her eyes. “There have been too many misunderstandings between us, so I want to make this loud and clear for you.”

She scoffs at me. “Misunderstandings? Is that what we are calling what happened between us in France?”

"Yes, because you are constantly not listening to what I am telling you. I wasn’t ready in France, not for what you wanted, at least. I want to make one thing perfectly clear right here and now." I close the distance between us, then press her up against her car. “I very much wanted to fuck you then, and I still do.”

When she gasps in surprise, I slam my mouth against hers. I take full advantage of her shock and pull her flush against me, then slip my tongue into her mouth. The kiss lasts for a glorious ten seconds before she tears her mouth free and tries to push me away.

“Stop struggling and just fucking listen to me for one damn minute.”

I wait while she gets her breathing under control. She gives me a nod, then I loosen my grip but don’t step away from her. I reach up and cup her face softly with one hand, and I smile when I feel her melt against me.

“I didn’t fuck you in France because I want more from this thing between us than just sex, Rylan. I want to be in a better frame of mind so that I can be a better man for you.”

With that, I let go of her and kiss her lips softly before I walk away. I glance at her as I open my car door. She is just staring at me with a flustered look on her face.

“Please come for dinner on Friday.”

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter