Passing His Guard

But pushing him away might be her only saving grace. She wasn’t sure how much more close-quarters with him she could take. Opening up to Aiden would require her to give him something she wasn’t sure she was prepared to part with—her trust. She’d have to tell him everything, about her father and about Moralli. Although in that moment of panic she’d so glibly made the promise to do just that, now that it was time to bare her soul, she wasn’t sure she could do that and still keep it.

“And if you must know the truth . . . I was insanely jealous back there.”

She gave him a weak smile, returning his boyish grin. A bubble of laughter caught in her throat. How sweet . . . This was his olive branch. For Aiden to admit to any emotion that might be perceived as weakness was a true miracle in itself.

“And that smile . . . Sweetheart, I want to be the only male on the receiving end of that beauty.”

Oh, he was good. And she would have told him so if that unguarded honesty in his eyes hadn’t rocked her to her very core. That unmistakable spark of co

“So it looks like I owe you one fancy di

Grateful for the reprieve, she thought that sounded like the best idea she’d heard in a long time.

CHAPTER

19

Aiden wasn’t used to having to make concessions, but where Rya

“I feel underdressed,” she complained, checking out her backside in the mirror.

Aiden hadn’t moved from his spot on the bed. Stretched out, legs crossed at the ankles, hands laced behind his head, he watched Rya

“You look fine.”

Apparently, fine was a cardinal sin, because she shot him a scowl and grumbled, “Gee, thanks.”

Deliberately ignoring her snark, he said, “No problem. You about ready to go?”

“Just a minute. Don’t rush me. Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I’ve been out on a date?”

Wait, what? Was that what this was? Suddenly, he was the one feeling underdressed, and more than a little anxious. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been on a real date, because he was pretty sure booty calls didn’t count. Rya

Yes, she did. Otherwise she wouldn’t have said it. And that added a whole other element to this “night out” scenario. He’d wanted to take her out because he didn’t think he could stand being cooped up in this tiny room with her all evening and keep his hands to himself. He’d hoped getting her out in public would help him govern his urge to fuck her blind. It never occurred to him that Rya

Bottom line, there was something between them, but that didn’t mean they should let it go anywhere. If he knew what was good for him, he’d keep Rya

And you’d think that all that head knowledge would have caught up with his mouth because in the next two seconds he was asking, “How long has it been? Since you were on a date?” He had to clarify that question because it could have meant so many other things—things he was dying to know but had no business asking.

She shrugged as if the answer were inconsequential and spared him the briefest glance. Mercy, she looked hot in those dark-wash ski

“How old are you, Rya

She glanced at him through the reflection in the mirror as she skated a sheer gloss over her full, ripe lips. She rubbed them together, smoothing out the gloss, then ran her finger along the border, wiping off the excess. His cock instantly became hard as he watched her apply the finishing touches. It took all his restraint not to go over there and kiss it right off that lush mouth of hers. If she’d sensed the wicked direction of his thoughts, she didn’t acknowledge it, which might have been her only saving grace.

“I’m twenty-six. Why?”

Now it was his turn to shrug. “Just wondering. You look younger with your hair pulled up.”

She turned toward him, her hand subconsciously lifting to her bun. “You don’t like it?”

“I didn’t say that.”

As if his legs had a mind of their own, they swung over the side of the bed and he was on his feet and advancing on her before he even realized he’d moved. Aiden stopped in front of her and lifted his hands, framing her face. “Rya

But she wasn’t heeding his warning. This was him telling her to leave, to go get in that car before he said or did something they’d surely regret—well, she would, anyway, because the one thing he was learning about Rya

“Twelve months.”

“Excuse me?”

“Twelve months. That’s how long it’s been since I was on a date. Since my fiancé and I broke up.”

He gave her a surprised look. “Fiancé, huh? How long were you together?”

“Four years.”

“What happened?” A flash of pain crossed her face that immediately put her ex on Aiden’s shit list. He didn’t even need to know what happened. All that mattered was that prick had hurt Rya