Page 70 of Forsaken Trail (Runaway 4)

Sleeping together? Dating? I hadn’t dated since college. Since Aria and I rarely went anywhere outside the home, I doubted this would qualify.

Maybe I should change that.

“Tomorrow night, I’d like to take you out to dinner.”

Aria returned to her brushing. “Okay. I’ve been craving a burger from the diner ever since Marty and I ordered in lunch from there last week.”

“The diner it is.” I drew a circle on her shoulder with my finger, then reluctantly stepped away. It was nearly impossible to keep my hands to myself when she was within reach. And if I kept touching her, that towel would hit the floor and I’d be late for my flight.

“Don’t work too hard. No lifting heavy arrangements.”

“Yes, sir.” A smile toyed at her mouth.

She’d started teasing me lately, calling me sir. The three-letter word sent a rush of heat to my groin.

“You’re evil.” I didn’t hide the adjustment I made to my hardening dick.

Her smile widened. “I know.”

I chuckled and walked out of the bathroom while I still could, then headed to the garage. I pulled off the property and onto the highway. Within a mile, I missed home. I missed her.

I wasn’t exactly a homebody. Clara called me an introvert, but mostly, I didn’t like many people. Many people didn’t like me. With so much work to be done, why make friends when I didn’t have time to give them? Why date a woman who would only demand attention I didn’t have to spare?

Aria was the exception.

When it came to her, none of my rules applied. She had my focus. She had my free moments. She had my nights.

It had been two weeks since the night Aria had told me to kiss her in the kitchen. Two weeks and we hadn’t spent a night apart. There were some evenings when I had to work late and I’d find her in her room, tucked into bed, reading a book. Other nights, we’d eat dinner together before I’d start the process of giving her as many orgasms as I could until she passed out.

Those were the best nights.

We slept in her room. My room. Wherever we landed. And never had my house felt so much like a home.

She’d bring home flowers from the shop. They’d sit on the kitchen counter, brightening it for the weekend. The arrangement she’d brought five days ago had started to droop and I suspected there’d be a new one tonight when I got home from Vegas.

My flight left on time. My morning meetings went off without a hitch. And when it was time to meet with Grandmother and tell her the news, her initial reaction was exactly as I’d expected. A double blink. A demand to repeat myself. Then the fury set in.

“How could you be so foolish?” she snapped, her face as red as I’d seen in a year.

“It wasn’t intentional.”

“Maybe for you. That woman is trash. She did this on purpose.”

“I can assure you, Aria was just as surprised as I was.”

“Then she should be an actress.” Grandmother scoffed. “Because that woman only wants your money.”

If she only knew how wrong she was. Aria still hadn’t so much as touched the keys for the BMW I’d bought her. She’d made her first monthly payment on the flower shop even when I’d tried once more to tell her it was unnecessary. Three days ago, I’d heard her tell Ron that whether he liked it or not, she was picking up some groceries on the way home. He was smarter than I was and chose not to argue and had reluctantly handed over his list.

“Whether you like her or not, Aria is in my life,” I said. “I won’t forsake my child. Or my child’s mother.”

“Then you prove my point. You were an easy target.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Please. Can you just be happy for me? I want this.”

“Then you’re as foolish as your mother.”

My jaw clenched. “I guess I am.”