by Jill Sanders
It had been one of the first nights after guests flooded the grounds that he’d gotten a knock on his door just past ten o’clock.
He’d opened his front door and frowned down at a very drunk Aubrey, who stood swaying in his doorway.
“Hi,” he said with a smile as his heart and his dick both jumped with joy.
“Hi.” She giggled.
He leaned against the doorframe, crossed his arms over his chest, and watched her, taking in the sexy hiking boots, the tight khaki shorts, and the tight-fitting camp shirt, which had his smile growing. How was it that even in that outfit she was sexy as sin?
“Looking for something?” he asked, feeling a little cocky.
She giggled again and then flung her body towards him. Thankfully, he reached out and caught her before they both toppled over.
Her mouth plastered to his as she pushed him back into the room and slammed his door shut behind them.
“Aub?” he said between kisses, wanting to clear a few things up before they returned to normal.
“No.” She shook her head. “Don’t,” she warned. “I need…” She was pulling at the buttons on his shirt. When her nails scraped against his skin, he moaned. She reached for the button of his jeans and, after freeing him, she wrapped her hand around him. “I just need…” She leaned over and ran her teeth over his shoulder.
All the arguments he’d thought of over the past week and a half left him. All he could think about now was being with her again and how he was going to persuade her to take a chance on him. For good.
No matter what happened now, he knew Aubrey was the woman he wanted. And if he had to wait forever, he was prepared to wait forever.
Chapter 5
Over a year later…
Aubrey knew something was changing. She could feel it in the air.
For over two and a half years, she’d enjoyed her time with Aiden and enjoyed knowing it was still a secret from her friends even more.
Every single one of her friends, the Wildflowers, were now fully in love and engaged to be married, except for her. But it was for the best. She knew she didn’t belong in that elite group. She didn’t deserve love.
It was difficult to explain, but she had promised herself long ago to never marry. Not that she didn’t think others should, it just wasn’t right for her.
Every single time she felt Aiden growing too close to her, she’d pull back. What was between them was just supposed to be fun. Just sex. That’s all she wanted from him. That’s all she could afford to give him. It was what they had arranged when they’d first started being together.
Besides, the man was very good at the physical stuff. Okay, the best she’d ever experienced. He helped her take her mind off… well, everything dark from her past.
Over the past few years, she estimated that he probably knew as much about her as her sisters did. And the reverse could be said about him. She knew everything there was to know about Aiden Stark.
Besides knowing all the intimate details about him, like his favorite sex position and how he liked to snuggle afterwards, she knew that he was twenty-five and had a Bachelor of Design in Architecture from FSU. He was an only child of Robin and Carl Stark, whom she had met on a few occasions when they visited the camp. Aiden’s grandmother Nancy had been the sister of Elle’s grandfather Joe and had passed away long before Aiden had come along.
He’d been in only one long-term relationship with a woman named Danelle. She gathered that he’d been broken after that relationship had ended but hadn’t asked who had ended it or why.
It had been almost six months since she’d broken things off with him for the last time. He’d spooked her that first time he’d mentioned the L word. Sure, he’d convinced her that he was only talking about their time together, but she’d bolted just the same.
She’d kicked herself more than a dozen times after that. Each time she’d needed a release, she’d gone crawling back to him. This last time, however, she’d been left sexually frustrated and hornier than, well… ever. Aiden had been there to scratch that itch for so long that she’d grown accustomed to being liberated from her pent-up frustration.
Now, almost six months to the day since she’d called it off with him for the last time, she walked around the campgrounds agitated enough that she was surprised she didn’t bite anyone’s head off. Sure, her classes helped relieve some of the physical tension, and she had her friends to talk to. But still, the secret she’d kept from them weighed heavily on her, and she knew that if they ever found out about it, she’d have some explaining to do.
Seeing how happy her four friends were with their fiancés had her even more agitated. Not that she didn’t like the four men. Levi was one of her favorite people on the campgrounds, and he and Scarlett were perfect together. Dylan, Liam, and Owen Costas had grown on her over the past year as well.
Even Scarlett and Zoey’s mother, Kimberly, was now happily and openly seeing Reed Cooper, a local who lived in a massive mansion across the water from the camp.
Now that it was just her living alone in the three-bedroom apartment on the third floor of the main camp building, she tried to convince herself she deserved to be alone.
Still, part of her heart ached for something more. Someone to share the rest of her life with. But then reality would come crashing back down to her in the form of a call from her father.
Since she’d stepped out of his grasp, he’d tried everything to get her back under his control, short of suing the camp business itself.
She hadn’t confided in her friends all the methods he’d used, but they knew of some of them. He’d tried to blackmail her into working for his company by telling her that some of her clients’ money had gone missing and that the company was looking at her. If she didn’t return, she could be sued and possibly jailed. When she’d laughed that threat off and informed him that she hadn’t dealt with any of the money accounts and had only set up their accounts and then handed everything to the next person up the chain, he’d backed off.
Her father hadn’t even really known what she’d done for his business, which made her feel relieved and pissed at the same time. She’d expected that he’d at least followed her career a little. Now she knew he hadn’t and, more importantly, he hadn’t cared enough after she’d left to investigate the allegations someone had made against her.
With all the frustrations building, she knew it was only a matter of time before something gave. Something was coming, and she was bracing for it.
To top everything off, they had less than a week before Zoey and Dylan’s wedding. Not to mention that Zoey was almost two months pregnant now.
A baby changed everything. Which might be the weight Aubrey felt, causing the slight drift between her and the rest of her Wildflowers.
Her four friends were about to have husbands and start their own families. They had different things in their future than she did. What did she even really have besides the camp?
Not that the camp wasn’t enough for her. It was the only thing, besides Aiden and her friends, that had kept her grounded over the past few years.
Making her way up to her apartment to change for the dinner party, she realized just how lonely the rooms on the third floor were now that all her friends had moved out.
Upstairs, she slid on the rose-colored dress and matching heels, then glanced at herself in the full-length mirror and realized just how lonely she’d become. She’d pushed everyone away from her lately. Her friends had been too busy with their own lives to notice, but the fact was, she’d distanced herself from them beforehand.
Now, loneliness was the price. She was surrounded by strangers on a daily basis and filled some of her free time with her friends, but she had done this to herself. Pushing people away—including Aiden—was the defense mechanism she’d put in place long ago to protect her heart.
Her phone buzzed, reminding her that she had only a few minutes to get down to the dining hall. Shaking off the foul mood, she straighten
ed her shoulders and rushed to work.
This would be the last group of visitors before Zoey and Dylan’s wedding the following weekend. The camp wouldn’t officially be closed down, but they had blocked out more than fourteen cabins for family and friends to fill for the event instead of guests. The wedding would be held on the small strip of private beach, with the reception filling the dining hall.
They had hosted a few weddings at the campgrounds, but the friends were thinking of making it a bigger part of what they offered. After all, their place was perfect for hosting the events. Their only problem was ensuring the wedding guests didn’t interfere with their normal guests.
The main issue would be families wanting to bring children into an all-adult environment. Just the thought of families had her thinking about Zoey and the baby again.
She was very excited for her friend and couldn’t help getting caught up in all the baby excitement. She’d even purchased some blankets and outfits for the baby.
But her mind kept throwing her for a loop by wondering what her own children would look like. She kept telling herself that she didn’t want kids. Ever. But her subconscious wasn’t listening and returned to daydreaming about what they would look like.
“There you are.” Hannah took her arm and forced her to walk faster across the room. “You’re up.” She motioned to the stage.
Aubrey groaned. “Why do I have to do this tonight?”
“Your turn,” Hannah said, shoving her on the stage.
Aubrey pasted on a smile and walked over to tap on the microphone to get everyone’s attention. “Ladies and gentlemen.” She waited until the voices died down and every eye was turned on her. “Tonight’s talent show will start in five minutes. Remember, if you want to take part, you have to fill out the entry forms and have them up to us before the show starts.” She motioned to the small table in front of the stage. “Thank you.” She walked off the stage.
“That was… dry,” Hannah said with a chuckle.
“Hey, if you wanted perky, you should’ve had Scarlett do it,” she joked as she grabbed a bottle of water from the bar area.
“You’re in a mood.” Hannah leaned on the bar and ran her eyes over her. “Tired?”
“No,” she said after taking a sip of the water. What she wanted was a glass of wine and a bubble bath. What she needed was… sex. Hard, fast sex that left her too exhausted to think about anything else. Just then something caught her eye, and she glanced up to see Aiden stroll across the room towards her. He was wearing a suit. Why was he wearing a suit? “Why is he wearing a suit?” she asked Hannah.
Hannah frowned and followed Aubrey’s gaze.
“I asked him to fill in for Dylan,” Hannah answered with a shrug. “Dylan had some… things to tend to tonight.”
God, the man looked good in a suit, she thought as he stopped in front of her.
“So,” he said, after his eyes had run over Aubrey. “Where do you want me?” he asked.
Aubrey’s mind flashed to the last time they’d been together. How they’d practically ripped each other’s clothes off.
She could just imagine removing that tie from around his neck and using it to keep his hands above his head while she took her time running her mouth over every inch of…
“Earth to Aubrey.” Hannah snapped her fingers in front of her face. “You’re up.” Her friend shoved her towards the stage again.
Damn. She’d been so focused on her sex daydream that five whole minutes had fled by.
As she introduced each talent, her eyes and mind kept returning to Aiden. She watched him help set up each talent show participant, even escorting people up and down the narrow stage stairs.
Over an hour later, Aubrey’s head was splitting, and she’d changed from water to a soda for the extra energy.
“Tired?” Aiden asked her as she leaned on the bar and sipped her drink.
She turned slightly towards him. “So, now you’re working dinners?” she asked. “Is there anything you can’t do around here?”
His smile slipped. “Apparently I can’t keep a relationship.”
She tensed just as Elle stopped by. “Thanks for your help tonight,” she said to Aiden. “Getting everything together for the wedding next week has us stretched thin. Dylan and Zoey still have so much they have to do to get ready for their big day. They’ll have two whole weeks off.” She glanced around the emptying dining hall. “I guess it’s time we finally hired more help around here,” she said with a sigh.
“Just say the word and I’m on it,” Aubrey supplied. She’d already hired a few new counselors, as they called them—employees to help out with the events and their guests’ needs during their stay.
“No, Brent will get on it, since we need more staff here than we do around the grounds. Opening up the dining to non-guests two nights a week has brought in a lot of money and demand for more workers.” Elle leaned against the bar. “But it was a great idea.” She smiled. “And guests don’t seem to mind having dinner a little earlier on Fridays and Saturdays.”
Aubrey shrugged and turned back to her drink. “Tired?” Elle asked her.
“Long day.” She glanced towards Aiden who was still watching her.
“You look tired. Go on. We can handle it from here. Get some rest.” Elle laid a hand on her arm, then turned to Aiden. “Why don’t you walk her back? We’re done with you too.” Elle left without waiting for an answer. “Thanks for your help tonight, cuz,” she called over her shoulder as she made her way up to the stage area.
“Think she knows something?” Aiden asked her, causing her to stiffen.
“What?” Her eyes moved to the back of her friend.
“Relax, I meant it as a joke.” He sighed and took her arm. “Would it be so bad? I mean, we aren’t even seeing one another anymore.” He frowned down at her. “Technically, we were never really seeing each other.” He shrugged.
“No,” she said as they stepped out into the warm night air. “The only thing I miss about New York is the fall,” she said, changing the topic. “Cool fall nights, the leaves turning colors.”
“What leaves?” he joked. “You lived in the city.”
She chuckled. “I used to run in the park all the time.” She shrugged. “Still, I wouldn’t trade this life for anything,” she admitted.
“You seem off lately,” he told her. He tugged on her arm until she stopped to look at him. “What has you down?”
She shook her head. “I’m not…” She stopped when his eyebrows shot up. Sighing, she rolled her eyes. He obviously knew her too well for her to get away with lying to him. “I guess it’s the wedding. I feel like I’m losing a friend.”
She walked over towards a railing area that overlooked the bay and leaned on it, looking out over the dark water. He moved to stand next to her.
“You know, I still don’t have a date for the big event.” He nudged her shoulder. “We could always go as friends?”
She glanced up at him and frowned. She’d thought about asking him several times but had put it off for fear of him getting the wrong impression.
“Friends?” she asked.
“Sure. Whatever else there is between us, I still think of you as my friend.” He turned so that his back was facing the water and leaned his elbows on the railing as his eyes ran over her slowly. “We may have our differences as far as what we want, but we will always have a great past between us.” He smiled, then leaned closer to her. “Nothing can take that away from us.” His eyes moved to her lips. “Even if you no longer want it, it will always be there.”
She felt her heart skip and sink at the same time. She was about to respond to him when he leaned back and smiled. “So? What do you say? Is it a date between friends?” He held out his hand for hers.
Taking a deep breath, she nodded and shook his hand. “Fine, it’s a date.”
Chapter 6
When the big day of Zoey and Dylan’s wedding finally arrived, Aiden was stuffed into another uncomfortable
suit. He was standing at the base of the stairs, waiting for Aubrey and her friends to meet him in the lobby area. He’d volunteered to pick up the group and drive them out to the beach area in one of the golf carts that had been decorated especially for the wedding.
He’d heard through the grapevine that the five friends had enjoyed a bachelorette party two nights ago when he’d been out with the guys in Destin at a local bar for Dylan’s bachelor party. It hadn’t been a wild party, mainly filled with food and beer, but he’d enjoyed getting to know the Costa men a little more.
He’d helped set up the folding chairs on the beach earlier that morning as well as a small arch Liam had made for the bride and groom to stand under during the ceremony.
It had been a few years since he’d attended a wedding. It had been the wedding of one of Danelle’s friends, and the event had been full of people he didn’t know. The entire day had been uncomfortable and strained. Shortly after, Danelle had left him, claiming she’d wanted to go a different direction.
He was better off for it. He could now say that, thanks to Aubrey.
He glanced up just as the five friends made their way down the stairs. He glanced quickly at Zoey’s soft white off-the-shoulder wedding dress. They were carefully descending the stairs while Zoey’s long wedding train was carried for her by the four friends.
“Easy,” Elle said, shifting slightly.
“We’re too early,” Hannah broke in.
Just then, everyone noticed him standing at the base of the stairs.
“Oh god.” Zoey glanced around nervously. “Where is Dylan?”
He chuckled. “I made sure he and his brothers were already out on the beach before coming to get you five.” His eyes moved to Aubrey. She looked amazing in the flowing sky-blue dress. Material draped over her right shoulder, leaving her left one exposed.