by Karen Booth
She took her time with him, sweet and sensual with every pass, placing one hand flat on his stomach and caressing tenderly. The tension was coiling inside him like a rattlesnake about to strike. He couldn’t hold on much longer.
“Sarah, come here.”
She made a gentle popping sound when she released him from her mouth, but she kept her hand firmly wrapped around him. “I thought you were enjoying yourself.”
The sight of her full mouth, her fingers on his body, her luscious curves, made it nearly impossible to form a coherent thought. “I was. You have no idea.” He sat up and cupped the side of her face. “But I want to make love to you.” His lips trailed from her mouth to her cheek and again down the graceful sweep of her neck. “If that’s what you want.”
“Aiden, I’ve wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you. So, yes. That’s what I want.”
Did she really mean that? Aside from a few moments of flirtation, and the time he’d caught her staring after the bath with Oliver, he’d assumed the attraction was somewhat one-sided. Most women were very up-front with him. Sarah had hidden it well. How she somehow managed to become even sexier to him was beyond him, he only knew that this particular revelation did exactly that. Not many people surprised him. Sarah did.
“I have a condom in my suitcase,” he said.
She climbed up onto the bed and rolled to her side. “Hoping to get lucky in Miami?”
He smiled to himself and shook his head. “That wasn’t what I was thinking. I just happen to have them with me when I travel.”
“Best to be prepared.”
“Yes.” He presented her with the foil packet and cocked an eyebrow. “Care to do the honors?”
“I do.” The flirtation in her voice was enough to send him sailing past his peak, until she touched him. Then it was as if he were clutching the crumbling edge of a cliff with his fingertips.
She lay back on the bed and he followed, settling between her legs, sinking into her. He bestowed kisses on her forehead, her cheek and then her lips as they rocked together. For someone so small, Sarah had a lot of power resonating from her hips. She was already gathering around him, which made thinking too great a demand, so he didn’t bother. He brushed her hair back from her forehead, enjoyed the feeling of her heels on the backs of his thighs and her hands roving up and down the channel of his spine.
Their gazes connected in the soft moonlight filtering through the window as she reached her peak, her body tugging on him in pulses as she gasped for breath. He loved that blissful look on her face—so incomprehensibly beautiful. He gave in to the pleasure, steeped in the knowledge that he’d made her happy. He dropped to his side and she didn’t hesitate to curl right into him. They fit so wonderfully together and he couldn’t wait to have her again. He was damn lucky to be with her, even if they might never have more than one perfect night.
Twelve
Sarah wasn’t sure she’d ever been so tired. Nor had she been so blissfully happy in her own skin. There in Aiden’s bed, half-asleep in the early morning light, she replayed her favorite moments with him. The most captivating memory came when Sarah had gotten up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, only to find him wide-awake when she returned. He hadn’t let her get more than a few steps before she was in his arms, his hands roving everywhere as his mouth explored hers and he led her back into the bathroom.
The shower was magnificent—marble and glass, with enough room to play. Hot water covered them in a deluge but there were moments when she could’ve sworn the heat all came from Aiden’s hands. He spread soapy suds across her breasts, and gave her kisses that hardly let her come up for air, all as steam swirled and for the third time in twenty-four hours, it felt as if she were floating.
The man was a magician, every move born of some innate ability she didn’t understand. He was always a step ahead of her, anticipating. She never asked for a thing, but again and again he did exactly what she would’ve asked for if she’d had the guts to put it into words. He’d asked her to sit on the shower bench, then dropped to his knees before her. He hitched one of her legs over his shoulder, and brought her to heights she’d never seen. She was accustomed to being the giver, not the receiver. Sitting back and letting Aiden take control had been heavenly.
But of course she’d begged to return to the role she relished, the one in which she pleased, as it was his turn to sit on the bench and his fingers combed through her hair as she took his steely length into her mouth. Judging by the extended string of dirty talk, which ended only when his body froze and he reached his apex, she’d made him happy—very happy. That turned her on more than anything.
The mattress bounced when Aiden shifted his weight and rolled away from her. She fought disappointment that it hadn’t been his body’s inclination to seek hers while they were in bed, but perhaps that was for the best. Now that it was morning, and the high of yesterday had faded, reality was creeping back in. She was going home on Sunday. Aiden and Oliver would be starting their new lives then, too. That was as it should be, precisely what she’d come to New York for. She’d done her job; she and Aiden had had their fun. Aiden was not the settling down type. He needed his space—he’d said as much. Becoming a dad was already an awful lot of settling down for a man who needed his freedom. More than being used to those things, he needed them the way everyone else needed air and water.
She’d promised herself she wouldn’t get attached or involved. That she wouldn’t cross that line with Aiden, however badly she’d wanted him. So that was her one mistake. She’d given in to the way he drew her in. Now it was time to return to their old dynamic or tempt fate. One mistake was forgivable. Two would be idiotic.
She gently peeled back the sheet and sat up, glancing at the alarm clock. It was only a few minutes after five. Best to let Aiden sleep. She could shower and get dressed, pack her things and be ready to go whenever he was. Careful not to disturb the bed, she tiptoed to the other side to get her nightgown. But the sight of that black silk against the pristine white carpet was a snapshot from her painful past—nearly an exact replica. It sent an avalanche of hurtful memories crashing through her head—the morning after what became the final time with Jason, when she’d scrambled through the pile of clothes at the foot of the bed, desperate to find her nightgown and her dignity. That was the morning he’d scoffed at the notion that “sleeping with the nanny” meant anything. It was the morning he’d laughed when she’d said I love you.
She closed her eyes, willing the tears away. You’re stronger than this. It’s not the same. You can stop before you get in too deep. Walk away. That chapter was gone. She’d turned the page.
She picked up her nightgown and crept out of Aiden’s room. What happened in Miami stayed in Miami. That was the only way this was going to work.
* * *
Aiden woke to an empty bed. He even rolled to his side to touch the spot where he was certain Sarah had been last night. The sheets were cold, as if she’d never been there. He propped himself up on one elbow and raked his fingers through his hair, scanning the room for evidence he wasn’t dreaming. But last night had happened. He and Sarah had made love. More than once. It wasn’t his mind weaving a fantasy. It had been real.
He sat up to see if his clothes were where he’d left them. They weren’t. They were draped over the arm of a chair. Most notably, her nightgown was missing from the floor. Huh. He’d made graceful exits from trysts. It’d never happened to him, but Sarah had a habit of keeping him on his toes. Luckily, there were only so many places she could be. He pulled on a clean pair of boxer briefs and began his search. He didn’t need to go far.
“Morning.” She spoke from behind the newspaper, seated at the dining table, a cup of coffee next to her. “I hope it’s okay I ordered breakfast. I was starving and I figured we should get on with our day.”
He rubbed his eyes and
wandered over to her, struggling to make sense of this version of Sarah. This wasn’t at all how he’d expected their morning would go. “You’re already dressed and everything.”
She didn’t look up, eyes trained on the paper. “Packed and ready to go.”
Sure enough, her suitcase was parked next to the front door. “You realize we can leave whenever we want, right? The jet will be waiting whenever we get to the airport. There was no need to rush.” I was hoping for some morning sex to start my day.
“We have a lot to do today. I already spoke to Katie in Sylvia’s office. We have a call this afternoon at four. I also called the nanny agency and told them we need more candidates to interview today. It’s Thursday, Aiden. There’s only so much time until I go home.”
Well then. Aiden was used to being the distant one the morning after, the one who made it clear all roads ended here. He respected the tack Sarah took, even if it didn’t add up. He’d been sure she was the girl who liked morning cuddles and romantic remembrances of the night before. Apparently not.
There was only one conclusion—her business was her top priority. He’d be a hypocrite to let that bother him. She’d had her big break and it was of her making. She’d be a fool to lose focus, even if they’d shared what he believed to be a special night.
It still didn’t sit well with him, although he couldn’t discern why. What was this uneasy feeling in his stomach? The one that made him want to take her hand and say sweet things. What was the feeling that made him hope she’d say sexy things in return, flutter her lashes and deliver a proposition he couldn’t refuse with her unforgettable lips? Should we go back to bed?
He pulled out a chair and took a seat at the table, pouring himself a cup of coffee. Caffeine might help him find clarity.
Sarah finally made eye contact. “No shirt at the breakfast table?”
Was he in some alternate universe? “You were fine with me not wearing a shirt last night.”
She cleared her throat and folded up the newspaper, casting it aside. “That was last night. Today is today.”
“Okay, well. I don’t feel like getting up and getting a shirt. So you’ll have to put up with my chest. Hopefully you can control yourself.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll manage.”
This was so stupid. He didn’t put up with crap like this. “Did I miss a memo or something? Did we not enjoy ourselves last night? Did I do or say something wrong?”
She downed the last of her orange juice and folded her napkin. “Of course we enjoyed ourselves. It was nice.”
Nice?
“But it’s time for me to get back to work.” With that, she got up from the table.
Aiden grasped her arm. “Okay. I get it.” Touching her was a bad idea. He was overcome with that unfamiliar feeling again. It made him want to say things he’d normally never say. Can we talk? What are you thinking? What was wrong with him? Too much sun? “You’re right. We need to get back to New York to take care of the nanny situation.”
“The clock is ticking.”
“It is.” He let go of her arm, now struck with the feeling that not touching her was the bad idea. He needed to get his head on straight. He was not himself this morning. “Give me a few minutes to scarf down some breakfast and read the sports page, then I’ll hop in the shower and we can be out the door.”
“Do you want me to call John and let him know we’ll be ready in a half hour?”
Talk about being in a rush. “Tell him forty-five minutes.” He watched her walk away. She wasn’t wearing her usual sundress and sandals. Today, she was all business—a straight black skirt and tailored jacket with heels. She looked every bit the role of take-charge entrepreneur. And maybe that was all she wanted to be.
His interactions with Sarah didn’t improve over the next several hours. Not in the car on the way to the airport, not on the plane, not in the car back to the apartment. Aiden wasn’t sure what he wanted from her—something more than a minimal acknowledgment that they’d shared a fantastic night? He hated the thought of wanting that or needing it, but he did. He had this need for her approval that he’d never experienced before. He needed her to say that she’d enjoyed it—even though he was certain she had. More than a small part of him wished that she’d say that she wanted to do it again. He’d been right to worry that sex would ruin their friendship. And for now, he had to focus on salvaging it.
Of course, his deadline with Sarah loomed. Ten days had seemed like a long time the day she walked into his office, but it had gone so fast. There was so much left to do, especially after the paternity results were back tomorrow. First to tackle was the nanny situation, which Aiden wasn’t looking forward to revisiting.
They arrived back at his building midafternoon.
“I just got a text from the nanny agency,” Sarah said. “They’re sending one more candidate over at three.”
“One? That’s it? You’d think that with the money I would be paying that there would be more options than one more.”
“Between your standards and mine, the pool is limited. Plus, it takes time to find a good nanny. And we don’t have any.” Sarah put on her sunglasses and climbed out of the car.
Aiden grumbled and followed, not wanting to chase after her, but he had to—she was walking at a clip. “Do you mind telling me what’s going on? You’ve been weird since last night and I don’t like it. If we need to talk about something, then please let’s do it so that the next few days can be tolerable.”
“I don’t want to talk about it on the sidewalk. Can we wait until we get upstairs?”
John was blazing his own trail up the walk with their suitcases.
“Yes. Of course.” Aiden turned and stopped him. “You know, John. I’ve got this. Why don’t you knock off for the rest of the day? I’m sure you’d like to spend some time with your family.” Aiden took the luggage.
“Sir?”
“Is there a problem?”
“No, sir. None at all. I just...you’ve never sent me home early before.”
“Some things are more important than sitting around waiting on me. I realize it’s your job, but I also just took you away from your family for a night. If I need to go anywhere, I’ll get a cab.”
John shook Aiden’s hand. “Thank you so much, sir. I appreciate it. I’ll be here bright and early tomorrow morning.”
“Great. I might go into the office for a few hours.” It’ll keep my mind off the paternity test.
Aiden bid John his farewell and caught up to Sarah in the lobby. They rode in the elevator in silence. He didn’t want to launch into everything right now anyway. He was looking forward to seeing Oliver too much and he didn’t want to be in a bad mood when that happened.
His normally quiet apartment was noisy when he and Sarah stepped off the elevator. Music was playing and there was laughter, too—Oliver and Anna both, from the sound of it. Aiden left the suitcases in the entry, in search of the fun. He found them in the library. Jacob was lying on the floor, holding Oliver by the waist above him, letting him drop a few inches, and quickly catching him. Oliver unleashed peals of giggles, as did Anna, who was sitting next to Jacob on the floor. They were oblivious to Aiden and Sarah, too stuck in their happy world.
Aiden was overcome with a feeling impossible to label—longing, regret, sadness and joy. He loved seeing Anna and Jacob like this. He loved hearing Oliver’s laugh. He loved seeing what a family looked like against the backdrop of his own home. It gave him an entirely different lens through which to see his future, a view that filled him with optimism and yet there was a nagging sense that not all was right. There were pieces missing. Aiden not only didn’t know how to find the pieces, he didn’t know what to look for.
Anna turned and her face lit up. “Look who’s home, Oliver. It’s Daddy.”
Tears welled in his eye
s. Daddy. That’s who I am now.
Jacob got up and handed over Oliver, who snuggled right into Aiden’s chest. “We had a great time, Aiden. You have an awesome little boy here.” He helped Anna get up from the floor.
“You had a good time?” Aiden asked Oliver, rubbing his back and breathing in that magical baby smell.
“He had the best time,” Anna said. “He’s such a good baby.”
Oliver tugged the sunglasses threaded on Aiden’s shirt, smearing them with his tiny fingers. Aiden didn’t care that they were five-hundred-dollar shades. He merely took the chance to kiss Oliver’s temple and hold him close.
Sarah peeked around Aiden’s shoulder. “Hey, sweet pea,” she said.
Oliver’s face lit up, and an elated gurgle rose out of him when she went in for a kiss. They rubbed noses, mere inches from Aiden’s face. Sarah’s soft, musical laugh filled his ears. Something deep inside him wanted to hold on to that moment forever. Disappointment washed over him when it ended.
Sarah was a missing piece. And that piece was leaving on Sunday.
Thirteen
As every minute passed, it became more difficult to be with Aiden. Sarah had entered territory she’d vowed to avoid, and she’d been a fool to think she could step out of it by adopting a steely demeanor. She could convince her brain of a lot of things, but it didn’t mean her body was going to be on board. Just sharing the same air made everything harder—it only made her want him more.
The apartment buzzer rang. “That must be the final nanny,” Sarah said to Oliver, scooping him up.
Aiden emerged from his office, where he’d been working. “What’s this one’s name? Lucy?”