GROGGILY, I REACH FOR my phone and hit Aiden’s back instead. Then I remember I’m in his bed, and we made love last night.

A lot.

Him on top.

Me on top.

In the shower.

On the counter.

Experimentally, I widen my thighs. They protest. Twinges of pain—the good kind—hit from other places as well.

I need a shower. Fresh clothes and Bojangles’ for breakfast. While I don’t have a hangover, my emotions are growling feed me into my ear.

And I’ve never been one to ignore my emotional eating needs, as evidenced by the extra ten pounds I’d put on in the last six weeks, due to my lack of exercise beyond pulling the sheets over my head and later, getting dressed in the morning.

If I don’t get totally back into the habit of working out with Paige again, I won’t fit into my favorite outfits and will end up eating even more to make myself feel better. It’s a vicious cycle that I have to break every so often.

Judging by the way Aiden attacked me last night, I’d say he didn’t care about the extra pounds. I didn’t either until I got naked and had to bring up every bit of confidence I used to possess.

He did seem to like the confidence... and even when I was being not so confident when I mistakenly assumed he wanted other kinds of action.

How embarrassing.

Except it wasn’t, because Aiden was anything but pissed off or pouty about it. He didn’t try to make me feel guilty. He made me laugh.

While I don’t want to compare him to Joe and didn’t at all last night, I can’t help it this morning.

I put one foot out, testing the temperature of the room.

“Not too bad.” I internally pump myself up for a naked run to the bathroom. “You can do this. You survived the eighth-of-an-inch ice storm of 2014.”

Aiden murmurs something, and nuzzles the back of my neck. I settle down and wait for him to stop moving so I can make my escape.

By the grace of God, he rolls over. I hop out of bed, gathering my clothes along the way like a kid looking for eggs during an Easter egg hunt. All I lack is the basket.

And my best Easter dress.

In five minutes flat, because I am the sister of two brothers, who not only liked to hog the bathroom, but also poured cold water on me while I showered, I’m out of there.

I cast a look in Aiden’s direction. His large, powerful form is under the covers, sleeping peacefully.

Wistfully, I take a half-step toward him, then stop myself. “Leave now.”

As I secure an Uber and make my way to the back door, I tell myself that I’m not really sneaking out. I’m simply taking the time to think things over.

To not be clingy.

I rub the diamond clasp of my necklace, hoping it will bring me good luck as I wait for my ride. To my surprise, Aiden’s house is spotless. He must have had cleaners come right after his party.

My stomach growls and I freeze, then look around to make sure no one heard it. When the coast stays clear, I tiptoe my way through the kitchen.

“Morning, sunshine,” his momma says right before she bites into a donut. “Going somewhere?”

Her gentlemen friend raises his mug.

Startled, I drop my purse. “Hey y’all... I didn’t know anyone else was here. In the kitchen. Drinking coffee and eating this early.” I wrinkle my nose at the box of Dunkin Donuts. “Y’all do know the Krispy Kreme is five minutes closer? Just right down the road. You have pass by it first.”

Aiden’s momma smiles. “Layton, I’d like for you to meet Father Sheehan. He was Aiden’s middle school and high school football coach. If it weren’t for him, no telling where my baby boy would be right now.”

Sweet baby Jesus in the manger, his preacher... is here? I’m so going to hell. “Oh, my goodness, this is so unexpected. I mean, it’s such a pleasure, sir.” My mother always said putting on high cotton could get a girl out of anything. “I bet you’re as proud as a pig in slop.”

They give me triple blank looks.

“It’s a good thing.” I point to the door. “I was just leaving. My hair is such a mess.”

His mother’s brows rise, and my face flames so hot that I start blabbering to them.

“I’m married so... you know... nothing sinful went on anywhere.” I make a spinning motion with my finger. “At all.”

Strong arms wrap around me. “Morning, sweetheart.” Aiden kisses the side of my neck, proving me not only a sinner, but also a Liar McLiarpants.

“Morning,” I say weakly. “Your son is the best host.”

Father Sheehan cocks his brow at me.

I laugh awkwardly, my face heating a thousand degrees more. “Sex is God’s creation and everything He made is good?”

“In marriage, with one’s husband or wife, it’s very good,” he agrees.

“LT, you did not tell Father Sheehan you were married.” Aiden spins me around, gets one look at my guilty face, and exhales. “Fuck me sideways. Ya did.”

Unable to take anymore of this, I duck away from him in a move I learned from my brothers. “I’m so sorry, y’all. I’m not at my best in the morning.” I grab the purse I dropped. “I’m going to skedaddle my way out of here. So nice to meet you all. Congrats, Aiden, on your win. Father Sheehan.” I curtsy to him because it seems like the right thing to do, and run from the kitchen like my tail is on fire.

“That’s the funniest fucking thing I’ve seen all year.”

“Not now, Ma.”

“You going to let her leave like that?” Father Sheehan asks.

I don’t wait around to hear his answer. I just shut the door behind me, because I’m pretty sure at any moment, lightning is going to strike me dead for carrying on with a man who is not my husband.

I really have to think things through better before I speak or act.

Pulling out my phone, I check the status of my Uber. It updates, but goes from two minutes out to five.

“Dang it.” I stomp my feet to keep warm. “Stupid technology.”

“You wouldn’t have to rely on it, if you’d bothered to ask me to drive you home.” Aiden comes to stand beside me.

I glance at him, then do a double take. There’s a hickey on his collarbone.

My eyes widen.

His mother and preacher saw that, too.

“Oh no,” I groan and start to feel faint. I can only imagine if my preacher saw me like this. “It’s getting hot out here. Are you hot?”

“Jesus, LT. You’re pale as a ghost.” He grabs my arm and takes me back inside, but thankfully, he doesn’t take me to the kitchen. Instead, we end up in a living room that I’ve never seen before.

“No one will bother us here,” he says, sitting me down. “Put your head between your legs. I’ll be right back.”

I do as he says.

He sits me up again, handing me a glass of coke. “Drink this. It’ll help.”

“You don’t have any tea?”

He gives me an are-you-kidding look.

“Never hurts to ask.” I gulp down half before he speaks again.

“Mind telling me what that was all about?”

“I’m going get struck by lightning and go to hell for not only fornicating with you, but also for lying to a preacher and your momma and her gentleman friend about it.”

Aiden laughs. He laughs so hard that I consider tossing my drink at him.

“That’s what got you so pasty white? Shit. I thought I’d banged you so hard last night that something came lose.”

“Oh my God.” I take another sip and make a face. “What kind of coke is this?”

Aiden places his hand on my knee. “That’s what you think I’m really like, isn’t it?”

“I told you I don’t care about that.” I lean back in the chair and close my eyes, letting my purse fall to the floor. “I’m more concerned about eternal damnation.”

“Is this some kind of Baptist thing?” he asks.

“No, it’s a ‘I’m still technically married and carried on with a man who is not my husband, and told your preacher as much’ thing.” I drink down the rest of the coke and hiccup.

“Number one, you’re separated. That means you can date. Two, he’s a priest, not a preacher.”

“Whatever, he can still talk to God about lightning strikes.” I giggle as warmth flows over and through me. “And is he going to make me tell my parents because I don’t know if I can handle that? They think we’re all virgins, even my brothers.”

“Yeah, I’m going to have to take your drink away.”

I make a pffft sound. “It’s sust joda.”

He shakes his head. “No, it’s not. I added some of the father’s private whiskey stash. It’s powerful stuff.”

I hold it away from him. “It’s my precious.”

“You’re fucking adorable, LT.”

I grin. “You think so?””

He brushes my hair back from my face. “Yeah.”

“I think you’re so hot, and last night was amazing. I had so many orgasms.”

“Thanks for verifying that.” His mouth twitches. “I also think you’re being too hard on yourself, and you should have considered talking me to before you ran out of here.”

“I will next time.”

His brows lift. “Oh?”

“I mean I won’t run out of here.” My eyes grow heavy. “I like being with you.”

“I like being with you, too. Stop worrying about your past so much. It can’t hurt you now.”

“I don’t want to make the same mistake again,” I confess. “I don’t want to fall in love until I’m sure that it’s true.”

“And won’t change its mind,” he offers, his touch so tender.

I nod. “Is that okay?”

“I can wait.”

Confused, I let him take my drink away. “Wait for what?”

He smiles. “You’ll see.”