“Aiden…”

“You can’t,” he said.

Summer expected his rejection. “It’s the only place I want to go.”

“Summer.” Aiden blew out a harsh breath. “You can’t just—”

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“What? That’s not why—”

“Does she live with you?”

“Summer, I don’t have a girlfriend.”

She almost didn’t believe him unless there was a severe shortage of women in Chandler County.

“Then, why?”

“It’s just not a good idea.”

“You said I need to get settled in. I got right off the plane and went to my grandparents’ house. I could use some tea and a hot bath.”

Just the mentioned of Summer in a bath rocked Aiden’s nerves. He noticed her slim figure and small curves. Summer grew into herself nicely, and Aiden fought with sheer strength to remove the images.

“I’ll be out of here first thing in the morning, and you can pretend this was all a dream.”

Somehow the idea of Summer leaving didn’t make Aiden feel better, but once more he tucked his feelings away and stood while pulling her to a stand with him.

“Let’s go,” He said.

When the door to Aiden’s loft opened, he stepped back, and Summer entered. Her heel clonked against the industrial-like hardwood flooring and her eyes scanned the room. There was a rustic warmth in the wooden panels and open layout. It reminded Summer of some downtown apartments in Atlanta. Her back was covered with a sudden heat when Aiden closed in behind her. He pushed the door closed, and locked it then spoke.

“If you’ll keep straight, I can show you to a room.”

His voice cruised over her ear and tickled down her neck. She squirmed and clutched her purse tighter; then her legs moved down the stretch of the corridor. As she walked her heels clonked over the planks and at the end of the hallway Aiden reached around her to open the door to a guest room. There was more of a pinewood smell drifting through its opening. Summer lifted her nose to the air and took a whiff.

“Mmm, smells good.”

“Thank you. There’s not a bath in here, but there is a shower. The bath is in my bedroom.”

“The shower is fine. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. When you’re done come back down the same hallway, and I’ll have you some tea ready.”

Summer nodded, and Aiden turned to leave.

“Aiden,” she called.

He paused and turned back to her with a questionable lift of his brow.

“Seriously, thank you.”

Aiden placed a smile on his face and nodded then turned back and disappeared out of the door.

As soon as it closed, Summer let out a whooshing breath. What the hell was she doing? She paced the length of the queen-sized platform bed with her hands on her hip. It was Aiden. Seeing his agony and feeling it, knowing it was something brought on by her was too much for her to bare. Summer had to fix this, but the way Aiden reacted when she tried the first time was telling. Once he stopped feeling sorry for her because of Grandma Greystone’s passing, he’d likely kick her out on her ass. Summer had to think fast. She couldn’t live the rest of her days knowing he hated her regardless if he said he didn’t. His action showed the loathed he felt towards her. No. Summer couldn’t leave this time without fixing things between them, but she had no way of knowing how she could do that.

In the kitchen, Aiden started a brew of Lipton tea and rested a hip against the counter. Twenty-four hours. That’s how long Aiden convinced himself he would have to put up with her presence. What disturbed him most was there were two sides of him begging for attention. The side that said he wanted to know everything about what made her leave and was eager to find out if they could pick up where they’d left off. Then there was the other more pronounced side that was adamant about getting her out of here as soon as the sun broke through the sky.

Aiden left the kitchen and strolled through a second hallway that led to his master bedroom. Inside, he entered the closet while unclasping his cuffs and button-down shirt. He removed it swiftly and headed to a dresser where he pulled out a drawer and tugged a white t-shirt over his chiseled chest. Then he pulled out of his suit pants and replaced them with Calvin Klein denim. The change of clothes didn’t make him any less anxious then the suit and tie had, and Aiden knew why. Summer Greystone was in his home. The love of his life, the one he was sure was his future. Could he really spend a night with her and let her leave the next day without that needed conversation?

Aiden placed his hands on the wall and hung his head. For the last eight years, Aiden convinced himself that he was much better. Gone was the broken heart and sleep insomnia he’d endured after her sudden disappearance. Aiden was stronger now. He’d spoken to God, been to church, laid his burden down, and still, his nervous system felt like a runaway train.

“I hope you don’t mind…”

Aiden turned sharply when her voice cruised through his closet. Summer cleared her throat.

“I um, decided I’d rather take a bath if it’s okay with you.”

The sensible side of him was losing the fight. He ran a piercing eye over her form, wrapped in a terrycloth towel. Her bare arms rested against her side and her creamy skin shined from her neck, shoulders, knees, and toes.

At the entrance of the closet, Summer prided herself in not squirming from the virile assessment Aiden made. But her heartbeat she couldn’t control as it responded loud and clear in disorderly conduct. With her own examination, Summer noticed the change in Aiden’s attire. His dress down was even more enticing than his suit. The t-shirt he’d slipped over his toned arms was lifted right before it made it to the meeting with his jeans leaving a peek of olive flesh, carved, and strong on display. A surge of warmth drifted over Summer’s skin, and she hadn’t given herself a direct order before her feet moved.

The first step was shy and unsure, but the second and third were bold and risky.

“Stop.”

It was the only thing he said. Summer didn’t even see his lips move as if the sound had been a thought translated through him. She paused, and her pulse pounded as did his.

Her voice was in a whisper. “Aiden.”

“What are you doing?”

His voice was also hushed but profound as he held still.

Summer’s eyes roamed his face then she dropped her head but just as quickly lifted it again.

“Have you ever wondered…” she bit the corner of her lip coyly, “what it would be like to be with each other again?” Summer took another close step. Two more and she would be close enough to feel the heat radiating from his skin.

“Now why would I think about that?” His gruff voice spoke. Aiden was giving it his best shot to reject her, but still, that sensibleness wavered the closer she became.

Summer exhaled, it was a minor gut punch but not one she would let take her out of this fight. She shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ve thought about us, more times than I could count. I image us waking up together. Seeing your face and smelling your bad breath.” She giggled, and the small joke cut through the frost he held.

“I’ve never had bad breath girl so don’t play.”

Summer giggled again and took another step.

“There was that time,” she tapped her chin, and Aiden’s brow lifted sharply. She laughed and shook her head. “I’m only kidding.”

“I know you are,” he said factually.

Summer giggled again then took her final step. There she rested in his shadow and was taken by the undertow of his deep stare.

“I’ve also imagined us making love.” Her hands drifted to the tying in her towel, and her fingers worked to remove the knot. On her toes she lifted, and her soft lips met his. Initially, Aiden didn’t return her kiss, but the barrier he detained crumbled with every second that passed. Summer kissed his lips again then trailed her tongue around his mouth. Like a lightning bolt, a stinging heat shot down his core straight to the hardest part of him.

“Shit,” he cursed, capturing her mouth in one breath, consuming her lips altogether.

“Mmmm,” she moaned, and a riveting stir of energy coursed through them and took up root in their chromosome.

Summer finished untying her towel just as Aiden’s hands dropped to the cloth. Their lips fused, and his tongue invaded her mouth, but still, Aiden held on to the towel keeping it from revealing her nakedness. Savoring the mouthwatering kiss, Aiden sucked at her tongue and swallowed the sweetness on her palate. Then with insurmountable strength, Aiden pulled back, keeping a closed fist of the cloth while his gaze smoldered over her face. Reigning in his exasperated breath, he swallowed and lifted his mouth from the closeness of hers.

“This… is not happening.”

Surprised, Summer’s brows bunched together.

“Yes, it is. I want you Aiden, and you want me too. Why are you holding back, I can tell—”

“Because!”

He hadn’t meant to startle her with the loud outburst, but Summer was wearing him thin, and Aiden had to regain some sense of control.

“You can’t just walk back in here and expect me to what? Where is this supposed to go? You disappeared, and I find out through a dear john letter that I didn’t get until three weeks later!”

Aiden tied the towel back in its knot.

“This is not happening.”

He sidestepped her and walked toward the exit.

“Aiden!”

He paused.

“I’m sorry okay! I— I…” She let out a deep breath.

Aiden turned back to her. “You what Summer?” He folded his arms.

Summer walked up to him. “I’ve missed you since the day I left. I was sick for weeks before I could manage some mobility in my apartment. I need you to understand,” she paused.

“I don’t know what makes me sadder,” Aiden said. “That whatever you went through was so bad that you couldn’t confide in me. Someone you say you loved. Or that you came back thinking we could hop in the sack and the eight years of desertion would be forgiven.”

Summer’s lips trembled, and she shut her eyes tight and dropped her face into the palms of her hands.

“You’re right; you should’ve known. I realized that too late.”

“Why did you leave?”

Summer swallowed. “I’ve never told anyone.”

“Tell me.” His voice was even with a comforting depth. “What happened?”

They watched each other for a long minute.

“I was thirteen…”

Aiden froze instantly, and his heart almost stopped. Summer noticed his reaction and put her hands on his shoulders and shook her head.

“No, no, it’s nothing like that,” she reassured him.

Aiden exhaled sharply and ran a hand down his face.

“You should probably not start with; I was thirteen then.”

“You’re right. I guess I’m just… nervous.”

Aiden took another deep breath. “Would you like some tea?”

Summer smiled softly. “Please.