Sedgegrass Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana 46235. Copyright © 2008, Stephanie Adkins. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

On the first ring, Kristen Carter knew who would be on the other end of the line before she answered her cell phone. She covered her head with a pillow and considered ignoring it or even turning it off; however, she knew what the repercussions would be.

Kristen sat up in bed, propped the pillow behind her back, and rubbed her eyes against the glare of the midday sun shining through her bedroom window.

It should have been a simple conversation, really, the kind most mothers and daughters share on a lazy Saturday morning. But no, there was never a simple conversation to be had with this woman.

“Remember Louise, my friend from work? Well, her son Devon is in town for a couple of weeks, and he is the sweetest man. He’s handsome, too. Great job. No children.

Kristen rolled her eyes and set the phone down on the bed while her mother rattled on. As always, she wondered how she got herself into these situations. For months now her mother had tried to set her up with every eligible bachelor within a fifty-mile radius.

“Why don’t you take a few days off of work and come stay with us? We could go to the lake house and invite Devon along. Maybe we could even convince Lucas to come too. You know, make it one big family reunion.”

“Whoa, Mom! I’m fine. Really, please stop worrying about me. Honestly, I haven’t even considered what today is, and I don’t plan on moping around the house. I have a date tonight.”

The lie sounded convincing enough. Or at least she’d hoped so, because there was no way in hell she was going to spend a few days holed up in the lake house with some man she didn’t know. Not to mention her brother, his snooty wife, and four bratty kids.

“Yes, I’ve heard about the men you’ve been seeing lately,” her mother said disapprovingly. “You could do so much better, honey, and Devon would be such a great catch. Why don’t you at least try? You never know what might happen.”

With an exasperated sigh, Kristen rose from the bed and walked over to the window to try to shut out the sunlight. She’d been fighting a losing battle with her slowly dying air conditioner for several days, and the harsh rays from the sun weren’t helping matters.

The window was raised halfway, but it only helped during the night when it was cooler. During the day it was no relief at all. Once again she berated herself for not calling a repairman when it first started giving her trouble.

After realizing what it was, she tried hard to stifle a gasp, and moved quickly to the side of the window. Braced against the wall, her heart pounded against her chest and she hoped and prayed she hadn’t been seen.

“Mom, I have to go,” she said quickly. “It’s almost noon here and I need to go to the grocery store before my date tonight. I know you’re worried about me and I love you for it, but I’m fine. I don’t need you to fix me up with anyone. Okay? We’ve gone over this a thousand times.”

Although she shouldn’t have been surprised at the view, it took her breath away. Her neighbor, Ayden McKenzie, was sprawled across the bed with a gorgeous blonde. Both seemed unconcerned with the bedroom windows, where the curtains were flung open for all to see.

Well, at least from the vantage point she had. His bedroom windows were directly across from hers and the distance between the houses was so small it made her feel as though she were standing right there in the room with them.

Heat spilled across her cheeks the instant she saw their naked bodies, and for a split second she considered turning away, but something kept her feet nailed to the floor.

Ayden, his body taut and muscular, towered over the woman as she spread out on the bed, his tanned skin a vivid contrast to her milky complexion.

The woman reached down and grasped his cock in her hand. Kristen swallowed in anticipation and watched him close his eyes as he moved with her strokes. Like a panther stalking its prey, he crouched over her with his hands placed on either side of her head.

The way his muscles flexed and tightened as he rocked between her legs made Kristen’s knees weaken, and she silently cursed the glass between them.

Ayden claimed the woman’s mouth in one fluid movement as she let go of his cock and dug her fingernails into his back. At once, Kristen’s legs instinctively pressed together as she stifled a moan. He was big. She could tell even from where she stood.

Down his back and up again the woman snaked her hands. Lacing her fingers through the light brown hair curled at his neck, she pulled roughly several times. When he turned slightly, Kristen caught a glimpse of the blood trail on his back, and she smiled.

She watched intently as he let go of the woman’s mouth and started his journey down her body. He was in sync with her, giving it to her just as savagely as she was doing to him. He took a dark, taut nipple in his mouth and sucked it. Hard. The woman arched her back and balled her hands tighter in his hair as he tugged on her nipple with

After he punished one, he moved to the other, and she continued to squirm against him like an animal in heat. The more she begged, the more he tormented her, and yet it was obvious she enjoyed the pain. He left visible imprints on her pale breasts. Downward he traveled as Kristen felt the dampness begin to pool between her legs.

Forcefully, he spread the woman’s legs apart and kneeled between them. Kristen moaned softly at the sight of his long, stiff cock, and her lips ached at the thought of tasting him. She couldn’t remember a time when she envied another woman more than the blonde steadily losing control mere feet from where she stood.

Ayden wrapped his arms around the woman’s thighs and jerked her to the edge of the bed in one quick downward pull. With her legs spread wide, Kristen could see her smooth pussy was completely shaved and perfect. With one hand between her thighs, and the other pressed down onto the bed, he taunted her with his thumb. Slowly and skillfully he circled her clit while she writhed beneath him, bucking against his hand repeatedly.

Kristen could very faintly hear her calling out his name while she gripped the bedsheets and flailed her head from side to side. As he slid two of his fingers deep inside her pussy, she pushed down with her feet and lifted her hips off the bed. With a wicked grin, he pushed her back down with his hand against her lower stomach, prolonging the torment.

Kristen winced when he removed his fingers and licked the juices from them slowly, just before lowering his head and closing his mouth around her. She watched, transfixed, as he slipped his tongue between her swollen nether lips and sucked her clit into his mouth.

It was almost too much. She debated closing the curtains and stepping away from the window, but she couldn’t. She just couldn’t tear herself away.

Kristen’s loins ached as she swayed in rhythm with their movements. The woman wound her hands in his hair, jerking roughly for what seemed like an eternity until

Kristen’s panties were soaked wet as beads of sweat rolled down her face. Trying hard to breathe normally, she watched him let go of his relentless hold once her trembling subsided and crawl stealthily over the woman’s limp body.

Ayden whispered something to her and she turned over onto her stomach. Kristen sighed as he left a trail of kisses on the back of her neck, down her back, and over her buttocks. He gripped her hips, pulled her up onto her knees, and rose to stand behind her.

The upper part of her body still rested on the bed, and Kristen smiled as the woman moved her body in front of him, playfully taunting him. Grinning wickedly, he slapped one of her cheeks and she winced, moving more frantically.

Ayden grabbed her hips to still her and pressed his cock between her buttocks, rubbing the length of it between them again and again. The woman tightened her hold on the sheets and moved heatedly with his playful torture. Kristen’s breath caught and held when at last he wrapped his hand around his cock and guided it to the woman’s waiting pussy. In one swift movement, he shoved it inside her.

With his hands still anchored on her hips, he started his assault, pulling her back onto his cock continuously. Like an animal set free, the woman pushed back with her hands and met his every thrust as her long blonde hair flew wildly about her with his every push.

Ayden’s moans became louder, and she could see the veins in his neck protrude as sweat dripped from his forehead onto his chest. A small yelp escaped her mouth as he slapped the woman’s buttocks again, this time even harder. She could almost feel the sting. Wild and uninhibited, the blonde’s teeth gnashed together as strands of hair stuck to her forehead and neck.

Her buttocks were now a bright shade of red. Ayden grabbed the woman’s hair with one hand and pulled her head back aggressively as he drove into her harder and faster.

After several agonizing minutes, he clenched his teeth together and, with one more powerful thrust, he came. His moans were deafening, reverberating against the window as his body began to shake.

It had been several days since Kristen had had sex, and after watching this scene unfolding before her eyes, she was beginning to feel the need. She wasn’t about to give in and let her mom fix her up with Devon, though. She didn’t care how handsome he might be.

Yes, it was the one-year anniversary of that day, but she had no intention of dwelling on it. From the moment her ex-fiancé Randy had left her standing at the altar on their wedding day—for a man—she had been determined to put it behind her and move on.

It was also the last time she had spoken to him. Like a coward, he had called her on her cell phone one hour after the ceremony was scheduled to begin, to tell her that he’d met someone new. Shocked and humiliated, she had listened numbly as he told her about his new lover, Trenton, and how they had given their notices at the law firm where they worked and were moving elsewhere to begin their life together.

In the days that followed, her family and close friends had rallied around her. With their love and encouragement, she slowly managed to put the pieces of her life back together again. Still, there were also those who wasted no time in spreading rumors. A

trip to the grocery store became a circus event as people stopped in the aisles to whisper to each other and point at “that girl.” Everywhere she went people avoided her, as if she was somehow responsible for Randy’s betrayal.

Holding her head high, she had refused to wallow in self-pity. She could have easily succumbed to the gossip that spread through her small Savannah suburb during that time, but she refused to. Instead, she had turned the other cheek, and Randy’s deception had actually made her stronger in ways she never thought imaginable.

Throwing herself into her work, she had managed to turn her once flailing journalistic career into a profitable and successful one. If there was a major story to be told, Kristen Carter was the one sought to do it. Newspaper owners had clamored for her until ultimately the owner of the

With the ability to choose which events she wanted to cover, she had been given the leeway to weave magic into what could have been just mere words on a page. The walls in her office bore the evidence of many hours spent laboring on her craft, covered as they

were with numerous certificates and awards. Each one served as a reminder of just how far she had come since that fateful day when one part of her life had ended … and another one had begun.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she looked out the window. Ayden had crumbled onto the bed beside the stunning blonde, both of them vividly spent. After a few minutes she thought they might have fallen asleep.

Just then, he turned on his side, leaned up on his elbow, and looked down at the woman lying beside him. With his fingertips, he caressed her back, and ran his hands through her blonde curls.

His voice was soft and inaudible now as he spoke to her. Rising up on her forearms, she leaned over and kissed him tenderly on the lips. It was a gentle move that made

When the woman rose from the bed, Kristen closed the curtains. However, she remained against the wall trying to regain her composure. She should have felt guilty for spying, but if they hadn’t wanted others to watch them, then they would have guarded themselves against it. Sure, that sounded believable enough.

Pulling away from the window, she walked into the adjoining bathroom. Sitting on the edge of the bathtub and turning on the spout, she let the warm water run through her fingers as she thought about her neighbor.

Ayden McKenzie had moved in next door two months ago and she could still recall the first time she’d seen him. She’d stepped out her front door onto the porch when she noticed him standing in his driveway, loading his company truck. Tall and muscular, his skin was painted a deep bronze. His shoulder-length hair swung about his face in an endearing way that made her want to brush it back with her fingertips and tuck it behind his ears.

He was very handsome. There was certainly no denying that. His jeans and T-shirt hugged his body in a way that stole her breath. From what she’d gathered from the other neighbors, he was in his late thirties, a construction worker, and had never been married.

She had spoken to him a couple of times in passing as they each got into their vehicles in the mornings headed for work, but that was just a simple hello and wave. They had never had an actual conversation.

Kristen undressed and slid down into the water. Resting her head against the back of the tub, she took a deep breath, and thought back to what she had just seen. Her body began to ache in deep and knowing places. She had been with several men—and women—since Randy. They had all been very satisfying experiences, and at the present time she wasn’t looking for anything more. She didn’t want to get involved in another relationship. She enjoyed the single life too much. Her work, her family, and her friends fulfilled her and made her happy.

Maybe the day would come when someone would cross her path and change her mind, but she rather doubted it. Either way, she wasn’t going to let it bother her, especially today. There was too much to be enjoyed and so much living to be done.

Closing her eyes, she thought about Sam, one of the bartenders from her favorite nightclub. They had been on several dates, and he was just the kind of uninhibited lover she needed today.

Reaching out, Ayden grabbed Tracey’s hand as she jumped from the bed. Every time was the same, and it was starting to wear on his nerves. Yes, she was one of the greatest lovers he had ever known, but afterward she was also quicker to dart than anyone he’d ever seen. He couldn’t remember the last time they had fallen asleep in each other’s arms or spent quality time talking.

Removing her hand from his, she walked around the room, picking up her clothes from the floor. Sliding into her skirt, she looked over at Ayden as he lay on the bed, a frown stretching across his face.

“Please don’t start this again, Ayden. You know how busy I am. The caterers will be at the Johnson’s in one hour to set up for the wedding reception, and I still have to round up more staff since two called in sick. These clients are very important to me. You know that.”

Falling back onto the bed, he ran his fingers through his hair as he watched her finish dressing. It was useless to try to have this conversation. It was the same one he had been trying to finish for four months now.

We’ll hole up in some cabin and spend a couple of days doing nothing but having unadulterated sex, like a couple of heathens,” she said with a gleam in her eyes.

Sitting up on the side of the bed, Ayden pulled her into his arms. Resting his cheek against her stomach, he caressed her back and hips, pulling her close.

“Yes, I promise. Now, I’ve got to get going. I’ll come over tomorrow night and we’ll talk more about it. I’ll even stay the night if you want me to.”

Letting his arms fall to his sides, he nodded and watched helplessly as she picked up her purse from the dresser and walked out the door. He could hear her heels clicking against the hardwood floor as she made her way downstairs. The front door opened and closed.

The following night, Kristen woke, startled. As her heart raced, she sat upright in bed and quickly scanned the empty room as moonlight streamed through the window.

After listening closely for the voices she could’ve sworn she heard, she realized it must have been a dream. There was nothing, just silence.

There it was again, only this time it was louder. Frightened, she sprang from the bed and rushed over to the window. It was still opened halfway and she pulled back the curtains.

The light from Ayden’s bedroom was blinding and she squinted as she stumbled backward. It was evident where the voices were coming from and she drew in a breath.

At first she considered closing the window and going back to bed, but something kept her there just as it had the day before. As much as she hated to admit it, watching them was addictive. Knowing she couldn’t be seen from the dark confines of her bedroom, she remained where she was.

Much to her surprise, Ayden lay bound to the bed by his wrists and ankles. Focusing on the restraints, she determined they were neckties.

Both were naked except for the woman’s red panties, which were pulled to the side as she hovered above his face. The heels of her black stilettos dug into the mattress.

Ayden had buried his tongue deep inside her pussy as she moved back and forth over him. She grasped the headboard tightly and rolled her head from side to side as if in a trance.

The woman moved quickly, her cries of passion steadily climbing, and Kristen braced herself for what she knew was coming. He must have known it too because he suddenly began to lick her faster.

“Oh … oh … fuck! Yes!” the woman screamed as her body began to tremble. She continued to grip the headboard for several seconds until the last sensation subsided.

Kristen’s pulse raced as the woman slid back on her hands and knees toward his cock. With her in this position, she had a perfect view of her pussy. Closing her eyes briefly, she could almost taste her and it made her ache. It had been a long time since she’d been with another woman. What she wouldn’t give to be able to slide her tongue between those beautiful wet lips the way Ayden had just done.

The woman reached behind her, pulled her panties roughly to the side, and guided his cock into her wetness. The massive crown of his cock disappeared inside the swollen folds and she leaned back until she had taken him all inside.

Ayden tore wildly at the restraints, his moans resonating in the small distance between them. By the way she threw her head back and laughed each time he struggled, Kristen could tell the woman obviously loved being in control.

Obviously, it was all she needed to hear as she began to ride his cock like a woman possessed. The bed shook and bounced as she rose almost completely off his cock and slammed herself back down on top of it repeatedly.

After several minutes, she began to wonder how much longer the woman could continue to ride him before giving out completely, but just then Ayden came in one loud yell that shook the window and startled her.

The woman must have taken great satisfaction in it too by the way she kept her head back, laughing evilly. Once his body stopped shaking, she removed herself from him and untied his restraints. She expected the woman to collapse from exhaustion by his side, but instead she leaped from the bed again.

Taking it as her cue, Kristen walked back to her own bed. Her body still reeled from the previous night she had spent in Sam’s arms, but seeing the couple next door made her ache all over again. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to sleep.

“Here we go again,” she remarked. “I told you I have an earlier day than I expected tomorrow. I have a client to meet first thing in the morning, and I can’t be rushing from your house to my house to get ready before I head to work.”

“This! I can’t keep doing this! The only time I see you anymore is when I’m fucking you. That’s all it is, too. I don’t remember the last time we had a normal conversation when you weren’t trying to claw my skin off.”

“You sound like a woman. So I enjoy the sex more than the snuggling. Does that make me a horrible person? Honestly, this is one conversation I can’t believe we’re having. It seems very backwards if you ask me.”

Coming to stand in front of him, she tried to look into his eyes, but he kept his head down. Annoyed, she turned and walked toward the door.

“Are you kidding me?” she exclaimed. Noticing the unwavering expression on his face, she laughed under her breath and shrugged her shoulders. “Whatever. If that’s the way you want it. Good-bye, Ayden.”

As he watched her leave for the final time, he expelled a long breath. Honestly, he was glad it was over with, but still he was saddened it had to come about in such a way.

He had hoped they could at least remain friends, if nothing else. Walking over to the window, he placed his hands on each side of it, and gazed longingly across the side yard.

He had been awakened the previous night by noises coming from his next-door neighbor’s house. He had seen the striking brunette disappear inside the house earlier that evening with a tall, stocky gentleman. Both of them had been laughing and carrying on, unaware of anyone else that might be listening or watching.

A couple of hours later he had been reading in his bedroom when he overheard the obvious sounds of lovemaking coming from her bedroom window. Her curtains had been closed so he hadn’t seen anything, but he had laughed when he noticed her window opened halfway. She obviously must have forgotten about it.

Opening his own window, he’d sat on the floor and continued eavesdropping, even though he knew he shouldn’t have. It had been late at night, so he doubted anyone else had heard them as the neighborhood slept.

He was instantly struck by the beautiful sound of her voice when she moaned. It was tantalizing. For over an hour, his cock throbbed and his stomach muscles twitched each time he heard her cry out. It was nothing like Tracey’s loud and obnoxious yelling. This was the sound of a woman deep in the throes of passion, intent on giving and receiving completely. He hadn’t heard anything like it since before he met Tracey, and he missed it.

Listening more closely, he gathered from bits and pieces of her conversation with the caller that it concerned work. Having learned from several of their neighbors that she was a hard-nosed newspaper reporter, he wasn’t surprised when he overheard her telling her companion that she had to leave to follow up on a tip for a story.

Several minutes later he caught a glimpse of the two of them outside on the sidewalk where they held each other and kissed one last time before getting into separate vehicles and leaving.

Late the following Wednesday afternoon Kristen was busy multitasking when the doorbell rang. Her cell phone pressed haphazardly between her shoulder and ear, she tried to listen to her boss while steadily typing on her computer. With her deadline approaching, every spare moment she had was spent either typing or researching information for her upcoming article. Lost in thought, she first thought she might have been hearing things, but the second chime rang loud and clear down the long hallway to her office.

She wondered as she made her way to the front door. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Squinting, she peered through the thin curtain on the door window, and froze. There, just a few inches away on the other side of the door, was Ayden.

“Mr. Clayton, I’ll have to call you back. Someone’s at my front door,” she said quickly before closing her cell phone and shoving it inside her jeans pocket.

Her first thought was Ayden might have caught her spying and had come to confront her about it. Suddenly immobile, she first considered acting as though she wasn’t home, but she knew that wouldn’t get her very far, especially with her car sitting in the driveway.

Catching a glimpse of herself in the hall mirror, she fluffed her hair, pinched her cheeks for some color, and straightened her clothes before opening the door.

His jeans and T-shirt were faded and worn, and his work boots looked as though they’d seen better days. He looked comfortable, adorable, and downright sexy. Knowing what was underneath the rugged exterior made the heat rise in her neck and cheeks.

Removing his sunglasses, she was taken by surprise when she gazed into the most mesmerizing hazel eyes she had ever seen. Cursing her suddenly weak knees, she finally smiled, and forced all thoughts of him and the gorgeous blonde to the back of her mind.

called the forwarding number she gave me when she moved out, and she told me I should give them to you. Something about how the two of you used to exchange magazines when she lived next door.”

She smiled at the mention of the elderly woman’s name. They’d been next-door neighbors for many years until her husband passed away in the spring, and she decided to move closer to her daughter in Atlanta.

Kristen sighed. She truly missed her company the past couple of months. They still spoke on the phone a few times a week, but it was no replacement for her presence.

When her fingers accidentally grazed his, a shiver raced up her spine and she tried unsuccessfully to shake it off. If he noticed her discomfort, though, he made no mention of it. Instantly she scolded herself for acting like a silly schoolgirl.

“Oh, Mrs. Lorna also mentioned something to me about you having air conditioner trouble. I work in construction so I know a good bit about it if you’d like for me to take a look at it. I’d be happy to.”

“All good things. I promise,” he replied, his hand over his heart to seal his conviction. “Would you like for me to take a peek at your air conditioning unit? Really, I

She hesitated momentarily before stepping to the side so he could come in. When he walked by, the faint scent of his cologne made her hands start shaking, and she gripped the magazines tighter to control herself.

“Right this way.” She led him to the opposite end of the hallway and into the laundry room on the left. “I’ve had it turned off since yesterday.”

Opening the closet door that housed the air conditioning unit, she stepped back so he could inspect it. “Are you sure you don’t mind? I could call a repairman if it’s too much trouble. I’m sure you must stay busy with your job and all.”

“You shouldn’t have to fork over a lot of money for something that might be an easy fix. I won’t charge you anything. That is, if you’ll agree to come by my house sometime for coffee,” he said with a wink.

The minute the words rolled off his tempting lips, she gasped and her whole body flushed from embarrassment. She’d never been as mortified as at this very moment.

The fact that he seemed to revel in her discomfort didn’t help matters any. She couldn’t even bear to look in his eyes, and he seemed to take the most enjoyment from that. It was annoying.

“It’s okay. Really.” He snickered under his breath. “I’m going to the truck to get some tools. I’ll be right back. Oh, and by the way, she’s not my girlfriend anymore. Just so you know.”

As soon as he walked out the front door, Kristen looked around for something to kick. Hard. How could she have been so stupid? She should have known he would catch

It was apparent it didn’t bother him one bit, which agitated her even more. Hearing his footsteps, she straightened and took one last deep breath. However, when he entered the room with his toolbox he never once looked her in the eye. Before she could give it much thought, her cell phone rang. Digging it out of her pocket, she looked quickly at the phone number. It was her boss … again. Frustrated, she shoved it back in her pocket without answering it. He would just have to wait.

Taking a flashlight from the box, Ayden fumbled around with the air conditioning unit while she looked on from the tiny distance behind him. She had no idea what he was doing, or what he was looking for, but she had to do something to keep her mind occupied.

can replace the part of the coil that’s leaking, but I don’t have the proper tools in my truck. I’ll run by the hardware store on my way home from work tomorrow, and pick up what I need.”

Before she could make her way out the door, he took hold of her arm. Turning to face him, she noticed the room had suddenly become much smaller. He seemed to loom over her in a way that startled but also excited her.

They were so close she could feel his breath against her lips, and she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. Just being so close to him was intoxicating.

“I know you didn’t ask, but I’ll tell you anyway,” he said. “What you saw in my bedroom is the reason we broke up. I know you might find that hard to believe, but it’s the truth. The sex was amazing, but that’s all it was … just sex.”

He released her arm and she knew she probably should step away from him, but she remained in place, wishing desperately he would kiss her. His lips looked so gentle and yet masterful. After witnessing what he was capable of doing with them, she fought to keep her legs from collapsing beneath her.

He was so close, his lips just inches from hers. She couldn’t reply. She couldn’t think of anything to say that would sound adequate enough. Each word that fell from his lips left her more and more entranced.

All she could do was look into his eyes and hope he couldn’t hear her heart hammering against her chest. Rather than take her in his arms, though, he gave a small smile and stepped away from her. In an instant, her body mourned the warmth and closeness.

Replacing the panel on the air conditioning unit, he gathered up his toolbox and walked around her into the hallway. Out of nowhere, he seemed almost shy.

Trying to find the right words to say, Kristen was stopped short by the obnoxious ringing of her cell phone. Jerking it out of her pocket, she turned it off without bothering to even look at the number. She didn’t want to worry about work at the moment. All she wanted was to finish this intriguing discussion.

“You’re a busy woman,” he said with a laugh, pointing at her phone. “I’ll stop by tomorrow after work if that’s okay. It shouldn’t take long to fix.”

As soon as stepped outside, she fell against the door. Damn him! Why hadn’t he kissed her? She couldn’t have made it more obvious that she’d wanted him to. And why the hell was it so difficult to remain calm around this man?

Taking a deep breath, she walked back to her office. Work was what she needed right now. Sitting at her desk, she took the cell phone from her pocket and returned her boss’s call. Propping it between her shoulder and ear again, she pounded the keys in frustration while waiting for him to answer.

Now wasn’t the time to be distracted with thoughts of Ayden McKenzie … or anyone else for that matter. She had a job to do, and at the moment it took precedence over everything else in her life. Having learned from experience, facing a deadline was much easier than dealing with men … and the worries that came with them.

True to his word, Ayden showed up on her doorstep a few minutes after his work truck rolled into his driveway late the following afternoon. The events of yesterday played through her mind constantly. Unable to work, she had spent the past hour pacing the floors and looking out the window every time a vehicle drove by.

She had thought a lot about what he’d said yesterday. As much as she hated to admit it, there were still moments when she missed the closeness that came with being involved in a committed relationship. She had pushed those thoughts from her mind after Randy left, but occasionally they would resurface as fleeting reminders of what she was missing out on.

She never let it keep her down for long, though. Her life was full, and she was blessed in many ways. She enjoyed coming and going as she pleased and not having to answer to anyone. Also, she couldn’t deny that it was less taxing on her heart. Another relationship would only complicate matters.

Anxious about his arrival, but not wanting him to suspect that, she waited for him to ring the doorbell twice. The same crooked smile greeted her as yesterday. His work clothes were dusty and his hair had little pieces of what looked like sawdust in it.

Lifting a hand instinctively, she only just stopped herself from running her fingers through his hair to shake it loose. She recovered by brushing her hand over her own hair.

Down the hallway they proceeded again, and into the small laundry room. She flipped the light switch on by the door before stepping to the side.

“No thanks. I think I can manage. If I do need something I’ll come find you, but this shouldn’t take very long. I’ll be out of your hair in no time.”

Ayden never spoke a word the whole time he was there. The only sounds she heard were his tools running and a loud clang every now and then. After about an hour he finally emerged from the tiny room.

At the dining room table, glass of water in hand, she peered out the window onto the quiet street until she heard him walk in the room, his face flushed. Setting his toolbox on the floor, he wiped his forehead with an old rag that had seen better days.

“Here, sit down. Let me get you something to drink.” She motioned to the chair across from her. “I’m sorry. I know how hot it can get in that small room since it doesn’t have a window.”

He placed the worn rag in his pants pocket. Sitting across from him, she tried not to make a fool of herself, but suddenly she felt at a loss for words, which rarely ever happened. It was very irritating, to say the least.

“Wait at least a couple of hours before you turn the unit back on. I replaced the section of the coil that was leaking, and it should work fine now.”

“Are you planning on attending the block party tomorrow night?” she asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence by changing the subject.

Lorna used to love the block parties. She and her husband would take their fold-up chairs and sit on the sidewalk, their cardboard fans in one hand, and a glass of lemonade in the other.

She was always surprised they stayed outside as long as they did with the heat and humidity, but they would just sit there and fan themselves, talking to every child and adult that passed their way. She was going to miss their presence this year.

“We always have a block party the week before the neighborhood kids go back to school. It’s tradition. We rope off the street, set up some tables, and everyone brings some type of food or drink. There’s music, dancing, games … you name it. Everyone looks forward to it. I bet you’d enjoy it too.”

Afraid her voice would come out sounding shrill and girlish, she simply nodded and watched as made his way off the front porch and across the yard to his house.

Kristen could hear the party in full swing while she finished dressing, and she cursed her boss for making her stay late to finish editing Sunday’s edition of the

Normally she would have been excited about it, but she had been looking forward to spending time with Ayden at the party, and now she was running two hours late. Looking at her reflection one last time in the full-length mirror, she turned to check herself from every angle.

The short powder blue sundress highlighted her long legs and tan complexion, which pleased her. The spaghetti straps clung to her bare shoulders, and the sandals she chose showed off the pedicure she had gotten earlier in the day. Her hair cascaded around her shoulders, and the dress brought out her blue eyes to perfection. She couldn’t help but smile. Hopefully he would too.

She chided herself for being so preoccupied with seeing him. She had talked to a lot of handsome men in the past year, and he was really no different. Of course, she had seen more of him than she had seen of most other men too. The color rose to her cheeks as she pictured him tied to his bed, his cock fully erect. She hadn’t been able to get that image out of her mind, and it was maddening.

Maybe, if nothing else, they could enjoy a friendly romp in the sack. Just the thought made her quiver in anticipation. Flipping off the bedroom light, she bounced down the stairs and grabbed her strawberry cheesecake from the refrigerator before heading outside.

As soon as she stepped onto the front porch, she was barraged with the sound of laughter as the neighborhood children played along the street on their bicycles, rollerblades, and skateboards. Smoke rose from the barbecue grills stationed along the sidewalk, and a couple of men in their “Kiss The Cook” aprons were busy flipping burgers and hot dogs.

There were several tables covered with tents lined up along the street, and Kristen made her way through the crowd to place her cheesecake on the table that displayed the other desserts. As usual, the tables overflowed with food, and at both ends of the long row were huge chests loaded down with ice and canned drinks. Tiki torches and lanterns were scattered here and there for lighting, while jars of citronella candles were placed around the tables to ward off mosquitoes and other pests.

She looked forward to this every year. Several of the kids stopped to talk to her. As they hugged her in their tiny embrace she felt that familiar ache inside. She had hoped to have a child of her own by now, but once Randy left she had pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she became consumed by her job. Still, at thirty-two, she knew her biological clock wouldn’t tick forever.

With a sigh, she watched as the children ran off to play in the various activities along the street. Someone had set up a game of horseshoes on their lawn, while others played basketball and touch football.

Ayden. A couple of single men from the neighborhood stopped her in her tracks, and with a forced smile, she did her best to avoid the conversation that always seemed to present itself when they were around.

They had hounded her for several months, but she just didn’t have the heart to tell them she wasn’t interested. Sure, they were cute and all, but they were also divorced with young children, and she made it a strict rule not to get involved in situations like that.

Hearing the sound of a woman’s laughter above the crowd, she turned to see Ayden and one of the local divorcées leaning against one of the tall oak trees that lined the sidewalk. The striking redhead moved in closer and whispered something in his ear, which made him laugh, his cheeks flushing a bright crimson.

Kristen’s stomach wrench in knots, although she had no idea why. It wasn’t like he was hers to claim, anyway. Still, she couldn’t help but notice how handsome he looked in his black dress pants and gray shirt, which hugged his muscles and made her long to touch them.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she excused herself and went back to the food table. Picking up a paper plate, she scanned the table, finding it hard not to want to try it all. Everything looked delicious; plus, she hadn’t eaten all day.

Coming to stand beside her, Ayden leaned in close to her, his lips just mere inches from her own. She thought at first he might actually kiss her this time, until she realized he was leaning over to pick up his bowl of Mexican dip from the table beside her.

“Here you go,” he said, taking a spoonful and putting it on her plate. Setting the bowl back down, he grabbed a handful of tortilla chips beside it and put those on her plate too.

She laughed at his enthusiasm. Actually, it did look delicious, with its layers of beans, fresh tomatoes, olives, green onions, cheddar cheese, salsa, and sour cream. She scooped some onto a chip and ate it while he continued to watch. She was taken by surprise at how good it tasted.

“Oh wow,” she said, taking another bite. “This is delicious, Ayden. There’s some type of seasoning in the beans. What is that?”

Picking up a paper plate, he followed her as she walked from one end of the table to the other. Everything looked delicious, but she stopped herself from going overboard.

His crooked smile melted her heart. “It would be worth it. I haven’t been around this much food in a long time. I don’t want to miss anything.”

porch and sat down on the steps. For several minutes they ate in silence as they watched the kids playing. They were deep into a game of tag, and Kristen laughed as she watched one of the little girls chase after a boy twice her size.

“She’s something else,” Ayden remarked. “When I first got here, she followed me around for a long time before I finally asked her if she would like to dance.”

Slightly uncomfortable with the question, she wasn’t sure how to answer him. Still, he had a way of making her want to be open and honest. There was really nothing to hide, anyway. Most people who knew her well already knew about her past with Randy.

Just the mention of his name was enough to make her lose her appetite. She shouldn’t have been surprised that he knew the story, but still it made her uneasy.

Her statement brought a huge grin to his face, which made her smile in return. She wondered about the redheaded divorcée and silently hoped that the woman wouldn’t decide to stick around.

“That sounds like fun. I love margaritas,” he replied, just before taking a bite of her strawberry cheesecake. “Oh. How is the air conditioner working, by the way?”

“It’s blissful. Thank you again for fixing it. I slept comfortably last night for the first time in days. The past several nights it’s been too hot to sleep.”

Again, she felt herself flush with humiliation. She had really hoped he had forgotten about that by now. She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t even bear to look him in the eye.

“Please don’t apologize,” he began. “Tracey was a huge voyeur, and she always had to have the lights on, or the curtains wide open, or both. She was a drama queen, and she loved putting on a show. I should be the one apologizing to you.”

She stopped before she embarrassed herself any further. There was just something so trusting and sensual about the tone of his voice that made her want to confess. Regaining her composure, she looked down at the paper plate in her lap.

“I enjoyed watching the two of you. It was … exciting.” She prayed that the sound of her voice didn’t give him any clue as to what exactly was going through her mind. She was picturing them again, and it was enough to make the heat rush through her veins.

If Kristen hadn’t been so aroused, his request might have shocked her, but instead she smiled. As much as she hated to admit it, she was enjoying this, the way his voice lulled her into submission. Looking around the busy street to make sure no one was nearby to overhear, she leaned closer to him.

“I enjoyed watching you lick her. The way you forced your tongue inside of her, and the way you held on to her with your mouth when she came. She was wild. I loved watching her reactions.”

“Yes, she was definitely that,” he said, the tone of his voice low and sexy. He was so close she could smell the faint scent of his cologne and it was enough to make her light-

Her voice trailed off as she shook her head to clear her mind. She had gotten so carried away that she wasn’t fully aware of what she was saying, but was able to catch herself.

“Since what? You can tell me, Kristen. I’m an open-minded person, and I won’t judge you,” he replied honestly. “I bet you were going to say it’s been a long time since you tasted another woman. Actually, I can see that about you. The way you would love another woman’s body.”

“There’s nothing quite like the feel of a woman’s nipples between your teeth or the warmth of her as you slide your tongue inside of her.”

Now she was the one unable to catch her breath. Her breasts heaving, she looked deep into his eyes as he moved in closer. Finally, he was going to kiss her, she thought

Standing a few feet from them was the redheaded divorcée. Kristen’s initial urge was to claw her eyes out, but the lady in her forced a smile.

“I’m sorry to interrupt. I was hoping I could steal Ayden for a dance,” she said, the coquettish tone in her voice raking against Kristen’s nerves.

He looked at her as though he expected her to say no, but she didn’t see where it was any of her business to decide who he could and couldn’t dance with. As much as it bothered her, she wasn’t about to claim rights that she didn’t possess.

The expression on his face was one she couldn’t fathom, but he rose from his seat, taking his plate and drink with him. After tossing them in a nearby trash can, she watched as the vixen took his hand in hers and led him to where the other couples had gathered to dance.

The woman pulled him so tightly into her embrace she wondered how he was able to breathe, much less move. Standing up, Kristen took one last deep breath, and went to gather with some other adults who were laughing and getting ready to pour some margaritas.

The party continued on well into the night. Kristen spent most of her time chatting with the other women from the neighborhood while the men cavorted together talking about football. She had lost sight of Ayden after he started dancing with the redhead.

Glancing at her watch, she was shocked to find it was close to midnight. Her feet were aching and her mind was woozy from the margaritas, so she decided to play it safe and call it a night. After saying her good-byes, she walked over to the food table to retrieve her empty pie dish, when out of nowhere someone walked up behind her and drew her into a strong embrace.

Her breath caught and held as she turned to face him. Cursing her suddenly weak knees, she held on to his arms, afraid if she didn’t she would crumble to the ground.

warmth of his breath against her skin and the hardness of his body. Putting her hands on his shoulders, she tried to stop herself from falling, but it felt so good holding him.

As their bodies molded together, she slid her hand up behind his neck and rested her head against his shoulder. His muscles felt powerful beneath her touch, and she moaned softly as she thought back to his strong hands as they had gripped Tracey’s hips.

As they swayed to the music, she felt his hand slide up and down her back, making her shiver. When he wasn’t caressing her gently, he was holding on to her waist, leaving her mind to wander in forbidden places as her pulse quickened with each thought.

The heat that radiated between their bodies was beginning to make her dizzy. She wanted him. She couldn’t rationalize anything at the moment other than this need that was beginning to overwhelm her. Maybe it was just the alcohol, and maybe it wasn’t the smart thing to do.

She would more than likely hate herself tomorrow, but her body ached to be touched right now. Normally, she wouldn’t sleep with a man like Ayden—someone who lived right next door to her, and someone she would have no choice but to see on a daily basis.

Perhaps they would still be able to remain friends, she thought. Pulling back from him, she looked up into his eyes. His mouth was slightly open, and she felt the warmth course through her body as his gaze dropped to her lips.

Sprinting up the front porch steps two at a time, it felt like forever had passed before they were finally inside. Turning around to lock the door behind them, she gasped as he came up behind her, pulling her roughly into his embrace. Crushing her to his body, she moaned as she felt his cock, hard and bulging inside his pants, pressed against her buttocks.

Her palms flat against the door, she pushed her body against his, rubbing him at a frenzied pace that left them both breathless. He drew her dress up around her waist and she cried out as his hands slid beneath it and wrapped around her breasts. His mouth was against her ear, his breathing ragged as he groaned each time she moved.

She obliged him willingly. With one arm wrapped securely around her waist, he slid his other hand inside her panties. She was so wet, his fingers slipped effortlessly between the swollen folds as she inhaled sharply and continued to grind her body against his. She couldn’t get close enough.

Digging her nails into the door, she rocked feverishly against him, the feeling of his fingers stroking her almost too much to bear. The sensations made her legs weaken and she felt his grip tighten around her waist to hold her steady so she wouldn’t fall.

She could hear the party as it raged on outside, the music now set at a fast tempo as she rubbed her body against his. When his loving became more urgent, she found it hard to catch her breath. The room began to tilt the moment she felt herself drawing nearer.

Latching onto her shoulder with his mouth, he sucked hard as his stroking reached a fierce pitch. Her breath coming out in short gasps now, she edged closer … closer. As her nails raked the door, she began to rise up on her toes. Her stomach muscles tightened.

Crying out, she let go of the door, her body weakening. Grasping onto Ayden’s arm, she let out a long and anguished moan while her body convulsed in his embrace. He held on to her, his fingers pressed firmly against her clit until each jolt through her body had passed, leaving her reeling.

Willing herself to stand up straight, she finally turned to face him. From the dim light of the lanterns illuminating the living room, she could see his expression. His mouth was slightly open, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

Putting her hands on each side of his head, she pulled him to her, crushing her lips against his. As he pried her mouth open with his tongue, she went limp again in his arms as he circled them around her body. His mouth was hot, almost scorching. Falling back against the door, they kissed hungrily, neither one wanting to take a breath for fear they would have to release their hold on each other.

Many men had kissed her throughout her lifetime, but never with this much intensity and passion. Not Sam. Not even Randy. Reaching between them, she began to undo his pants. His cock strained against them in a way that tortured them both, and the need to touch him had become an almost an obsession.

Pulling his pants and briefs down over his hips, his cock finally sprang free from its restraints, and she eagerly wrapped a hand around it. From the first moment she had seen it, she had wanted to do this. He was so big, and feeling him in her grasp made the need grow even more intolerable.

Gripping her hair roughly in his hands, Ayden trembled and groaned as she ran her fingernails over the engorged crown. Unable to contain herself any longer, she broke their heated kiss, and dropped to her knees. She had to taste him. The desire to do so had finally consumed her to the point where she felt she would actually start crying if she didn’t take him in her mouth.

Removing his shirt, he discarded it quickly before leaning forward, pressing both hands flat against the door. Stretching out her tongue, she caressed it against the protruding veins as he groaned and murmured her name repeatedly. After rolling her tongue under and around the tip, she held on to his thighs and relaxed her throat to take him inside.

Her tongue slid over him as she closed her mouth around him. His legs stiffened beneath her hands. Pumping her mouth over him, she became obsessed with the taste of him and the feeling of him stretching her lips as he filled her. The way his breathing intensified only caused to make her suck and lick more urgently.

He was moving with her now, his hips rocking back and forth in rhythm to her motions. Cupping a hand around his balls, she kneaded them gently. After several minutes, she continued to devour him. He felt so good in her mouth. She didn’t want to stop. Ever.

“Oh God, Kristen. You’ve got to stop. If you don’t I’m going to come in your mouth and … I want to feel you. I need to feel you,” he said, panting. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”

Seconds later he appeared with what she discerned in the moonlight to be a condom in his hand. He came toward her slowly, like an animal getting ready to pounce, never once taking his gaze from hers while discarding the rest of his clothes. Once they were completely naked, he drew her down onto the carpet with him, kissing her with an urgency that made her struggle to breathe. As he rolled onto his back, he ripped off the wrapper and slipped the condom over his cock just before she climbed on top of him, straddling his hips.

As the party continued on outside their door, she leaned forward and reached between them, grasping his cock and guiding it to her opening. She was dripping wet with anticipation, her body shivering with the need to feel him inside of her.

The enormity of him made her gasp, and they both moaned deeply as she took him inside inch by inch. He was big, hot, and the overpowering feeling of him finally inside of her made her head spin.

Still gripping her hips tightly, he dug his feet into the carpet and thrust upward, impaling himself as her juices rushed over his cock. Placing her hands on his chest, she pushed back each time he thrust forward, hurling their bodies together in a dizzying way that threatened to consume them both.

He felt so good … better than she ever dreamed he would. Her breasts rose and fell quickly as she moved on top of him, her motions becoming more demanding with each stroke. She rode him with a tenacity that felt like it would swallow her whole at any second. She couldn’t remember the last time she had ever wanted something so badly. It was almost primal.

Digging her fingernails into his chest, she growled as his hands wrapped around her hair, pulling her head back each time he drove inside of her.

Securing her in his arms, he crushed her flat against his chest, pressed his feet into the carpet and rapidly pumped his cock inside her body while she begged him to do it harder … faster.

Moments later, with one final push, he lay claim to her mouth and moaned deeply as he came. With a groan, she squeezed and milked every drop of cum from his trembling body, until at last he let go of her mouth, his head falling back on the carpet as he tried to catch his breath.

She didn’t move. Resting her head against his chest, she listened to his racing heartbeat as she also struggled to breathe normally again. She was sore, but in a wickedly pleasing way, and she couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so satiated.

Squinting her eyes against the sunlight streaming through the bedroom curtains, Kristen rubbed her eyes as she tried to focus on her surroundings. Leaning up on her elbow, she put a hand to her throbbing head and winced from the pain. Damn margaritas.

As Ayden slept soundly beside her, she eased from under the sheets, and rose from the bed slowly, so as not to wake him. The ache between her legs made her stop in her tracks, as last night’s events came rushing back to her all at once. She had enjoyed herself immensely, but now that the sun was shining on a new day, part of her regretted succumbing to him so easily. How would they face each other now?

Tiptoeing out of the room, she made her way downstairs where she gathered up her clothes and began dressing quickly. The best thing she could do at the moment was to put some distance between them, and hope that he would eventually forgive her.

He was a wonderful person, and an amazing lover, but she had managed this long to not become involved in another relationship, and she wasn’t about to start now. The less complication in her life, the better off she would be. Hopefully he would understand that.

Picking up her sandals, she cradled them in her arm as she quietly opened the front door, praying it wouldn’t creak. After closing it behind her, she scanned the neighborhood before making her way off the front porch, and dashing across the lawn to her house.

It was early, so thankfully the once busy street was quiet and still. After closing her front door behind her, she finally expelled a breath. She wasn’t looking forward to him awakening and finding her gone.

The first couple of days following their fateful night together, Kristen found it relatively easy to avoid Ayden. He’d shown up on her doorstep and called numerous times, but she’d stayed hidden within the confines of her home, unwilling to talk to him.

, and she gathered Mrs. Lorna must have told him those were her favorite flower too. She was beginning to wonder if there was anything her elderly friend hadn’t told him about her.

She knew she’d eventually have to face him and just the thought made her sick inside. What could she say? That she’d had a temporary moment of drunken stupidity?

Sure, she could always blame it on the alcohol, but she had known exactly what she was getting herself into. She had wanted it just as badly as he did.

At first, she rationalized that he’d probably forget all about what had happened, and move on to some other woman. Perhaps another beautiful blonde like the last one he’d brought home. Maybe even the redheaded divorcée from down the street.

Yet he’d remained alone. From the dark shadows of her room, she peeked from behind the curtains late at night to find him alone in his bedroom. Sometimes she found him sitting in bed reading a book, and still other times he just lay there as if lost in thought.

There were moments when she missed him, and times when she longed to be in his arms again. How easy it would have been to just give in and forget everything else.

Forget what she had gone through with Randy, and the long hours she’d spent moving on with her life. Unfortunately, some things were hard to forget, and harder still to forgive.

Her work, friends, and family filled her days, and brought her all the happiness she could ever want or need. She was independent, strong, and capable of doing anything she set her mind to. If she wanted to drop everything and go away on an impromptu trip with some friends, she did it. If she wanted to stay in bed all day long and eat a gallon of rocky road ice cream while watching sappy love stories on television, then she did that too. She didn’t need a relationship messing things up. If there were moments when she absolutely craved sex, she had several men and women she could choose from to fill that need who wouldn’t ask anything more from her than she was willing to give.

Still, as she crawled into her bed each night, the emptiness of it made her heart ache, no matter how much she had tried over the past year to push those kinds of thoughts from her mind.

Forecasters called for rain and severe thunderstorms to settle in over the weekend, but Kristen was used to the ever-changing weather that came with living in the south.

Early the following Saturday morning while the neighborhood slept, she wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and settled in her favorite wooden rocker on the front porch.

The storms that rolled through during the night had kept her awake, partially from fright, but greater still from the longing that seemed more than ever to sink deeply into her bones since she had left Ayden’s side. The fact that he’d had such a strong impact on her annoyed her to no end.

The overcast days had brought the temperature down, and she shivered as she pulled the blanket closer to her body. The sun had yet to rise and all was quiet except for the light rain pelting the roof above her.

Turning sideways, she pulled one knee up to her chest as she laid her head against the back of the chair. Hugging the blanket closer, she let her eyes rest as she rocked the chair gently back and forth with her other foot.

A sudden clap of thunder woke Kristen from her nap. Disoriented, she sat upright in her chair and rubbed her eyes to try to rouse herself. She had no idea how long she’d been asleep, but in that time, the sun had come up.

Opening her eyes again, she felt her heart jump in her throat when she saw Ayden leaning against her front porch railing, watching her. Seeing him there startled her so much that she let out a small yelp.

“Not long. You looked so peaceful I hated to wake you. I saw you from my kitchen window when I woke up this morning so I got dressed in a hurry to come talk to you before you locked yourself inside again.”

He closed the door behind them as they made their way inside, away from nosy neighbors and the approaching storm. He trailed her into the kitchen, and she never once tried to stop him. She was tired. Tired of hiding and tired of running away. If he needed closure, then she was going to give it to him once and for all.

“I don’t believe you. I think we have a lot to talk about. Mainly the fact that you have suddenly decided to avoid me after what happened the other night.”

Taking a carton of orange juice from the refrigerator, she poured herself a small glass while he carried on. He looked as though he hadn’t slept in days the way his eyes were swollen and bloodshot. As he raised his voice with every word, she could tell he was upset. Swallowing the juice in two huge gulps, she set the glass down on the counter, took a deep breath, and turned to look him in the eye.

“You can’t make me believe that, Kristen. And please don’t say it was because of the alcohol, because I won’t believe that either. Something happened between us other than just sex. I felt it, and you did too even if you won’t let yourself believe it. Why are you brushing it off as if it was nothing?”

“You’ve just met me, Ayden. How can you possibly know what I was thinking or what I was feeling? Yes, there was an attraction between us, but that’s all it was.”

He stepped closer, causing her to take two steps backward. Her back against the wall, she watched as he put his hands on his hips and lowered his head. He seemed to be deep in thought, and when he looked up again, she noticed the expression in his eyes had gone from confusion to something she couldn’t quite grasp. It wasn’t anger, or even sadness.

“I know more about you than you think I do, and I don’t mean what Mrs. Lorna has told me. Do I know all the details about what Randy did to you? Yes. Do I give a damn?

No. We’ve all had our hearts broken at least once in our life. What bothers me is that for some reason you seem to have given up on relationships altogether. Not all men are like him.”

Kristen could feel the resentment surfacing. Who the hell did he think he was to walk in her house and presume that he knew everything about her life?

“I don’t? How hard is it to figure out? Your job has become your life, and you won’t let anyone interfere with it that might make you realize you need more. Is that why you became a journalist? So you could lose yourself in other people’s lives instead of living your own?”

As he took another step closer, she tried to move away from him until she realized he had cornered her between the wall and the kitchen counter.

She couldn’t find the words. Her heart raced, her hands shook, and all she could do was stand there with an enormous lump in her throat, making it very hard to speak or even swallow. She braced her hands against the wall and counter to keep from falling.

The tears began to pool in her eyes as she turned her head to break the intensity of his gaze. He had no right to judge her. No right at all. No one did.

“No. I never let his betrayal ruin my life. I worked damned hard to do that, too. I’m stronger now than I’ve ever been,” she said, unwavering.

“Yes, you did, Kristen. Don’t you see it? If you had moved past it then you wouldn’t let him continue to rob you of what you need, which is someone to love you.”

The minute the words escaped her lips she wished she could take them back. He stepped away from her, and for the longest moment he was speechless. His gaze had gone from caring and gentle to just … nothing.

“Is that what you think of me?” he asked, incredulous. “You think I’m some type of player? If what happened between us led you to believe that, then I’m sorry, but how can you stand there and assume you know everything about my life after spending one night with me?”

Putting one hand on his hip and splaying the other through his hair, he turned as if to walk away, but suddenly he turned to her again, and she could see the bitterness burning in his eyes.

“I’m almost forty years old, and I’ve never had a one-night stand in my life. I wasn’t hoping to start now. I felt something between us from the first moment I talked to you, Kristen. Those things don’t just happen to me. Every woman I’ve ever dated, which isn’t as many as you probably think, ended up being a long-term relationship for me. My relationship with Tracey was the shortest one I’ve ever had, and that was because I just couldn’t deal with it anymore. I needed more than she was willing to share.”

He stepped toward her again. His agitation was clearly evident in the way he angrily paced the floor in front of her and the hurt expression in his gaze that made her heart ache.

“I love sex just as much as any other man, but I’ve reached the point in my life where that’s not enough. I don’t want just a lover. I want a friend. I believe you do too. I

He stopped and took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down. She felt horrible for making him so upset, but he had no right to bring things to the surface that she had tried hard to bury. It was none of his business. Hopefully this conversation was nearing its end.

He looked at her again, and the sadness in his expression made her feel extremely guilty. He leaned in closer, causing her to press harder against the wall. She hated being this close to him right now. The feelings that swirled through her mind and across her heart left her confused, and unsure of what to do next or what to say. It had been a long time since someone had stirred such emotions inside of her. She found herself at a loss on how to deal with it.

Ayden placed his hands on each side of her face, catching her off guard, and making her weak. All at once her body flooded with warmth at his touch. Silently she prayed that he would keep holding her, fearing that if he let go she would fall to the floor.

There was nowhere to run now. She was here, in this moment, and there was no way to escape it. She wasn’t sure she even would if given the chance. Her heart raced as she tried to breathe.

“Kristen,” he said, his voice deep and sincere, “you can’t tell me what we shared was nothing. I watched you. I listened to you. I remember every sigh … every moan … every time you called out my name as you reached for me. I know without a doubt that I

touched your heart somehow. Please don’t throw the possibility of something wonderful away because you’re afraid you might get hurt again. I won’t hurt you.”

just seconds away from her mouth. Holding her head still, he brushed his lips against hers, so gently that it felt more like a breeze than a kiss.

The warmth of his breath against her lips sent her spiraling. She wanted to capture his mouth with her own, but he continued to hold her still, unraveling her slowly each time he brushed his lips across her own, but never taking them.

Inhaling deeply, she felt her legs threaten to give way as he finally kissed her, his lips demanding. Seeking. Parting her lips with his tongue, his hands traveled from her face, across her throat, down to caress the hardened nipples that protruded from beneath her shirt before coming to rest on her hips.

Placing a hand behind his neck, she pulled him closer, kissing him harder with a need that surprised them both. Their bodies molded together as he held her tightly against him. Whimpering softly, she felt his hands slide under her shirt as she lightly grazed his lips and tongue with her teeth. Up her spine went the brush of his fingertips, causing her to shiver and hold on to him tighter so she wouldn’t fall.

All she wanted was this … this moment spent in his arms again, feeling her body against his, the warmth of him beneath her hands. She was tired of being strong. All she wanted was to surrender. It had been so long since someone made her feel truly alive. No one had ever loved her body in such a way that Ayden had … not even Randy.

He stopped when he reached the end of the kitchen counter, placing his hand on top of it as if trying to remain steady on his feet. Yet never once did he turn to look at her.

Kristen’s hands shook as she gathered a flashlight and candles from the kitchen. The storms had continued off and on throughout the day, and within the last hour they had suddenly reached a frightening intensity. No matter how many times she had been through these summer storms before, they still made her nervous.

The lights had flickered off and on for several minutes until finally the electricity had gone out altogether. If it hadn’t been for the constant lightning, she would have been enveloped in total darkness.

In the past, she had always stayed at Mrs. Lorna’s house during bad weather. Being near the elderly woman and her husband had been comforting, and gave her little time to think about what was happening outside. There had been many days and nights spent sitting around their dining room table, drinking coffee and playing board games until the storms had subsided. Now, especially on a night like tonight, she missed that comfort.

The temperature had dropped even more, forcing her to change into a long-sleeved shirt and pajama bottoms. After lighting several candles and placing them around the den, she covered herself in a blanket and sat down on the sofa, trying to keep warm.

The thunder continued to shake the house while lightning repeatedly illuminated the room. The lightning was so continuous; it resembled daylight outside though it was close to midnight. She could vaguely remember the last time the weather had gotten this bad.

Taking several deep breaths, she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on something to take her mind off the chaos, but that didn’t help either. Every time she closed her eyes she pictured Ayden, which brought no peace at all. She could still feel his lips against hers, and it was enough to drive her insane.

Numerous times that day she had looked out the window hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but all was quiet at his house. Every curtain was closed as if now he was the one trying to shut out the world.

She began to wonder if maybe another woman was there with him. Erasing the thought from her mind, she reminded herself it was none of her business anyway. She was the one who had turned him away. He had every right to invite whoever he wanted into his house.

Closing her eyes and rocking back and forth, she wondered if the storm was ever going to let up. She hated being alone in such a big house, especially in the darkness with nothing to do except pray that the wind wouldn’t rip the place apart. A loud knock on the front door made her jump in fear. Who in the world could that—?

As much as she wanted to cringe at the thought of being near Ayden, she felt greatly relieved. Bounding from the sofa, she picked up the flashlight and went to answer the door. As soon as she unlocked it and turned the knob, the wind blew it open with a force that shocked her. With Ayden’s help, she managed to close it again.

His hair was soaking wet and sticking to his face and neck. He looked disheveled and gorgeous in the small glow from the flashlight, which did nothing to help her mood.

As he dried the rain from his hair and face, her heart skipped a beat as she watched him. His jeans, dampened from the rain, clung to his body in a way that made her pulse quicken and her body ache. Swallowing hard, she sat back down on the sofa and gazed out the window so as not to stare at him.

“I haven’t seen a storm this bad in a long time,” she said, trying to ease her discomfort. They had gotten everything out in the open. It was done. Still, she hoped they could remain friends, so she was determined not to start another argument.

“I haven’t either. There’s going to be a lot to clean up after this. The whole street is a mess.” He was looking at her now, with the same intensity that made her stumble over her words each and every time. It was unsettling, to say the least. “Hopefully they’ll start working on the electricity first thing in the morning if the storms move out.”

She wasn’t sure what to say. Everything she thought of sounded clichéd and she didn’t want to sound like a fool. He was starting to unravel her again.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she confessed. “I used to stay with Mrs. Lorna during weather like this so I didn’t realize how eerie this place can get with the power out.” She felt silly admitting it, but it was an honest comment.

“I’m starting to wonder if there’s anything she hasn’t told you about me,” she remarked, laughing. “I think she’s just trying to play matchmaker or something.”

He propped his arm on the side of the chair and smiled at her. His gaze was playful and yet serious too. “You make that sound like a bad thing.”

“No fighting. No arguing,” he said, sounding defeated. “Kristen, just give me one reason why you think you shouldn’t fall in love with me. Give me that, and I’ll never bring this up again. I promise you.”

The definite sound in his voice did nothing to soothe her. From the beginning, she had hoped he would eventually lose interest and give up the pursuit, but now …

There was nothing she could say. She had known from the beginning that she could very easily fall in love with him, even though she had vowed not to. His gaze was steady as he waited for her reply, yet when she tried to speak nothing would come out.

“Eleven years ago,” he said, “I was engaged to a woman who ended up leaving me for my best friend. I don’t tell many people that, and the only reason I’m telling you is

because I need you to realize that it is possible to move forward and find love again. Even after someone has hurt you so badly you feel like you’ll never get over it.”

He smiled uncomfortably; his thoughts must have reverted back to a time that obviously pained him very much. “No. I’ve always wanted to get married and I still do.

She may have broken my heart, but I never once let her steal my hope of something better to come. You shouldn’t let Randy keep interfering with what you know in your heart you deserve.”

Wrapping the blanket tighter around her body, she huddled on the sofa and tried to keep her teeth from chattering. The storm continued on outside but the lightning and thunder had ceased somewhat. Now all that remained was the wind and rain, which was starting to make her drowsy with its steady tapping against the roof and windows.

He held up his hand again and shook his head. “I’m not trying to make a move on you, Kristen. I’m just trying to keep us both from freezing to death. That’s all.”

If she hadn’t been so cold, she probably would have argued with him, but her whole body shivered. Holding on to her blanket, she walked over to him and curled up on his lap. Putting his blanket around them both, he held her close as she nestled her head in the curve of his neck for warmth.

As he lightly brushed several stray tendrils from her face, she drew closer to a needful rest that she hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

“Because I can be the man to you that he never was, and I can be the lover and friend you want. We both long for the same things, Kristen,” he whispered. “I need you and I

She smiled wearily and sighed before finally succumbing to sleep. Resting his head against hers, Ayden closed his eyes and drifted with her.

Scanning the room quickly, she glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost two o’clock in the morning. They hadn’t slept very long. Now another storm was moving through, bringing more howling wind and rain with it. She heard the rumble of thunder a short distance away.

She couldn’t think of anything to say. Curled in his embrace, all she could think about was the way his strong arms had held her while she slept, and the warmth of his body against hers. It felt so good being close to him again. It was something she had missed, and something she needed at the moment.

She placed a finger against his lips to hush him. She was tired of talking. All she wanted was this feeling of being held in his embrace. Her body overflowed with heat, making every nerve come alive, and all she could think about was how she didn’t want it to end.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, gently at first. She felt his hold tighten around her as her heart began to pound. Pulling away from him for a moment, she looked at him while softly tracing his lips with her fingertips. His breathing had quickened and the look in his eyes conveyed a need that she understood all too well.

Placing a hand behind her head, he pulled her to him and kissed her, his mouth taking on an incessant craving that equally matched her own in so many ways. Her lips parted as his tongue sought hers in a frenzy that left her gasping for each breath. Instantly her body became overwhelmed by a hunger she had forgotten existed until she had surrendered herself to him. Wrapping her arms around him, she dug her fingernails into his shoulder as she held him close, starving for his warmth.

She felt his muscles tighten, and she whimpered as his cock pressed against her buttocks. He was so hard. She pulled him closer, crushing her lips against his. She couldn’t breathe. She didn’t want to breathe ever again if it meant releasing him.

Her body felt as though it were on fire again. Taking the blankets and throwing them to the floor, she turned in his lap and straddled his hips. She moaned as his hands slid over her buttocks, as he gripped them in his hands and pulled her roughly down onto his cock, which now strained against his jeans. They moved together with an eagerness that tried to devour them whole.

A sudden, loud clap of thunder shook the house, and she gasped, pulling away from him. He was breathing hard, his eyes glazed over, and his lips tender and swollen.

“Kristen … Oh God, Kristen, I want you so much, but … I didn’t bring anything with me … I didn’t know…” he said, the desperation evident in his voice.

Pressing a finger to his lips to quiet him, she slid off of his lap and raced upstairs with a flashlight in hand. Fumbling through her dresser drawer, she grabbed a couple of condoms and bounded back down the stairs. Her body ached and was steadily getting worse with every passing second.

Once downstairs, she stopped in front of him and took off her shirt before crawling onto his lap again. Her breasts were bare, the nipples taut, and her skin felt hot to the touch.

His hands trembling, he caressed her shoulders and her throat. She moaned again as she laid her head back, enjoying the feel of his rough and callused hands against her skin.

Upward went his hands, coming to wind their way through her hair. Wrapping his hands around it, he kept her head pulled back as she moved against him. Sucking a hardened nipple into his mouth, she inhaled sharply as her body stiffened. His tongue …

He pulled at it savagely with his lips and teeth, a wonderful mixed sensation of pleasure and pain that made her bite her lower lip and whimper. As he moved to the other nipple and began tormenting it the same way, she leaned back and rested her hands on his legs. Moving her hips in a frantic pace, she cursed the clothing that separated them.

Her heartbeat pulsed against his lips as he left an agonizing trail up and over her throat before finding her mouth again, and once more coaxing her lips open with his tongue. Letting go of her hair, he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly.

Breaking their kiss, he placed his hands on her hips, and she panted in anticipation as he gripped her pajama bottoms and pulled them off.

He looked down at her, his breathing ragged, his face flushed with desire. Curling his fingers around the sides of her panties, he began removing them slowly as if unwrapping her. Her skin burned as the blood rushed through her veins like liquid fire.

After tossing her panties to the side, he settled between her legs and began sliding his hands over her breasts, down her stomach and over her hips, coming to rest on her thighs.

The room spun as his fingers left a path across her inner thighs. Every nerve in her body had come to rest in one place and she was so wet … ready and willing to give him anything he asked for. He brushed a thumb over her clit, taking her by surprise and making her sigh softly.

Slowly he stroked her as she moved her hips beneath him. Her fingernails dug into the carpet and she lost herself completely in the feelings he was creating with every stroke, every touch.

“Tell me what you want, Kristen,” he whispered. As he lay down on the floor between her legs, he removed his hand and pressed his lips to her clit, so gently that it made her frantic. She couldn’t breathe, much less say anything.

“Tell me,” he whispered again, touching the tip of his tongue against her. She began to shake, the need so unbearable she felt like crying.

“Ayden … please. It’s too much. Oh God … please, Ayden…” she pleaded, her voice hoarse as the tears pooled in the corners of her eyes.

With that, he closed his mouth around her, his tongue hard and unforgiving. Her back arched as she cried out his name, the feeling so intense it almost swallowed her completely. She started grinding her body against his tongue. Harder. Faster.

Her moans became growls as he gripped her thighs with his hands, thrusting his tongue deep inside of her again and again as she moved faster. He lapped at her hungrily, never ceasing in his merciless attempt to bring her higher than he’d ever brought her before.

“Ayden … Ayden … yes…” she begged, so enraptured with what he was doing that she could barely hear his moans over the storm that raged outside.

She inhaled sharply as he pushed two fingers inside of her. She jutted her hips toward him, almost raising her back completely off the floor. She wanted … needed … to get closer … closer. Her fingers throbbed as she continued clawing … clawing her way through something that had taken over her very soul.

Shoving his fingers deeper and faster inside of her, flattening his tongue against her clit and stroking … on and on he continued until she felt herself moving nearer to the edge that kept beckoning her.

Removing his fingers, he clamped on to her with his mouth and sucked. Hard. Her muscles convulsed and her back arched again as her orgasm began to take over.

Never once did he let go, flicking his tongue against her as wave after wave consumed her. As the last shock raced through her, every muscle in her body felt fatigued. She was weak, unable to move. As soon as he let her go, she sank into the carpet, gasping and quivering.

Crawling over her body, he hovered above her; his gaze was transfixed as he leaned toward her and kissed her. She tasted her juices on his mouth as she traced his lips with her tongue, causing him to moan once more before pressing his lips firmly against hers and forcing his tongue inside her waiting mouth.

The need to feel him inside of her again made her tremble in agony. Leaning back on his heels, he removed his shirt and tossed it to the side before coming to rest between her legs again. Reaching down between them, she unfastened his jeans, and slipped her hand inside to firmly grasp his cock. It had overtaken her again, this need to touch him. His head jerked back as he gasped.

Fierily she stroked him, stopping every so often to graze her fingertips in a lingering trail across the massive crown as his body shook. She watched as his eyes glazed over.

Rising up on his knees, he continued undressing, throwing the rest of his clothes to the side. Before leaning over her again, he unwrapped one of the condoms and slid it onto his cock. Reaching between them, she took him in her hand.

Opening her eyes, she held on to him, her fingernails digging into his hips as he impaled himself fully inside of her. He felt so good. Oh … so good. He began to move, pulling almost all of the way out before driving himself deep inside of her again and again. Pressing her feet into the carpet, she raised her hips off the floor each time he thrust forward. Oh God … she had missed him so much.

As the lightning illuminated the room and the thunder crashed against the roof, they moved together at a restless and feral pace. She latched on to him, her fingernails raking his back.

Her stomach muscles tightened and the room spun in such a way that left her clinging to him desperately. Pressing her feet into the carpet one last time, she raised her hips a few inches off the floor, holding her body still as he thrust deeper … harder.

For several minutes she held on to the back of his neck with both of her hands, feeling herself getting nearer, and the enormity of it caused her to gnash her teeth

“Ayden … yes … yes!” she screamed, her body shuddering, the pleasurable currents making her gasp for air. She clung to him, her breathing shallow and her heart pounding.

They held each other, slowly rocking their bodies together, and neither one able to speak. Her whole body felt relaxed, complete, at peace. Collapsing on the floor beside her, Ayden gathered her in his arms and held her close to his chest. The storm outside had passed, yet it still rained. She breathed deeply, the sound of the rainfall comforting her almost as much as being held in his strong and capable arms.

Ayden had been right about the storms creating chaos in the small suburb. There were tree branches scattered everywhere in her yard and the neighbors’ yards. Several of them had tried to clean up bright and early that morning, but the drizzling rain eventually drove them back inside their homes. Power company vehicles lined the street as workers began the arduous task of restoring their electricity.

There was little she could do until the power was fixed so she relaxed on the sofa to wait. The soreness between her legs made her wince, but the heady mixture of pleasure and pain also made her smile as she recalled the previous hours spent in Ayden’s arms.

She was physically exhausted, yet her mind was finally at ease, and she felt content for the first time in a very long time. She was through running.

A knock on the front door brought her down from her cloud momentarily, and she adjusted her robe before heading to the hallway to answer it. She knew it wasn’t Ayden, so she assumed it was probably one of the neighbors coming to talk about the storm or someone from the power company needing to speak to her. Covering her mouth to stifle a yawn, she opened the door, and immediately wished she hadn’t.

Her expression must have conveyed the shock of seeing Randy’s lover on her doorstep. He seemed nervous, as if expecting her to start yelling at him. Yet honestly she didn’t know what to say. She felt the life drain from her veins, and as hard as she tried, she couldn’t say anything. All she wanted to do was slam the door in his face.

As much as she tried to be civil, all she really wanted to do was scream at him. Stepping out onto the front porch, she closed the door behind her and glared at him. There was no way in hell she was going to let him take one step inside her house.

“What are you doing here? I have nothing to say to you, Trenton.” She tried to keep her voice down so as not to attract the neighbors, but all she wanted to do was shout at the top of her lungs.

For a moment she thought she might have misunderstood him, yet he stood there and waited for an answer, his gaze empty. He wasn’t joking. Incredulously, she realized he was serious.

“He left me, Kristen. He wants to see you. He’s never gotten over the guilt of what he … of what we … did to you,” Trenton said, his voice void of emotion. “We still talk, but it’s never about us anymore. It’s always about you. I thought after hearing about the storm damage here he might have finally gotten the courage to come talk to you.”

Kristen felt like the breath had been knocked out of her. Her mind began to reel and she felt sick to her stomach. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.

Her voice sounded high-pitched; she was agitated now and on the verge of screaming. She just wanted this over. She didn’t want to see Randy. She didn’t want to be anywhere near him. Why this? Why now?

“Please just listen to what he has to say. I know that I have no right to ask anything from you, but I love him. Maybe with your forgiveness he’ll find some way to forgive himself … and come back to me.”

Shaking her head furiously, she took two steps back from him. She had never wanted to hit someone more than she wished to hit this man right now. She didn’t trust herself being near him.

“Forgiveness? You’re asking me to forgive him just so he’ll come running back home to you?” she asked, trying very hard to make sense of what she was hearing. She placed her hands on her hips, afraid if she didn’t anchor them she would try to claw his eyes out. “Who the hell do you think you are asking me to do anything for you?”

It was his turn to step back from her. He looked terrified and, honestly, he should be, she thought. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he seemed unsure of how to continue.

He didn’t question her or try to change her mind. He must have finally realized it wouldn’t have done him any good. She was angry, so angry that it was hard to stand still.

Without another word, he turned to leave. Even after she heard his vehicle drive away, she couldn’t move. She still couldn’t bring herself to believe what had just happened.

the foyer table, and hurled it as hard as she could against the wall at the opposite end of the hallway where it shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.

Sliding to the floor, she hugged her knees to her chest and wept. It was the first time she had let herself cry since the day Randy walked out of her life.

Kristen did nothing the rest of the day, even after the electricity was restored. While the rest of her neighbors scurried to clean their lawns and driveways despite the pouring rain, she remained on her sofa, staring hopelessly out the window. The phone rang several times, but she never answered it except the one time her boss had called, shortly after Trenton left, to let her know that he had assigned her to cover the storm damage since she lived in the heart of where the worst of the storm had hit. For the first time in a very long time, she asked him to give the story to someone else. She just wanted to be left alone.

It felt as though she had been transported right back to where she started from. All of her defenses were down now. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to talk. Later that afternoon as she sat in the rocker on her front porch watching the rain fall, she didn’t attempt to leave, even when she saw Randy’s car appear in her driveway. It didn’t surprise her to see him, and she no longer cared. She was numb.

He looked uncomfortable as he slowly walked up the front steps, almost as if he was afraid to approach her. With a sideways glance at him, she thought to herself he looked the same as he did the last time she had seen him, except for the bloodshot eyes and unkempt clothing.

Coming to stand in front of her, he leaned against the front porch railing, forcing her to look up at him. For the longest time, neither one of them said a word. She had thought about this moment several times in the past year. The moment he would come crawling back to her, seeking forgiveness. Now instead of reveling in it, she just wanted it over with. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t find it in her heart to feel anything.

“Yes,” she replied, steadily rocking in her chair. “What do you want, Randy?” She looked past his shoulder at the rain as it fell from the roof. She didn’t want to look at him anymore. It was obvious he had been crying, and yet it didn’t stir her emotions in any way. She couldn’t even be angry.

Kneeling in front of her, he placed his hands on both arms of the chair to stop her from rocking. “Why won’t you look at me, Kristen? Why won’t you talk to me? Yell at me. Scream. Just do something,” he pleaded.

“I have been angry. It’s what has kept me moving ever since the day you left. I have yelled and I have screamed, and I just can’t do it anymore, Randy. I’m tired of feeling anything where you’re concerned.”

The tears began to roll down his face as she once again looked forward at the falling rain. She had dreamed of the day she could rip into his heart. To finally be able to pay him back for the humiliation and heartache she endured the day he left her standing alone in a church full of people. She had wished for the day when she could see him crying and ashamed over what he did to her, and now the day had arrived and still she felt …

“I’m so sorry, Kristen. I never should have hurt you. I should have handled things differently. It was wrong and you didn’t deserve that, no one does. I don’t know what else I can say to make you believe me. I truly am sorry.”

She heard his words as a faint echo on the breeze. It was a surreal moment. One that she was sure was happening, yet she looked upon it from a distance. The sun was starting to set and she watched, never taking her gaze from it.

He waited several minutes as if expecting her to say something else, but she was done. There was nothing else to be said. She was spent. Physically and emotionally drained.

At the same moment, Ayden pulled into his driveway, his company truck clanging and rattling from all the heavy equipment attached to the back of it.

Alarmed to find her disheveled and motionless on her front porch, he bounded across her lawn and up the front steps in several quick strides. As he knelt in front of her, she could see the concern in his eyes.

“Kristen? What’s wrong? Who was that?” he asked, turning to look at Randy’s car as he pulled out of the driveway and on to the street.

Ayden relaxed, placed his hands on top of her legs, and smiled at her. It was a hesitant smile, as if he wasn’t sure of what to do or say next.

“Don’t do this,” he pleaded, reaching up to caress her face. She tried to smile at him, but she couldn’t find it in her to do anything at the moment. All she wanted was to go to sleep and pretend that this day had never happened.

“What about last night?” he asked. “You can’t tell me that was just sex and nothing more. I won’t believe you. I refuse to. What happened? This morning when I left you were so happy and you had this beautiful glow in your eyes and now … it’s gone.”

A week passed. Seven days filled with an emptiness Kristen couldn’t separate herself from. Taking a long overdue vacation from work, she used the time to reflect and somehow find a way to sort things out in her heart and mind. She didn’t have much of an opportunity to do that, though. As soon as her mother caught wind of Randy’s visit, she had rushed to her daughter’s side, ready to pack up her things and move her back home.

From the very beginning, her mother had objected to her moving away from their small hometown. Rationalizing that it was better to grieve around those who love you, she had been very disappointed when Kristen decided to move far away from it all to handle things her own way. Now that the past had somehow found its way into her future again, her mother held on to the same hope that Kristen would want to come back home, and it had taken every ounce of energy she had to convince her mother that she was okay.

She had never taken the time to mourn when Randy left, and it was past time to do that and begin a new chapter in her life. From day one she had thrown her frustrations into her job and never looked back until the moment he stepped on her front porch again.

With her mother’s help, she began packing up every item in her home that had once belonged to him. For so long she had clung to those things, fearing if she let them go that she would have no other choice but to open her heart to someone else.

Ayden had kept to his word. She hadn’t seen or spoken to him since the day Randy had visited. Every so often she would peer out her window hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but his curtains remained closed. The only time she saw him outside was when he left for work early in the morning or came home from work late in the afternoon. She had missed him more than she cared to admit.

Kristen forced a smile. As much as she loved her mother, and as grateful as she was for her wanting to protect her, she was really looking forward to her leaving. She needed to be alone. Hugging her close one last time, she opened the front door.

Trying to focus once again, she managed a smile, and hugged her one last time. “I’m fine, Mom. Thanks again for staying with me and helping me get rid of this stuff. Give

She had no right to. It was her fault anyway. She was the one who had pushed him into the arms of someone new. She had absolutely no one to blame but herself. He was a wonderful man and he had every right to find someone who made him happy. She had walked away from that chance.

Looking around the house, she was struck at how suddenly empty it felt. Ayden was gone. Randy was gone. Nothing remained but the closure she had sought for so long …

Late that evening, as Kristen paced the floor in her pajamas, she prayed for sleep to come. It was almost midnight and so far nothing had worked to soothe her. Not a warm bubble bath or a glass of wine. Not even a book. She was tense. Her body had become a tightly wound bundle of nerves ever since seeing Ayden with the brunette in his driveway.

More rain had settled in that weekend, but thankfully it didn’t bring the storms as the previous one had. After turning off all the lights in the house except for the small lamp in the den, she walked upstairs to her bedroom, hoping that if she lay down a little while she would eventually fall asleep. Huddling under the covers, she turned on her side and tried to force Ayden from her mind.

Still, as with the many nights before, her thoughts turned to the nights she had spent in his arms. Just the thought of his touch made her body ache with a fierceness that drove her mad. She could still feel his hands, his lips, and his tongue.

With a moan, she flipped on to her other side and squeezed her eyelids tightly together, trying to block out his voice. The thought of him whispering in another woman’s ear, perhaps the brunette she had seen this morning, was enough to bring her to tears.

Her thoughts turned to Randy and Trenton, and instantly she felt the anger brewing inside of her. Knowing that Randy, at this very moment, was probably back in Trenton’s arms was enough to make her furious.

She had forgiven him, but still she would never forget. He was the one that had left her on their wedding day. He was the unfaithful one. Why did he even deserve her forgiveness? He should be the miserable one. He should be alone right now, not her.

If you had moved past it then you wouldn’t let him continue to rob you of what you want and what you need, which is someone to love you

. Ayden’s words echoed above the rain, causing her to sit straight up in the bed. He had been right all along. She hadn’t been able to move forward, but that had changed since he unexpectedly stepped into her life and forced her to see things she had tried so hard not to see.

She had surrendered to him only to push him away again when she felt scared. She should have run to him. She shouldn’t have let him walk away. She did deserve to be loved and wanted. She deserved happiness, marriage, children … everything she had once felt was stolen from her the day Randy had walked out of her life.

She could still have those things but now the only person she wished to share them with was in the arms of someone else and it was all her fault. It was too late.

Her body shook, and her heart thudded painfully against her chest. Leaping from the bed, she paced the floor. The inner battle raging inside her twisted her stomach into painful knots as she placed her hand there, trying to calm herself by taking several deep breaths.

But what if she wasn’t too late? If there was ever a time in her life when she was given the opportunity to make things right, then this was it. She couldn’t think straight, she couldn’t make sense of anything at the moment, but she knew she had to do something before she lost her courage.

Her clothes soaked and her hair dripping wet, Kristen wasn’t sure how long she had stood on the sidewalk in the pouring rain, staring at Ayden’s front door. His lights were off, and all was silent on the empty street except for the rain falling.

She could think of a thousand reasons it would have been easier to just go back home instead of facing him, but she wasn’t going to do that. Not again. She was tired of being the strong one. She had grown weary of running from him and everyone else who had tried to get close to her.

Grasping tightly to the last bit of willpower within her, she walked up the front steps, across the porch, and knocked on the front door. She waited a couple of minutes.

She was shaking so badly that she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to say anything. What if she lost her nerve? What if the brunette was with him?

The door swung open. Suddenly he was there, this was real … and she couldn’t find the right words to say. She opened her mouth, but nothing would come out. The look on his face went from confusion to concern as he took her arm, pulled her gently inside, and closed the door. Taking off his robe, he tried to put it around her shoulders, but she backed away from him.

“Ayden…” she began, the tears streaming down her face before she had the chance to stop them. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you away again after Randy came to see me. I was confused. I didn’t know what to do or what to say anymore. For so long, all

I’ve ever been good at is pushing people away, trying to deal with things on my own, always the strong one. I didn’t want to burden anyone else with my problems.”

The water continued to drip from her hair and clothes as she paced back and forth across the carpet. Everything was swirling across her mind and she had to get it all out … break

“When Randy left, I felt like it was my fault after the way people began talking about me and looking at me. It was as though they thought I wasn’t much of a woman since I

He tried again to approach her, but she stepped away from him, raising her hand once again to stop him from interrupting before she had the chance to say what she needed to say.

“I convinced myself I didn’t need anyone, and for a long time that worked. I stopped wanting. I stopped caring. I had a home, a great job, friends, and my family. I made myself believe I had the perfect life, and I didn’t need anything else. But then you moved in next door, and everything began to change. I began to realize what I was missing out on, and what I was denying myself.”

“Kristen, please … just let me hold you,” he said softly. He tried to approach her again, but she shook her head fiercely, steadily pacing back and forth.

“N-no. No, Ayden. I want you to hear this,” she faltered, her voice trembling as the tears rushed over her. “After I started talking to you and getting to know you better, I

“It was overwhelming and wonderful all at the same time, but I finally felt at peace and ready to trust someone again. Then Randy showed up and all those memories came with him. So did the anger and the heartache. I pushed you away instead of letting you help me work through it, and I’m so sorry. I did get through it, though. That part of my life is behind me once and for all.”

“Only now you have someone else in your life. I saw you holding her this morning, and I know I’m probably too late. I can’t tell you enough how sorry I am for hurting you.

I don’t know what might happen, and I can’t promise you that I won’t fall apart again tomorrow. But I’m here, Ayden. I’m here right now and I’m willing to try if you’ll just let me.”

Finally it was all out and it felt like a tremendous weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Pulling away from her momentarily, he placed his hands around her face and lifted her head so that he could gaze into her eyes.

“First of all, that was my sister you saw this morning,” he said with a smile. “And you’re not going to fall apart, Kristen. I won’t let you.” His voice was sincere as he brushed away the tears from her cheeks. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips gently against hers.

“You’ll never have to want for anything, ever again. Just trust me. Tell me what you need, and I’ll do everything in my power to give it to you. We’ll take this slowly. One day at a time and no more running. Now…” he continued, his voice deep and soothing,

“if there’s nothing else you need to tell me, I’d really like to carry you upstairs, slip you out of these wet clothes, and make love to you.”

Kristen sighed contentedly as he lifted her in his arms and headed for the stairway. It had taken over a year, but at last she found where she truly belonged. Right here, in this very moment.

Adkins spent most of her childhood locked in her bedroom, escaping the testosterone by filling page after page of her diaries with short stories and poetry.

Now, surrounded by even more men in her life—her husband of fifteen years and two sons—she still enjoys the “great escape” by turning her childhood dreams into reality

You can find out more about Stephanie by visiting her website at www.stephanieadkins.com or by contacting her through e-mail at authorstephanieadkins@yahoo.com