know, there are other women, women who are available that you should be spending your time with. Not me.”
“None as beautiful as you, so that would be a waste of my time.”
Unprepared for the compliment from him she responded with sarcasm. “Thanks, but flattery will only get you the wine you’re drinking and the steak you brought and cooked.”
“Not looking for anything more than that and I’m not trying to flatter you, simply stating the facts. I hate to see you spending your days sulking over someone.”
“That would be none of your business.”
“Uh oh, is that your panties I detect bunching under you, making you squirm? I’m not saying you don’t have the right to sulk. But you’re much prettier when you smile.”
Oh, now he was infuriating, in a charming sort of way, but she wasn’t interested. Cael would be back. She knew it in her heart. She just wished he’d hurry up.
“I, uh, heard talk at the bar that the flower girl from the wedding, the one who made the bullet ricochet, was having a birthday party this weekend. I know you’re fond of the child. I thought you might like to go. I … I could take you.”
“What?!” The mention of Breena and how she made that bullet ricochet with her hand had Addie getting all defensive. She’d only had to live with the secret of having abilities for a short time, but she knew how important it was not to have outsiders know about them.
Aiden looked puzzled at her exclamation. “What do you mean, ‘what?’”
“I mean, how? Who told you about that? How do you know about Breena and what she can do?”
“I was there, remember? Well, not exactly at that moment, but Gerry told me what happened. She saved his life. He was extremely grateful.”
“Gerry told you,” she repeated. The nonchalant way he said that took her by surprise. Why would Gerry reveal their secret to Aiden? Unless Aiden had abilities.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shock you. I thought you knew.”
“Knew what?” She played the ignorance card, needing him to reveal his knowledge before she said anything.
“Well, we, you and I, have a similar ability. I thought Gerry would have mentioned it. He told me about yours, so I just assumed …”
“He didn’t,”’ she interrupted him, staring at Aiden, unable to make any other words form on her lips, not sure why she was so shocked. But, jeez, Gerry could have said something. Shoving back from the table, she stood, reached into the cupboard, and grabbed a wine glass as the sudden urge to have a drink consumed her.
“I’m sorry. I guess he would have eventually if you weren’t hiding out here all the time.”
Pouring herself some wine and then sipping it, she watched as he reached behind and grabbed the candle from the shelf, placing it on the table. She observed, staying silent until the wick slowly grew bright with flame.
“Nice. Is that the best you can do?” she said unable to contain the contempt dripping from her voice.
He laughed. “You’re a tough audience.”
“Well, I do have some experience.”
“Playing with fire is never something to take lightly, no matter how well you can manipulate it. There’s always a danger of letting it get out of control. I like to keep it within a certain boundary.”
“I see,” she said, relaxing a bit as the wine settled in, smoothing out the rough edges of her unease. She wanted to disagree with him, considering her own abilities, but decided to keep quiet. Now she needed to know everything there was about Aiden and what his abilities were. “What exactly can you do with it?”
“Not as much as I hear you can. I can light candles, like this.” He picked up the small candle from the middle of the table and snuffed out the flame between his finger and thumb, then placed the unlit candle back on the table. A few seconds later, the flame ignited again. “And start small fires. I suppose I could set a person on fire; however, I’ve never had cause to want to find
“None as beautiful as you, so that would be a waste of my time.”
Unprepared for the compliment from him she responded with sarcasm. “Thanks, but flattery will only get you the wine you’re drinking and the steak you brought and cooked.”
“Not looking for anything more than that and I’m not trying to flatter you, simply stating the facts. I hate to see you spending your days sulking over someone.”
“That would be none of your business.”
“Uh oh, is that your panties I detect bunching under you, making you squirm? I’m not saying you don’t have the right to sulk. But you’re much prettier when you smile.”
Oh, now he was infuriating, in a charming sort of way, but she wasn’t interested. Cael would be back. She knew it in her heart. She just wished he’d hurry up.
“I, uh, heard talk at the bar that the flower girl from the wedding, the one who made the bullet ricochet, was having a birthday party this weekend. I know you’re fond of the child. I thought you might like to go. I … I could take you.”
“What?!” The mention of Breena and how she made that bullet ricochet with her hand had Addie getting all defensive. She’d only had to live with the secret of having abilities for a short time, but she knew how important it was not to have outsiders know about them.
Aiden looked puzzled at her exclamation. “What do you mean, ‘what?’”
“I mean, how? Who told you about that? How do you know about Breena and what she can do?”
“I was there, remember? Well, not exactly at that moment, but Gerry told me what happened. She saved his life. He was extremely grateful.”
“Gerry told you,” she repeated. The nonchalant way he said that took her by surprise. Why would Gerry reveal their secret to Aiden? Unless Aiden had abilities.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shock you. I thought you knew.”
“Knew what?” She played the ignorance card, needing him to reveal his knowledge before she said anything.
“Well, we, you and I, have a similar ability. I thought Gerry would have mentioned it. He told me about yours, so I just assumed …”
“He didn’t,”’ she interrupted him, staring at Aiden, unable to make any other words form on her lips, not sure why she was so shocked. But, jeez, Gerry could have said something. Shoving back from the table, she stood, reached into the cupboard, and grabbed a wine glass as the sudden urge to have a drink consumed her.
“I’m sorry. I guess he would have eventually if you weren’t hiding out here all the time.”
Pouring herself some wine and then sipping it, she watched as he reached behind and grabbed the candle from the shelf, placing it on the table. She observed, staying silent until the wick slowly grew bright with flame.
“Nice. Is that the best you can do?” she said unable to contain the contempt dripping from her voice.
He laughed. “You’re a tough audience.”
“Well, I do have some experience.”
“Playing with fire is never something to take lightly, no matter how well you can manipulate it. There’s always a danger of letting it get out of control. I like to keep it within a certain boundary.”
“I see,” she said, relaxing a bit as the wine settled in, smoothing out the rough edges of her unease. She wanted to disagree with him, considering her own abilities, but decided to keep quiet. Now she needed to know everything there was about Aiden and what his abilities were. “What exactly can you do with it?”
“Not as much as I hear you can. I can light candles, like this.” He picked up the small candle from the middle of the table and snuffed out the flame between his finger and thumb, then placed the unlit candle back on the table. A few seconds later, the flame ignited again. “And start small fires. I suppose I could set a person on fire; however, I’ve never had cause to want to find
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