bent on reading me the riot act for not seeing into someone’s future. I think you are acting a bit irrational. Are you listening to yourself, darlin’?”
Addie hung her head in her hands. Yes, she heard herself, heard Aiden too. She had no right to blame him for anything. He’d been doing what he should have been doing, except for the concentrating on her part. “I’m sorry. It’s all so difficult.”
“I know, love.” He tilted her chin up with his finger so she had to look at him. “I know it’s easier to blame someone else. Helps take some of the burden away. You can blame me all you want if it makes you feel better. I want to be here for you. I am here for you.”
Addie forced a smile. “Thanks, but …”
“No buts. I’m not so bad once you get to know me. You might start to like me, even, and if …” he cleared his throat, “if your boyfriend doesn’t come back, I want you to know how deeply sorry I would be for you, but also maybe a wee bit glad. Not wishing anything bad to your beau, of course, but happy that I might have a chance with you then.”
She stared at him, noticing again eyes of the deepest blue she’d ever seen, the pupils completely disappearing as the blue took over. Every line, every muscle in his face showed her how sincere he was and at first, she was surprised. How stupid she’d been not to have recognized his affection before, or noticed how strong it seemed to be.
“I’ll hold you while you cry. Hell, I’ll even hold you when you laugh.”
She gave him half a smile. He seemed genuine enough. Cael had to come back, but in the meantime, would it hurt to let Aiden keep her company once in a while?
“So how about it?”
“How about what?”
“I’ll go with you to the girl’s party. Maybe we can get each other drunk or something. I’ll even let you take advantage of me.” He winked.
She couldn’t help laughing now. “It’s a kid’s party.”
“Ah. Right. Well, we’ll bring our own bottle then.”
Chapter 6
Discovering five years had passed without any memory of them had been an awful blow to Cael’s state of mind and he decided a rigorous swim in the ocean might help improve his disposition. He swam out past the waves, anger swelling his head. What the hell had happened? What could have caused it? Or who? He didn’t think he knew anyone with the ability to remove memories, but considering the empty time span, anything was possible. After several laps out and back through the waves, his waterlogged body laden with exhaustion and the fury inside his veins had disintegrated to a dull annoyance. Strolling slowly away from the soft, foamy surf, water beaded on Cael’s chest and he shook the sea from his hair. Snatching up the towel he’d left in the sand, he began drying off when he noticed a couple of women eyeing him—with admiration, if their smiles were any indication. They seemed young, definitely underage and he prided himself with the knowledge that he’d taken good care of himself over the past five years. The six-pack and firm pecs were a testament to the fact he hadn’t let up at the gym. His arms needed a little more work though, he decided. As he towel-dried his hair, he considered his face. When he’d looked in the mirror earlier that morning, he’d noticed a laugh line at the side of his mouth that he couldn’t remember being there before. He supposed he did look a little older. A little older was an understatement. He was five fucking years older. He headed inside the bungalow and straight to the mirror in the bathroom to check out that line one more time. A soft glow from the overhead light illuminated the tiny space, giving him a shadowed appearance that did make him look a bit older, if he was any judge. He flipped the other switch on, brightening the room, and studied his hands that he now realized were thirty years old instead of twenty-five and that pissed him off. How the hell had it happened?
He decided there wasn’t
Addie hung her head in her hands. Yes, she heard herself, heard Aiden too. She had no right to blame him for anything. He’d been doing what he should have been doing, except for the concentrating on her part. “I’m sorry. It’s all so difficult.”
“I know, love.” He tilted her chin up with his finger so she had to look at him. “I know it’s easier to blame someone else. Helps take some of the burden away. You can blame me all you want if it makes you feel better. I want to be here for you. I am here for you.”
Addie forced a smile. “Thanks, but …”
“No buts. I’m not so bad once you get to know me. You might start to like me, even, and if …” he cleared his throat, “if your boyfriend doesn’t come back, I want you to know how deeply sorry I would be for you, but also maybe a wee bit glad. Not wishing anything bad to your beau, of course, but happy that I might have a chance with you then.”
She stared at him, noticing again eyes of the deepest blue she’d ever seen, the pupils completely disappearing as the blue took over. Every line, every muscle in his face showed her how sincere he was and at first, she was surprised. How stupid she’d been not to have recognized his affection before, or noticed how strong it seemed to be.
“I’ll hold you while you cry. Hell, I’ll even hold you when you laugh.”
She gave him half a smile. He seemed genuine enough. Cael had to come back, but in the meantime, would it hurt to let Aiden keep her company once in a while?
“So how about it?”
“How about what?”
“I’ll go with you to the girl’s party. Maybe we can get each other drunk or something. I’ll even let you take advantage of me.” He winked.
She couldn’t help laughing now. “It’s a kid’s party.”
“Ah. Right. Well, we’ll bring our own bottle then.”
Chapter 6
Discovering five years had passed without any memory of them had been an awful blow to Cael’s state of mind and he decided a rigorous swim in the ocean might help improve his disposition. He swam out past the waves, anger swelling his head. What the hell had happened? What could have caused it? Or who? He didn’t think he knew anyone with the ability to remove memories, but considering the empty time span, anything was possible. After several laps out and back through the waves, his waterlogged body laden with exhaustion and the fury inside his veins had disintegrated to a dull annoyance. Strolling slowly away from the soft, foamy surf, water beaded on Cael’s chest and he shook the sea from his hair. Snatching up the towel he’d left in the sand, he began drying off when he noticed a couple of women eyeing him—with admiration, if their smiles were any indication. They seemed young, definitely underage and he prided himself with the knowledge that he’d taken good care of himself over the past five years. The six-pack and firm pecs were a testament to the fact he hadn’t let up at the gym. His arms needed a little more work though, he decided. As he towel-dried his hair, he considered his face. When he’d looked in the mirror earlier that morning, he’d noticed a laugh line at the side of his mouth that he couldn’t remember being there before. He supposed he did look a little older. A little older was an understatement. He was five fucking years older. He headed inside the bungalow and straight to the mirror in the bathroom to check out that line one more time. A soft glow from the overhead light illuminated the tiny space, giving him a shadowed appearance that did make him look a bit older, if he was any judge. He flipped the other switch on, brightening the room, and studied his hands that he now realized were thirty years old instead of twenty-five and that pissed him off. How the hell had it happened?
He decided there wasn’t
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