Bared by Stacey Kennedy

from their latest European cruise. While his father’s oval face held more wrinkles than his mother’s, due to a little help from his mom’s plastic surgeon, both appeared to look ten years younger than the early sixties that they were.
    “How are you?” Aidan asked.
    His father squinted, his light brown eyes searching over Aidan’s shoulder. “Is that your bookcase behind you?” He frowned. “You’re not at work, are you?”
    Aidan raked his fingers through his hair. “Just for a little bit.”
    “Go home right now,” his mother chastised. “It’s Saturday.”
    “I plan to soon,” he said, to placate her.
    His father might have worked hard, but his mother had kept him in line and his priorities straight. She’d always reminded Aidan as a child how important family was. She also told her husband often that his schedule was nine to five, and that he was expected home promptly after. His dad managed to keep those hours, utilizing superior organization and delegation skills.
    Edward never broke his promise to be home on time, because he had a large staff who helped to carry the workload for him. The most important lesson Aidan had learned from his parents: Lots of money was great, but if you have no life to enjoy, what’s the point?
    His parents were wealthy. They were smart with their money, knew how to invest, and bought real estate. But his father had never worked so much that they forgot what was important in life—your family, and not the material things. They had a marriage Aidan respected. And his mother was the most caring stay-at-home mother, the type of mom who always had fresh cookies for him when he got off the school bus.
    “ Soon as in you came in to get something and are leaving?” his father asked. “Or is this now a habit of yours to work on weekends?”
    “Big case next week—just did some prep to get ahead of the game.” He rested his elbows on the edge of the desk. “I’m going for a run this afternoon.”
    “Good for you,” his mother said. “You look healthy and fit.” She leaned farther into the webcam as if to regard him. “How are things besides work?”
    “Never better.” He hesitated, pondering what to say next. Christ, he had nothing to talk to his parents about. No exciting news. His parents would not understand his lifestyle choices—they knew nothing of his interest in BDSM and the dungeon. Of course, they would do their best to be supportive, but that conversation was not one Aidan ever wanted to endure.
    At his silence, his father asked, “What’s been keeping you busy?”
    “I’ve been climbing a lot,” Aidan said, stretching out his legs beneath his desk. “We’ve had good weather.”
    His mother shook her head, dismayed. “I don’t know why you go up and down those cliffs. It’s so dangerous.”
    “It’s safe, Laurie,” his father interjected. “He’s all harnessed up.”
    “Well, I worry, Edward.” She glared at her husband. “He is my only child. I don’t want him hurting himself.”
    Aidan stayed silent, watching his parents bicker, as they always did. But it was a beautiful thing, really. They were both strong people, with strong opinions. Though they respected each other and even if a conversation became heated at times, it always ended with a kiss.
    His mother finally looked to Aidan. “Any new ladies in your life?”
    “No news on that front,” he replied.
    Part of him wished he could tell them about Cora, but how to explain that relationship to his parents? Impossible. He wanted to share that he did have a special woman in his life, just not in the traditional sense.
    His mother’s voice softened. “It’s been a long time, Aidan.”
    He didn’t need a reminder that it’d been a long time since Lily had died. He felt her absence every damn day. Though what his mother didn’t know was that he got everything he needed in the dungeon with Cora.
    Aidan missed the man he was with Lily—carefree and content. He longed for the