now. Aiden was here, holding her, making her feel safe and loved.
Loved?
No way. The stress of the situation was making her think crazy thoughts.
“You’re awfully quiet,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
“Just thinking how homey this is—you, me, cats, a fire, hot chocolate.”
He wrapped his arms tighter around her. “We never had quiet times like this when I was growing up. With three boys, our house was always in chaos.”
Sam chuckled. “Your poor sister. Having three older brothers.”
“Shannon could take care of herself. She gave as good as she got. Tell me what it was like being an only child.”
“Lonely.” She snuggled closer to him, then tilted her head, listening. “The storm isn’t as loud.”
“It’s letting up.”
Sadness wound through her and tugged at her heart. Soon they’d have to leave their little cocoon of warmth and sensuality. The real world waited. And she still didn’t know what she wanted.
Aiden rested his chin on her head. Was he feeling as sad as she was?
He moved as if trying to get more comfortable, but still held her firmly between his thighs. “I told you about my engagement, Sam. I want you to tell me what happened between you and your mother. I get that you aren’t close, but there’s something more. Uncle Sean suspects something too, but Lisa won’t talk about it.”
“I can’t,” she whispered.
“You don’t trust me.”
“That’s not it.”
“Then talk to me, Sam.” He swept her hair away from her neck and nuzzled her nape.
His kisses sent delicious shivers up her spine. “If you keep doing that, I won’t be able to say a word.”
He chuckled and let her hair fall back over her shoulders. “That’s the general idea. But we’ll save that for later. Now talk.”
She settled against his chest. The beat of his heart steadied her. She did trust him. But she’d never told anyone her darkest secret.
“Sam?”
She glanced at the flickering fire, at the cats, felt the warmth around her and suddenly wanted to unload the burden she’d carried all these years. She wanted freedom from the old hurts and anger that held her down, and deep inside, in that private place she kept tightly locked, she wanted the home life she’d fantasized about when she was growing up.
She rolled the hem of her sweater between her fingers. “You know my mom’s reputation with men.”
“I do.”
“Mom always had a boyfriend, sometimes several at a time. I hated the stream of men through here. I’d retreat to my room and my books. Mom didn’t understand why I was so quiet. Why I wasn’t more outgoing, more like her. And she never understood how I felt when I saw men pawing her.” Sam shuddered.
“It’s okay, Sam.” He drew her closer. “Did any of those men hurt you?” he asked in a roughened tone of voice.
She shook her head. “I never had that problem, although as I got older, I noticed a few of them giving me looks. When that happened, the men would be gone.”
“So your mom understood and protected you.”
“Maybe. Or maybe she was jealous they were giving me attention.”
“Sam. You’re kidding.”
“You know what she was like. How she always had to be number one.”
“Have you ever talked to her about it? Asked her why the men were suddenly gone?”
“There are some things my mom and I don’t talk about.”
“So what happened between you two? It’s more than just her boyfriends.”
Sam pressed closer, needing his warmth and comfort, gathering her courage. “Mom may have kept her men away from me, but she couldn’t keep her hands off my boyfriend.”
“No,” he said, his voice heavy with disappointment.
“That day, the day you and I…” She took a breath. “I came home early from my part-time job. I had to walk past Mom’s room to get to my bathroom. Her bedroom door was open.”
Sam clasped her hands together, fighting the hot tears of hurt and shame that burned her throat. “Mom and my boyfriend Kurt were
Loved?
No way. The stress of the situation was making her think crazy thoughts.
“You’re awfully quiet,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
“Just thinking how homey this is—you, me, cats, a fire, hot chocolate.”
He wrapped his arms tighter around her. “We never had quiet times like this when I was growing up. With three boys, our house was always in chaos.”
Sam chuckled. “Your poor sister. Having three older brothers.”
“Shannon could take care of herself. She gave as good as she got. Tell me what it was like being an only child.”
“Lonely.” She snuggled closer to him, then tilted her head, listening. “The storm isn’t as loud.”
“It’s letting up.”
Sadness wound through her and tugged at her heart. Soon they’d have to leave their little cocoon of warmth and sensuality. The real world waited. And she still didn’t know what she wanted.
Aiden rested his chin on her head. Was he feeling as sad as she was?
He moved as if trying to get more comfortable, but still held her firmly between his thighs. “I told you about my engagement, Sam. I want you to tell me what happened between you and your mother. I get that you aren’t close, but there’s something more. Uncle Sean suspects something too, but Lisa won’t talk about it.”
“I can’t,” she whispered.
“You don’t trust me.”
“That’s not it.”
“Then talk to me, Sam.” He swept her hair away from her neck and nuzzled her nape.
His kisses sent delicious shivers up her spine. “If you keep doing that, I won’t be able to say a word.”
He chuckled and let her hair fall back over her shoulders. “That’s the general idea. But we’ll save that for later. Now talk.”
She settled against his chest. The beat of his heart steadied her. She did trust him. But she’d never told anyone her darkest secret.
“Sam?”
She glanced at the flickering fire, at the cats, felt the warmth around her and suddenly wanted to unload the burden she’d carried all these years. She wanted freedom from the old hurts and anger that held her down, and deep inside, in that private place she kept tightly locked, she wanted the home life she’d fantasized about when she was growing up.
She rolled the hem of her sweater between her fingers. “You know my mom’s reputation with men.”
“I do.”
“Mom always had a boyfriend, sometimes several at a time. I hated the stream of men through here. I’d retreat to my room and my books. Mom didn’t understand why I was so quiet. Why I wasn’t more outgoing, more like her. And she never understood how I felt when I saw men pawing her.” Sam shuddered.
“It’s okay, Sam.” He drew her closer. “Did any of those men hurt you?” he asked in a roughened tone of voice.
She shook her head. “I never had that problem, although as I got older, I noticed a few of them giving me looks. When that happened, the men would be gone.”
“So your mom understood and protected you.”
“Maybe. Or maybe she was jealous they were giving me attention.”
“Sam. You’re kidding.”
“You know what she was like. How she always had to be number one.”
“Have you ever talked to her about it? Asked her why the men were suddenly gone?”
“There are some things my mom and I don’t talk about.”
“So what happened between you two? It’s more than just her boyfriends.”
Sam pressed closer, needing his warmth and comfort, gathering her courage. “Mom may have kept her men away from me, but she couldn’t keep her hands off my boyfriend.”
“No,” he said, his voice heavy with disappointment.
“That day, the day you and I…” She took a breath. “I came home early from my part-time job. I had to walk past Mom’s room to get to my bathroom. Her bedroom door was open.”
Sam clasped her hands together, fighting the hot tears of hurt and shame that burned her throat. “Mom and my boyfriend Kurt were
Similar Books
