Making love to her. Vulnerable. Yes, Aiden had been vulnerable when he’d loved her. That wasn’t the Aiden she knew.
Another laugh. “Are you going to talk to me now?” he asked, rather than push the matter.
In spite of herself, she smiled. “Do I have a choice?” It was both easier and harder this way, with miles between them. Part of her was thrilled that she didn’t have to look into those blue eyes and try and explain her behavior last night. Aiden would know she was lying. How long before he guessed the truth?
She still was stinging from Miranda’s call earlier that afternoon. Miranda hadn’t been in the least bit upset over Aiden and Cara’s indiscretion.
“I’m happy for you, honey.” Happy? That she’d slept with her boyfriend? Cara couldn’t imagine. If their roles were reversed, she’d be murderous.
“Oh and I have lots of news. First, I saw your little shop mentioned in some little New York rag.”
It had taken Cara a moment to regroup. “My shop was mentioned in a New York paper? When?”
“Oh, I don’t quite remember. But let me tell you my news. Jean Claude has asked me to move in with him. I’m moving to Paris at the end of the month! Can you believe it?”
Cara ’s spirits sank. She forgot all about the newspaper article. If Miranda was moving, Cara was without a roommate at the end of the month. Which meant Cara was moving as well. Miranda’s parting words had made her wonder how much of the truth Aiden might know already. Miranda had told her to ‘go for it.’
“After all, honey, I know you’ve had a crush on him forever. Good for you for acting on it. I would have done it to you a long time ago.”
“Cara?”
Cara almost dropped the phone. She hoped that Aiden hadn’t guessed the truth about her feelings for him. And she prayed that Miranda would keep her mouth shut.
“Yes, I’m here, Aiden. I’m sorry. I didn’t hear what you said.”
“I asked how your day went?” Something was different in Aiden’s voice. There was just enough of a strain to make her believe he was finding it as hard to make polite conversation.
She considered that. Aiden had never seemed like the type to feel uneasy. He certainly had enough experience with love ’em and leave ’em not to feel guilty over a one-night affair.
The thought of being just another one -night stand for Aiden made her stomach do any uneasy flip.
“It was good.” Cara paused for a second. She thought about ignoring the whole flower thing entirely, but she couldn’t. She’d actually been thrilled by the sassy brown Lily of the Valley arrangement. But the note had been enough to give her hope. She didn’t want to have hope with Aiden. Aiden was not the type of man for hope. Even in spite of Shelby’s belief that Aiden wanted something different with Cara.
“Thank you for the flowers. They were beautiful.”
The silence that followed her words was so long that it only confirmed how difficult it was going to be to become friends again. She prayed that they hadn’t destroyed their friendship by giving into temptation.
“ Cara, look, I know that you don’t want to talk about this right now…”
“ Aiden…”
“Just listen to me then. I won’t push you into anything, but I’m not going to pretend that I have regrets. I don’t. And I’m not going to pretend that I haven’t thought about us as more than friends for a long time. Since the beginning. Clearly, you need more time. I can understand that. Things got a little out of hand last night.”
Out of hand? Things had gotten way beyond out of hand.
“I never really meant for it to happen like that, but I don’t regret it.”
“Aiden, how can you say that? You and Miranda were practically…” Cara caught the words before they were out. What exactly would she be giving away by revealing the things she knew about Miranda and Aiden’s relationship. What did that make her?
“Practically what, Cara. You said that yesterday as well?
Another laugh. “Are you going to talk to me now?” he asked, rather than push the matter.
In spite of herself, she smiled. “Do I have a choice?” It was both easier and harder this way, with miles between them. Part of her was thrilled that she didn’t have to look into those blue eyes and try and explain her behavior last night. Aiden would know she was lying. How long before he guessed the truth?
She still was stinging from Miranda’s call earlier that afternoon. Miranda hadn’t been in the least bit upset over Aiden and Cara’s indiscretion.
“I’m happy for you, honey.” Happy? That she’d slept with her boyfriend? Cara couldn’t imagine. If their roles were reversed, she’d be murderous.
“Oh and I have lots of news. First, I saw your little shop mentioned in some little New York rag.”
It had taken Cara a moment to regroup. “My shop was mentioned in a New York paper? When?”
“Oh, I don’t quite remember. But let me tell you my news. Jean Claude has asked me to move in with him. I’m moving to Paris at the end of the month! Can you believe it?”
Cara ’s spirits sank. She forgot all about the newspaper article. If Miranda was moving, Cara was without a roommate at the end of the month. Which meant Cara was moving as well. Miranda’s parting words had made her wonder how much of the truth Aiden might know already. Miranda had told her to ‘go for it.’
“After all, honey, I know you’ve had a crush on him forever. Good for you for acting on it. I would have done it to you a long time ago.”
“Cara?”
Cara almost dropped the phone. She hoped that Aiden hadn’t guessed the truth about her feelings for him. And she prayed that Miranda would keep her mouth shut.
“Yes, I’m here, Aiden. I’m sorry. I didn’t hear what you said.”
“I asked how your day went?” Something was different in Aiden’s voice. There was just enough of a strain to make her believe he was finding it as hard to make polite conversation.
She considered that. Aiden had never seemed like the type to feel uneasy. He certainly had enough experience with love ’em and leave ’em not to feel guilty over a one-night affair.
The thought of being just another one -night stand for Aiden made her stomach do any uneasy flip.
“It was good.” Cara paused for a second. She thought about ignoring the whole flower thing entirely, but she couldn’t. She’d actually been thrilled by the sassy brown Lily of the Valley arrangement. But the note had been enough to give her hope. She didn’t want to have hope with Aiden. Aiden was not the type of man for hope. Even in spite of Shelby’s belief that Aiden wanted something different with Cara.
“Thank you for the flowers. They were beautiful.”
The silence that followed her words was so long that it only confirmed how difficult it was going to be to become friends again. She prayed that they hadn’t destroyed their friendship by giving into temptation.
“ Cara, look, I know that you don’t want to talk about this right now…”
“ Aiden…”
“Just listen to me then. I won’t push you into anything, but I’m not going to pretend that I have regrets. I don’t. And I’m not going to pretend that I haven’t thought about us as more than friends for a long time. Since the beginning. Clearly, you need more time. I can understand that. Things got a little out of hand last night.”
Out of hand? Things had gotten way beyond out of hand.
“I never really meant for it to happen like that, but I don’t regret it.”
“Aiden, how can you say that? You and Miranda were practically…” Cara caught the words before they were out. What exactly would she be giving away by revealing the things she knew about Miranda and Aiden’s relationship. What did that make her?
“Practically what, Cara. You said that yesterday as well?
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