His Desire (17 page)

“I can’t believe you came. When Mom told me you were coming and bringing someone I just knew you’d change your mind.” She still held her sister close to her side but her eyes were on Aaron. “I’m glad to meet you. I’m Savannah.”

“Savannah, nice to meet you. Aaron Winters.”

“Nice, Kylie. You did well. Hope you’re ready for this, Aaron. Because you are the center of attention,” she told him with a wicked, little smile.

“Vanna…” Kylie reproached her sister, but Savannah only grinned a little wider.

“Hey, facts are facts. The boys and Dad are driving themselves crazy trying to figure out what an ad person really does.”

Aaron had to admit, meeting the Monroe men had been a little daunting. But in the end, he had somehow gotten on their good side. They’d probably never be close. At least not for a long time. He only hoped that he had the opportunity. Even though it was probably the strangest family gathering he could ever remember being at, he liked Kylie’s family.

Her mother was a wealth of insight into her daughter when Aaron had managed to get her alone without Kylie being close. He liked Susan Monroe.

When she told him to call her anytime, he knew he was going to take her up on that offer. In fact, Susan was going to be an instruction guide to her daughter. Aaron was thrilled.

“What were you and Mom whispering about in there?” Kylie asked him after they left her family and headed for Oklahoma City.

“Now, I’m not going to tell you that, so don’t ask.” He tossed her a grin that was filled with intent.

“Aaron…”

“Nope. Don’t even ask.”

By the time they reached the city, it was late. Aaron’s apartment was close to the office. He pulled into his usual parking spot and grabbed their overnight bags. Kylie followed him without saying a word. She looked tired.

She hadn’t relaxed an inch in all the time they’d been at her parents’ house.

He unlocked the apartment door and held it open for her. She stepped inside and wandered around the living room looking at the view from the balcony.

He dropped the bags by the door and watched her. He could read her thoughts.

“So this is where you spend all those nights that you’re away from me,” she told him with one eyebrow slightly arched.

“This is it. Would you like to see the bedroom?”

She simply laughed. “Oh, Mr. Winters you do know how to sweep a girl off her feet. Do you say that to all the women?”

He reached her side and pulled her into his arms, meeting her sultry gaze.

“If you ask me how many women I’ve brought here I think I’m going to be tempted to spank you.”

Her reaction to that was uncertain. She wasn’t sure if he were serious or teasing. She liked the game.

“I bet you say that to all the girls.”

He lifted her up over his shoulder and gave her a playful swat.

“Aaron, put me down,” she told him as he headed for the bedroom.

“All right.” He did as she asked and dropped her down on the bed. Kylie bounced a couple of times on the hard mattress before catching herself. She took one look at his devilish expression and started to giggle.

“Aaron, what do you think your doing?”

He reached for her, his fingers pushing up the hem of her sweater while she was laughing so hard and he was trying not to.

He barely got her jeans off, slipping her cotton panties down with them and then he unzipped his pants and didn’t waste time. He’d been having thoughts about this moment for a long time. He only hoped her brothers didn’t guess. They’d caught them kissing once; his hands were on her round bottom. His thoughts were definitely not wholesome.

He slipped inside her waiting body, robbing them both of breath for a moment.

“I’ve wanted to do that all day. Since we left the house this morning,” he told her as he began moving within her. He heard her satisfied sigh.

“You’re not the only one.” She pulled him closer and her lips covered his slowly. The tip of her tongue traced across his bottom lip. He caught it within his and sucked her inside.

“God, you feel good,” he told her, breathing in her air. “You taste like heaven.”

Then neither said a word. They were caught up in the moment. Touching, kissing, caressing. He couldn’t ever imagine another woman being a part of his life.

“I thought your brothers were going to string me up when they caught me touching you,” he whispered against her hair when they lay in each other’s arms before sleep.

“Me too. I’ve never seen them look so angry before.”

“Don’t tell me none of your other boyfriends were lucky enough to meet the brothers?” He was fishing. But he wanted to know about the other men in her life. He knew about the ones she’d been with recently. Like Jeff. Jeff still hurt to think about. He still didn’t understand how she could make love to Jeff after the night that they had spent together. Aaron had lost track of the number of times he’d wanted to ask her if Jeff was better in bed. He’d been close that second night. But the thought of what her answer might be always kept him silent.

* * * *

Kylie nodded.

“I can’t believe you spent Thanksgiving with Aaron and at your parents’

house?”

Now it really sounded strange.

“How did this come about?”

“I don’t know. It just happened,” Kylie told her, hoping that would end the discussion. She turned back to the oven and pretended to check on a batch of cookies.

“No…no, it did not just happen. The last time you and I talked, you were ready to write Aaron out of the picture entirely. And, you said he was going home to his family for the holiday. So, no. It didn’t just happen. So spill it.

What happened between Tuesday and Thursday?”

It was pointless to resist. Sarah was good at getting her to talk. “All right,”

Kylie said with a sigh, abandoning work entirely. “Mom called Tuesday and she sounded like she really wanted me to come home. Then Aaron came home that night.”

“Wait! Slow down. I want to enjoy this. So, what happened when Aaron came home because the last time I tuned in you weren’t talking to him? In fact, if I remember correctly, you were dodging his calls.”

Kylie would have given just about anything to lie at that moment. She couldn’t. Sarah was too good at spotting her lies. “Aaron found me in his bed,” Kylie told her, slowly getting into the spirit of the game.

“What? Oh. My. God.” Sarah all but breathed. “Oh, okay, so tell me everything.” Kylie grinned. She and Sarah had been sharing these naughty tales for some time now. “What were you wearing? What did he do?”

Kylie decided to embellish a little. Nothing sounded better than her gown.

“Nothing at all. He couldn’t wait…”

Luckily, the Monday following the holiday was slow. Because the next two hours were filled with details.

“What did your father think about Aaron?” Sarah asked once she’d received a full report on the events of the bedroom.

“Who knows? Dad was his usual self. I never know what my father thinks about anything. My brothers aren’t much better. Although they did spend most of the time glaring at Aaron.”

“Glaring? Hum, that’s a tough one. I’d say they see him as a threat. You know, someone defiling their baby sister.”

“That was pretty clear. Especially after they caught us kissing. Aaron’s hands were in, well, shall we say a very inappropriate place when they walked in on us.”

“Ooh…I love a good drama. I can’t believe I was stuck with twenty relatives, cooking a full course turkey dinner and you were having the time of your life in and out of bed.”

Kylie cringed. “Yes, well it didn’t feel that way at first. I thought I was going to have a heart attack before we got to the house.”

“So, what was Aaron’s apartment like? Did you get the chance to snoop when he wasn’t around?”

“Sarah.”

“What, no woman in her right mind fully trusts a guy living on his own for more than a day,” she explained as if that made perfect sense.

“I didn’t snoop.”

“Didn’t have time, huh?”

“Okay, you’re hopeless and I’m not talking about this anymore.”

“Okay fine. So when will Aaron be back so that I can get more details?”

Kylie shook her head. She couldn’t believe she’d actually shared the details of her time with Aaron. “Not for another three weeks. They are wrapping up the end of the year stuff.”

“So, did you guys talk any more about the Brady offer?”

They hadn’t. Not since Aaron had tried to talk to her about it that first night.

Although he’d tried once again when they had gotten home last night. But Kylie just didn’t know what to say.

“No. Aaron tried, but…”

“You wouldn’t let him. You are so stubborn Kylie. I can’t believe you sometimes. If you’re going to throw Aaron away like that, I’ll take him.”

“Oh, so now you’re mad at me?” Kylie asked, surprised to find that she was actually close to tears.

Sarah picked up on the tears. She stopped stabbing the cake she was attempting to decorate and came over to Kylie.

“I’m sorry. I just think you’re not giving Aaron enough credit. Kylie, I wish that you would tell him how you feel about him before you both end up blowing things.”

“I know, but I’m not so sure that I’m ready for that right now. And anyway, Aaron’s right. This is my decision to make. I’m the one who has to live with it.”

“I guess. But are you going to be able to live with not seeing Aaron for months on end? With his schedule the way it is already and yours if you take the Brady deal, who knows when you two will have time to be together?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you want to do, Kylie? I’ve told you that it doesn’t matter to me. I love Austin, but I’ve always wanted to see New York. What do you want?”

“I wish I knew what to do. I mean this was my dream for so long. But now, since Aaron…well, I don’t’ really believe I’m thinking too clearly since Aaron.”

“Kylie…”

“Don’t say it. I know. Talk to him,” Kylie said for her.

“Yes, and if you don’t, God help me I will.”

* * * *

“She’s just a friend, Lois,” Aaron told her before adding, “I’ll take it, thank you.”

Lois clearly was not convinced. “Uh-huh. That one sounds like trouble.”

Just a friend? Yeah that will be the day. He and Mariah hadn’t even been that. He’d used her to get to Kylie. She’d used him to…well, who knows why Mariah did anything. They’d both used each other. Even now, he was using her to understand what was going on in Kylie’s mind.

“Mariah…hi. This is a surprise. Are you back in the states?” Aaron leaned back in his chair trying to figure out why Mariah would call him here, at the office and out of the blue.

“I was thinking about you, doll.” Aaron closed his eyes. This didn’t sound good. He’d barely escaped Mariah’s numerous attempts at getting him in bed the last time. He certainly didn’t want to go through that again.

“I see. Well, what were you thinking about?” he asked and regretted the question immediately when he heard her throaty laugh.

“Well now, that’s a very intriguing question, Aaron, considering we still have unfinished business together.”

Geez, did the woman ever give up? He attempted a laugh, hoping that would suffice as an answer, while trying to figure out why she was calling. It wasn’t as if she’d ever give a damn about what he did for a living. Aaron decided it was time to get to the point here before Lois got any more ideas.

“Look, Mariah, I hate to be rude, but I’m at a loss. You gotta help me out a little. Did you just call to say hello and catch up?”

Mariah clearly didn’t like his question. She was silent for so long that he was beginning to wonder if she’d walked away from the phone.

“Can’t a girl just call to catch up? We did date for a while.”

He held back his frustration with difficulty. “Sure. Of course. I’m sorry. It’s just been kind of crazy around here. How have you been?” Aaron drummed his fingers on the desk. He could do this. He could be nice.

Mariah’s satisfied little chuckle made him doubt that statement. “Silly, not over the phone. I’m calling because I’m close to the city. And I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner tonight. You name the spot since I’m not familiar with your little cow town.”

“Shit.” Aaron said what he hoped was under his breath. The last thing he wanted to do was have dinner with Mariah. The possible bad things that could come of it were limitless. Clearly Mariah was still looking to add him to her list of slept with men, as Kylie called it. He on the other hand had no interest in joining that long list of men.

“Tonight…” He stalled trying to come up with a good excuse not to. “I’m not so sure.”

“Aaron Winters, don’t you dare stand me up,” she whispered in her best come hither voice, which had the opposite effect on him. Aaron was tempted to hang up the phone and run. Mariah was looking to cause trouble. She’d never gotten over his lack of interest in her sexually. Mariah was in the business of sex. In her opinion, no man could refuse her. He was a challenge. She wasn’t prepared to give up without a fight.

He had to wonder what Kylie had told her about their relationship. Would Mariah be this aggressive if she knew he and Kylie were seeing each other?

He couldn’t think of a single thing that would get him out of this bind. The only solution was to pick the loudest and most crowded restaurant he could think of and meet her there. Don’t give Mariah the edge.

“All right. How about Sooners at eight.” He did a quick rethink. Didn’t want to give her the option of having him pick her up. “I’ll see you there.” Aaron disconnected the call before she could respond. He didn’t trust Mariah or her motives one little bit. She was up to something. Whether or not Kylie liked it didn’t matter. It was time to set the record straight; at least with Mariah.

Sitting across from Lois while going over the next day’s schedule, he felt it was almost too easy to read her mind.

“Okay, say it,” Aaron said, tossing his calendar aside. Might as well get this over with.