Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
He inclined his head and smiled. “Brooke.”
“You look pretty,” Lizzie said to her daughter, stepping back to admire her overall appearance.
“Thanks!” she said to her mother.
Pretty was an understatement, Aiden thought. The mere sight of her had his mouth watering. He needed to touch her. To kiss her. To carry her upstairs, settle her in his bed, and keep her there until he had his fill. In other words, forever.
“Where are you off to?” Lizzie asked.
Without glancing his way, she replied, “I have a date.”
Just like that, Aiden’s hopeful mood turned to shit.
Chapter Ten
After Brooke’s pronouncement, tense silence settled over the room. She shouldn’t feel guilty, yet she refused to look Aiden’s way. As a single woman, she was free to date whomever she wanted. It was the same thing she’d told herself while he was off traveling the world and forgetting all about their one night together.
But the way he’d spoken to her a few days ago on the porch made her think she might have been wrong. He wanted forgiveness—though he hadn’t actually apologized—and he’d almost kissed her. He’d spoken of their night together with a heated look blazing in his eyes, a desire that matched her own.
None of it mattered. He’d also made it clear to her a long time ago that he considered sleeping with her a mistake. He’d humiliated her when he said that night meant nothing, after she’d been so blatant about her feelings for him the morning after. While she’d believed they were starting something amazing, he’d had one foot out the door.
Still, she wouldn’t have purposefully mentioned the date in front of him if her mom hadn’t asked about her plans.
Her mother’s eyebrows popped up in surprise, probably because Brooke hadn’t gone on a date in nearly a year, and she hadn’t had a serious relationship since Aiden left. Despite having tried.
“Who are you going out with?” Aiden’s sharp tone was accompanied by the screech of his stool being shoved back as he rose to his feet.
What the hell?
They’d agreed not to tell anyone about their short-lived romantic relationship, so she didn’t expect him to react so strongly to the news in front of her mother.
“Who is it, Brooke?” he demanded.
She straightened her spine and shot him a look of annoyance. “I don’t see why you care, but Fallon set me up with a man from Noah’s office.”
Aiden’s nose wrinkled in distaste. “Someone you don’t even know?”
Brooke blinked. “So?”
“I don’t like it.”
She smirked at him. “Good thing I don’t need your approval then.”
Her mother coughed but said nothing.
“Noah knows him from work? He’s not good enough for you.”
She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. “Are you kidding? You don’t even know the guy.”
“Neither do you. And all lawyers are slimy.”
Brooke tilted her chin up in challenge. “I can’t wait to tell Fallon you feel that way, considering that she’s married to one.”
Her mom chuckled under her breath but still didn’t interject. She was busy shredding carrots and almost acting like she wasn’t listening.
“Noah is the exception. You shouldn’t go out with a stranger.”
Fed up with his nonsense, Brooke spun on her heel. “Bye, Mom,” she said, marching out of the kitchen.
Unfortunately, he followed her into the living room. When she headed for the front door, he blocked her path. “You need to rethink meeting up with someone you don’t know.”
She scoffed, balling her hands into fists at her sides as she glared at him. “I didn’t ask what you think, and I’m going on this date whether you like it or not. Now, get out of my way. I’m going to be late.”
She also felt an urgent need to get away from Aiden because she didn’t find his protective, alpha side nearly as off-putting as she should. His apparent jealousy caused butterflies to take flight in her stomach.
But wasn’t that the reason she agreed to this date? The first step in putting her feelings for Aiden behind her. She didn’t want her pulse to race when he was near. She didn’t want to think about his hands on her body when he treated her to his heated stare. She didn’t want to burn for him anymore, period, so she had to give moving on a real chance.
“Just tell me where you’re going, then. So I know you’ll be safe.”
Fueled by frustration and a need to put him in his place, Brooke closed the distance between them and shoved a red-painted fingernail into his chest.
“I’m not telling you anything, and it’s ridiculous that you would even ask. Who I date is none of your business. You lost the right to question me like this a long time ago.”
Despite speaking the truth, she also knew he had always looked out for her growing up. His protective possessiveness was part of the reason she’d fallen for him in the first place.