Page 34

I peered over at AJ as he stood in my bathroom, rubbing a towel through his wet hair. The fresh tat on his body made me think about Raven, and I smiled.

I get it now, sister. What drew you to him. How he must have made you feel so free to be who you were, especially when everything else forced you to be who we needed. And I think you would be okay with what happened. I don’t love him, not like you did, but we share a connection because of you.

He came out, a large towel wrapped low on his hips. He walked over to me and stood between my legs where I sat.

He said nothing. Then he reached down and wrapped his hand through my damp hair, stroking my scalp as he tipped my head up toward him.

He makes me feel seen.

I met his kiss with a tenderness I rarely showed anyone. But with AJ? I felt safe to let down some walls I had up. He wouldn’t judge me for tonight, and he wouldn’t ask for more. He knew all I wanted was for one moment of happiness with him, not a lifetime.

We shared an understanding in this kiss. Here for each other, through all the pain from the past and for everything we were going to face in the future.

We were not quite friends, but also not strangers. Just two broken people, looking for a moment of peace and finding it in each other.

He leaned back and smirked at me, fingers still caressing my head.

“Thank you. I know I gave you so much hell whenever you flirted with me. So, you had every right to say no when I asked you to stay. But I can’t lie; I needed tonight,” I whispered as I smiled back at him.

“You don’t gotta tell me that, baby. I enjoyed every minute tonight.” He stepped back and yanked his towel off.

I glanced away, and he chuckled.

“Don’t get shy on me now. Not after everything we did tonight,” he said as his eyes smoldered. No doubt he was thinking about everything that had just happened.

All at once I felt so self-conscious that I’d had sex, then showered with him. With his eyes burning into me, I suddenly felt really naked. I turned and slipped into the covers on the bed, facing away from him.

He chuckled again as he slid in behind me, bringing his hard body against my back. His strong arm wrapped around me and tugged me into him, firmly pressing us together.

I moaned softly as his fingers massaged my boobs gently.

“Now I’m tired. Are you going to be here when I wake up?” I whispered. My eyes grew heavy as I relaxed in his arms.

“Mmhmm. Unless you don’t want me to be?”

His deep voice lulled me; my eyes closed as I shook my head.

“It would be nice to wake up to someone beside me for once,” I said as I drifted off.

“See you in the morning, baby.” AJ’s deep voice was a faint rumble next to my ear.

That night, I had the most beautiful dream. My sisters and I were all enjoying a picnic on the lawn under the old cherry tree. The blossoms were on full display as the back doors opened, and our father and mother walked out, lunch in hand. It truly was one of the most perfect nights of my life.

It was well into the morning when I finally stirred awake. The sun filled my room through the window that was cracked open, and a warm breeze floated inside.

My body ached. And not only from the tattoo.

I turned over and snuggled into the warm chest of the man I’d never thought I would sleep with.

AJ snored lightly as I watched him. He was actually rather beautiful with the warm light pouring over his body.

His dark hair lay messily around his face from going to bed with it still being damp from the shower.

“Well, I never thought I would end up here. Especially not with you,” I whispered as I reached up and rubbed my fingers through his hair.

Will this change everything we have planned?

Will he expect more from me than simply a night of fun?

Don’t get me wrong; he’s hot as hell, and last night was amazing, but I’m not looking for a relationship or to fall in love.

That’s only going to distract me from what I need to focus on.

And I’m so close; I can almost taste it.

“Not used to seeing a woman looking so upset after a night with me.”

My eyes snapped up to his. They were half closed as he glanced back down at me. I hadn’t even realized he had woken up while I was lost in my thoughts.

I smiled at him. “I’m not upset. Not with you. Last night was great. I really needed to blow off some tension.”

I sat up, reaching over the side of my bed to grab a shirt off of the floor. I tugged it on over my head and slid out of the covers. Walking to my dresser, I put on a pair of panties and some silky linen pants.

When I turned back toward the bed, AJ was sitting up, rubbing his hair out of his face.

He looked over at me as the sun streamed into the surrounding space.

It felt so good, warming my skin, and I soaked it in for a second before I walked over toward him.

But his expression changed. He seemed sad even.

“What’s wrong?” I said as I sat back down beside him.

He shook his head. “Nothin’. You reminded me of someone, standing there like that.”

I played with the sheet between my fingers as I whispered her name. “Raven?”

But to my surprise, he shook his head.

“No. Someone I left behind in LA.”

That piqued my interest. I didn’t know why I’d assumed my sister would be the only woman AJ thought about, but I was wrong.

“Do you mind if I ask who?” I said as I scooted closer to him.

“The woman I don’t think I’ll ever get over, but I probably ruined my chances with her for good,” he said and sighed.

“How so?” I said as I placed a hand on his knee.

“Because I let her think I didn’t love her anymore, and I dumped her right before I took off on a flight to Tokyo. And that was the furthest thing from the truth. Fact is, I left her to keep her safe because I love her so much.”

He met my gaze, and that was when I knew. I realized that there was a lot about AJ I didn’t know.

And I wasn’t sure if I would ever truly know him.