When he withdrew his mouth, intending to angle it better, Moira buried her fingers in his hair, pulling the long strands, then laced her fingers behind his neck and crushed her curves against hisbody.
Thank God I wasright.
He gently pushed her against the car, pinning her with his lower body and cupping her face. Their moans mixed as he pulled her lower lip inside his mouth, sucking it, licking her teeth, and stroking her cheeks with histhumbs.
His cock twitched again when Moira ran her nails down hisback.
He let go of her lip and pulled back just enough for their eyes to meet. “I could do this forever. You’re sweeter than I hadimagined.”
“Except nothing has changed in the last couple of days since we last spoke. I still have a complicate life with two children who depend on me and nobody else. I cannot do this,Aidan.”
“My feelings haven’t changed either, Moira. I’ve told you I’m not going anywhere. I’d love to help you and your kids. Just say the word, and you’ll get whatever you want, whatever youneed.”
“If only it were thatsimple.”
“Give me a chance to prove it can besimple.”
She cupped his face and he closed his eyes to soak in her warmth. Her thumb traced his lower lip, and his pulse spiked. “You’ve no idea how tempting your offer is, but I have to say no. I’ve made bad choices in life, but I owe the consequences. I’ve got this. Plus, I’m ten years older thanyou.”
“That’s just a stupid number.” He interrupted her, but she put her index finger on his lips, and he stoppedtalking.
“Soon, you’ll become this huge rock star, with groupies and top models throwing themselves at your feet. Then, this number won’t be so stupid. I gave my heart once to the wrong man, and it cost me the best years of my life. I won’t make the same mistakeagain.”
“I’m nothing like your ex-husband. But, you’ll never know it if you don’t give me a chance. Give us achance.”
Moira’s smile was so sad, it gutted him. He wanted to scream and punch something. Mostly he wanted to find Bob Mathias and punch him to a pulp. Those feelings were foreign to Aidan, though. He had always been the peacemaker, the moderator. Then again, his feelings for Moira were also new to him. He had never felt so protective of another humanbeing.
She whispered, “I don’t doubt you’re better than Bob. I don’t doubt you think you’ve got feelings for me. Now. But, what happens in a couple of months? In a year? You’re young, away from home, from your family. Your feelings may be true, today but, will they last? This is all too soon, Aidan. I don’t believe in love at first sight. I’m not sure I believe in everlasting loveeither.”
His heart ached for her sadness, her lack of faith. Words would not convince her. That much he had learned in the lastweeks.
“I hear you. And I respect your concerns. You’re also considering your kids, and I couldn’t agree more. I will give you the space you need to process whatever it is that connects us. That much you can’t deny. There is a connection here.” He touched his palm to her chest, then tohis.
She nodded, her eyes glued to hisface.
“The only thing I ask you is that you don’t shut me out. I will always respect your boundaries; our relationship will move as fast or as slow as you choose. But, if you shut me out, there will be no relationship,right?”
A reluctant smile curved her lips, allowing his heart to hope. “What am I going to do with you? Did you hear anything I justsaid?”
“Oh yeah. Did you? You worry I might trade gold for glitter. I would never do that. When I find something I want, I stick to it, no matter what. But you don’t know that about me.Yet.”
She gazed into his eyes, but said nothing for a while, until she grinned, and his world turned brighter. “You’re notjoking.”
“I am not.” He grazed her lips. “And I will prove it to you, no matter how long ittakes.”
She crossed her wrists behind his neck when he stooped to claim her lips again. His mischievous side flared, and he stopped, a hair’s breadth away from her expectant mouth. He thrust his hips forward, imprinting his hard-on on her soft belly. He wanted Moira to know how she made him feel. “Please, don’t let it take too long though. I’ll be fighting finger cramps until you let me loveyou.”
She plunged her tongue inside his mouth, moaning against his lips, tearing at his long hair. And he never felt more alive. He returned her passionate kiss inkind.
Moira didn’t know it yet, but she was going to be his and nobody else’s. Aidan was sure of that. Not because he was a creepy stalker, but because his heart was hers and nobodyelse’s.
Aidan just needed to prove it toMoira.
