His response was so open and honest it completely caughther off guard and tapped into her curiosity. “Do you have trouble getting back to normal?”
Aaron bent down and grabbed the grocery bags, walked into the kitchen and left Celine to follow. Had she offended him?
He set the bags on the counter and Celine eased onto a bar stool, watching his every move as he began to unpack the newly bought groceries. She should say something, apologize for overstepping her bounds. “Aaron, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked such a personal question.”
Aaron pulled a bag of sweet potatoes out of the sack and dumped them on the counter with a loud thump. She flinched, the sharp movement like an explosion in the small kitchen.
He prowled over to the bar, leaning across until his face was only a couple of inches from hers. “Listen Celine, I know this might disgust you, and I know it's not politically correct, but what I do on my missions, it doesn't bother me. I mean it bothers me, but I move past it because I know if I don't do it, someone else will have to. What I do - it's my way to protect my country and give back. I knew what I was doing when I joined up with the Teams.”
Celine touched his arm. “Aaron, I admire you, you don't disgust me. After what I went through, if it wasn't for you and your team, I know I'd be a Russian sex slave right about now.” Celine swallowed past the tight knot in her throat. “Or dead.”
“There are lots of soldiers that can't re-acclimate to civilian life after duty, but I'm not one of them. My teammate Hoyt had a hard time for a while and we were all worried about him. There aren't many men who go through what he did and come out sane. But with Hayden's help he was able to come back to us.”
Hayden James had practically saved Hoyt from suicide. Celine had met him, briefly, before his capture. He'd had the face of an angel. Now terrible scars covered his face andbody.
Aaron wasn't beautiful by any stretch, but he was handsome. Strong masculine features and intense brown eyes. He shaved his beard down to a five o'clock shadow, revealing a square jaw and lips just as full as she remembered. At any point in time he could be captured and tortured just like Hoyt and come back all torn and broken...
Not going there. She did not care what happened to Aaron Speirs.
Besides, she was just a mission, right? Aaron and O’Keefe had made that abundantly clear.
“Yeah, must be nice having someone care about you like that.” Bitterness crept into her voice, but she didn't care. “You got a shower? I really could use one and a change of clothes.”
Aaron started to speak and she cut to the door before he got it out. She didn't want to take this conversation any further down the road. “Never mind, I can find it on my own.”
She went back into the living room and the pile of bags by the front door, resolutely ignoring the knot in her stomach. Sure, it'd been nice having him care for her every need but that was over now. She could take care of herself. Just like always.
“Wait up, I'll show you.” Aaron's arm brushed hers as he reached for the bags, leaving her already sensitive skin prickling with awareness.
How pathetic, wanting a man who didn't want her back. Oh sure, he was still a man and they were locked alone in a cabin together for an indeterminate amount of time. He'd probably take it if she offered, but when he completed his mission, he'd walk away and forget. Again.
“You coming up?” Aaron crossed to the stairs.
Celine took a deep breath. Just have to keep it together for a few more minutes. He'd leave her alone in the bathroom and she could shut the door and fall apart.
They landed in a large open bedroom, the wall of windowsalong the back opened to a breathtaking view of lush green leaves and a bright glowing sunset.
A king size bed sat on the left wall, with a low handcrafted headboard and a gorgeous quilt covering. But that wasn't what captivated her attention. Center in the wall of windows was a beautiful claw foot bathtub practically gleaming in the sunset. Candles stood sentry along the window sill, and a short bar stool in the shape of a rectangle was placed next to a polished dark-wood shelf holding perfectly stacked towels.
“How about a hot bath instead of a shower?” Aaron’s gaze cut to hers, his lips tugged up in a smile.
“Yes, please.”
He deposited the bags with the clothes he’d bought for her on the end of the bed and then turned on the water, holding his hand beneath to check the temperature. “If you’d really rather have a shower you can do that, too.”
Celine followed his nod to a large tiled in shower with crystal clear glass walls in the corner opposite the tub. If he took a shower she'd be able to see everything, all of those sinewy muscles covering his back and chest. Water running down his smooth skin. Desire licked up her belly. Why couldn't she put him from her mind? She must like torture.
Suddenly Aaron was standing in front of her, his big strong hands cupping her shoulders and her mouth went completely dry. She licked her lips and his gaze followed her movement, his light brown eyes darkened to deep chocolate. Would his kiss taste as good as before? Or better?
Aaron's voice was deep and hoarse when he spoke, “Just yell if you need anything.” He squeezed her shoulders and then disappeared downstairs, leaving her to stare in shock at his departure.
No, his denial.
Chapter 18
Fucking hands,shaking like a damn baby. He'd almost lost control and devoured Celine whole, even with her looking so helpless and tired. He knew she needed some time to rest, and he'd practically mauled her. His sisters would flay him alive. Celine needed to be pampered and cared for, not subjected to his basic desires because he couldn't keep his dick under control.
And he thought he knew everything there was to know about women. He’d always been so in control of his emotions, knew exactly what he wanted and when, but Celine took those notions and flipped them upside down. She put him on edge. He'd have to be more careful in the future. Try to put a little bit more distance between them.
