Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“Glad you’re getting a business degree. That’s good. You always said you were gonna run the orchard someday.”
Glancing down at our joined hands, I shrugged. “Hunter and Lacy aren’t interested in it, but I’ve always loved the apple trees. The land. It makes me feel at peace.”
A pained expression moved over his face before it vanished as fast as it appeared. He smiled and softly said, “I know.”
My mouth and lips suddenly went dry. I ran my tongue along them, and Aiden quickly stood and turned away from me.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Yes. No. I don’t know, Willa. I really don’t know,” he replied with a laugh that sounded more confused than humorous.
With a frown, I stared at his back. Was he shaking?
I stood and reached out to touch his shoulder.
Aiden spun around, grabbed my hand, and before I knew it, I was back against the wall of the barn, his mouth inches from mine.
“You’re confusing me,” he said, his voice hoarse, as if he had been screaming for hours.
“I’m…I’m what?” I stammered as I frantically searched his face with my eyes. Aiden’s throat bobbed, and I snapped my gaze up to meet his.
“I can’t, Willa. I can’t do this.”
My head spun, and I let out a confused chuckle. “What are you talking about, Aiden? Now you’re confusing me.”
Then he did the one thing I never dreamed he would do. He kissed me.
Our lips pressed together in what started off as a sweet kiss, an innocent kiss, before Aiden prompted me with his tongue to give him more. And I gave him more. I’d give this man anything he asked of me. I brought my arms up and wrapped them around his neck while I pressed my body into his. He was solid muscle, and I groaned at the feel of him. A low growl came from the back of his throat, and I swore it vibrated through every inch of my body.
Aiden was kissing me.
And like that, it was over. He stepped back, scrubbed his hands over his face, and then bent over with his hands on his thighs and took deep breaths in and out.
I was frozen. Unable to move, and honestly as confused as all get out. What had just happened?
“Um, I, ah, I didn’t mean to kiss you,” he said.
“You didn’t?” I asked, a touch of anger mixed with disappointment in my voice.
He looked at me, and I watched his chest rise and fall with each breath. “I shouldn’t have kissed you is what I meant.”
“Why not? I wanted you to kiss me, Aiden. I’ve dreamed of you kissing me.”
He straightened and took a step back, shaking his head. “No, you don’t want that, Willa.”
A humorless laugh escaped my mouth, but it sounded colder than anything. “I’m pretty sure I’ve wanted you to kiss me since I was like eleven, Aiden.”
His confused expression turned to one of panic. “I can’t. I cannot give you what you want, Willa. I’m not interested in a relationship and I…I wasn’t thinking. I took one look at you, and you’re hot as fucking hell, and I was thinking with my cock and not my head.”
I flinched and took a step back.
Aiden closed his eyes for a second and then turned away from me. “It was good seeing you, Willa.”
“That’s it? You’re going to treat me like that and then just leave? I’m not asking you to be my boyfriend, Aiden. But don’t you dare walk away from me and pretend we’re not friends. If you never kiss me again, I’ll be okay with that, but I don’t want you to walk away from me like this.”
Aiden slowly turned and faced me once again. “Friends?”
I nodded. “Yes. Always.”
His hand came up to his mouth, and he honestly seemed to be struggling with something.
“Talk to me, Aiden. What’s wrong?”
With another shake of his head he walked back up to me. He cupped my face in his hands and stared into my eyes. “I’m sorry, Willa. I wish I could, but I can’t.”
“You wish you could what? Aiden, you’re making no sense right now.”
He drew in a deep breath and then slowly let it out as he rested his forehead against mine. “You’re so beautiful, and one day some lucky bastard is going to marry you, you’ll have babies, and you’ll teach them all about apples.”
I searched his face before placing my hands on his arms.
“I’m sorry that person can’t be me.” He closed his eyes and whispered, “I want it to be me so fucking badly.”
I drew in a breath, but before I could say anything, he pressed his mouth to mine once more. The kiss was so sweet, yet full of an emotion I couldn’t pinpoint. I tried to get closer. If I could have crawled into his body, I would have.