“Oh my God.” Horror spiraled through her, then transformed into another rush of confusion as she realized what he’d said. “Wait, so she wasn’t killed by that car?”
“Nope, that’s just what my dad told me. She was committed to an institution for the criminally insane, about an hour north of here. She was a patient there for fifteen years before she hung herself by turning her bed sheet into a noose.”
Claire’s eyes widened.
“Fifteen years,” he spat out. “She was alive that entire time and he let me believe she was dead. I spent my whole fucking life feeling guilty that my mother had died saving me, feeling sorry for my dad because he was so fucking sad all the time, and she wasn’t even dead! Jesus!”
Claire had no idea what to say. Absolutely no idea. Every word that came out of Aidan’s mouth added to that initial shock, until all she could do was let him talk and hope her presence was enough.
“Fifteen years.” His breathing grew shallow. “She was alive for fifteen more years after the accident. She was alive when I entered middle school, when I was a freshman in high school, when I went to the prom, when I graduated, when I attended college. Fifteen years that I could have visited her, or sent her cards and flowers or…” Another harsh breath. “All that lost time…”
Tears pricked Claire’s eyes when she saw the moisture in Aidan’s. Without a word, she tugged his hand and pulled him into her arms.
He stiffened for a moment, and then his body went limp and he sagged against her. His dark hair tickled her chin, his hot tears soaking the front of her sweater.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I’m so sorry, Aidan.”
She didn’t know how long they sat there, how long she held him, how long he cried, and when he lifted his head and urgently sought out her lips, she didn’t deny him the kiss he craved. She kissed him back with the same desperation she saw in his dark eyes, their tongues meeting and tangling, their hands entering the fray by grabbing at each other’s clothes.
Yanking on the waistband of her yoga pants, Aidan pushed her onto her back and crushed her with his strong body. His hands fumbled to shove his own pants down, his erection sprang free, and then he pushed it inside her without warning. But she was ready for him, slick with desire that had erupted out of nowhere and overcome with the need to soothe him, to please him, to bring him any comfort she could, even if it was of the carnal variety.
Aidan’s cock plunged into her again and again. His mouth hungrily devoured hers. The intensity of his passion scared her, thrilled her, liberated her. She met him thrust for thrust, her inner muscles squeezing his thick shaft as shockwaves of pleasure rocked her body.
“Oh God, I’m coming.” Even as she choked out the words, she was still stunned by the sudden orgasm that exploded inside her. It started between her legs, then detonated, shards of pleasure flying to every part of her body, making her gasp in surprised delight.
The spasms of her pussy set Aidan off. He came with a loud cry, moaning her name as his cock twitched inside her. She could feel his heart hammering against her breasts, a fast, reckless rhythm that matched her own erratic pulse.
Letting out a deep breath, Aidan cupped her cheeks with his palms and stared at her with heavy-lidded eyes. “I should have said this three days ago, but…I love you too.”
Her chest squeezed with emotion. “I know.”
He kissed her tenderly, then slid his cock out of her still-throbbing pussy and rolled over.
And it was at that moment they both realized he hadn’t worn a condom.
“Shit,” he mumbled. “Are you…fuck, are you on the pill?”
She shook her head in regret. They’d been using condoms this whole time, and she hadn’t gotten around yet to finding a doctor in San Diego and getting a birth control prescription.
When Aidan swore again, she gently touched his cheek. “It’s not the right time in my cycle, so I think we’re okay. But if I…if I get pregnant…gosh, what would we do?”
Suddenly she was the one in need of reassurance, and Aidan didn’t hesitate to give it to her. “We’d do whatever you wanted to do. Just know that if you chose to keep it, I think the three of us would make pretty kickass parents.”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “I still don’t know how any of this is going to work.”
“Same way it’s been working so far. We live together, we love each other.”
“And you want to have kids with me? With me and Dylan?”
“Yes,” he said simply.
“What about marriage?”
“If you really want that wedding you didn’t get to have with Chris, then one of us will give it to you. No matter whose name is on that marriage license, you’ll always belong to us both, baby. And we’ll belong to you.”
She watched him unhappily. “You don’t just belong to me, though. You belong to each other.”
Aidan looked startled. “I know that.”