“Sweetheart, the devil himself wouldn’t vacation in Mexico in the middle of August.”
Crossing her arms and lifting her chin, she said, “That’s not the point.”
“You’re right, it’s not. The point is, if you run now, you’ll wake up every day for the rest of your life wondering if today is the day they find you. Looking over your shoulder will become something you do so often you’ll forget which direction is forward. That’s no way to live, Kat.”
“I don’t have a choice, Irish. What else am I supposed to do?”
“Let me help you.”
“What? No way. Are you crazy?”
“Probably, but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”
“Forget it. I’m not dragging you into this.”
“I’m already in. I got in up to my eyeballs when I put you on the back of my bike last night.”
“I know, and now if something happens to you…” Her chin quivered as she did her damnedest to hold back the deluge of emotions passing over her face. She must have decided to go with anger because suddenly, using her good hand, she hammer-fisted him in the chest several times for emphasis with her words. “Damn it, Irish, you should have minded your own fucking business!”
Aiden banded his arms around her and held her tight as she tried to fight him with an exhausted strength as fierce as the nickname he’d given her.
In mere seconds she gave in, accepting his embrace as silent tears fell unchecked over her cheeks and down his chest.
One hand tucked her head under his chin while the other slid up and down her back to soothe and hopefully slow her breathing to match his strokes. He surprised himself at how natural it felt to console her, to be there for her.
Crying women had always scared the hell out of him. He never knew what to do or say. Normally, he’d awkwardly ask them not to cry or try plying them with things to make them smile again.
But comforting Kat and holding her in his arms felt so…right.
After several minutes, her tears ran dry until she was simply tucked against him, her arms still pinned between their bodies. She whispered so softly, he almost didn’t hear her.
“You should have left me alone.”
If it wasn’t for the danger she was in, she’d be right. But it wouldn’t be for his sake. It’d be for hers.
“Something tells me you’ve been left alone enough,” he said against her hair, his voice coming out as little more than a raspy growl. “I’m stepping in, whether you like it or not, kitten.”
She tipped her head back, their gazes colliding. With a furrowed brow, she seemed to search for some sign she hadn’t misheard him. Aiden wondered how many people had let this woman down in the past to put that look of uncertainty on her face.
He vowed to himself never to be on that list.
Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
Aiden gently held the sides of her face and wiped the last of her tears away with his thumbs. “I’m not walking away from this,” he said. “I’m not walking away from you. Okay?”
She nodded almost imperceptibly, but the understanding that dawned on her beautiful face solidified their unspoken agreement. She would let him help her, which meant he wouldn’t have to go behind her back to do it. Which was one less lie, one less hidden truth. The lower he kept that count, the better.
Aiden watched her gaze skim down his face and stop at his mouth. Now that the other stuff was out of the way, their current situation of a half-dressed, close embrace started stirring things up on a more physical level.
Her hands relaxed and flattened on his chest and grazed his piercings. The slight touch on his sensitive nipples sent a shock of heat straight to his balls. Their breaths became shallow and mingled together in the few inches that separated their lips. The smell of coffee mixed with her lilac scent created a potent mix of old and new addictions.
His heart raced and stomach clenched, and in seconds she’d know how much he wanted her as his cock grew harder between them at just the thought of tasting those sweet lips.
He shifted his hands so his fingers splayed into her hair and cradled her head, then he slowly lowered his face to hers. The pulse in her neck leaped. Her lids drifted closed. And though it felt like an eternity, his lips were finally, finally, a hairsbreadth from knowing her kiss.
But at the last moment, Kat turned her face to the side.
Reality crashed in around him and doused his arousal. Mostly. Aiden released her and stepped back. What an asshole. Not only was she vulnerable and probably not thinking clearly, but she had a boyfriend. Just because the guy was doing time and didn’t come off as much of a Prince Charming didn’t give Aiden the right to make a move on her.