Read Online An Unexpected Affair by Lorelei Moone - Free Book Online
Authors: Lorelei Moone
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instead.
"Can’t I just visit my little brother anymore?" Aidan responded gruffly.
"The way you came bursting in unannounced suggests something else is going on," Derek said while scrutinizing his brother's face. There was something there, a hint of a frown he tried hard to disguise, but Derek could still see it. Whatever he'd been up to in the nine months since Aidan's last visit, it had taken a toll on him.
"Alright then," Aidan began. "If I'm going to tell you everything, I have one condition. Don't think for a moment I'm buying the 'she's just a guest' crap, okay? I'm not stupid. You'll let me know what's going on with the human, and I'll tell you what's going on with me."
"Fine." Derek sighed. Despite Aidan's abrasive and often bossy nature, it might be useful to get another perspective on Derek's predicament anyway.
"It's a long story," Aidan said.
They walked back down the hall, past the master bedroom where he could still sense Clarice's presence. Her heartbeat had calmed down significantly. Her breathing had slowed. Even without opening the door, Derek knew that she had fallen asleep again, which was just as well.
"What do you say we discuss it over some mulled wine?" Derek didn't wait for Aidan's agreement, but just headed further down the hall anyway until they made it into the dark lounge, and from there into the kitchen, which was invitingly lit up by an oil lamp. He opened a cupboard and pulled out a bottle of mulled wine mixture he had made earlier, pouring it into a pot to warm it up. Outside, the storm had barely had a chance to calm. The wind was still whistling through the trees and around the farmhouse, and it was still raining as well.
All the while, Aidan paced up and down the room. Whatever was going on with him, it wasn't good. Derek could tell that much.
He picked up two glasses and poured the deep red, fragrant liquid into them, handing one to Aidan. They sat down around the large round wooden table and sipped their wine in silence. Derek waited until Aidan looked a bit more revitalized. If there's one thing that made bears even less chatty than normal, it was cold weather.
"She's my mate, Aidan," Derek broke the silence at last.
His brother looked up from the half empty glass, one eyebrow raised.
"I know it's not ideal, being that she's human, but I know it in my gut, and I can't fight it." Derek averted his gaze downward while continuing to warm his fingers on the mulled wine in his hands.
"I see." Aidan cleared his throat. "What does she know?"
Derek shrugged. "Nothing. I'd been avoiding the issue completely and avoiding her. But when she crashed her car earlier today, I realized I couldn't stand it anymore. I can't let her go, Aidan."
Aidan ran his hands through his still damp hair and let out a chuckle. "Believe it or not, I know how you feel."
Derek looked up. It was his turn to stare at Aidan in surprise. "How so?"
"I've also met someone.
The one.
"
"Is that why you're here?" Derek asked.
"No. Yes. It's complicated."
"Don't tell me she's human as well?"
Aidan took one last gulp before putting the empty glass down on the table and crossing his arms. "No, it's nothing like that. Anyway, your situation requires sorting out first. She doesn't know anything you say, and yet she's just seen the two of us. That's bad. Very bad." Aidan's face took on a thoughtful, more serious expression.
"I suppose, but maybe she'll be okay with it. What do you think?" Derek hoped out loud.
"It's not about whether
she
will be fine with it. What about the Code? This goes beyond just you and your
girlfriend.
The survival of our species relies on complete secrecy, as you well know!"
Of course, Aidan was right, but the tone in which he said it grated at Derek. The last thing he needed right now was a lecture from his big brother.
"Not even you can turn back time on what's already happened." Derek's face darkened as he spoke. Clarice couldn't just un-see them in their bear form, neither could he
"Can’t I just visit my little brother anymore?" Aidan responded gruffly.
"The way you came bursting in unannounced suggests something else is going on," Derek said while scrutinizing his brother's face. There was something there, a hint of a frown he tried hard to disguise, but Derek could still see it. Whatever he'd been up to in the nine months since Aidan's last visit, it had taken a toll on him.
"Alright then," Aidan began. "If I'm going to tell you everything, I have one condition. Don't think for a moment I'm buying the 'she's just a guest' crap, okay? I'm not stupid. You'll let me know what's going on with the human, and I'll tell you what's going on with me."
"Fine." Derek sighed. Despite Aidan's abrasive and often bossy nature, it might be useful to get another perspective on Derek's predicament anyway.
"It's a long story," Aidan said.
They walked back down the hall, past the master bedroom where he could still sense Clarice's presence. Her heartbeat had calmed down significantly. Her breathing had slowed. Even without opening the door, Derek knew that she had fallen asleep again, which was just as well.
"What do you say we discuss it over some mulled wine?" Derek didn't wait for Aidan's agreement, but just headed further down the hall anyway until they made it into the dark lounge, and from there into the kitchen, which was invitingly lit up by an oil lamp. He opened a cupboard and pulled out a bottle of mulled wine mixture he had made earlier, pouring it into a pot to warm it up. Outside, the storm had barely had a chance to calm. The wind was still whistling through the trees and around the farmhouse, and it was still raining as well.
All the while, Aidan paced up and down the room. Whatever was going on with him, it wasn't good. Derek could tell that much.
He picked up two glasses and poured the deep red, fragrant liquid into them, handing one to Aidan. They sat down around the large round wooden table and sipped their wine in silence. Derek waited until Aidan looked a bit more revitalized. If there's one thing that made bears even less chatty than normal, it was cold weather.
"She's my mate, Aidan," Derek broke the silence at last.
His brother looked up from the half empty glass, one eyebrow raised.
"I know it's not ideal, being that she's human, but I know it in my gut, and I can't fight it." Derek averted his gaze downward while continuing to warm his fingers on the mulled wine in his hands.
"I see." Aidan cleared his throat. "What does she know?"
Derek shrugged. "Nothing. I'd been avoiding the issue completely and avoiding her. But when she crashed her car earlier today, I realized I couldn't stand it anymore. I can't let her go, Aidan."
Aidan ran his hands through his still damp hair and let out a chuckle. "Believe it or not, I know how you feel."
Derek looked up. It was his turn to stare at Aidan in surprise. "How so?"
"I've also met someone.
The one.
"
"Is that why you're here?" Derek asked.
"No. Yes. It's complicated."
"Don't tell me she's human as well?"
Aidan took one last gulp before putting the empty glass down on the table and crossing his arms. "No, it's nothing like that. Anyway, your situation requires sorting out first. She doesn't know anything you say, and yet she's just seen the two of us. That's bad. Very bad." Aidan's face took on a thoughtful, more serious expression.
"I suppose, but maybe she'll be okay with it. What do you think?" Derek hoped out loud.
"It's not about whether
she
will be fine with it. What about the Code? This goes beyond just you and your
girlfriend.
The survival of our species relies on complete secrecy, as you well know!"
Of course, Aidan was right, but the tone in which he said it grated at Derek. The last thing he needed right now was a lecture from his big brother.
"Not even you can turn back time on what's already happened." Derek's face darkened as he spoke. Clarice couldn't just un-see them in their bear form, neither could he
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