Read Online Gentle Curves (Dangerous Curves Book 4) by Marysol James - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marysol James
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desperate to get away from him. Just before the door swung shut behind her, she heard him growl, “See you tomorrow, babe.”
He meant it. He wasn’t going to give up, not ever, not until she let him try to convince her to take him back. And given half a chance, he would convince her. After today, she was certain of it. Her aching heart would urge her to believe anything he said; her treacherous body would take him back inside. Mirrie would have hope again, for the first time in four years – and this weakness and need would sign both of their death warrants.
That was when she knew what she had to do.
Chapter Five
Aidan opened the door of his apartment, smiled down at Maria.
“Hey, darlin’,” he drawled at her. “How you doing?”
Maria Torres stepped in to Aidan and Gabi’s home, handed over a bag of takeaway Indian food.
“I’m good,” she said in her soft voice. “You doing alright?”
“Always,” Aidan said with a wink. “And how’s your man?”
Right away, Maria blushed, just like Aidan knew she would. “Dillon’s fine. He’s bouncing tonight so you’ll see him at Curves.”
“Awesome.” Aidan took the food in to the open-plan kitchen and set it on the counter. “We’ll pick up chicks together.”
Maria giggled. “Yeah. Like that’ll happen.” She glanced around the cozy apartment. “Gabi’s here?”
“In the bathroom.”
Something in his voice made Maria look over at him. At first glance, he seemed to be just fine: all golden grace and large, rangy muscles in well-worn jeans and a tight white t-shirt. Aidan was all about Southern charm and devil-may-care grins – but Maria took in the tired lines around his gold eyes, the way he was holding himself a bit too straight, and she knew that he was thinking about leaving Gabi here while he went to work. As usual, Maria would be with her, but still. Aidan hated to go, especially when he worked a late shift.
“How’s she doing?” Maria asked quietly.
Aidan shrugged, shot a look down the hall to the closed bathroom door. He heard the shower still running and relaxed a bit.
“She’s better,” he said slowly.
“She’s still off the sofa? Still sleeping with you in your bed?”
“Yeah.”
“Nightmares?”
“Some.” Aidan paused, decided to be honest with Gabi’s half-sister. “Lots of them, actually. About being trapped in the dark and not being able to breathe.”
Maria nodded. “She’s still refusing to talk to someone?”
“Yeah.” Aidan exhaled, hard. “She says she’ll cope just fine on her own and with my support. That she just needs some more time.”
“Well, time will help for sure and so will your love,” Maria said. “But Gabi needs more than that. She was buried alive… nobody can deal with that without professional help.”
“I know, hon,” Aidan said. He hesitated, took the plunge. “Maybe you can try to talk to her? Maybe she’ll listen to you?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” Maria’s tone was firm and Aidan was amazed – yet again – at how quickly this sweet, shy woman could turn all kick-ass in the blink of an eye. “It’s one of the reasons I came over to stay with her tonight.”
“You have an agenda, huh?” Aidan grinned a bit. “Her favorite Indian food to butter her up and then you move on in for the kill?”
“Aw, Aidan.” Maria’s dark eyes were sparkling. “You know me so well.”
“I do, darlin’.” He heard the shower turn off and he switched on the kettle to make the ladies some tea. “And you know what else I know?”
“What?” Maria sat down on the sofa.
“That you’re the girl for the job… if anyone can talk your sister in to seeing a therapist, I do believe it’s you.”
“I hope you’re right,” Maria said. “Because she needs this – I think she needs it more than any of us really know.”
**
Gabriela Torres stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. She heard voices in the living room and she knew that Maria and Aidan were talking.
He meant it. He wasn’t going to give up, not ever, not until she let him try to convince her to take him back. And given half a chance, he would convince her. After today, she was certain of it. Her aching heart would urge her to believe anything he said; her treacherous body would take him back inside. Mirrie would have hope again, for the first time in four years – and this weakness and need would sign both of their death warrants.
That was when she knew what she had to do.
Chapter Five
Aidan opened the door of his apartment, smiled down at Maria.
“Hey, darlin’,” he drawled at her. “How you doing?”
Maria Torres stepped in to Aidan and Gabi’s home, handed over a bag of takeaway Indian food.
“I’m good,” she said in her soft voice. “You doing alright?”
“Always,” Aidan said with a wink. “And how’s your man?”
Right away, Maria blushed, just like Aidan knew she would. “Dillon’s fine. He’s bouncing tonight so you’ll see him at Curves.”
“Awesome.” Aidan took the food in to the open-plan kitchen and set it on the counter. “We’ll pick up chicks together.”
Maria giggled. “Yeah. Like that’ll happen.” She glanced around the cozy apartment. “Gabi’s here?”
“In the bathroom.”
Something in his voice made Maria look over at him. At first glance, he seemed to be just fine: all golden grace and large, rangy muscles in well-worn jeans and a tight white t-shirt. Aidan was all about Southern charm and devil-may-care grins – but Maria took in the tired lines around his gold eyes, the way he was holding himself a bit too straight, and she knew that he was thinking about leaving Gabi here while he went to work. As usual, Maria would be with her, but still. Aidan hated to go, especially when he worked a late shift.
“How’s she doing?” Maria asked quietly.
Aidan shrugged, shot a look down the hall to the closed bathroom door. He heard the shower still running and relaxed a bit.
“She’s better,” he said slowly.
“She’s still off the sofa? Still sleeping with you in your bed?”
“Yeah.”
“Nightmares?”
“Some.” Aidan paused, decided to be honest with Gabi’s half-sister. “Lots of them, actually. About being trapped in the dark and not being able to breathe.”
Maria nodded. “She’s still refusing to talk to someone?”
“Yeah.” Aidan exhaled, hard. “She says she’ll cope just fine on her own and with my support. That she just needs some more time.”
“Well, time will help for sure and so will your love,” Maria said. “But Gabi needs more than that. She was buried alive… nobody can deal with that without professional help.”
“I know, hon,” Aidan said. He hesitated, took the plunge. “Maybe you can try to talk to her? Maybe she’ll listen to you?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” Maria’s tone was firm and Aidan was amazed – yet again – at how quickly this sweet, shy woman could turn all kick-ass in the blink of an eye. “It’s one of the reasons I came over to stay with her tonight.”
“You have an agenda, huh?” Aidan grinned a bit. “Her favorite Indian food to butter her up and then you move on in for the kill?”
“Aw, Aidan.” Maria’s dark eyes were sparkling. “You know me so well.”
“I do, darlin’.” He heard the shower turn off and he switched on the kettle to make the ladies some tea. “And you know what else I know?”
“What?” Maria sat down on the sofa.
“That you’re the girl for the job… if anyone can talk your sister in to seeing a therapist, I do believe it’s you.”
“I hope you’re right,” Maria said. “Because she needs this – I think she needs it more than any of us really know.”
**
Gabriela Torres stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. She heard voices in the living room and she knew that Maria and Aidan were talking.
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