Come on in and let’s talk about your brother.”
The concern on her face told him she already knew.
Of course, she knows. Aaron loves her as much as I do.
He followed her into the kitchen.
Chapter Eight
Wearing only boxers, Aaron rolled out of bed. He’d dozed some, thanks to the whiskey he’d drank, but mostly, he’d just stared at the ceiling. He still had a slight buzz, but most of the effects of the liquor had worn off. Too bad. All he could think of was how Kyle had reacted to the news he had cancer. The last thing he wanted to do was to cause his brother more pain. But what choice did he have?
He’d put off telling him more, but now he knew that had been a bad idea. His brother deserved to know the whole truth.
His mouth was bone dry, so he marched to the kitchen, hoping to get some water and find Kyle.
He did find someone, but the person wasn’t his brother.
Gya.
The only light in the kitchen came from the fridge, which she was holding open. It illuminated her in a warm glow. She wore an oversized T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Her blonde locks fell to her shoulders.
God, she’s so cute.
She was exactly his type, but that didn’t matter now. It wouldn’t be right to pursue her. She and Kyle might make a go of it. Without me.
He knew he should silently turn and go back to his bedroom, but for some reason all he could do was stare at her.
She pulled out the milk container and poured herself a glass. Before he could exit she turned around, and in a flash her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped and so did the milk container and glass.
“I didn’t mean to startle you, Gya.”
“Kyle told me you went to bed.” She bent down and began picking up shards of glass. “I heard him leave a little bit ago, so I thought I was alone.”
“Let me help you with that. After all, it was my fault.” He knelt down beside her and saw her feet were bare. “Damn. You don’t have any shoes on.”
“Neither do you?”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re not going to get cut.” He swept her up into his arms and lifted her off the floor. Staring into her golden brown eyes, he inhaled her sweet aroma. “God, you smell good.”
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Is this how you treat all your clients? Quite the red carpet if you ask me.”
Holding her in his arms felt so good, so right. Unable to hold back, he pressed his mouth to her full, red lips. His heart pounded in his chest like a jackhammer. For the first time in a long time he felt really alive. He started to deepen his kiss, but then reason sliced through his carelessness. He stopped abruptly.
She blinked. “What’s the matter?”
He had to look away. “I’m sorry, Gya.”
“Why are you sorry?”
He didn’t answer. Couldn’t answer. The truth was too painful.
He carried her to a safe distance from the broken glass and placed her in one of the kitchen chairs.
“Stay right there and don’t get up.” He knew his tone was too harsh. “I’ll clean this up and then you can go back to bed.”
She didn’t deserve this, but he didn’t know what else to do. He had to keep her at bay. He couldn’t look at her. Everything about Gya called to him. If he let himself, he would succumb to the impossible dream. But that was all it could be—a dream.
Cancer. I have cancer. Fuck.
He turned on the kitchen lights. Before he could pick up a single shard, Gya leapt to her feet. “You think you can just kiss me and plop me in a chair, Mr. G-man, Mr. Sourpuss, Mr. Sunglasses. Well I have news for you. I’ve taken care of myself my whole life, and I don’t need you telling me what to do. I asked you a question, and you’re damn well going to answer it.”
He grinned at her fire. God, she is the whole package.
“Smiling? You think this is funny.” She stepped in front of him and placed her hands on his chest. “There’s nothing funny about this.”
He stepped back, laughing, and cut his foot on a tiny piece of glass. “Damn,
The concern on her face told him she already knew.
Of course, she knows. Aaron loves her as much as I do.
He followed her into the kitchen.
Chapter Eight
Wearing only boxers, Aaron rolled out of bed. He’d dozed some, thanks to the whiskey he’d drank, but mostly, he’d just stared at the ceiling. He still had a slight buzz, but most of the effects of the liquor had worn off. Too bad. All he could think of was how Kyle had reacted to the news he had cancer. The last thing he wanted to do was to cause his brother more pain. But what choice did he have?
He’d put off telling him more, but now he knew that had been a bad idea. His brother deserved to know the whole truth.
His mouth was bone dry, so he marched to the kitchen, hoping to get some water and find Kyle.
He did find someone, but the person wasn’t his brother.
Gya.
The only light in the kitchen came from the fridge, which she was holding open. It illuminated her in a warm glow. She wore an oversized T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Her blonde locks fell to her shoulders.
God, she’s so cute.
She was exactly his type, but that didn’t matter now. It wouldn’t be right to pursue her. She and Kyle might make a go of it. Without me.
He knew he should silently turn and go back to his bedroom, but for some reason all he could do was stare at her.
She pulled out the milk container and poured herself a glass. Before he could exit she turned around, and in a flash her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped and so did the milk container and glass.
“I didn’t mean to startle you, Gya.”
“Kyle told me you went to bed.” She bent down and began picking up shards of glass. “I heard him leave a little bit ago, so I thought I was alone.”
“Let me help you with that. After all, it was my fault.” He knelt down beside her and saw her feet were bare. “Damn. You don’t have any shoes on.”
“Neither do you?”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re not going to get cut.” He swept her up into his arms and lifted her off the floor. Staring into her golden brown eyes, he inhaled her sweet aroma. “God, you smell good.”
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Is this how you treat all your clients? Quite the red carpet if you ask me.”
Holding her in his arms felt so good, so right. Unable to hold back, he pressed his mouth to her full, red lips. His heart pounded in his chest like a jackhammer. For the first time in a long time he felt really alive. He started to deepen his kiss, but then reason sliced through his carelessness. He stopped abruptly.
She blinked. “What’s the matter?”
He had to look away. “I’m sorry, Gya.”
“Why are you sorry?”
He didn’t answer. Couldn’t answer. The truth was too painful.
He carried her to a safe distance from the broken glass and placed her in one of the kitchen chairs.
“Stay right there and don’t get up.” He knew his tone was too harsh. “I’ll clean this up and then you can go back to bed.”
She didn’t deserve this, but he didn’t know what else to do. He had to keep her at bay. He couldn’t look at her. Everything about Gya called to him. If he let himself, he would succumb to the impossible dream. But that was all it could be—a dream.
Cancer. I have cancer. Fuck.
He turned on the kitchen lights. Before he could pick up a single shard, Gya leapt to her feet. “You think you can just kiss me and plop me in a chair, Mr. G-man, Mr. Sourpuss, Mr. Sunglasses. Well I have news for you. I’ve taken care of myself my whole life, and I don’t need you telling me what to do. I asked you a question, and you’re damn well going to answer it.”
He grinned at her fire. God, she is the whole package.
“Smiling? You think this is funny.” She stepped in front of him and placed her hands on his chest. “There’s nothing funny about this.”
He stepped back, laughing, and cut his foot on a tiny piece of glass. “Damn,
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