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  “It is so great to be here,” she said. “I guess I should go around and see everyone.”

  “Yeah,” Seamus said. “But keep your eyes on the prize. That steak should be done soon, and Emmet’s been eyeing it.”

  “I will cut him if he thinks he is getting my steak,” she said, leaving Seamus laughing as she moved on to talk with her friends.

  It was damned good to be home.

  * * *

  Wendy spent the next two hours talking to people, eating the best-damned steak she had ever had, and drinking two glasses of her favorite wine. It had been six months since she’d had any, and the wine had made her just a little tipsy.

  “I want you to go right in there and sleep. Don’t unpack,” Deidre said. “Take a shower, brush your teeth, and collapse. Just make sure you text that girl of mine because she worries so much about you.”

  “Thank you,” Wendy said, giving Deidre a long, hard hug. Before meeting Kaitlin’s family, she didn’t understand just how to show affection, but they all allowed her to be who she was. It came easier to her these days.

  “We’re proud of you.”

  She blinked, her eyes burning with unshed tears once again. It had to be the lack of sleep. “Thank you.”

  Then Deidre stepped out of her apartment, and Wendy locked the door behind her. She glanced around her living room, and it looked much like it had before she left. Someone had kept it clean, more likely Deidre, and there were little touches here and there. A new candle sat on her coffee table. She wandered into the kitchen, not sure what to do. She was beyond exhausted, but she was weirdly wired—unable to settle down.

  She opened the fridge and smiled at all the containers. Deidre had been right. Declan had been busy. She shut the door and looked around. It was odd being there completely on her own. For the last six months, she hadn't been out of contact with other folks, other than for sleeping. Wendy wandered around her apartment, unsure what to do with herself. For six months, she’d pretty much worked from sun up to sun down. Work had filled her days and she hadn't regretted it. But now, she didn’t seem to know what she should be doing.

  She was tired, but oddly, Wendy couldn’t seem to relax. Travel grime made her feel as if bugs were crawling on her skin, so she decided to take a shower. It was the only thing Wendy could think of doing at the moment. On her way to the bathroom, she noticed the mail had been stacked neatly on the table she always kept it on. She grabbed it up and started to go through it. Most of it wasn't important. Then she saw the envelope. It looked like an invitation, and it had her father's address on it. God, was he getting married again? Wendy didn’t know if he’d gotten divorced, but that didn’t mean anything.

  She didn't know, but she couldn't stop herself from opening it and finding a high school graduation announcement for her sister Clarice inside. She had missed it, of course, because she had been thousands of miles away. Truthfully, she hadn't realized her half-sister was that old. The last time she had seen her was...damn, Clarice had been in middle school, so at least five years.

  She tossed the invitation in the trash, feeling only slightly guilty. Her half siblings wanted nothing to do with her. No, she thought as she grabbed her toiletry bag. That was an unfair assessment. They didn't know her any better than she knew them.

  More than likely, she was going to have some nasty email from her father or stepmother because she hadn't acknowledged her sister. She pushed the thought away. She headed into the bathroom, happy that for once in a long time, she could take however long she wanted in the shower without worrying about who was next.

  She undressed quickly and stepped into the shower. The hot water pounded her sore muscles, and it hurt at first. It only took a few moments for the heat to relax her muscles. Using the new bar of soap that had been left for her, she lathered up and quickly washed away the grime of travel. She took longer with her hair. Being able to rinse it out thoroughly was a luxury not available to her in months.

  Wendy wanted to take longer—she did—but she felt slightly dizzy a few times. She knew the lack of sleep had left her out of sorts. Quickly drying off, then dressing and brushing her teeth, Wendy went to her bed. She didn't care that her hair was wet. She just cared that there was a king size bed she could wallow in.

  Slipping beneath the fresh, soft covers, she sighed. The clean scent told her that Deidre had made sure they had been put on her bed that morning. It was dark, but not as dark as it had been in Africa. Over there, the darkness always seemed to close in her. But, with the soft noises of the wind against her window, she felt the weight of the last six months heavy in her soul. The memories of the children, of those who made it—and those who did not—crowded her memories. Everything she had been holding back, all the times she felt like crying during those long months, hit her. She curled up against the pillow next to her and cried for the first time in weeks.

  * * *

  Aeden stood outside of Wendy's apartment door and hesitated. He hadn't wanted to work last night, but it was his last night for two weeks. He had taken these two weeks off with a mission in mind. Either he and Wendy made a go of it, or he went off to drown his sorrows in Mexico.

  It took him another minute to drum up the courage to knock on the door. Nothing.

  He knocked again, then he heard a stream of curses on the other side. It continued and grew louder as he expected Wendy made her way to the door. She opened the door, and her eyes widened.

  “Aeden.”

  Her hair was a mess, and she was only wearing a pair of knit boxers and a tank top. God, she was gorgeous. For a long moment, he couldn’t think of anything to say. For months he had been planning this moment, and now that it had arrived, he couldn’t seem to find any words. Just seeing her stole his breath away.

  “You didn't look through the peep hole to see it was me?” he asked, then mentally chastised himself for the accusatory tone.

  Thankfully, Wendy paid no attention. She shook her head. “I'm...damn, what time is it?”

  It got awkward standing there, so he decided to take the situation in hand.

  “Are you going to make me stand out here?”

  Again, her eyes widened. “I'm sorry. Just, no sleep, jet lag.”

  But she didn't move.

  “So that means you aren't going to let me in?”

  “Oh, no. I mean, yes. I mean, just come in.”

  She stepped back and let him walk into her apartment. He knew his mother had been over a couple of times during Wendy's stint in Africa to keep an eye on things. He had been tempted to ask for the key but had decided against it. Aeden was pretty sure that Kaitlin had suspicions about his relationship with Wendy, but he didn’t want to back Wendy into the corner. If she came back from Africa and didn’t want to continue, he didn’t want his family bothering her about it.

  He heard the door click shut behind him and he turned around. Wendy was staring at him. The six months hadn't been easy; he had known that. She had lost weight, and there were dark circles beneath her eyes. That could be blamed on the trip, but he knew that part of it was the experience. Their emails and short phone calls had been about that.

  “So, you stopped by.”

  He nodded. “I had to finish out my shift so I could have the next two weeks off.”

  She pulled her lower lip between her teeth. The woman was trying to kill him. While she had been gone, there had been no one. He hadn't even had a desire to touch another woman. Oh, there was his trip to Hawaii and his flirtation with a woman, who ended up being a Santini in the end. But not a single other woman had intrigued him.

  Not when he knew he would see Wendy again.

  “Are you going somewhere?”

  He shrugged. “Depends.”

  “On what?”

  He cocked his head to the side and studied her. “On you.”

  She said nothing, but continued to stare at him with those huge eyes of hers. “How so?”

  He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I'm here to see if yo
u wanted to continue.”

  “And if I do?”

  “Then I plan on spending the next two weeks in bed.”

  She let the moment stretch out, saying nothing. Then, slowly, her mouth curved. “Is that a fact?”

  He nodded, not taking his gaze from hers.

  “Well, I guess it's a good thing I don't have much to do for the next two weeks.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Are you crazy. Of course, that's a yes.”

  “Thank God,” he muttered as he took two huge steps toward her.

  Without another word, he cupped her face and bent his head to kiss her, sliding his tongue between her lips. She slipped her hands up his arms and around his neck. Aeden wanted her right then, at that moment. The beast inside of him, the one that had been suffering for months without her, wanted to do nothing more than lift her off the floor and bang her against the door. But, the more civilized part of him knew better. Plus, he wanted to take his time with her.

  So, instead, he pulled back from the kiss, bent down, lifted her into his arms, and strode into her room.

  Chapter 2

  Wendy's head was spinning as Aeden walked into her bedroom. She had never been picked up by a man like that before. It was almost romantic. No. She couldn't think that way. She would end up being disappointed when it all fell apart. Instead, she would just live in the moment and enjoy everything. He laid her down on the bed, then undressed. God, the man was built. She had dated a couple of firemen in her day, but she had never been with someone like Aeden. They were all in good shape, of course. Aeden, however, was built like a God.

  Sculpted muscles, tanned flesh, and the most amazing ass she had ever seen on a man. That was high praise coming from someone who had dated a fitness instructor with a show on a cable network.

  Aeden outshone all the men she had ever seen naked. Of course, at the moment, he was still wearing a pair of gray knit boxers, which did nothing to hide his erection. The fabric clung to the long, hard length of him.

  "Enjoying the view?" he asked.

  She glanced up at him. She let her mouth curve. "Most definitely."

  She sat up as he approached the bed. Aeden set something on the bedside table, and she realized it was a condom.

  She reached out to him and pressed her hand against his abdomen. The man had a six pack that would embarrass any man who stood beside him. She slipped her fingers over his abs then let her hand drift lower. Her first inclination was to tug on the fabric. Instead, she pressed her hand around his erection. The quick indrawn breath from him had her looking up. He was looking down at her with heat in his eyes. Then, she slid her fingers over his cock, rubbing the fabric against the firm flesh. His eyes darkened more; then they slid closed before he tipped his head back.

  "Damn, that feels good."

  Emboldened by his response, Wendy swung her legs over the side of the bed before leaning forward to place kisses over his shaft.

  "Damn," he muttered again, but she didn't understand what else he said. She was barely paying attention. Instead, she slipped her fingers beneath the waistband of his jockeys and slid them down far enough for his erection to spring free.

  Without hesitating, she wrapped her hand around him, stroking him several times before she leaned forward to take him into her mouth. The salty sweet of him hit her first; that enticing flavor had her almost losing it right then and there. It had been a long time, and she had been dreaming of this moment for six long months. She’d had many nightmares while she had been in Africa, but they were equal in number to the hot, sexual fantasies that had played out in her sleep. She'd become obsessed with having him again.

  She was almost completely lost and wanted to continue her torture, but apparently, Aeden had had enough. He eased her back.

  "I wasn't done."

  "Oh, no you aren't done. That's for sure."

  He skimmed his boxers down his legs, then stepped out of them, before he said, "Lay back."

  She did as he asked. He grabbed the bottom of her tank top and stripped it off her before he grabbed her shorts and panties. The sigh that escaped his lips was filled with satisfaction. Bending down, he settled his hands on either side of her head.

  "I've been dreaming about this for months."

  "Yeah?" she asked.

  "You ruined me, you know? I haven't been able to even think about another woman since that night with you."

  She thought he was joking, so she smiled as she shook her head.

  His eyes widened. "What? You don't believe me?"

  "You don't have to use flowery words with me, Aeden."

  It was his turn to shake his head. "Oh, but I do. You deserve the truth. I even went on a trip to Hawaii. Not even tempted by anyone in a bikini."

  She tried to caution herself when she felt the little jump in her heart. Aeden wasn't a man who had long relationships, and she wasn't a woman who had them either.

  Before she could say anything else, he said, "I guess I'll just have to show you."

  He bent his head and teased her nipple before lowering himself on top of her. Then, he went to work on destroying her.

  After sliding to lay beside her on the bed, he dragged the flat of his tongue against one nipple as he pinched the other one between his fingers. The act sent heat racing through her blood. He lifted his head, then blew on her wet flesh.

  "Aw, look there. So beautiful." The awe in his voice made her blink. He was treating her as he had that night so long ago as if she were precious.

  He kissed his way over to her other nipple, giving it the same treatment as before. He grazed his teeth over it, as his hand slipped down between her legs.

  "Oh, you've missed me too, I see," he said, the lazy arousal she heard in his voice sent another wave of heat rushing through her. She was wet with need, and she didn’t deny it. She had never been embarrassed by her sexuality, and she wasn't about to start now. Closing her eyes, she pressed up against his hand as he slid his fingers over her slit. It was a light, teasing touch that was driving her insane. She was ready to demand more, but he didn't give her a chance. He slid from the bed to kneel on the floor. With quick movements, he tugged her closer to the edge of the mattress.

  He teased her first, skimming his tongue over her right, then her left inner thigh. He pressed her legs further apart and leaned closer, but he still teased her. He kissed just above her sex before he slid down to slip his tongue inside of her. Oh, God, that felt so good. She moaned, not able to even think of holding back. Everything she had been dreaming about—the memory of his mouth, his hands, his body—was better than she had hoped for.

  He slid a finger into her core, as he continued the sensual assault on her body. Trying to urge him on, she tried to lift herself up against his mouth, but he pressed his hand against her stomach to hold her still. His slow, measured pace was driving her to madness. He added another finger, then slid his tongue up to her clit. The small amount of pressure inched her closer to completion, but not far enough. Again and again, he repeated the action until she could no longer control herself. Irritation pulled a growl that vibrated out of her chest. He lifted his head and looked up at her.

  “What’s the matter?”

  She could tell by his tone that he knew exactly what was wrong.

  “You’re driving me crazy.”

  “Hmm,” he said, as he continued to move his fingers in and out of her. Her body was one big throbbing hormone ready to pounce on any opportunity to find satisfaction.

  “I kind of think it’s fair play, you know. Because you have been driving me crazy for years.”

  She opened her mouth to blast him, but he pressed his thumb against her clit just hard enough to pull a moan from her. Then he backed away.

  “Aeden.”

  “What?” he asked, as he did it again. Then once more.

  She was shivering, ready to kill him when he pulled away and stood. He grabbed the condom, ripped open the package, and rolled it on. He joined her back on the bed,
pulled her to the center before situating himself between her legs. Grabbing her by the hips, he lifted her up to his mouth again.

  “I can’t get enough of you,” he said, as he licked her slit again. “I’ve been dreaming of your taste every night.” Then, he lowered her. With one hard, swift move, he entered her.

  “Oh, God.” It had been a long time, and he was so big, but she didn’t care. It felt so incredibly good to be filled with him, connected in the most intimate way.

  He started to move with measured thrusts, but soon, he seemed to lose his grip on his control. As his movements became more frantic, Wendy felt her orgasm approaching, so close again. It shimmered just out of reach, the tension building each time he thrust inside of her.

  “That’s it. Come for me, Wendy. Come with me.”

  He flicked his finger over her clit once again, and there was no holding back anymore. The orgasm tore through her. Just as she was coming down from her release, he pushed her over the edge once more. Mere seconds later, he thrust into her one last time and shouted her name as he joined her in pleasure.

  * * *

  After convincing Wendy to eat something, Aeden had coaxed her into bed again. And although his baser instinct wanted to have a taste of her again, he made sure she fell asleep. She looked so tired, and he knew that the jet lag had to be kicking her ass.

  So, he had snoozed alongside her for an hour or so but woke up thanks to some noisy neighbors. Raising up on his elbow, he watched her sleep. Not in a creepy stalker kind of way. But in a way…it was hard to describe it even to himself. He’d known her for close to a decade. The annoying best friend of his little sister. She had attracted him right off, and before he realized, she grew up rich. He’d tangled with that particular animal before, and he had the scars to prove it. He had tried to keep his distance. But no matter what he had tried, he couldn’t seem to stay away.

  Unexpectedly, there was that fateful night, the one when he found out she was going to Africa for six months. It had been a topsy-turvy day. His baby sister had gotten married, and when the news hit that Wendy wouldn’t be there for months, he had sought her out and done the one thing he had been dying to do for years. One kiss had led to more, and then to a night that, well…he still had dreams about it. Of course, after their lovemaking session earlier, he’d discovered another memory he could obsess over.