His to Cherish

by Stacey Lynn

  Before I could speak, he tugged me toward him and kissed me with an intensity that had the truck’s windows completely fogged over and our breath ragged when he pulled away.

  When he did, my head was still spinning from his confession and his magical powers with his tongue. I was still stunned stupid when he started the truck and backed out of the Johnsons’ driveway.

  “So. Corn dogs, gyros, or nachos?”

  My eyebrows pulled in. “Pardon me?”

  “Carnival food. What do you want for dinner?”

  It took a moment for the spinning in my head to settle before I smiled. Did he know he’d stolen not only my breath, but my heart as well?

  “Corn dogs.”

  He gave me a quick glance out of the corner of his eye. “My kinda girl.”

  —

  Being on display was one of the most uncomfortable things in the world for me. In high school, I had volunteered to be a stagehand in the drama club instead of an actor. In college, I’d always sat in the center of the room so other students would surround me. Even in my relationship with Cory, I had managed to go along with whatever he wanted, because his charisma was so strong he constantly outshined me. It had always been easier to go with the flow than fight against the tide.

  So walking through the carnival, constantly running into parents who knew both Aidan and me, it was essentially the equivalent of the recurring nightmare where I showed up at school in my underwear and bra, a mismatched ugly cotton set at that, and late for a calculus final.

  In other words, complete and utter hell.

  But as the night went on and we gorged ourselves on cotton candy and corn dogs, a gyro for good measure, and more sweet treats, the tide began to change.

  Aidan inspired confidence. It was in the quiet way he composed himself, his ability to answer questions about Derrick and shake hands with everyone who stepped in his way with a small smile and quiet acceptance of their condolences. It was in the way that no matter who threw themselves in his path—single moms, and on purpose, most likely—he held my hand or kept an arm wrapped around my waist, not letting anything or anyone pull us apart.

  Between the way he held on to me, clearly showing the entire town that we were together, and his confession in the truck on the way over, I was practically preening under not only his attention, but others’ as well.

  My smile was wide. My laugh was loud and genuine as I stood back, trying to watch Aidan win a stuffed bear for me by shooting a water gun toward a stack of metal bottles.

  I tried to convince him the carnival games were rigged, but he shushed me with a look that said, Oh please.

  I’d now spent the last twenty minutes watching him pay dollar after dollar, and I had yet to be able to pick out a bear.

  “Winner!” The bell dinged and Aidan jumped out of his chair, fists pumping in the air.

  “You did it!” I shouted, clapping. My cheeks heated as everyone stopped to watch Aidan grab me around the waist, lifting and spinning me in the air.

  “Told you I’d win,” he said, smiling when he set me on my feet.

  “Yup. You did. Games aren’t rigged at all.”

  He guffawed. “It’s all skill, baby.”

  “After fifteen games, I’m not quite sure what kind of skill it is you’re implying you have.”

  He leaned down, gritting his teeth in a mock growl, and planted his lips in the crook of my neck. “Be nice,” he rumbled, “or you’ll pay later.”

  I laughed. “I’m not sure there’s an incentive to niceness with that kind of threat.”

  “Come on.” He hooked his arm around my neck and pulled me toward him. “I need more food. But first, pick one.” He pointed to the three-foot-tall stuffed bears, and I chose the one that was the most atrocious and tacky looking. The one with the lime-green foil ears and mismatched orange nose was so ugly that an unattractive snort escaped.

  I pointed to it. “That one.”

  “That one’s ugly.”

  I turned to Aidan and pushed him off me slightly. “That one makes me laugh,” I protested, a smile growing on my face. He glanced from me to the bear, a question in his eyes before conceding. “As you wish.”

  “I like the sound of that,” I teased.

  We left the water gun game and headed toward the tents that lined the edges of the carnival. They held advertising for business, churches, as well as more food.

  As if my stomach and Kate’s Kakes were connected by invisible fishing line, I felt the pull toward her tent as soon as we saw it.

  Next to me, Aidan noticed what had caught my interest and let me pull him along.

  I didn’t think it was a hardship for him. He had as much of a soft spot for her cupcakes as I did. Almost.

  It was just another checkmark in his positive column as far as I was concerned.

  “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Latham Hills’s most beautiful new couple gracing me with their presence.”

  A snicker fell from Kate’s lips. Her arms were opened wide, a mischievous grin on her face and a table full of frosted cupcakes in a vast range of colors in front of her.

  My eyes homed in on the ones labeled CHOCOLATE CHIP CARAMEL.

  “What are you talking about?” I asked. My stomach cramped with the need for sugar. My cheeks heated with embarrassment at the title she bestowed upon us.

  Next to me, Aidan’s hand on my waist tightened.

  “You two are the talk of the carnival.”

  “Fantastic,” Aidan deadpanned.

  My head snapped up and I locked eyes with Kate. “What are you talking about?”

  “The fact that you two are together.” She pointed, wiggling her finger between the two of us. “It’s all the women who have bought cupcakes tonight have been talking about.”

  “Awesome,” I muttered, picking up one of her cupcakes. I bit into it before paying and groaned with delight. I intended to pay her. I also intended to eat a half dozen more cupcakes during this horrifically embarrassing conversation. I needed sustenance to see me through. “When you say all the women, how many are we estimating?”

  Aidan picked out his own vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting and took a bite. “And why are they talking about me at all?”

  Kate snorted, as if our questions defied logic. “Please. They talk to me because that’s what happens when women come to my booth and shop. I tell ya, besides bartenders and hairstylists, cupcake bakery owners have the monopoly on local gossip.”

  I frowned. “Wouldn’t three make it a trilogy?”

  “You and your books,” Aidan teased me, muttering over a mouthful of chocolate frosting.

  “Well, she mentioned three—”

  Kate shoved a finger in my direction. “Stay on point.”

  “And what’s that?”

  She rolled her eyes, cheerfully exasperated with me. “Please, sugar loosens lips faster than a lemon drop shot, I guarantee.”

  “I’m pretty sure those shot glasses are lined with sugar, Kate.”

  “Man, you’re being difficult,” she protested, waving me off. “The point of this whole conversation is that you two are the talk of the town tonight, and all the single ladies who have stopped by have been shoveling their faces full of my treats, mourning the loss of Latham Hills’s most-wanted bachelor.”

  “Damn it. There goes my trophy this year.”

  I nudged Aidan and watched as he chuckled next to me. His shoulders shook and his eyes crinkled.

  I fought back the urge to roll up onto my tiptoes and plant a kiss on his lips.

  “Yes,” I nodded with all the seriousness I could muster. “That’s the upsetting thing about this.”

  “There’s nothing upsetting about this.” He turned his eyes toward me. I could see my reflection in his pupils, and the pull to move closer to him grew stronger. “I’m off the market, the vultures leave me alone, and I get to take you out on dates. I see no downside.”

  “Hmm.” I took a bite of my second cupcake. “You do make sense
.”

  “God, you’re cute,” Kate said, happily interrupting us. “And you owe me five dollars for all the treats you just plundered from my table.”

  She held out her hand and I rolled my eyes.

  “Please. I’m eating under duress. If you hadn’t opened your mouth I wouldn’t have eaten anything tonight.”

  She flashed me a look. “We both know that’s not true.”

  I closed my mouth, picked up another two cupcakes for the road, and then handed her a ten. “Keep the change and keep the gossip fountain closed.

  “That’s mortifying,” I said as we stepped away from Kate’s table. I figured with the looks we’d been getting all night long, people were talking about us, but to know with certainty that I’d been added to the town gossip-phone-tree system made my skin crawl.

  Although being with Aidan, I might have to get used to it. The man made heads turn—both male and female—on a typical day. Losing Derrick only increased half the town’s interest in him.

  “They’ll move on to something else soon. Someone more interesting.” Aidan placed his hand on my right hip and pulled me toward his side. I sighed and relaxed into his warm, firm hold. It was as instinctual as breathing, and helped me realize that it didn’t matter what other people said.

  We were together, and whatever was happening between us, regardless of how slowly we moved, we were good. Our new relationship was safe and secure and full of passion mostly because I was with a man who was all of those things and more.

  “If I forget to thank you later,” I whispered, “I had a really nice time tonight.”

  Aidan laughed, that low, thick rumble from his chest that made my abdomen warm. “Should I have shown up with a limo or a plane and whisked you to the opera instead?”

  Confusion rattled my brain and it took me a second before understanding dawned. I poked his side and watched him squirm.

  “I wasn’t quoting Pretty Woman, I was being sincere. I’d do any of those things for you, too, if I could.”

  I didn’t doubt he was serious, and as we continued walking through the carnival, eating more junk food that was going to take me weeks to run off and playing more games that had to cause a major hit to Aidan’s wallet, I knew I’d do the same thing for him.

  I wanted to give him everything he wanted.

  I wanted to make his dreams come true.

  I wanted to make sure he never had a reason to cry again.

  —

  By the time Aidan walked me into his house, one of his hands at the small of my back, I was high on chocolate and drunk on love and spouting enough silent clichés inside my head that I wondered if I needed to take a trip to a shrink.

  Or drink a gallon of water to calm my sugar buzz.

  I couldn’t help myself. I hadn’t been back to Aidan’s house since the night Mandy had shown up, and my pulse was racing.

  Arousal and anticipation fought for first place with my nerves.

  Trepidation had me wanting to flee, to put this off for another night, or maybe suggest we go to my house where I felt safer.

  More comfortable.

  Where my last memory of being with Aidan wasn’t hearing that I was nobody important.

  Forget it.

  I tried, I did. But Aidan sensed my hesitation as we reached the foot of the staircase. His hand on my lower back moved to my hip.

  He tightened his hold, stopping me.

  “We don’t have to do this,” he said, looking down at me, and I could feel his eyes examining me.

  His bright eyes softened, and he moved closer, cupping the back of my neck with his other hand. He burrowed his fingers into my blond, messy locks and pressed his forehead against mine.

  Every movement he made, every brush of his skin on me, caused my fears and concerns, the memories and hurt, to dissipate.

  “I want to,” I murmured. Rational thought fled my brain when he stood close to me and looked at me the way he was.

  “I want you.” I felt the rumble of his deep voice down to my toes and shivered.

  I slid my hand into his and tugged him toward the stairs. “Then take me.”

  I took two steps up before I felt Aidan’s hand slide from my own. And then his hands were on my hips, lifting me and tossing me over his shoulder.

  I squealed in shock, my fingers grabbing on to Aidan’s backside pockets so I didn’t fall over him as he carried me up the stairs.

  His laugh rumbled and filled the air, slashing through any remaining doubts or worries.

  He loved me. He hadn’t said it yet, but he’d warned me he would, and that was more than enough for me.

  I was so deeply in love with this man, I’d give him all the time he needed.

  When we got to his bedroom he tossed me onto the bed and I let out an “oomph” as I hit the mattress.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said, his smile still wide and his eyes shining. He bent over me and crawled onto the bed until we were pressed chest to chest. He dropped to his elbows and his lips slid across mine. “I want to taste you everywhere.”

  I shivered with delight and my hands gripped his biceps. Pushing my head back into the large and fluffy pillows, I grinned. “Then what are you waiting for?”

  —

  After Aidan had pulled off my clothes and pleasured me—not only with his tongue, but by making love slowly to me and giving me two more orgasms—we lay naked and wrapped in each other’s arms. Our legs were entwined and our hearts beat against each other’s chest when I finally…finally felt all my insecurities, all my doubts vanish.

  I was never going to have the family I’d always thought I wanted, the family I dreamed of.

  But there was no place I’d rather be than in Aidan’s arms, being loved by him and tangled up with him.

  Chapter 23

  Aidan and I spent the entire day together, lounging around his house, and eating only when necessary. We spent enough hours between his sheets and in various other places in his house making love, that my mind was a pool of mush and my legs were still shaky by the time we made it back to the carnival for Sunday night’s music and fireworks.

  We were looking for Paige and Suzanne and their husbands as well as Tyson and Blue. Declan and Trina were working at Fireside Grill, this weekend being one of their busiest times due to the influx of people in town.

  “You’re late,” Paige scolded when we finally found them amid the crowd inside the beer tent.

  I opened my mouth to apologize when she smiled.

  “Based on the blush on your cheeks I assume you have a good reason.”

  Next to me, Aidan laughed. My cheeks burned with embarrassment.

  “It’s his fault,” I declared, pointing to Aidan.

  He leaned down and whispered in my ear. “Actually, I think that last time was your fault.”

  I flashed him a scolding look, but he shrugged unashamedly and took a pull from his beer.

  Next to him, Tyson slapped him on the back and Blue covered her mouth, hiding her giggle.

  Paige grinned.

  “Right,” Paige said, and easily snuggled into Lucas’s embrace as he reached us with two bottles of beer. “Thanks, babe. Lucas, this is Aidan; Aidan this is my husband, Lucas.”

  The two men shook hands and gave each other a manly nod of hello. I assumed by the way Lucas took Aidan in he was also silently appraising the man, and when he smiled at me, giving me another nod, I took it as approval.

  Who knew—men had the oddest silent conversations.

  “Camden’s on her way, but Suzanne just sent me a text that said they’re not able to make it. Said something about not feeling well.”

  “Is she okay?” I frowned.

  Paige shrugged. “I assume so, I think she’s really tired.”

  A small twinge of that old pain hit my chest. I was happy for Suzanne, I truly was. But baby talk always caused me to mourn and remember that would never be me.

  Based on the way Aidan’s hand on my waist twitched, he understood what m
y sudden silence was for.

  Then she turned to Aidan. “Is David coming tonight?”

  I groaned inwardly. Ever since the night she and I met at Fireside, and then the last time we got together, she and Suzanne were in a rush to get him together with Camden. Although I still didn’t see how it was a possibility.

  “Nah, Fireside is always busy this weekend and Declan needed him to help out.”

  “Help?” I asked, tilting my head. “Doesn’t he work there?”

  Tyson snorted and lifted his beer to his lips to hide the strange sound. “Nah. More like hiding. Or running. Asshole needs to get his ass back to work.”

  “What?” I asked, jerking my head back.

  Before I could ask any more questions—because, how strange—Aidan’s lips were at my ear. “I’ll tell you about it later, but it’s really not for public knowledge.”

  I forced a nonchalance I didn’t feel. “Not my business, anyway.”

  It was a lie, my curiosity was like a runaway train. I always assumed David was just staying to be there for Aidan, but he had also mentioned helping out Declan. Plus, with the strange look Trina gave Camden the last time we were all together, it meant there were secrets being kept. My mind began spinning, my overactive imagination kicking into high gear. It wouldn’t be the first time a new friend of mine was suddenly engaged in something absurd like drug cartels and backroom deals and abusive husbands and mysterious pasts. Our lives had been crazy wild from the moment we’d met Blue.

  “You’re thinking really hard,” Aidan said. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

  I smiled, loving how easily he could read my mind. “Whatever you say.”

  After a quick kiss, he turned to Lucas, who was talking to Tyson about the baseball season. The men engaged in a friendly rivalry between the Tigers and Cubs, which was Aidan’s favorite team, and Blue and Paige and I chatted about nothing important. Before I knew it, Camden arrived and our group spent the next few hours laughing, drinking, and enjoying the music before we moved to an outdoor field for the fireworks.

  Aidan was sitting on the blanket, hands behind him and his knees bent with his feet on the ground. He pulled me down and adjusted us so I sat between his knees.