Riding Curves by Christa Wick Page A

it for two reasons, a commission or
friendship."
    I had to stop and force more air into
my lungs before I could continue. "Neither applies, so I don't feel
right keeping it."
    I turned slowly toward the entryway,
my head spinning five times as fast as my body moved. I knew I was
in danger of passing out. My vision narrowed and I couldn't hear
anything over the roaring pulse. I had to get out, had to reach my
car and pull it out of Aiden's view and then I could pass out for
as long as I wanted.
    When I woke, I would have a two state
drive ahead of me.
    I reached the door, blinded by tears.
I fumbled for the lock, panicking because I couldn't breathe
in.
    Aiden's hand covered mine. Gently, he
moved me away from the door then blocked it with his body. He
opened the lid of the box and pulled the pin out. Setting the box
aside, he ran his fingers over the edge of the wings, forcing the
bottom wings to flip up. The butterfly transformed to the shape of
a heart.
    "You look like you're going to pass
out, Cece." He pinned the heart to my blouse then put an arm around
my shoulder and led me to the couch.
    Once I was sitting, he pushed lightly
against my chest. "Lean back."
    I started to comply, then reversed my
direction. "I think I'm supposed to put my head between my
legs."
    "No." Using both hands, he maneuvered
my body until I rested fully against the couch back.
    "I'm pretty sure," I argued, but
stopped resisting.
    "Baby girl, I can't kiss you if your
head's between your legs."
    I nodded even though I could not wrap
my mind around what he had just said. Why on earth would Aiden want
to kiss me? I had said awful things to him then hid like a coward
when I found out they were lies. And I had to look
    "Shh…" Leaning close to me, he stroked
my cheek, his chin resting against my shoulder. Tilting his head
just a fraction, he kissed the line of my chin. A little push up
and his mouth pressed against the corner, just below my ear. He
cupped the other side of my face, his fingertips roughly caressing
my scalp and neck. He kept petting me like that, his lips taking
slow, biting kisses until I curled into him and he wrapped his arms
around me.
    "I'm sorry I pushed you toward dating
someone else." His lips ghosted mine, a rapacious heat flaring
inside my body at the contact. My nipples went hard and my thighs
started to squeeze together as he continued. "That was the first
wedge between us, Cece."
    His hand pushed along my spine, from
my tailbone up, my shirt moving with it. Feeling his hand on my
bare flesh, I arched into him and shook my head. "I was the bigger
wedge. I was listening to my own noise, Cecilia
Harpoon--"
    Growling lightly, he pushed his chest
harder against mine as his hands drew me closer. "Stop that, baby.
You're so fucking beautiful, it hurts me to look at
you."
    I closed my eyes and pressed my
quivering lips together. I could only imagine how purpled my tear
streaked face was at that moment, the long hours of crying making
everything twice as swollen and puffy.
    "Baby," he growled again, the sound
more fierce than gentle. "You don't have to see what I see, you
just have to believe I see it."
    He kissed my throat, a shameful, needy
moan erupting from me at the contact. I didn't deserve his touch,
not because of how I looked, but how I had acted. I had no faith in
Aiden despite his every action toward me proving I could trust
him.
    "Baby," he nudged the side of my mouth
with his nose. "Can you believe me?"
    "Yes." Opening my eyes, I drew a shaky
breath in. He was so beautiful, the raw emotions twisting his face
only magnifying that beauty. I licked my lips then nudged him back.
"Where is this conversation going?"
    He pulled away just enough to run a
thumb over the pin. "I thought you had this all week and most of
last. I've been walking around in knots -- sad knots, angry
knots."
    Cupping my face, he rested his
forehead against mine. "I thought I could make it through you
walking out the door. I couldn't -- I don't ever