Beyond Chance (17 page)

Opening the menu, I scanned over the few
French words I recognized, but I didn’t see the banana crepe that
Aaron had mentioned. I glanced up at him, noticing that he was
watching me intently.

“Did you decide on something?” he asked.

“I would if I could read the menu.”

He laughed and closed his. “Did you want the
banana one?”

I nodded and sat back in the chair as the
warm breeze picked up slightly.

“Did you know I was known as the law school
dropout?” I asked.

“In what context?” he asked, propping his
elbows on the table.

“It was in one of the articles I saw.”

Aaron’s jaw tensed, and he took a sip of
water. “It’s a hard thing to deal with. Your story isn’t your own
unless you claim it as such and even then they’ll spin it however
they want.”

“Did you ever claim it?” I asked. “Your own
story I mean.”

He let out a deep breath and shook his head.
“No. I never did.”

“Do you regret it?”

“No. I don’t think I do. I try not to live
in regret.”

“But regret is part of life.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” he countered, as
the server came back with our cappuccinos. The server slid the
drinks in front of us and Aaron placed our orders.

“Are you content with your decisions?” I
asked.

“Isn’t that the same as asking if I have any
regrets?” His eyes fastened on mine, and it felt like he was
searching me for something.

“I suppose it is.”

“What are you not asking me, Brandy?”

“I don’t even know.”

“Not sure if I believe that.”

“Well, it will have to do. So what are your
plans for the rest of the week?”

Aaron laughed and shook his head. “I think
some of my bad habits have rubbed off on you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Avoidance.” He smiled and wiped his mouth
with a napkin.

I let out a sigh and shook my head. “Maybe
so.”

“But to answer your question, I only have a
few more days or so of work, and then I think we’ll move the pieces
to a workshop just outside of the city. It’s safer to construct
everything out there.”

“Would we be driving back and forth or…”

“I thought we could stay there while I put
the pieces together. It’ll probably take me about a week.” He let
out a deep sigh, and I saw his posture tense.

“What’s going on? What was that all
about?”

Aaron glided his fingers along his jaw and
stared at the table. “I’m having doubts.”

“Doubts about what in particular?”

“I only have five pieces and I’m not sure
they’re my best work.”

I almost choked on my cappuccino at his
admission.

“Your work is raw and emotional. It speaks
volumes to me. I know everyone will love it.”

“But I don’t.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s nothing you can say. It’s something
I have to deal with. I need to get this show over with and—”

“What do you mean over with?” I
interrupted.

“I mean exactly that. I’ll be happy to have
everything behind me.”

“I’m sure what you’re feeling is normal.
Everything is so personal. You’re putting pieces of yourself on
display. That can’t be easy.”

The server delivered our crepes, but I could
barely concentrate on the food in front of me as I saw Aaron’s
pained expression.

“Can you back out?” I asked, realizing the
seriousness of the situation.

“Absolutely not.”

“Are you afraid people—”

“I’m not afraid,” he cut me off and dug into
his crepe. “I was wrong about many things. I’ll have to see my
commitment through and reevaluate.”

I stared down at the crepe on my plate
covered in bananas, caramel, and ice cream that was quickly
melting. I had no idea how to respond to Aaron so I took a bite
full of caramel goodness.

“Crazy good, isn’t it?” Aaron laughed,
changing the subject.

“I can see how these have become a problem
for you while I was away.”

“I wouldn’t call it a problem…”

“Addicts never do.” I grinned and shoved
another forkful in my mouth, allowing the buttery crepe to dissolve
in my mouth. Ordering two of these would definitely be out of the
question.

“What are you grinning about?” Aaron
asked.

“Honestly?”

He nodded.

“Whether or not ordering two of these back
to back would be bad.”

“I’ve done it.” He set down his fork. “It’s
fine until you have to face yourself in the morning.”

“Well, I guess I’ll enjoy what’s left in
front of me.”

“So have you thought about what you want to
tell the reporters?” he asked.

“I planned on telling them the truth.”

Aaron was quiet for a few moments. “I hate
that I’m even having to say this, but you need to come up with a
way to have your side outshine Derek’s. I’d like to say that the
truth will automatically do that but that’s not how it works.”

“What do you mean?”

“Once you open the floodgates, the
journalists will dig up all kinds of things, no matter how
irrelevant. Your job will be to steer them in the right direction.
I’d spend tomorrow coming up with how you want to be seen in the
public eye.”

“Is that something you did?”

“Not at all. I should have, but I had no
idea what I was in for, and by the time I figured it out, it was
too late. Or maybe I didn’t care at that point.”

“I’m guessing the book I saw online wasn’t
your doing?” I asked.

“Completely unauthorized,” he sighed,
scooting his empty plate away from him.

“That’s what I figured.”

“I’m surprised that still comes up.”

The server dropped off the check and Aaron
placed a few bills and coins in the tray.

“The satisfying thing about that was that it
tanked,” he half joked.

“Always a silver lining.”

“True.”

“Do you think about the things you went
through often?” I asked.

“It’s gotten less over time, but some days
it’s worse than others.”

“It’s not like I ever needed to find
myself…I’ve never been lost. I’ve always known what I wanted and
what I imagined for a life for myself. At least until the
accident.”

“It’s okay to change your mind.”

“Yeah. I know it is, but after today, things
kind of became clear.”

He gave me a puzzled look and I smiled.

“How so?” Aaron studied my expression and
the concern he paid made my body keenly aware of the attention.

Now wasn’t the time to bring up Tracy or
anything else that fed my obsession. Tonight I wanted to focus
solely on Aaron and me. Somehow I knew today’s confrontation
wouldn’t be the end of it, and I wanted to spend a blissful evening
with my boyfriend in Paris.

“I always assumed I’d be working side by
side with my mom at her non-profit. She had control of hours
worked, and granted she didn’t make a ton of money, but she got by.
That was the life I imagined for myself. But the adrenaline rush I
get merely thinking about putting Derek away…and I’m not even on
the case.”

“You’re thinking of switching
concentrations?”

I nodded.

“Wow. So that also means you’re thinking
about going back in the fall…” his voice trailed off. “That’s
awesome news, Brandy. I hoped you would.”

“Really? Why didn’t you ever say
anything?”

“I didn’t want to push you in the wrong
direction, but my gut said law school was where you belonged.”

“I have to be back before the semester
starts.”

“Yes, you do.”

“And it might be before we originally
planned on leaving.”

“That’s fine with me. Whatever we need to
do, we’ll make it happen. Have you told your parents yet?”

A flash of guilt ran through me as I thought
back to what Tracy said, and everything Aaron had already given up
for me. I was angry I even allowed her in my subconscious, but
there she was grinning and waving frantically for attention.

I shook my head. “Not yet. I wanted to
surprise them.”

“And this all transpired within the last
eight hours?” He grinned widely and sat back in the chair.

“What can I say? I have an impulsive
streak.”

Aaron rolled his eyes, but I caught a
glimpse of heated satisfaction. “Should we head back upstairs?”

“It is getting late,” I feigned a yawn and
grinned, but he stood up quickly and helped me out of my chair.
“What’s the hurry?”

“You tell me,” he whispered, as he led me
out onto the sidewalk.

By the time we made it up the stairs, I was
breathless. I needed Aaron in every way imaginable. The way he
looked at me made me feel like I was the most beautiful woman in
the world. His smile deepened as he grabbed my hand.

“I’ve been dreaming about making love to you
all day,” he murmured.

My heart soared with his proclamation, and
there was nothing that could take away the love I had for Aaron
Sullivan. He made me feel like the most desirable woman in the
world.

Aaron pulled me against him before we even
attempted to unlock the door. Pushing me against the wall, I felt
his hard body press against mine. He cradled my chin in his fingers
as his mouth slid hungrily across my neck. He lifted my hair away
from the nape of my neck, peppering my skin with soft kisses, and I
knew my world belonged to him. Silent pleas ran through my mind as
his mouth worked so purposefully to satisfy my cravings.

My body trembled from his slightest touch,
and my breath caught as I felt his tongue glide along my skin.
Running my hands through his hair, I brought his mouth up to mine.
His kisses intensified as my breathing changed. I needed more of
him and being stuck in the hallway wasn’t helping. Our kisses only
created more longing as several deadbolts threatened our
sanity.

“The keys,” I whispered between kisses.

“The damn keys,” he mumbled without his
mouth parting from mine, but I felt his body move slightly and
heard the keys jangle.

I let out a delighted hum as he fumbled with
each key. When the last deadbolt unlocked, we pushed the door open,
barely able to contain ourselves. He shed his shirt, dropping it
onto the floor, as he brought me into him. Only the pale light from
the moon cascaded into the living room, showing off the beautiful
contours of his body. My hands skirted up his hard body, tracing
the peaks and valleys of his abdomen. My head tilted back as he
placed kisses along my throat. Resting his lips on the crook of my
neck, another wave of pleasure pulsed through my veins, and I could
feel him smile.

“I love you more and more each day,” I
whispered.

“I am one lucky man.” His fingers quickly
unbuttoned my shirt and it fell to the ground. His thumbs gently
caressed my back as he unclasped my bra and it slid to the floor. I
took a step back as his gaze intensified with an urgency I
understood. Without waiting a second more, he scooped me in his
arms and carried me to our bedroom.

Seeing the desire in his eyes as he placed
me on the bed turned my world upside down.

“You’re the most beautiful woman in the
world and you’re mine,” he murmured, as he leaned over my body.

Hearing the possessiveness in his voice
created a feverish longing. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could
wait. Tracing his thumb along my collarbone, his lips fell right
behind, placing kisses along my skin.

I needed him more than anything, more than
my next breath, but all I could do was wait as he teased my desires
slowly and with certainty.

“I love you, Brandy Rhodes,” he
whispered.

Aaron crushed me into his arms as our kisses
deepened, sending shivers through my body. He was the only man who
ever changed my world with just one touch, just one look. He was
the one man who knew my darkest secrets and my greatest joys.

I slid my hands along his back, and he
slowly raised himself off me as my breath caught with longing. He
slid my shorts and panties off, tossing them onto the floor as his
fingers slid along my exposed flesh. There was nothing hesitant
about his fingers as they skated across my belly, searching for
something we both desperately craved.

Aaron’s heated gaze slid down my body as
warmth pumped through my veins. I felt my body succumb to his
wishes as he slowly bowed his head, allowing his mouth to trace
down my belly. My body quivered as his mouth went lower and it
became impossible to concentrate.

“We’ve waited far too long for this Paris
experience,” he whispered.

My veins tingled with anticipation as he
teased me endlessly with his lips.

Even though today had been one from the
Twilight Zone, there was nothing distorted about being held in
Aaron’s arms. We belonged to each other and there was nothing
chance about it.

He slowly worked his way back up my body as
my hands trailed along his cool skin. There was nothing more like
heaven than being in his arms. My nails dug into his back as I felt
his body lean into mine sending my world spinning. The more he held
and kissed me, the more my body ached for him. I wrapped my legs
around his waist and moved my hips into his as I took what was
mine. As my mind and body released in ecstasy with his, I knew
beyond a shadow of doubt that Aaron Sullivan belonged to me.