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The sight of the gooey slices of chocolate heaven was almost enough to wipe away the sting of Aidan’s impending appearance.
“Thanks, Mom,” Bree said, barely looking up from her sketch. Molly rounded the couch to stand beside her daughter to see what she was working on. Her hand moved to Bree’s hair, stroking the coppery strands as she watched her daughter work, a sheen in her eyes.
Bree was talented, there was no doubt about it, and nobody encouraged her more than Molly. Bree sighed and leaned into her mother’s touch, and for a moment a deep ache twisted somewhere in me.
My mom loved me, she did. She was always home to make dinner and help with homework, but we weren’t an overly affectionate family like the O’Callaghan’s, and sometimes you just needed the touch of another human.
Someone cleared their throat by the door, and my gaze whipped up to see Aidan strolling into the room. At the sight of him, my heart stuttered and choked, like an engine that had been sat unused for too long. My reaction to him grated over my nerves and had me sinking my nails into my palms again.
Who just walked into a room like that? Most people would have announced themselves and given the occupants a warning. But no. Not him. He just did whatever he wanted with no regard for if someone might have a heart attack.
“Right, I’m here, where do you want me?” He sighed as he came close enough that I could smell his musky scent. Light, but peppery, with undertones of motor oil from his bike and the leather from his jacket.
My hair bristled as the prey in me sensed the predator. The urge to get up and run itched in my limbs.
“Next to Cait, put your hand on her shoulder. I’m trying to master hands and more three-dee shapes with shadows,” Bree replied, again not looking up.
Touch me…
No.
Don’t you fucking dare.
After what he’d done to me earlier, I wanted to break his arm.
“I’ll leave you guys to it. Cait, don’t let her boss you around too much.” Molly flashed another grin at me.
“I won’t, Mrs. O’Callaghan,” I mumbled politely, but my attention was on her son.
I felt Aidan moving even closer, until he was directly beside me, and then his hand fell on my shoulder.
I tried hard to keep my eyes on the carpet, playing dot to dot with the paint splashes. I tried not to flinch away and let him win.
He squeezed my shoulder, and I just knew he was smirking.
Asshole.
But I glanced up at him, meeting those familiar green eyes. I expected him to have that look of smugness all over his face, but he didn’t. Instead, something else burned in his eyes.
What the hell?
He didn’t look away. Just like at school, he held my gaze, staring so intently it was like he was trying to communicate something without speaking.
Look away, Cait.
But I couldn’t. The longer he stared, the more entrapped I became. I was powerless against him. I started to shake, the force of his eyes making me quiver like a magnet pushed against its opposite.
I was so angry with him, but there was something in his eyes… something warm. Something that seemed to thaw some of the iciness I felt towards him.
That’s not right…
Heat crept up my chest, pooling in my cheeks.
Suddenly, all I could think about was how close he’d been to me earlier, caging my body against the lockers. My eyes zeroed in on his lips, and I could imagine how they tasted. I could imagine how they’d feel brushing against the spot beneath my ear…
What the fuck.
I jerked away like he’d burned me, leaping to my feet.
