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18
BRYNN
Brynn paid the cabby and climbed out of the car after Dani. They’d had her first appointment with a doctor to get a referral to a specialist who dealt with transgender children. Aaron had offered to go, but Brynn wanted to do this on her own. As usual, Aaron respected her boundary.
“I can’t wait to see if Aaron got the new copy of Selfie for me from Pippa’s store.” Dani skipped ahead towards the house.
“Dani, you shouldn’t be asking him for anything. He’s doing so much for us already,” Brynn chastised.
Dani slowed her pace, turning towards her mom. “I know, Mom. I already paid Pippa off for the episode by helping around the bookstore. Aaron just offered to pick it up for me.”
“Oh.” Well, now she felt like an asshole. She reached out to tuck her daughter into a hug. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed. I just don’t want you to get too used to this life with Aaron because it’s temporary.”
“I know. I won’t.” Dani nodded, pulling away and walking into the house.
Brynn took her time to get to the door, her gaze raking over the now mostly bare trees. She pulled her sweater closer to ward off the crisp fall chill and stopped by the entrance to the house, taking a deep inhale of the fresh air with notes of woodsmoke. This place was absolutely beautiful. I wish I could stay here forever.
She shook her head. This was temporary. Aaron had been beyond kind to help her and Dani out. But he’d eventually get tired of playing house and want his own future, free of Brynn’s baggage.
Brynn opened the door and entered the house as Dani came running down the stairs holding a dress that Brynn hadn’t seen before, her smile beaming.
“Mom! Look what I found on my bed. Aaron must have got it for me. There’s one for you too.” Dani thrust the dress out to her.
Brynn blinked. “There’s one for me too?”
Dani nodded and turned towards the stairs. “I’m gonna go try it on.”
“Is Aaron up there?”
“I think he’s in the gym.”
Brynn hung up her purse and slid her shoes off before climbing the stairs. She opened her bedroom door. Just as Dani had said, there was a dress unlike any that Brynn had ever seen. It was gorgeous—too beautiful. She stepped in, taking a closer look. Her hands slid over the silky dark-green fabric, the softest she’d ever felt. It must have cost him a fortune. Next to it was a black blazer, and a shoebox. This is too much. She turned around and headed downstairs towards the basement.
The steady thumping sound from the gym only increased the drumming of her racing heart. She opened the door and froze, her mouth running dry at the sight of Aaron, shirtless. Sweat ran down his chest, highlighting each dip and hard edge to his defined eight-pack—or was a ten-pack a thing? Of all things holy.
His strong arms pounded into the punching bag hanging from the ceiling, his calf muscles clenched as he darted from side to side. Brynn struggled to suck in a breath—the temperature had gone up at least twenty degrees in here. Her inner walls clenched, a riot of lust sloshing over in a boiling frenzy. Why did every cell in her body crave this man? He was the best-looking person she’d ever seen, hands down, but he was also incredibly patient and thoughtful. He respected her, which made everything so jumbled in her head.
“Did you need something?” Aaron asked, his back still to her.
He knew she was there this entire time? She stumbled forward. Quickly gripping the edge of the doorframe, she righted herself as heat flamed her cheeks. “I, uh, I, there’s a dress on my bed.” Of course he knows that, stupid.
He stopped, his arms falling to his sides as he turned around to face her, his expansive chest heaving with heavy breaths.
“How did the appointment go?” he asked while biting the Velcro strap to his glove and pulling it open with his teeth before he pulled it off. He removed the other and set them on a bench before retrieving his water.
“Good. We’re being referred to a doctor in Boston.”
Aaron guzzled down half the water in the bottle before nodding. “If you let me know the dates, I can arrange to take you. I can keep busy while you guys are in the appointment, unless you change your mind and want me to be there.”
“You’ve already done so much for us. I hate to take more time from you.”
He took a step closer, his umber skin glistening with sweat. “I don’t mind. In fact, I’d love to be there in whatever capacity you’re comfortable with.”
“I appreciate it . . . So, about the dress?”
He smirked. “I figured we should celebrate with dinner out tonight. Dani had her first doctor appointment to begin this new journey for her. You signed up for the GED test, and you’re killing it on the driving lessons.”
“I backed your car into a tree,” she reminded him. God, that had been scary. But Aaron had remained as calm as a cucumber, telling her it was just a car and it happens to everyone at least once.
