Delicious (Cooking Up A Storm) (17 page)

“Aiden, what do you think your doing?”

He reached for her, his fingers pushing up the hem of her sweater while she was laughing so hard and he was trying not to.

He barely got her jeans off, slipping her cotton panties down with them and then he unzipped his pants and didn’t waste time. He’d been having thoughts about this moment for a long time. He only hoped her brothers didn’t guess. They’d caught them kissing once; his hands were on her round bottom. His thoughts were definitely not wholesome.

He slipped inside her waiting body, robbing them both of breath for a moment.

“I’ve wanted to do that all day. Since we left the house this morning,” he told her as he began moving within her. He heard her satisfied sigh.

“You’re not the only one.” She pulled him closer and her lips covered his slowly. The tip of her tongue traced across his bottom lip. He caught it within his and sucked her inside.

“God, you feel good,” he told her, breathing in her air. “You taste like heaven.”

Then neither said a word. They were caught up in the moment. Touching, kissing, caressing. He couldn’t ever imagine another woman being a part of his life.

“I thought your brothers were going to string me up when they caught me touching you,” he whispered against her hair when they lay in each other’s arms before sleep.

“Me too. I’ve never seen them look so angry before.”

“Don’t tell me none of your other boyfriends were lucky enough to meet the brothers?” He was fishing. But he wanted to know about the other men in her life. He knew about the ones she’d been with recently. Like Jason. Jason still hurt to think about. He still didn’t understand how she could make love to Jason after the night that they had spent together. Aiden had lost track of the number of times he’d wanted to ask her if Jason was better in bed. He’d been close that second night. But the thought of what her answer might be always kept him silent.

* * * *

“You spent the holiday with Aiden?” Why did that little statement sound so bazaar coming from Shelby’s lips?

Cara
nodded.

“I can’t believe you spent Thanksgiving with
Aiden and at your parents’ house?”

Now it really sounded strange.

“How did this come about?”

“I don’t know. It just happened,”
Cara told her, hoping that would end the discussion. She turned back to the oven and pretended to check on a batch of cookies.

“No…no, it did not just happen. The last time you and I talked, you were ready to write
Aiden out of the picture entirely. And, you said he was going home to his family for the holiday. So, no. It didn’t just happen. So spill it. What happened between Tuesday and Thursday?”

It was pointless to resist.
Shelby was good at getting her to talk. “All right,” Cara said with a sigh, abandoning work entirely. “Mom called Tuesday and she sounded like she really wanted me to come home. Then Aiden came home that night.”

“Wait! Slow down. I want to enjoy this. So, what happened when
Aiden came home because the last time I tuned in you weren’t talking to him? In fact, if I remember correctly, you were dodging his calls.”

Cara
would have given just about anything to lie at that moment. She couldn’t. Shelby was too good at spotting her lies. “Aiden found me in his bed,” Cara told her, slowly getting into the spirit of the game.

“What? Oh. My. God.”
Shelby all but breathed. “Oh, okay, so tell me everything.” Cara grinned. She and Shelby had been sharing these naughty tales for some time now. “What were you wearing? What did he do?”

Cara
decided to embellish a little. Nothing sounded better than her gown. “Nothing at all. He couldn’t wait…”

Luckily, the Monday following the holiday was slow. Because the next two hours were filled with details.

“What did your father think about Aiden?” Shelby asked once she’d received a full report on the events of the bedroom.

“Who knows? Dad was his usual self. I never know what my father thinks about anything. My brothers aren’t much better. Although they did spend most of the time glaring at
Aiden.”

“Glaring? Hum, that’s a tough one. I’d say they see him as a threat. You know, someone defiling their baby sister.”

“That was pretty clear. Especially after they caught us kissing. Aiden’s hands were in, well, shall we say a very inappropriate place when they walked in on us.”

“Ooh…I love a good drama. I can’t believe I was stuck with twenty relatives, cooking a full course turkey dinner and you were having the time of your life in and out of bed.”

Cara cringed. “Yes, well it didn’t feel that way at first. I thought I was going to have a heart attack before we got to the house.”

“So, what was
Aiden’s apartment like? Did you get the chance to snoop when he wasn’t around?”

“
Shelby.”

“What, no woman in her right mind fully trusts a guy living on his own for more than a day,” she explained as if that made perfect sense.

“I didn’t snoop.”

“Didn’t have time, huh?”

“Okay, you’re hopeless and I’m not talking about this anymore.”

“Okay fine. So when will
Aiden be back so that I can get more details?”

Cara
shook her head. She couldn’t believe she’d actually shared the details of her time with Aiden. “Not for another three weeks. They are wrapping up the end of the year stuff.”

“So, did you guys talk any more about the Brady offer?”

They hadn’t. Not since Aiden had tried to talk to her about it that first night. Although he’d tried once again when they had gotten home last night. But Cara just didn’t know what to say.

“No.
Aiden tried, but…”

“You wouldn’t let him. You are so stubborn
Cara. I can’t believe you sometimes. If you’re going to throw Aiden away like that, I’ll take him.”

“Oh, so now you’re mad at me?”
Cara asked, surprised to find that she was actually close to tears.

Shelby
picked up on the tears. She stopped stabbing the cake she was attempting to decorate and came over to Cara.

“I’m sorry. I just think you’re not giving
Aiden enough credit. Cara, I wish that you would tell him how you feel about him before you both end up blowing things.”

“I know, but I’m not so sure that I’m ready for that right now. And anyway,
Aiden’s right. This is my decision to make. I’m the one who has to live with it.”

“I guess. But are you going to be able to live with not seeing
Aiden for months on end? With his schedule the way it is already and yours if you take the Brady deal, who knows when you two will have time to be together?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you want to do, Cara? I’ve told you that it doesn’t matter to me. I love Dallas, but I’ve always wanted to see New York. What do you want?”

“I wish I knew what to do. I mean this was my dream for so long. But now, since
Aiden…well, I don’t’ really believe I’m thinking too clearly since Aiden.”

“
Cara…”

“Don’t say it. I know. Talk to him,”
Cara said for her.

“Yes, and if you don’t, God help me I will.”

* * * *

“
Aiden, there’s a Miranda St. Clair on the line for you.” Lois stuck her head in and leveled him a look at was pure condemnation.

“She’s just a friend, Lois,”
Aiden told her before adding, “I’ll take it, thank you.”

Lois clearly was not convinced. “Uh
-huh. That one sounds like trouble.”

Just a friend? Yeah that will be the day. He and
Miranda hadn’t even been that. He’d used her to get to Cara. She’d used him to…well, who knows why Miranda did anything. They’d both used each other. Even now, he was using her to understand what was going on in Cara’s mind.

“
Miranda…hi. This is a surprise. Are you back in the states?” Aiden leaned back in his chair trying to figure out why Miranda would call him here, at the office and out of the blue.

“I was thinking about you, doll.”
Aiden closed his eyes. This didn’t sound good. He’d barely escaped Miranda’s numerous attempts at getting him in bed the last time. He certainly didn’t want to go through that again.

“I see. Well, what were you think about?” he asked and regretted the question immediately when he heard her throaty laugh.

“Well now, that’s a very intriguing question, Aiden, considering we still have unfinished business together.”

Geez, did the woman ever give up? He attempted a laugh, hoping that would suffice as an answer, while trying to figure out why she was calling. It wasn’t as if she’d ever give a damn about what he did for a living.
Aiden decided it was time to get to the point here before Lois got any more ideas.

“Look,
Miranda, I hate to be rude, but I’m at a loss. You gotta help me out a little. Did you just call to say hello and catch up?”

Miranda
clearly didn’t like his question. She was silent for so long that he was beginning to wonder if she’d walked away from the phone.

“Can’t a girl just call to catch up? We did date for a while.”

He held back his frustration with difficulty. “Sure. Of course. I’m sorry. It’s just been kind of crazy around here. How have you been?” Aiden drummed his fingers on the desk. He could do this. He could be nice.

Miranda
’s satisfied little chuckle made him doubt that statement. “Silly, not over the phone. I’m calling because I’m close to the city. And I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner tonight. You name the spot since I’m not familiar with your little cow town.”

“Shit.”
Aiden said what he hoped was under his breath. The last thing he wanted to do was have dinner with Miranda. The possible bad things that could come of it were limitless. Clearly Miranda was still looking to add him to her list of slept with men, as Cara called it. He on the other hand had no interest in joining that long list of men.

“Tonight…” He stalled trying to come up with a good excuse not to. “I’m not so sure.”

“Aiden Wilder, don’t you dare stand me up,” she whispered in her best come hither voice, which had the opposite effect on him. Aiden was tempted to hang up the phone and run. Miranda was looking to cause trouble. She’d never gotten over his lack of interest in her sexually. Miranda was in the business of sex. In her opinion, no man could refuse her. He was a challenge. She wasn’t prepared to give up without a fight.

He had to wonder what
Cara had told her about their relationship. Would Miranda be this aggressive if she knew he and Cara were seeing each other?

He couldn’t think of a single thing that would get him out of this bind. The only solution was to pick the loudest and most crowded restaurant he could think of and meet her there. Don’t give
Miranda the edge.

“All right. How about Sooners at eight.” He did a quick rethink. Didn’t want to give her the option of having him pick her up. “I’ll see you there.”
Aiden disconnected the call before she could respond. He didn’t trust Miranda or her motives one little bit. She was up to something. Whether or not Cara liked it didn’t matter. It was time to set the record straight; at least with Miranda.

Sitting across from Lois while going over the next day’s schedule, he felt it was almost too easy to read her mind.

“Okay, say it,” Aiden said, tossing his calendar aside. Might as well get this over with.

“Say what?” Lois asked with a little disapproving sniff.

“Say what’s on your mind. You’ve been practically fuming since she called. So, lets hear it.”

“All right. I think you’re asking for trouble going out with ‘that one.’” Had he not been considering how she knew he was going out with ‘that one’ and coming to one possible conclusion, he probably would have found the whole conversation amusing. As it was, it was just down right bizarre. Not that he was feeling guilty or anything.

“Lois, ‘that one’ as you call her is just a friend. In fact, she’s not even that. She and Cara used to be roommates. She’s in town and she wanted to have dinner. Nothing wrong with that is there?”

“Well now, that depends. Would you tell your girlfriend about her?”

“Lois, there’s nothing going on between Miranda and me. And I don’t have to tell Cara about everything that I do.”

“Uh
-huh. You just remember that I told you so when that little lack of information blows up in your face,” Lois assured him and Aiden had to wonder: if he wasn’t concerned about what Cara might say then why wouldn’t he tell her about it?

Aiden
sat outside Sooners for ten minutes considering how angry Miranda would be if he simply stood her up before finally going inside.

He found
Miranda waiting for him sipping what looked like her third frozen margarita.

“Hi, sorry I’m late. Work.” He left it at that one word explanation, not really caring if she bought it or not.

Miranda wasn’t happy to be kept waiting but she was going to play nice for the moment. She was still trying to seduce him, he realized with a sinking feeling as she set down next to him in the booth abandoning her seat opposite his.

“Oh, that’s okay doll. You can make it up to me.”

Aiden tried to control his frustration. He inched away from her closeness. Her perfume was making his eyes water. The waiter came and took his drink order. Aiden considered ducking out on dinner altogether but decided she had him pretty much pinned to his seat at least until she made her first of many powder room breaks.

“I’ll just have water. I still have some work waiting for me,” he said with a watery smile at the waiter who looked slightly offended.

“Not even one drink with me. For old times sake?” She pouted. She looked older. Like someone trying to pretend to be young.

“Sorry, I have an early morning. And I still have work waiting on me.”

After his water arrived and their food orders were taken, Aiden found himself at a loss of what to say to her.

“So, what brings you to
Little Rock of all places?” he asked when she scooted a little closer. “Don’t tell me you have a modeling job here?”

“Of course not, silly. I came to see you.”

He tried not to show his disappointment. “Oh, I see. Um, is something wrong?”

“Of course not.” She smiled ever so demurely and touched his hand. “It’s just that you and I have unfinished business.”

“Miranda,” Aiden began but was interrupted by the arrival of their food.

“So, what say we forget about dinner and go someplace quieter to talk?”

“Miranda, there’s something you should know.” He stopped and considered what he was giving away that Cara clearly hadn’t wanted Miranda to know. “Have you talked to Cara at all lately?”

“Um, not since I moved out of our apartment. Why?”
Miranda suspected something. She dropped her fork and picked up the half-emptied margarita.

“The thing is, we’re sort of together now.
Cara and I are living together.”

Aiden
never would have believed it possible to shock Miranda St. Clair, but clearly that little piece of information had. So what exactly had Cara told her about them? Not the truth. That much was obvious.

Miranda
all but chocked on her margarita before setting it down. “What? What did you just say?”

“
Miranda, I’m sorry. I just assumed you knew. Cara and I have been seeing each other for a while now. Since you and I split up.”

“But…”
Miranda was at a loss for words.

“Look, I’m sure this is coming as a surprise. But I’m crazy about her.”

“That doesn’t have to matter,” Miranda added demurely.

How many men would jump at the chance to sleep with
Miranda? Just about everyone that he knew. Including the ones that were married. She was attractive, sexy and willing; all the things that he’d been drawn to in the past. Now, he found her lacking and superficial. She wasn’t Cara.

“I’m in love with
Cara, Miranda.” Hearing himself actually say those words out loud made them seem real for the first time. He did love her. He’d been trying for too long to suppress that love. Now, he wanted everyone to know.

“In fact, I want to marry her.”

“You what? You want to get married?” Miranda looked dumbfounded. He couldn’t blame her. He was still a little unsettled himself.

He all but shoved
Miranda out of her seat before sliding across the bench to stand. “I have to go. I’m sorry that this has been a waste of your time. But thank you.”

“You’re thanking me?” She stared up at him as if he’d lost his mind.

“Yes, I’m thanking you,” he said, grinning as he tossed too much money on the table to cover their tab.

“For what?”

Aiden started toward the door, Miranda followed. She was still hoping to change his mind.

“For helping me see the truth. I’ve been afraid to admit how I felt about
Cara for so long. But I do love her. And I do want to spend the rest of my life with her.”

“
Aiden, wait.”

He stopped and turned to face her.

“You can’t just tell her that you love her.”

“What do you mean?” he asked suspiciously.

“Cara is different. I think you need to wait, let me talk to her.”