His Desire (15 page)

Of all the bad moments in the world, Ally had to pick this time to pay him a visit. He could only imagine the grilling she would give Kylie.

He heard Kylie upstairs. She was showering. She would be trying to hide the tears. Aaron wanted to go to her. He wanted to find out what she was thinking. He hated that he couldn’t.

“Ally, what the hell are you doing here?” he asked when he opened the door and his sister walked inside taking in the state of disarray from his shirt, which was half tucked in, to the evidence that something had been going on that she’d interrupted.

“Good to see you too, Aaron. Where is she?” Ally asked while pointing to the two wine glasses. She cocked her head toward the shower running upstairs before smiling that ‘I told you so’ smile of hers.

“Ally, this isn’t really a good time. Why are you here anyway?”

Ally smirked. “Aaron what did you expect? Mom has been driving me crazy since you blew her off about Thanksgiving the other day. Why do you think we girls have been called in?”

Aaron tried to control his annoyance with the Winter’s women. “Ally, I explained to Mom just the way I explained it to you. I’m just not sure. It’s going to be difficult this year. With the new job and traveling so much as it is…”

“And the new girlfriend that you don’t want any of us to know about. Oh come on, Aaron. You’re not really fooling anyone. So who is she? Let me guess—the latest lingerie model?”

Aaron was tempted to tell her yes simply because he knew that would send her storming out the door. Like Ally, his other sister Jenny hated the women Aaron dated in the past. She just usually wasn’t as vocal about it as Ally.

Ally never missed an opportunity to tell him how she felt about the women he dated. Her favorite description was empty-headed woman who allowed men to objectify them. Ally would love Kylie. They had a lot in common.

Kylie used to hate the women he dated as well.

The only problem was Kylie still didn’t consider herself his girlfriend even though they had been together longer than any of his other girlfriends.

Including Mariah.

“Ally, look can we do this some other time?”

Upstairs Aaron heard the shower cut off. A few minutes later, the bedroom door closed. He and his sister both looked up as Kylie came down the stairs.

She stopped on the bottom stair looking from Aaron to Ally like a deer caught in the headlights of an approaching car. His heart went out to her. He wouldn’t wish this on his worst of enemies much less the woman he was in love with.

Love?

“Aaron, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Clearly, Ally was shocked. She hadn’t expected Kylie. He would almost have laughed at the comical expression on her face if he weren’t still wrestling with that last vivid realization.

Love? He couldn’t believe he’d been so blind. He loved her. It all seemed so clear looking at Kylie here with his sister. The reason why he’d been so afraid to tell anyone in his family about their relationship. He loved her. He’d been in love with her for a long time.

“Obviously not.” Ally stepped forward took Kylie’s hand and introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Allison—Aaron’s sister. Well, one of them.” Ally was speechless for a second. She looked Kylie up and down while she continued to babble. “I’m the youngest. I live the closest to Aaron. That’s why I’m here.” She stopped, turned back to Aaron and punched him in the ribs with her elbow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Kylie. This is Kylie Monroe, Ally,” Aaron managed to say with the help of his sister’s elbow.

“Kylie? What a pretty name. It’s nice to meet you, Kylie.” Ally smiled at Kylie before turning back to Aaron. For the first time in longer than he could remember his sister was floored.

“Nice to meet you too.” Kylie looked extremely uncomfortable. Aaron could sympathize. His sister had that effect on him as well.

“I’m impressed, brother. Not your typical.” He couldn’t believe his sister had actually said those things out loud.

“Ally, for crying out loud.” He went to Kylie and put his arm around her.

“Would you lay off before she thinks we’re all freaks and runs away screaming?”

He looked down at Kylie who seemed about ready to bolt at any moment.

“My big sister. She’s always sticking her nose into places that it doesn’t belong. Where’s Brad anyway? I can’t believe he let you make this trip.”

“Brad doesn’t tell me what to do. And anyway, you’ve been so hush mouthed about your personal life lately that we knew something was up.

Way to go, Aaron. You’ve finally found someone worthy of you.”

Aaron closed his eyes tight. He didn’t dare look at Kylie. That typical Ally statement had to be the worst one to end all relationship remarks he’d ever heard. He decided the best way to deal with it was to ignore it.

“So now that you’ve seen her, I expect you’ll be leaving?”

Ally looked slightly taken aback and Kylie moved a little closer to him. At least she wasn’t still angry like before. But they definitely had unfinished business that he couldn’t begin to think about with Ally standing here in his living room.

“Aaron, it’s the middle of the night. I can’t get a flight out until tomorrow. I was hoping to stay the weekend.”

Aaron was hoping that she would leave but she was his sister and he couldn’t let her stay in a hotel.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, where are my manners? Have you eaten?”

“Yes, I ate on the plane. But I’ll take some wine,” Ally said before plopping down into the chair close to the fireplace. Close to where he and Kylie had just made very angry and very passionate sex.

“All right. Make yourself comfortable, Ally. We’ll be right back.”

“Why don’t you get it? That way Kylie and I can get better acquainted.”

“Oh no, I’m not leaving her to your inquisition. You can just wait until we get back to start the questioning.”

Ally looked disappointed but she didn’t argue. Aaron took Kylie’s hand and walked into the kitchen before saying a word.

“I’m sorry. I know this is terrible timing. I had no idea she would just show up like that. I thought she understood.”

“It’s okay. Aaron, its okay, really. You’re right. I can’t expect you to make my decisions for me.”

“Kylie, it’s not that. Surely, you know that. It’s just that I don’t want to be the deciding factor in you making your dreams come true. I know how hard you’ve worked to accomplish this. This is a big moment for you.”

“All right, I get it. Let’s just not talk about it okay?”

“Kylie that’s not what I meant. But you’re right, now is probably not the best time.”

“Maybe I should just go. I can stay with Sarah for the weekend,” she said without looking at him.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Ally’s an adult.”

“I wasn’t talking about your sister.”

“Kylie…” He drew her back into his arms.

“Why are men so thick headed?”

“You’ll stay in my room. Ally can stay in your room. We’ll get through this.

It’s only one day—how bad can it be? I’ll send her on her way on Sunday. I want to have you to myself for a while.”

* * * *

“How bad can it be? It was horrible, Sarah. It was the longest weekend I’ve ever spent.”

Kylie was in before five and just finishing her third batch of when Sarah walked in. She’d left the house before Aaron, who was still in the shower.

He’d called. Twice. She’d ignored both calls.

The second Sarah dropped her purse and jacket on the sofa she’d asked her what happened.

“I took your advice and talked to Aaron.”

“You did?” Sarah was smiling from ear to ear before she spotted Kylie’s expression. “What happened? Did he tell you that he doesn’t love you?

Because if he did that’s an out and out lie.”

“No, I didn’t tell him how I felt about him…wait, why would you say that?”

Kylie watched Sarah who was studying her nails, which she normally could care less about, and it clicked. “Have you been talking to Aaron about me?”

The guilty expression on Sarah’s face said it all. “Sarah, no. How could you?

What did you tell him? No wait, I don’t want to know.”

“Good because I’m not going to tell you. What Aaron and I talk about is our business. So, if you didn’t tell him how you feel like I told you to, then what did you talk about that’s got you so upset?”

“I told him about the offer from Brady’s people. He said it was great.

Wonderful in fact. A dream come true.” Kylie paced the small waiting area of the store. “He couldn’t have been more excited for me and less concerned when I told him it meant I’d be traveling for long periods of time. That means he can’t wait to get rid of me.”

“Kylie, that’s not what it means at all?”

Kylie turned back to Sarah. “Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?”

“Because you’ve been together for a while now. Longer than any other woman has lasted, including the models. And Aaron certainly doesn’t show any signs of wanting out.”

“Sarah, you’re just being optimistic. But come on. We both know Aaron’s MO. It’s only a matter of time. In fact, I think it’s about time that I start considering another place to live. I mean…it’s only a matter of time.”

“Kylie…”

“Look, Sarah, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. We’re swamped this week with the online orders and the customers who have called in. Let’s just get busy, okay?”

For most of the day, Kylie was able to keep her mind off Aaron by filling the orders for Your Every Desire. But she couldn’t hide from the inevitable. She knew that it was only a matter of time before she and Aaron were going to have to discuss their future.

She had successfully avoided Aaron’s calls for most of the day that by the time she got home she figured he’d probably given up on her anyway.

So when the phone rang at almost midnight she figured it had to be Aaron, no doubt telling her it was over. Instead, she recognized the Trinity ID. It was her mother.

“Kylie? I was beginning to think you were never home. I’ve been trying for days to reach you at home, but I always get the answering machine. You know how much I hate those answering machine things.”

“Hi Mom. I’m sorry, I’ve been busy. Did you need something?” Kylie asked while kicking the sofa really hard. She hated the strained moments of silence between her family and herself. But for as long as she could remember, she never really felt as if she belonged in the Monroe household. She was the odd one out. The one that no one understood.

“I know you’re busy honey. But we were hoping you were coming home for Thanksgiving this year. Your father and I have been clipping every single one of your articles in the paper. You’re quite the celebrity here in Trinity.

Everyone’s so proud of you.”

Her mom tried, but the truth was Kylie knew her dad hadn’t read even one of those articles. Mom was the one that encouraged Kylie to go to college, fulfill her dreams. In a way, she was living her own dreams through her daughter. She and Kylie’s father had to get married when her mother became pregnant with their first child Raymond in high school. Mom had to drop out to have the baby because in those days, a woman just didn’t get pregnant without being married first. Most folks around town suspected the truth, even though no one ever pointed it out. Her Mom managed to get her GED in between babies. Seth was born two years later and Savannah five more years. Then came Kylie, the baby, another ten years later. Her mother had been raising babies for most of her adult life.

“Thanks, Mom. You know I’ll try to come home but I’m not so sure that I can, with things being so busy and all.” Kylie hated that she was lying to her mother.

“Well, I know you’ll try. Everyone’s going to be there. Both your brothers and their families. And Savannah.”

“That sounds great. I’ll let you know something soon. And I’ll try, I promise.”

As Kylie lay in bed that night, she wondered if maybe going home wasn’t the best thing for her. Aaron would be with his family. Sarah was having all of her relatives over and even though she had invited Kylie to come, the thought of being amongst all the Evan’s clan was a little intimidating.

Sarah’s family was huge. There were seven siblings in all and a handful of foster kids, not to mention grandparents. But Sarah had a good relationship with all her family. She couldn’t understand why Kylie dreaded going home so much.

By Tuesday, most of the orders were finished and ready to be shipped. The store was closed from Wednesday through the weekend.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come over to my place?”

Kylie smiled at her friend but shook her head. She couldn’t even imagine how Sarah was planning to fit all those relatives into her tiny one bedroom apartment much less preparing the traditional Thanksgiving meal for them all.

“No thanks. I’m still not sure what I’m going to do. You just have fun with all that cooking, you hear?” she said as they walked to their cars that night.

“If you change your mind you know you’re welcome? Come on over. I’d love to have the help.” Sarah grinned.

“I promise if I’m in a cooking mood, you’re the first person I’ll come to.”

* * * *

Aaron signed the last contract late Tuesday evening and handed it back to Lois with a tired grin. Thank God, that was the last of them. He was ready to get out of this town. He’d tried at least a dozen times to call Kylie but she was avoiding him. And all he could think of was that ridiculous argument they’d had right before his sister barged in and screwed everything up with her questions and her presence. If Ally hadn’t showed up when she did, what would he have done? But Ally was the one who had made him see his feeling for her clearly. Even though he wasn’t about to tell his sister that. Not that it mattered; his very behavior toward Kylie would have made it clear to Ally.

Everyone in the family would know this by now.

Kylie wanted his input on her offer. She didn’t want to hear all the reason’s why he didn’t want her to take it. But it was hard not to give into that need and tell her anyway. She never complained about his absences. He was gone for weeks on end and yet she never insisted he give up his dreams. How could he do anything less for her? Even if it meant losing her?