Four hours later, Sadie was sorting through the final box in the warehouse when she caught a glimpse of Goliath out of the corner of her eye. She tipped her head and smiled at the mountain before her. “Hi, Axle.”
“Window looks good,” he said.
“Thank you.” While digging in the warehouse, she’d found the mannequin’s missing arm and a female mannequin wedged in a corner behind some old signage. Sadie arranged the now fully limbed male and his new mate next to the custom Harley, placed a map on the seat, and drew a path with red marker. She accessorized with matching helmets and a stack of Midwest parts recommended for long-distance travel.
She wasn’t sure if the burst of inspiration had come from finding the discarded mannequin, or the fact that hanging around Aiden reminded her how much better everything was with a partner. Either way, the display finally felt right. Complete.
“Well,” Axle said. “Bye.”
With that, Axle Zoller, man of few words, made his exit. Sadie followed him as far as the store when Aiden stopped her in the hallway. Something in his eyes warned her he meant business. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Um…no?” She smiled hopefully.
He tipped his head in silent reprimand and turned, walking into Axle’s office at the end of the hall. Never one to chicken out, Sadie followed. Even though she was pretty sure this so-called talk had nothing to do with work. She entered the office and found Aiden fidgeting with a stress ball he’d found on Axle’s desk.
“Shut the door for me?”
Panic pinged around her stomach like ricocheting BBs. She thought back to the park as she closed the door with a click. There’d been a moment, a tangible, meaningful moment when Aiden had looked into her eyes and started to say something. Something that started with I. She could only hope he wasn’t planning on finishing the phrase with you and sliding a four-letter word in between.
I love you in any form was frightening, but an I love you from Aiden would be terrifying. Admitting her feelings when she wasn’t sure what they were would make her more vulnerable to him than ever.
“Lyon’s adorable,” Sadie said to fill the void in the room.
“Yeah, he is a very cool kid.” Aiden looked proud for a second, then his smile dropped. “About last night. I thought…maybe I should try to explain.”
Oh no. Worse than the park thing. What did he regret? Staying? That she’d eyed him the way a hungry lioness would meat on a hook?
Aiden licked his lips and opened his mouth to speak. Sadie interrupted before he could.
“I know I was aggressive,” she said. “I shouldn’t have…” Shouldn’t have what? She’d kissed him, unsnapped his jeans, asked him to stay. “Been so needy.” She realized that was an apt description.
“No. No, that’s not—”
“I just felt so sure, you know? I mean, I wanted it. I really wanted it.”
Aiden gave her an anguished look.
Nervously, she continued. “It was the first time I’d ever—” Oops. Back up. She hadn’t meant to go there. “I think I was overly excited.”
“Sadie, I—”
“But propositioning you was wrong. Especially when you weren’t interested in”—she gestured at his crotch with a wave of her hand—“you know. I can understand if you don’t want to—”
“Sadie,” he interrupted again, this time sternly. His expression softened, his eyebrows rising. “Please let me speak.”
Well. She’d tried to head him off. She nodded her reluctant agreement.
Aiden ran a hand through his hair, looking none too happy about whatever he was about to tell her, which made Sadie more nervous. Maybe he’d decided he didn’t want to see her any longer. What if he’d had a change of heart since the park?
“I want to.” Aiden pinned her with a deadly serious look. “Trust me. Where you’re concerned, there isn’t much I don’t want to do with you.”
Sadie’s heart beat double time. She reached for her earring, spinning the stud in her ear and trying not to faint. That…might have been the best news she’d heard today.
“But…”
Or not.
“…I promised myself…ah, I sort made a decision.” Aiden dropped the stress ball on the desk and pointed an accusing finger at it. “That thing doesn’t work.” He sent her a sickly smile before sitting on the edge of Axle’s desk and closing his eyes. “I made a decision,” he said, his voice dipping an octave. “That the next time I make love to a woman, she will be the last one.” He opened his eyes. “The last one ever,” he clarified.