Chapter 2
AADEN
I stare into the fridge as I stand barefoot in the sleek kitchen of my beach house, the cool air hitting my bare chest. I grab a few Yuengling bottles, pop the top off one, and take a long sip.
Leah’s pale skin flashes in my mind as I picture her throat working as she swallows.
Jesus, why can’t I stop thinking about her?
I glance down at the bottle in my hand, remembering her stumbling off the elevator, carrying that damn box.
Her dark red hair had been the first thing I noticed.
Pulled up in a high ponytail, it reached the middle of her back.
Her hips caught my eye next. She was thin but had some serious curves.
Her waist was so tiny, I have no doubt I could wrap my hands entirely around it.
Her skin was sun-kissed, and up close, I could see little freckles on her shoulders.
Once my roaming eyes managed to move to her face, I almost dropped to my knees.
She was the most stunning woman I’d ever seen.
She had the most beautiful hazel eyes; I couldn’t stop gazing into them.
And those lips? Plump, glossy, and perfectly shaped.
Christ, I had to cross my arms just to stop myself from grabbing her.
I take another long pull from my beer before leaning against the counter.
Why her? I have had plenty of attractive women.
None of them have ever made me lose my shit like she did.
Every woman I’ve been with has been confident, stylish, and straight out of a magazine gorgeous.
They were only with me for my status and money, and that was fine.
I wasn’t interested in anything long-term with them anyway.
But something about Leah is appealing in a completely different way.
She was interested before she realized who I was.
I lift the bottle to my lips and take another drink.
Or had I imagined the attraction between us before my phone rang?
“Dude, did you get lost in there?” Tyler asks as he opens the sliding door and marches inside.
Tyler Hale is the CEO of Hale Industries, one of the best I.T.
companies on the east coast. His wealth and good looks have chicks falling in his lap everywhere we go.
I’ve heard women describe his dark-haired, green-eyed look as sinful.
When he flashes his smile, his dimples featuring prominently, they all but turn into a puddle in front of him.
“This looks like it’s going to be another fantastic week, boys.” Chase booms as he enters behind Tyler.
Chase Carter is the owner of Core Technologies, the largest manufacturer of geothermal equipment headquartered in New York.
He’s tall, lean, and obnoxiously cocky. His black hair, dark eyes, and deep tan give him an exotic look that makes him the ultimate lady killer.
He grabs Tyler in a headlock and grinds his knuckles into his scalp.
“Where the hell is Noah?” I ask as I join them in the living room and hand them both a beer.
Chase grins. “Probably making up with Salone.”
“If by making up you mean moving her things out of my place, then you would be correct,” Noah says, and I turn toward him as he walks through the front door carrying a duffel bag and computer case.
He’s been my best friend since college and the brother I never had.
He owns McKinney Manufacturing, a Software Engineering company with government contracts in D.C.
He has light mocha skin with intense dark brown eyes.
His looks, wealth, and super brain are the reasons he made D.C.
’s most eligible bachelor's list a few years ago.
This year I was ‘lucky’ to get that title myself.
“How was your flight?” I ask.
“Got some work done.” Noah nods. “Kinda hard to concentrate, though.”
“So, you and Salone are done, huh?” Tyler asks.
“Yeah, well, you know how it is. Nothing lasts forever, right?” Noah says.
I study his face. My friend is hurting, but he’s hiding it. “You okay, man?”
“Yeah, bro, it’s all good,” he says with a shrug of his shoulder.
Chase hands him a beer. “Well, alright, we’re all single and ready to mingle.”
They clink their bottles together, then toss them back, downing their beers in one go. Our trip here is always the same. We drink, party, and screw all week long.
“Let’s get this week started!” Chase shouts as he and Tyler head back out to the beach.
Noah grabs his bag. “I’m gonna throw on some shorts. I’ll be right out.”
Alone again, I find myself wondering what it would be like to have a serious relationship, to have someone to come home to at night, to share my life with. Someone who wants the same things in life that I do and loves me for me, not what my money can buy them. Leah pops into my mind.
“Don’t worry, ladies, I have arrived.” Noah grins as he walks back into the room, now wearing swim trunks.
“You sure you’re okay, man? You were pretty into Salone,” I tip my beer to my lips as I study him.
Noah takes his sunglasses off, his face serious. “Yeah. I mean, it’s been coming for a while, but that doesn’t make it any easier, ya know? I was just hoping we could put our differences aside.” He frowns. “At least I hadn’t given her a ring yet, right?”
“I’m sorry, man. I thought for sure you guys were gonna make it.”
Noah shrugs. “Hey, whatcha gonna do?” He puts his sunglasses back on and claps his hands together. “Let’s get down to the beach, my brother. The ladies are waiting.”
***
The music is loud, the sun is hot, and the women hang on our every word.
Just another typical week in Belize—sun every day and party every night.
Finding different girls to spend our week with is never a problem.
However, the last few years I’ve been coming here, there has only been one local girl for me—Nikki.
Not that I’m committed to her. I just found it more relaxing to have a constant bedmate I can rely on.
Women still try to catch my eye, but Nikki shuts down all the others real quick.
She’s trying hard to stake her claim, but I keep her at arm’s length by ensuring she understands there are no strings attached.
Our arrangement has worked well so far. No long-term commitments, just one big week-long party.
But this trip is already turning out different.
I just can’t seem to find my groove. Thoughts of Leah won’t stay out of my head.
As I watch my friends and their ‘dates,’ all I can think is that I’d rather be sitting here alone with her.
I enjoy hanging out with my friends, but at the moment, I crave being with someone else.
Someone with red hair and pouty lips. Someone who caught my attention the moment she stepped onto my floor at work.
What the hell, man? You met her one time and only for a few minutes.
I lift my beer to my lips. She’s probably got a boyfriend anyway.
Someone as beautiful as her couldn’t be single.
And if she is, she may not be interested in me.
I dangle my beer from my fingers as I rest my arms on my knees.
The gorgeous, tanned body lying next to me shifts.
“You wanna go cool off in the water with me?” Nikki asks.
My eyes scan her curves. She’s wearing a sexy black string bikini that doesn’t cover very much, and her long blonde hair is fanned out across the towel above her head.
There’s no denying she has a body built for sin.
Her breasts are large but fake. Her long-toned legs lead up to a firm heart-shaped ass with a tribal tattoo sitting right above it on her lower back.
She’s constantly at the gym when she isn’t hanging on the beach.
I set my beer next to me and push myself off the blanket. “Sure, I can cool down for a bit.”
I watch her as we make our way down to the water.
She walks with confidence, swinging her hair back and forth while running her fingers through it, stopping waist-deep to scoop up water and rub it on her arms and chest. She arches her back so that her butt and chest are sticking out.
She is obviously looking for attention. With a mental eye roll, I dive in right next to her.
“What the hell?” she gasps when I splash her with a little water.
“Come on,” I smile, “let’s swim out a bit.”
She raises her eyebrows and stares at me like I’ve lost my damn mind. “Are you crazy? I’m not getting my hair wet.” She turns and walks back to her chair on the beach.
With a deep sigh, I dive under the water and head out for a long swim. It’s quiet out here alone. It’s easy to keep the voices at bay when there are distractions, but not in dead silence.
“What is your future, Aaden? What is the next step in your life?”
I’ve accomplished my goal of being a successful businessman before thirty.
I have a large, expensive house, a beach house in Belize, and a small cabin in Tennessee’s mountains.
I’m set for life, but who’s around to enjoy it with me?
My dog? My friends? They’re great to hang out with, but they don’t keep my bed warm at night.
They can’t give me what I’m starting to desire. A future. A family.
The women I’ve dated are not the marrying kind. They’re vain, spoiled, self-centered, and don’t have a nurturing bone in their bodies. They would marry me, but not for the right reasons. Nikki has said on more than one occasion, “Children ruin your figure and your life.”
Sure, I don’t want kids right now, but I do want them someday. How could wanting to share your life with someone and have a family be such a burden? For the last year, my parents have been nudging me to get serious and find a nice girl.
“Are you seeing anyone, Aaden? Are you happy in this big house all alone? Don’t you want children while you’re young enough to run after them?” my mother keeps asking.