Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
He knew she was awake. The sun had risen more than an hour ago, and shortly afterward, Aiden had felt the telltale shift of her body as she came awake.
She hadn’t said a word, and neither had he.
He continued to lie there quietly, his body wrapped around hers, knowing she needed time to deal with the events of the previous night.
Finally, Maya scooted toward the edge of the bed. He reluctantly let her go, watching as she moved toward the bathroom. His heart aching for her, he slipped from beneath the covers and followed as she stepped into the shower and stood listlessly beneath the spray.
Once more, he enfolded her in his arms, offering silent support. She tucked her head into his shoulder, and he smoothed his hands down her back.
In his estimation, there were few things a hot shower couldn’t fix, and he grabbed the soap from the shelf, then slowly began to lather her body. She stood stock-still under his ministrations as he swept his hands up her arms, then down her back, gently massaging the tension from her muscles.
Her face tipped up to his, and he saw the need deep in her blue eyes.
Aiden bowed his head and kissed her, gently at first, then more firmly as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Time slipped away as he kissed her slow and deep.
He broke the kiss and stared down at her. Her eyes were closed in ecstasy, teeth buried in her bottom lip as she clung to him. He wanted Maya with a desperation he’d never felt before. He wanted her every day for the rest of his life.
“Maya.”
Those beautiful blue eyes blinked open, and in their depths, he saw the reflection of every emotion that roiled inside him.
Desire.
Love.
Devotion.
The timing was absolutely terrible, but he couldn’t hold his feelings back one more second.
“I love you.”
Her lips parted, and her eyes widened with surprise.
“I…”
“Shhh.” He dipped his head and kissed her into silence. “I just wanted you to know. I will always take care of you. I will always love you.”
Her arms tightened around his neck as she stared up at him.
“I’ve never told anyone I love them before,” she admitted.
“You don’t have to—”
With a shake of her head, she cut him off. “You’re the only person who’s ever truly seen me, who’s ever cared about me. I think I fell for you the second you walked into the coffee shop.”
Heat spread through his chest, and he pulled her in for a long kiss. The water eventually turned cold, and he flicked it off before drying both of them. They dressed in companionable silence, then headed to the kitchen.
Maya slumped into a chair at the kitchen table, and he studied her. He was worried about her, even though he knew she’d bounce back. All he could do was be there for her, help her through it.
“I hate it here,” she whispered.
All night long, fury and concern had plagued him. Aiden thought about the episode at the restaurant, thought about how he wanted to whisk her away to someplace where she’d never have to deal with it again.
An idea that had lain dormant for the past couple of days flickered to life.
“Do you really feel that way?”
Now that she was thinking with a clear mind, he wanted to know exactly where she stood.
She nodded, looking incredibly forlorn.
“I never want to see another reporter as long as I live.”
The reporter was an idiot, but so were the supposed friends who’d treated her poorly after the attack.
“Maya.” He settled into the chair next to her and turned her slightly so he could see her better. “If you could do anything in the world, what would it be?”
She lifted one shoulder, avoiding his gaze.
“I don’t know.” She sighed. “I’m just tired of being reminded about it constantly.”
He could understand that.
“Have you ever been to Florida?”
Her blue eyes lifted to his, and she tipped her head to one side.
“Florida?”
He nodded. He knew it was crazy, but the more he thought about it, the more he believed it would be good for both of them. He hated his job, and Knox Castillo’s offer was sounding better by the minute. He didn’t know if the position was still available, but it was worth a shot.
“There’s a job offer in Florida. I never said anything about it before, but if you’re open to going and at least checking it out…”
He trailed off, and she stared at him for nearly a full minute before nodding.
“I think it’s worth a try.”
He kissed her lightly, then grabbed his phone and pulled up the email from a couple of weeks ago. He asked Knox if the position was still available and told him that he and Maya would be interested in visiting.
Less than five minutes later, his phone dinged with an alert, and his heart raced with anticipation as he pulled up Castillo’s response.
A slow smile spread across Aiden’s face as he turned to Maya.
“How soon can you pack?”