Ayden's Secret by Cara North Read Free Book Online

that.
    Charlie heard a knock on the door and stood. Ayden crossed the floor, and she realized he was there. Was he watching her? She had decided last night to talk to him today. To tell him that she was going to stay here in North Carolina until she knew for sure he didn’t want her. She wanted to talk before breakfast, before his family was around them again.
    Ayden opened the door with a scowl on his face. It was Ethan.
    “You guys coming down for breakfast?” Ethan smiled and wiggled his eyebrows at Ayden. He turned his gaze to Charlie. Then he blushed. “Didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”
    “You didn’t.” Ayden realized that he was in a pair of boxers and nothing more. Charlie was in a pair of shorts that looked like underwear more than shorts, hell they may have been underwear for all he knew, and a little spaghetti strapped shirt. “We’ll be down in a few.”
    “Take your time.” Ethan winked and turned before Ayden could shut the door in his face.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t think.” Ayden closed his eyes, knowing the impression Ethan had gotten.
    “About what?” Charlie was drinking in the sight of him. His body glistened like he was wet. His hair clung to his forehead. He looked like he just tumbled out of bed with a woman. Except he was still hard, tenting his loose cotton boxers, dangerously close to slipping out of them.
    “You’re not dressed, and I opened the door.” Ayden really needed his coffee. Charlie had him all messed up this morning.
    “Ayden, you’re the one almost exposed.” Charlie smiled. Here he was trying to be noble. She pulled her gaze away from his crotch and settled her eyes on his face.
    Ayden looked down and grimaced. Shit. He tried to play it off. “It’s morning.”
    “Can I make you some coffee? You look like you just ran a mile. Are you feeling okay?” Charlie pushed the couch back in place and rolled up her yoga mat. She swallowed hard. She was always thinking of him this way, but getting to see him live and in person with bed rumpled hair and fresh morning wood, he might just steal her breath.
    “Fine.” Ayden headed to the coffee pot and poured his own coffee.
    “You want to know why I’m here, right?” Charlie placed the mat under her arm. He was cranky and agitated. This was the Ayden she knew.
    “Yes.” Ayden took a sip of the coffee. It tasted good, refreshed his brain a moment. He wasn’t going to act embarrassed though he was. Charlie apparently had some new effect on him, and he couldn’t control it. Well, she always had this effect on him, but now he couldn’t control it.
    “I’m here to start a new life. I left Vegas and I left without a trace. I am never going back there. I’m here, and I plan to stay here until I figure out a few things.”
    He was listening.
    “I don’t have to stay here, in this house with you if that makes you uncomfortable, but I will be here in the area for now.” Charlie wasn’t lying, but she didn’t want to freak him out with another profession of love, or worse.
    She told him once years ago, and he was a gentleman about ripping her heart out. Every year he came back to see her and never mentioned anyone else. She knew it would be hard for a woman to understand him. He was a complicated man. He took his time, always processing. He still used some southern words like darlin’, but he could change his accent without notice. His hair had been in several styles over the years, long when he worked narcotics, short for white collar crimes. He had so many faces, but so did she.
    Grace suggested she let him get comfortable around her again. Megan suggested she show him exactly what he had been missing. Evelyn said she needed to take control.
    Stephanie didn’t say anything. Of course neither did Charlie. She didn’t see how she was going to get control with Ayden. He was always in control, except this morning.
    “You can stay here, you know that. What brought this on?” Ayden was relaxing into the role of