Christmas and Forever by Delilah Hunt Read Free Book Online Page A

Festive lights, each centered with a dazzling wreath or silver bell that stretched from one end of the street to the other, made the city come aglow. The gigantic Christmas tree glittering with tinsel and a golden star in front of the Walcott Hotel brought home the fact there was no Christmas tree or family waiting to spend the holiday with her. The last memory Liya had of sitting around the Christmas tree and celebrating was ten years ago. The summer afterward, both of her parents were killed in a train wreck while traveling overseas, leaving her and her brother in the care of a distant relative who had a life of her own and didn’t appreciate the presence of children.
    Although she had never, probably would never, say this to Aidan, the work that he did, continued to do despite his injury, was among one of the many reasons she was attracted to him. Liya wondered if he took pride in the amount of lives he had saved and touched. Sure, he was paid for it, but with life, there was no price tag. It was the greatest gift. She only wished her brother could have had a longer one, much like that of Aidan’s— that Sarah could have been here to share a life with him.
    Liya bowed her head for a second, lifting it when the pang of jealousy and hurt no longer throbbed and battled for supremacy. She had no control over her past or Aidan’s. Furthermore, she had no control whatsoever over what Aidan felt or didn’t feel for her. Yes. That was all there was to it, Liya rationalized. A sense of calm overtook her senses. Across the distance, and beyond the city lights, Liya imagined the lush and vibrant landscape of the snowcapped pine trees and mountains. She found herself really and truly looking forward to the trip up to Bear Ridge. As much as she loved everything the city had to offer, the tranquility of nature was calling. Better yet, make that yelling out to her. The best thing was, without Aidan around she would finally be able to gain some much-needed perspective on how to handle him and return things to the way they were months ago, before she started to see him as so much more than her employer and a dedicated doctor.
     
     

 
    Chapter Four
     
    Aidan knew he was behaving like a jealous bastard. But for him, knowing it and trying to curtail his anger were two vastly different entities. He had no reason to feel betrayed by Liya and yet he did. She was just a young girl, and it was ignorant of him to come to the premature conclusion that she didn’t have a boyfriend. For the past two weeks he’d tried not to think about Liya’s offer for him to call if the need existed. This evening after he had ushered a group of third-year medical students through a heart transplant surgery, a sense of loneliness assailed him unlike any he had ever known. Maybe it was bearing witness to the enthusiasm and naiveté on the faces of the students. Aidan wasn’t sure, but whatever it was, it kindled a spark within him and Liya was the only person he thought of that could help him through it. He wanted, needed to hear her voice.
    On the way home, he’d been petrified and nervous like a teenager at the chance of hearing her voice outside of the clinic. Aidan wanted to talk to her in the privacy of his apartment, to tell her things he had no right to.
    And now, days after their encounter along the boulevard, he had no reason to give Liya the cold shoulder, speaking to her only when deemed necessary because he’d seen her in the arms of another man. Worse, the guy had been young. He was so damn close to Liya’s age and also black—in essence, someone she would have so much more in common with than him.
    Get a grip, Keegan. Aidan raked a hand through his hair and checked his watch. It was the Friday before Christmas and the clinic was only open for half the day. On a whim last night he’d packed his bags and made the decision to venture up to Bear Ridge later that day. Despite James’s urging to spend the holiday there, Aidan hadn’t been