Independent Jenny by Sarah Louise Smith Read Free Book Online

wouldn’t have said anything if I didn’t, well you … you just look at me differently…”
    I nodded and sighed. He smiled and squeezed my arm. We’d reached my studio.
    “Thank you for everything Aiden.”
    “Listen, if you decide to get back with him, then so be it. Don’t let me or how I feel about you influence your decision. You’ve got to make that choice independent of me.”
    “I know.”
    “But … well … just in case I never get to talk to you like this again…”
    He hesitated, and then he was kissing me. His arms were around my back and my hands were in his hair. I felt myself melt into his arms as I enjoyed the feeling of being wanted and loved, without the pain of the last week. The world faded into the distance and my legs turned to jelly.
    Almost as suddenly as he’d kissed me, he was walking away without a backwards glance, leaving me dizzy and lightheaded, even more confused and unsure about what I wanted.

Chapter Ten
     
    I watched Aiden until he was out of sight and then walked back to Shane’s cafe as fast as I could, enjoying the rush of love hormones whizzing around my body. Somehow, all the hurt and rejection had been replaced by the delightful feeling of being wanted. Aiden loved me, and he’d always loved me. And, wow, was he a good kisser.
    Shane was wiping down tables. “Can I talk to you upstairs?” I called to him, hoping he could sense the drama by my swift stride.
    “Give me a minute, I’ll meet you up there,” he said, giving me a stern look.
    I went up and sat on his plump red sofa. I really should have been looking through my photos of Tina and Rich’s wedding from Saturday. Or was it Rick? I didn’t really care.
    Aiden kissed me. Oh my goodness. And it was so good! A kiss from a man who loved me and wouldn’t ever hurt me, like the one I was married to.
    “Go on, spill all the details for me then,” Shane said as he sat down beside me.
    “He kissed me.”
    “What?” Shane usually loved a bit of gossip but he looked more concerned than happy.
    “It was amazing.”
    “Oh Jenny. What a mess.”
    “How so? It was amazing.”
    “So you’re just going to divorce Ross and be with his brother? I’m sure Ross, his parents, everyone will be delighted.”
    “Okay, maybe it is a bit messy.”
    “Just a tad.”
    “What am I going to do?”
    “Look at you, all these lustful hormones rushing around everywhere.”
    I laughed.
    “He just makes me feel—”
    “I know.” Shane interrupted. “He makes you feel warm and fuzzy and wanted.”
    “Yes.”
    He ran his fingers through his beard and gently pulled on a few hairs, a habit he’d picked up fairly recently. I found it distracting and wondered what it felt like. Was it satisfying? Did it help him to focus?
    “But you really need to sort things out with Ross first.”
    “I like the way you rub your beard.”
    He stopped. “Jenny. Focus. Ross. Your husband. You need to figure out if you still love him enough to make this work before you think about someone else.”
    I sighed. I was getting pretty good at that.
    “I know I do.”
    “Do you still love Ross?”
    “I don’t know. He’s broken our relationship. I can’t love him knowing what he’s done.”
    “Then tell him. Tell him it’s over. Take a break, then think about Aiden.”
    I thought about it for a second.
    “I don’t feel ready to end things with Ross though.”
    “Why? He cheated on you. You just said you can’t love him.”
    “I’m falling out of love with him. But maybe I’m not quite there yet.”
    “Well, you had a lot of happy times together.”
    “Yes. I suppose we did. But you know what? I’ve spent more time with you lately than him.”
    “Why do you think that is?”
    “I don’t know. I guess we have drifted apart. I’m not sure we have that much in common. I’ve been wondering why I ever thought we were right together.”
    “Well, he entered your life at the right moment and he was pretty romantic and kind if I