Fallen Hero (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 3)

Aaron squinted at her. He knew then that she had no idea that a man might want to marry her just because she was young, beautiful and had all the attributes a sensible man should want in a wife. He also knew, especially after tonight, that when not mired in grief, Elspeth had a wayward side to her that would drive him half out of his mind with worry, but he didn’t want to be the one to kill it. In fact, for the first time since he had arrived at her house, Elspeth looked vibrant, alive, determined, stubborn, but more importantly had lost the terrified, haunted, bereft look that had torn him apart. Because of her adventure tonight, Aaron knew he had seen a completely different side to Elspeth, and it was enticing. He was intrigued and delighted that she was more of a match for him than he had realised.

“Damn,” he cursed. “What the Hell am I going to do with you?”

When he couldn’t think of a single word of warning to make her want to leave the investigating to him, Aaron crossed the distance between them and hauled her against him for a very thorough kiss. This time, the restraints and caution that he had previously exerted failed him. He slammed a hard kiss onto her luscious mouth that was part warning, full of the desire, love, and fear he truly felt, and contained all the commanding he yearned to be able to put words to.

“Tell me to stop,” he breathed several moments later. “I make no apology for what we are doing. I confess, I have wanted to do this for a very, very long time, but you have never shown me the slightest hint that you see me as a man, rather than your brother’s friend.”

Aaron had no idea why he should feel the need to pour his heart out to her right here and now, but he did because he could find no reason not to. It helped if she was to understand just how important she was to him. While he still shied away from placing a label on the way he felt about her, he knew instinctively that it was pure and unadulterated love, just like his friends had said.

“I would move Heaven and earth to keep you safe,” he breathed against her lips.

“I had no idea you felt this way. You never told me,” she chided softly.

“What would you have done had you known?” he demanded.

Elspeth leaned back to look at him. “Been shocked,” she replied honestly.

“Why? Did you not see me as a man?” Aaron asked.

“Of course I did, but you were also Thomas’s friend. I didn’t think you noticed me,” she whispered.

“May I ask you something private?” Aaron began.

“I think it is a little late for us to be keeping secrets, don’t you?” Elspeth asked with a pointed look at their close embrace.

Each breath she took pressed her ribs against his. Every time he spoke, his voice reverberated through her. Their gazes were so close Elspeth knew that all she had to do was edge infinitesimally closer and their lips would touch. She felt as though she could see deep into his soul, they were so entwined. Unfortunately, she suspected he would also be able to see into her soul. It made her wonder what he would see.

“I know it is very early days since you lost Thomas, but I want you to know that you are not alone,” Aaron assured her. “I am always going to be here for you.”

“I don’t want you to feel duty-bound to say that,” Elspeth warned.

“I don’t,” Aaron argued. “Why would I?”

“Because you missed Thomas’s funeral. I don’t want you to feel that you must make up for not being there during that time. I know you wouldn’t have been able to do anything,” Elspeth replied honestly. She spoke from the bottom of her heart. While at the time she had been disappointed that he hadn’t turned up, now that she knew the reason why he had been prevented from attending the funeral, she knew it was something he had been unable to avoid. She was practical enough to understand how unfair it was to blame Aaron for something he had no control over.

“I don’t think I would have been able to string two sentences together if you had been here,” she admitted honestly. “I had never been so beleaguered by anything in my life. Not even our parent’s deaths had such an effect on me.”

“It must have been a Hell of a shock,” Aaron sighed.

He pressed a kiss against her temple that was so tender it brought tears to her eyes, but they weren’t tears of grief, or drawn from the darkest of her memories. They were because of the gentleness she found within him. For the first time in her life Elspeth felt cared for, protected, and it was wonderful, not least because it steadied her swaying world and made her feel like a person. Aaron’s affection chased away the darkest of shadows and wrapped her in the warmest of golden glows. She knew now that with him by her side she could fight any foe and would come out stronger and better for having him with her. Unfortunately, she had no way to put this knowledge into words without making an utter fool of herself. She doubted he would understand, so she sought a way to show him instead.

Aaron sucked in a breath when her gaze searched his for a moment before her loving look slid slowly down to his lips. His body responded with a determination that was difficult to ignore.

“Life is for the living,” she whispered.

“We have to decide what we are going to do,” Aaron said with as much sternn

ess as he could manage. Unfortunately, it came out more as a quiet plea than any stringent demand.

“About what?” Elspeth murmured distractedly, her gaze still lingering longingly on his chiselled lips.

Aaron succumbed to temptation and gave her the kiss she wanted but lifted his head again before she could kiss him back. He grinned at the discontent on her face. When her brows started to lower, he pressed another kiss on her lips, and this time lingered a little longer. Just when she started to respond, he lifted his head.

“Us,” he breathed against her lips.

“Us?”

“Yes,” he hissed. “I want this, but on a permanent basis.”