“You don’t really think he did it on purpose, do you?” Aiden asked.
I nodded. “I’m positive he did. I didn’t find out until after the whole cheating thing that Brian had this weird idea that he had to have me before you did.”
Aiden’s eyes went wide. “What?”
“Ellen told me. I guess her guilt was eating away at her one day, and she stopped by my house. I had just moved in, and I was almost nine months’ pregnant. I think she was trying to assuage her own guilt. She told me that Brian knew how I felt about you and how you felt about me. That I had been pining—his words—over you. He wanted to prove that he could take something you wanted. It had all been a grand plan of his, he just never counted on me finding out what a cheating bastard he was. I didn’t believe her at first, not until after the divorce when he all but admitted it to me.”
Aiden looked like he was about to be sick. “So he used you, got you pregnant, and then married you, all to keep you from…me?”
I laughed bitterly. “Yes. The crazy thing was, he had no idea you didn’t want me.”
Aiden sat up quickly. “That’s far from the fucking truth, Willa.”
Glancing down at Ben, I said, “Language, Aiden.”
He rolled his eyes and then scrubbed his hand down his face. “I want to track his…A-S-S down and beat him until he’s only breaths away from death.”
My eyes widened. “Well, that would really put a damper on you being back in town. Besides, it was my fault for falling for his charm and ignoring the signs, and it takes two to get pregnant.”
“Don’t say that,” Aiden said. “Don’t do that to yourself.”
Turning, I met his gaze. “When I walked in and found him with Ellen, I was devastated. But not for the reason you might think. Yes, I was pregnant with his child and knowing he would do that cut deep to my bones. I felt deeply betrayed. But in that moment, when I was so angry that Brian had betrayed me, that Ellen had betrayed me, I was more upset that I had given up my dreams of you for him.”
Aiden’s eyes went wide with shock once more.
I slowly shook my head. “Each guy I went out with, I compared to you, Aiden. Until finally, I stopped one day. It was the day I met Brian. I thought I’d finally set that dream aside. Then, the day of my divorce, the day I was set free, you walked back into my life. I looked over and saw you in that bar, and all I could think about was how much I wanted to run to you, throw myself at you.”
I shook my head and let out a humorless laugh. “I did throw myself at you. I longed to kiss you, touch you. Feel you pull me against you. All those emotions I had locked away all suddenly came rushing back as if they’d been there the entire time, waiting for the right moment to be set free. My God, all I wanted to do was tell you that I was just as much in love with you then as I was that night in the barn.”
I buried my face in my hands and groaned before dropping them. “And the way I acted with Greer…I’m so embarrassed. I have no right to try to keep you from another woman when I went off and got pregnant. I’m sorry.”
Ben let out a little shriek of joy, and I looked at him. How wonderful it must be to not have a single care in the world.
I let my gaze move to Aiden, who was staring at me with a look in his eyes that was very familiar. I felt my lower stomach pull with a sweet desire that I knew only he could fulfill.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Aiden spoke. “Do you think your folks or Lacy could watch Ben tonight?”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out for the longest time. “Um, why?” I asked, honestly confused.
“Because I want to be with you, Willa. I want to touch you, taste you, feel what making love to you is like. I want to learn everything about you, and I want to keep you wrapped in my arms for as long as possible. And if you think for one minute I never wanted you, you’re insane. You have been in my dreams since that day you stood in your kitchen that morning we came back from Christmas break.”
The inner me was absolutely jumping with utter glee at Aiden’s words. I felt wetness gather between my legs almost instantly.
I want to touch you, taste you…
Yes, please! Put me down for all of that and more!