The Butterfly Effect (Boggy Creek Valley 1)

I put my car in park and waited for Aiden to say something. When he opened the door and started to get out, I sat there, frozen.

He leaned back down and looked at me through the open door. “Are you not coming in?” he asked, that crooked smile on his handsome face.

“Maybe I shouldn’t.”

He nodded. “Okay, well, be careful driving home. And let me know when you get there, you’ve still got my number right?”

Wow. He isn’t even going to push for me to stay?

“Maybe I could use your bathroom really quick?”

Oh my gosh. The bathroom excuse? Wow. Just wow, Willa. That was really smooth.

His right brow arched as if he knew I was lying out of my teeth. “You better come in then, and at least have a hot tea or some bullshit like that.”

It was my turn to smile, but I still sat there like a fool.

With a wink, he asked, “Are you coming in or what, Squirt?”

I flinched, and he noticed. Before he could say anything, I turned off my car, grabbed my phone, and slipped out of the car. It was time that Aiden O’Hara knew I was no longer that innocent little girl he called Squirt.

Aiden walked to the front of the car and motioned for me to go first. When he placed his hand on my lower back to guide me up the porch steps, I felt a rush of warmth even though my body trembled slightly.

I attempted to step out of the way for him to enter the code for the keyless lock on the door, but he had somehow maneuvered his body to block me in and had to reach around me. The feel of his body against mine warmed me instantly.

Like the creeper I was, I watched the code he entered.

“Your birthday?” I asked with a laugh. “That’s not very safe.”

Aiden reached for the knob, turned it, and whispered against my ear as he pushed the door. “You remembered my birthday, dulcedo.”

My heart slammed hard against my chest as I sucked in a breath of air, and I nearly fell back when Aiden stepped to the side and motioned for me to walk into the house first. I turned and looked at him and tried to make my damn brain work. Dulcedo was Latin for sweetness, and I instantly remembered the day Aiden had taught it to me.

He winked and then jerked his head, gesturing again for me to step inside.

I stepped into the dark house and let my eyes adjust. As soon as they did, a light turned on.

“Want a beer?” Aiden walked past me and headed through the house to the kitchen. I stood there blinking as I tried to get my heart back down into my chest while my head was feverishly trying to figure out why Aiden had called me sweetness. It wasn’t baby, or darling, or sweetheart. Sweetness. Or was he referencing the story behind Dulcinea, the beautiful maiden Don Quixote is obsessed with in his novel? Goodness, the man was confusing.

I rubbed my temples with my fingers and let out a soft laugh. “Get ahold of yourself for Pete’s sake,” I whispered as I walked through the familiar house. Everything looked nearly the same, with the exception of updated furniture and different paint colors on the walls.

“I’m driving, remember?” I said, setting my phone and keys on the kitchen island. I pulled a stool out, and slipped onto it. When I noticed my hands shaking, I pushed them into my lap.

“Right. Water? Soda?”

“Water is fine, thank you.”

I watched as Aiden set his beer down and reached into the refrigerator for a bottle of water. Then he sat on the opposite side of the island and took a long drink of his beer, never once taking his eyes off of me.

“Tell me about what your life was like in the Navy,” I said after taking a sip of water.

Aiden looked away as he answered. “Nothing really to tell.”

I laughed. “Really? How did you get that scar on the side of your face?”

He turned and looked at me. “Which one?”

Leaning over the island, I stared at his breathtaking face as I took in every single inch, enjoying the freedom to openly ogle him. “Do you have more than one?” I asked with a chuckle.

He nodded. “Yes. I have three.”

With a frown, I leaned over more, practically crawling on top of the damn counter.

Aiden laughed. “Walk over here, you can get a closer look.”

I slid off the stool and adjusted my ever-uncomfortable dress. Aiden turned on the stool and when I stopped in front of him, I stood on my toes and leaned in for a closer look. His hands went to my hips and he pulled me closer. So close, I had to put my hand on his chest to keep from falling against him.