Hard to Handle

“Go,” Axle said, gesturing to the door. “Finished early.”

Aiden didn’t have to be told twice. He pulled his keys from the drawer, his mind on Sadie.

“Why are you smiling so much?” Axle asked, eyes narrowed.

Aiden looked up at him, more than a little shocked that Axle noticed. “I, uh…I’m happy.” He gave him a slightly embarrassed smile. “I guess I haven’t been happy for a long time.”

Axle surprised him further by leaning on the counter and crossing his arms over his big chest. “Yeah. Your family got served a shit sandwich last year.” His mustache twitched and his expression turned somber. An expression on Axle was alarming. All Aiden could do was stare. “I loved your mom. She was like a sister to me. Your dad like a brother. I know he doesn’t show it, Aiden, but he grieves. Men like us just grieve different, is all.”

Aiden was struck dumb. This had to be the longest conversation he’d ever had with Axle Zoller.

“You worry about him, but you shouldn’t,” Axle continued. “He’s your dad. Let him worry about you, not the other way around.” He glared down at him. “Okay?”

Aiden nodded, speechless for a moment. “Okay,” he managed.

Axle palmed Aiden’s shoulder and gave him a brief shake. “I’m glad you’re happy. Now go.” His mustache curved into a genuinely warm smile. “Tell Sadie I said hi.”

Outside, Aiden replayed the conversation with Axle with a chuckle and a shake of his head. Maybe he had been worrying too much about everyone around him and not enough about himself. Since he’d turned his focus on buying the stores, and on Sadie, Aiden felt more whole than he ever had in his life.

Things were coming together. Life really did go on. And while he’d never forget his mother, he didn’t want to live in the shadow of losing her for the rest of his life, either.

Neither did Dad. He could see that now.

Aiden straddled Sheila and scrolled through his phone for the number for the Chinese place near Sadie’s house. He planned on ordering at least six different things and crawling into bed to feed her a bite of everything. Then he could stash the rest in the fridge for a midnight snack, or a three a.m. snack—whenever they woke famished from the workout he had planned tonight.

He couldn’t get enough of that woman. He loved her so much his chest ached with it. He didn’t want to get over her…and he knew after one miserable, failed attempt, he’d never be able to.

He wanted to shout with victory.

Aiden had never felt this way about anyone. Not even his ex-wife. He may not have broken any vows during their short marriage, but he hadn’t known what it meant to be married. Not really. He’d never before wanted to give absolutely everything, strip himself bare—literally and figuratively—for another person.

Sadie made him feel everything at once. Made him feel like he had all he needed, even as he gave her all he had. She also made him want to walk down the aisle sooner than later. Make this thing official so he could start the next part of his life. He didn’t care where he lived—her apartment, a new place they picked out together—as long as he was with her. Aiden didn’t want to go home anymore. To him, she was home.

He pocketed his phone and started his bike. Maybe Chinese in bed wasn’t the best idea. Maybe a better idea was a nice restaurant, candlelight, and a small velvet box.

He sped down the road, trying to remember where, exactly, he could find the closest jeweler. Saturday, Sadie had turned him down. But that was before all they’d shared. Aiden knew Sadie was right for him. Knew it deep in his bones.

He thought back to the shower this morning, where he’d washed her and stroked her and told her he loved her in every way but saying the words. She had to guess where this was going. He wasn’t in this halfway. She had to know that he wanted it all.

After giving himself so completely, there was only one gesture left to make.

He’d get a ring. And he’d ask. Again. But this time, he thought as he spotted the jewelry store, she’d say yes.

He knew it.

*  *  *

Sadie growled and dropped her phone. She’d gotten Aiden’s voice mail three times in a row. Her fretting had turned into frustration.

Soon he’d be in her living room, crowding her, turning her on…and she would melt into him, of course she would. How could she not? He was sexy and perfect and turned her into a wanton sex goddess.

And yet she felt utterly buried, smothered by him. It didn’t make any sense.

Maybe she just needed time. An evening, a morning to herself to process. She’d made herself a very big promise last year—to never trust Aiden again, to never show her vulnerability to him again. And boy, had she broken that vow. He’d seen her more vulnerable, more exposed—in more ways than one—than anyone ever had. And now the boundaries she used to trust in were blurred beyond recognition.

Sadie tried to heed Crickitt’s sage advice to stop holding the sins of the past against Aiden. She tried to forget the phone call last year, tried to forget how his dismissal of her had torn her heart out. She tried to forget the weeks following, the weeks when she’d ignored his calls before they’d stopped completely. She tried to ignore the terror she still felt at the idea of losing him. He wouldn’t ever cheat on her, or leave her for her sister, but he could wrap his motorcycle around another tree…or go skidding into a field with an exposed water pipe like her father had…

Her hands shook as she pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed his number again. Then she heard it: the low rumble of Aiden’s motorcycle.

And her hands shook harder.

Chapter 16

Aiden adjusted the collar of his shirt. He’d made reservations at Triangle after his purchase and had run home to change into a blue button-down shirt and black pants. He hoped to God not to make an ass out of himself in a fancy-pants restaurant, he thought, sweeping a hand through his hair. But he couldn’t very well propose to Sadie in a steak house.

Though they did make love in a tree house…so maybe it was a safe assumption Sadie wasn’t into the five- star scene, either. He didn’t know why he was suddenly so riddled with doubt over the right way to ask her. Then again, yes, he did. Sadie spooked as easily as a wild mare. He didn’t want to blow his chance at spending the rest of his life with her because she didn’t like creme brulee.

She opened her apartment door and Aiden’s fears evaporated. Seeing her there, dressed in a smart black skirt and pale pink top, her heels as high and impractical as ever, reminded him he had nothing to worry about. He knew her. Knew what she wanted, what she needed, before she even knew it herself.

“Change of plans,” he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He clasped on to the ring he’d purchased tonight. It wasn’t hard to pick out at all. The moment he saw it, it practically shouted Sadie. “We’ll take your car. You’re dressed perfectly for where we’re going.”

It was then he really looked at her face. The wide, sorrowful eyes, her full lips drawn into a pout. He held out a hand to touch her and she stepped out of his reach. The threshold of her apartment seemed to be a barrier he wasn’t supposed to cross.

“Axle says hi,” he said, his voice thin.

She crossed one arm over her middle and clasped on to her elbow, bracing herself—for what, he had no idea.

Fear and anger mixed in his throat, making his next words a demand rather than a question. “Sadie, what’s going on?”

She shook her head, dropped her arm, and squeezed her cell phone between both hands. “I thought I could do this.”

His vision blurred and he grasped the doorway for support.