Chapter Ninety Three
** Runs concurrent with Chapters 90 & 91 (Leif)**
Frank took a deep breath as he walked up to the girls’ front door. He and Aralyn’s first date was tonight and he felt like he was fifteen again. What was about this woman that turned his head upside down?
No, he thought, he’d never had the nerve to ask a girl out when he was fifteen. Hell, he barely did now and he was twenty-five. And he normally didn’t go for extroverted, outspoken women like Aralyn. But he couldn’t resist her allure and he couldn’t put his finger on it. It was just her.
The door opened a moment after his knock, and she greeted him with a warm smile.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” he said shyly.
“Come on in while I get my jacket.”
Frank stepped inside and shut the door behind him. He noted how the rich brown and gold of her fitted t-shirt brought out the blue in her eyes and highlighted the gold of her hair. Not to mention it showed off her curves up top, while her brown slacks hugged her full hips. Frank swallowed hard as she grabbed her black leather jacket and slipped it on.
Aralyn was amused that yet again, Frank’s slacks were ironed, she suspected his shirt was as well under the blazer and his hair was combed neatly. He reminded her of her uncle Brian and cousin Riley, and decided she needed to help Frank loosen up.
“Ready,” she smiled.
At the restaurant, Frank wasn’t sure if he should be glad that they were seated in a small booth or not. On the positive side, it was cozy and intimate, and better for talking. On the negative side, it was cozy and intimate and better for talking.
It was hard to focus on a topic when she was smiling at him. Her dark blue eyes were so beautiful, full of promise, and mischief and laughter that he could drown in them. He was grateful she was an extrovert and could keep the conversation going, because he wasn’t talkative by nature, and conversation didn’t come easily to him. But Holy Hannah, he wanted to kiss those beautiful lips.
After they placed their drink order, iced tea for both of them, and ordered an appetizer of artichoke dip, he asked her about her family. She laughed and launched into an amusing explanation that she had obviously told many times.
“Wow,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s just amazing that you can keep everyone straight. I knew there were a lot of you but I’ve never had it broken down like that.”
“It’s second nature to us, but you should see us all together,” she laughed. “When everyone is there, it’s just pure chaos, and then when you add in all the aunts and uncles that don’t live here—like my aunt Diana’s four siblings, there’s Uncle Bobby in Peru—it really gets crazy.”
“You have an uncle in Peru?” he asked, intrigued.
Aralyn nodded. “He’s Mom’s youngest sibling. He’s an archeologist and has been on a big dig down there for several years. Sometimes we get packages with all sorts of cool stuff he sends. We haven’t seen him in years.”
“That’s really cool. Your family is definitely an interesting group.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” she said dryly. “What about you? A lot of family?”
“No,” he smiled back. “My parents, Joe, myself and our aunt. Pretty small. We lost Mom when I was ten to cancer.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said gently, impulsively touching his hand.
Frank’s heart skipped a beat at the contact. Her fingers were soft, as he had thought they would be. She kept her nails short and bare but had beautiful long fingers.
“Thanks. Aunt Gertrude moved in with us after that and kind of took over the household. She’s very straight forward and is usually the one to lecture us when we get in too deep with a case.”
“What sort of cases do you work?” she asked. She didn’t mind at all when he tentatively wrapped his fingers around hers.
“All sorts. Dad gets a lot of cases thrown his way from around the country. He has his subcontractors, like your mom, but the bulk of them he works and lets us take a fair number. We’ve been helping solve cases since were teenagers. Once Joe gets his PI license— already have mine —he’s changing the name to Hardy and Sons, and we’ll be full partners in the family business. He sends us all over the country; he has contacts everywhere. In between, we’re working on our degrees.”
“That’s so cool,” she smiled at him. “Tiff, Tim and I have had our share of adventures. Tim and I even joked about opening a PI office, but he’s in the Navy at the moment, and I decided I want to be a US Marshal like my Dad.”
“I think you’d be great at it. Which one is Tim again? He’s the one that tripped me when we were kids, right?”
Aralyn laughed and nodded. “I was the oldest until Nat turned up. He’s my cousin, a few years younger than me, after Tiffany, and one of my best friends. His parents are Daisy, Dad’s cousin, and Dan, one of Mom’s best friends. The three of us were inseparable until Tim got into drugs and stuff and Dan sent him off to boarding school.”
“What sort of trouble have you gotten into?” he asked with an amused smile. “Something tells me you’re not content to sit on the sidelines.”
He already knew the facts about the shooting the previous year. That had been public record and he had done his research, including finding their travel blog they had kept.
Aralyn laughed and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. It refused to stay put and popped out, but Frank like the way it laid against her cheek. It made him think she couldn’t be tamed either.
“Um, well, I seem to attract trouble, but if you know anything about my parents, you can see why I Iike to say I come by it honestly.”
Frank grinned as she began to tell him about her year on the road with Tiffany.
Aralyn left out the details of meeting SAMCRO, and the shooting in the Texas. It wasn’t smart to advertise her connection to a motorcycle club that was constantly in trouble with the law. She hadn’t talked to Jax in a while, and hoped he was okay.
Frank was impressed with interest in martial arts, and found himself staring into the sapphire pools that were her eyes as she talked. She was an animated talker, using her hands a lot, she lit up when she talked and laughed, and Frank was enchanted. He enjoyed talking about karate and soon enough they were discussing the merits of a straight discipline versus mixed martial arts.
Their dinners arrived and she blushed. “I’m sorry, I start talking and I don’t stop. I’m sitting here just going on.”
“I don’t mind,” he smiled. “It’s a nice change from listening to Joe drone on. You have a lovely voice, and I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone quite like you.”
She raised one eyebrow. “Is that good in the way I’m pleasantly unique or bad in the way that you have a type of woman, and therefore your comment comes off as borderline derogatory.”
Frank's dark eyes widened. “No, no, it’s good,” he said hastily. “Definitely pleasantly unique. You’re so independent, and adventurous. I don’t meet a lot of women like that. I, uh, guess I’m just more used to um…less adventurous women.”
Aralyn laughed. “You mean quiet?”
Frank felt himself turning red. “No, just…”
“You’re looking in the wrong places,” she teased, taking pity on his embarrassment before he dug himself in deeper. “If you’re nice, I’ll take you for a ride on my motorcycle.” She bit back the saucy comment about a powerful machine under her.
“You ride?” he asked in surprise. “So do we.”
Aralyn nodded. “We took our bikes on the cross-country trip, for the first half.”
“That’s right, you mentioned that. I definitely don’t meet a lot of women who ride,” he smiled.
“I love it. I love the feeling of freedom and um, the speed.”
Frank laughed. “Same here. We ride whenever we can, weather permitting. New York winters of course, we have to store them in the garage.”
They ate slowly, enjoying each other’s company and keeping the conversation light.
“What made you want to be a detective?” she asked. “Your dad?”
Frank nodded.
He nodded. “Joe and I have always had an affinity for solving cases and helping him. It seemed like a pretty natural choice for both of us. We’ve been in a few tight spots but we always manage to get out. I got my license as soon as I turned twenty-five, and Joe is planning getting his when turns twenty-five in a few months.”
She flashed her dazzling smile at him. “I bet it’s a lot of adventure.”
He smiled as he took a sip of tea. “I don’t know about that. Half the time Joe gets us into hot water and I have to get us out.”
Aralyn laughed. “Sounds like me and Tiff. Except uh, I’m the one that gets us in trouble.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” he answered, his dark eyes twinkling at her. “Throw yourself out of any planes lately?”
She grinned as she picked up a French fry. “No, I’m kind of taking a break from it. Mom was so mad, remember? But we will be going skiing as soon as we can and that’s always fun. If we have time, we might squeeze in another camping trip.”
“You like to ski?” His eyes lit up. She nodded.
“I’ll do almost anything, especially if outdoors,” she grinned. “Growing up, we spent a lot of summer time on Jim’s lake at the school, and we’d go tobogganing down the hills around it, but now we like to head up to one of the ski resorts on weekends and really fly down the hills. Mom has a friend who owns a ski lodge up in Vermont we’re always welcome at but it’s weekend trip, and a bit of a drive.”
“That sounds great,” Frank said admiringly. For the first time in a long time, he hadn’t had to use the meal as an excuse for conversation, and she was so interesting, so lively. He needed to work up the courage to kiss her tonight, he thought. Although she seemed the type to kiss him first, and Frank was a little old fashioned when it came to getting physical. He liked to take his time, and get to know a woman before he took her to bed.
“You mentioned college, what are you guys studying?”
Frank looked sheepish. “Criminal Justice for me, Criminal Forensics for Joe. Both are useful in our field.”
“I’m studying Criminal Justice as well,” she laughed. “It’ll be helpful when I join the Marshals Service.”
“Also keeping in the family business, I see.” His dark eyes twinkled at her.
Aralyn nodded. “Dad got me my job at the local precinct. I just work the front desk, but I’m allowed to rifle through cold cases when it’s quiet. It’s good experience for my resume and application to the Marshals.”
“Solve any cold cases?” he asked, intrigued.
“Not yet. But sometimes if I come up with a new angle, I flag it and pass the case up. Whether or not anyone looks into it, I don’t know, but I figure it’s good practice.”
“It definitely is,” he said in admiration.
After dinner, he waited near the front door for her to come out of the restroom. He couldn’t help but smile at her as she walked up to him. People took notice of her, he had observed, especially men. It was hard not to; she was tall and beautiful and commanded a room without trying. He had noticed that about her the first time they met.
Frank suggested coffee and she agreed happily, until they pulled into the parking lot.
Aralyn recognized the white Jeep out front and bit her lip.
“Actually, Frank, it looks really crowded and loud in there. Why don’t we go to my place instead?” she suggested. “Trust me when I say we have plenty of coffee.”
Frank wasn’t dumb, he had seen her expression shift quickly when they entered the parking lot. There was someone here she didn’t want to see, but he respected her privacy and didn’t mention it.
“Sure,” he agreed, backing up the car.
“My cousins shouldn’t be there so they won’t interrupt,” she gave him a saucy smile.
Frank couldn’t help but smile back. He liked the idea of being alone with her. A quiet setting was preferable as well.
The thought of being alone with her in her brownstone was both daunting, and exhilarating. His pull to her might make him rethink his no sex on the first date policy. Maybe she just wanted some privacy, he thought, not necessarily sex. But she was clearly the type to go for what she wanted. He hoped he wasn’t misreading her signals. Joe had always understood women and known ho to respond to them. Frank, not so much.
Tiffany and Natala weren’t home as she had said, and Aralyn invited Frank to make himself comfortable in the living room while she started the coffee.
“Decaf or regular?” she asked.
“Decaf, please. I need to get some sleep tonight.” He smiled at her.
Frank sat on the wine-colored sofa, taking in more details of the living room. It was warm in color and feeling, the furniture and eclectic blend that he had a feeling represented each girl’s personality. A jacket here or there, a pair of heels under the coffee table, books and magazines, a closed laptop on the coffee table, alongside an empty soda can and a candy dish full of M&Ms.
Lots of pictures around on the walls. He figured they were the family, there were so many close in age and coloring. Some of the pictures were artwork, and the styles had no similarities.
“It’ll be just a couple minutes,” she joined him on the couch, facing him and tucking one long leg under the other and Frank became aware of how very close she was to him. He tried not to stare into the blue eyes. They were sparkling and he couldn’t help but notice the impish smile. Her curls were starting to get unruly and he resisted the urge to tuck one lock in particular behind her ear and kiss her lips. Her hair amused him and he idly wondered how rumpled it would be after a night together.
“You’re up to something,” he said with an amused smile.
“You’re observant,” she answered, leaning one arm on the back of the sofa.
“Kind of need to be in my line of work,” he flashed her a grin. He really wanted to kiss her. Was that why she was sitting so close, looking so mischievous? That last thing he wanted was to misread the situation and make an ass out of himself. Stop overthinking, Hardy and just kiss the girl, he thought.
“What was your favorite case?” she asked.
Frank wondered how she made that sound so sexy and his brain stumbled. “Um, it’s hard to say. As long as we survive, I’m happy,” he chuckled. “But I enjoy the undercover work.”
“Dressing up as something or someone else?” she asked cheekily.
Frank’s brain went somewhere else immediately and it was clear from her expression that had been her intention.
“Ah, just you know, taking on a role and seeing…things from another perspective,” he managed to say. Good Lord, she had him off kilter. And he liked it. “We’ve had a number of cases with a lot of physical activity, we’ve gone undercover several times where we had to be on motorcycle, speedboat and horseback.”
“Do you like horses?”
“Sure. I’m a solid rider. You?”
The mischievous smile appeared again. “Sure am.”
Frank felt himself redden slightly as he understood her implication. She laughed.
“Daddy taught me. And I grew up riding horseback at Regan’s stables. He’s known for breeding champion race stock.”
“William Regan, right? We met him once, long time ago. So, what don’t you do for fun?” he asked. “Skydiving, horseback riding, motorcycles, rafting, do you drive race cars too? Tiffany mentioned something about that?”
She grinned. “Don’t tell Mom but yes, Dad has taken me to the amateur track and let me race a bit.”
Frank just shook his head with a smile. “You’re so interesting.”
“Thanks,” she smiled. He shifted the way he sat so he was facing her, and not sitting so stiffly. She was so graceful, he thought, comfortable in her own skin. He tried to relax, but being so close to her…
Frank was seriously considering kissing her, thinking she looked like she was going to kiss him, when a timer beeped from the other room.
“Coffee,” she murmured.
Frank swallowed hard and touched her hand. He couldn’t resist her. “Let it sit a minute.”
“Why?” she whispered, hoping he was going to kiss her.
Frank leaned forward and Aralyn followed suit, their lips meeting gently. His hand touched her hair and she moved a little closer as their lips opened to each other slowly.
The timer beeped again and Frank pulled away slowly. She smiled at him.
“I was hoping you’d do that.”
He laughed nervously. “Uh, that was really forward of me, I hope I wasn’t out of line.”
She gave him her grin. “Not at all. How do you take your coffee?”
“Just a little sugar,” he answered, watching her rise and walk to the kitchen, liking the way her hips swung. Expelling a deep breath, he tried to collect his wits. She had welcomed his kiss on a first date. Usually he only kissed a girl on the cheek, and asked for a second date if it had gone well. But she was irresistible and had his mind going all sorts of fun places.
She returned a moment with two mugs that she set on coasters on the table, and this time, sat closer to him purposefully.
“I like kissing you,” she said bluntly with a smile.
Frank blinked twice, surprised at the direct comment. “That’s good,” he smiled. “I like kissing you too.”
“I’m glad,” she answered with smile before leaning forward to kiss him again.
Aralyn felt the heady rush as he kissed back, gently pulling her closer. She ran one hand through his thick hair as their tongues began to tease each other. When his lips began to explore her neck, she knew she wanted more. She wanted him. He smelled good, he felt good, and he was making her feel good. His hand ran through her golden curls and she pressed her lips to his neck, which prompted him to pull her even closer into his arms.
Neither heard the key in the lock to the front door as the kisses heated up, and Frank had just eased her onto her back on the sofa when Tiffany and Natala walked in, stopping mid-sentence.
“Oh, hello,” Tiffany said, startled.
Frank pulled away and sat up, clearly embarrassed at being caught, his shirt untucked and partially unbuttoned. Aralyn sat up and adjusted her shirt. Her curls were disheveled and her cheeks flushed, but she was smiling.
“Hi, I didn’t hear you two come in.”
“Clearly,” Natala snorted. “Hi Frank.”
“Hi Natala, Tiffany,” he said sheepishly. He knew Joe was at a hockey game, but had a date planned with Tiffany for tomorrow.
“Don’t let us interrupt,” Tiffany said politely, dragging her smirking cousin towards the kitchen.
“I’m think I should to go,” Frank murmured.
“You sure? We can go upstairs,” Aralyn said boldly. “I do have my own room. And we haven’t had our coffee.”
Jesus, she wanted him upstairs, Frank thought wildly, his brain crashing. He was out of his depth here, he thought. His body wanted her, there was no doubt about that. He wanted her badly. He wanted to taste more of her, feel her skin under his…
“I…not yet,” he finally said.
He couldn’t read her expression but she bit her bottom lip a little and smiled, and he suddenly regretted that decision.
“Want more persuading?” she asked coyly.
Frank laughed. Yes, he did. “I…I’d just rather take things a little slow, Aralyn, if that’s okay. I don’t sleep with a woman on the first date and one-night stands are definitely not my thing.”
“I’m okay with that,” she said softly. “It’s been a little while since I’ve...been in a relationship, and I’m not sure how to…steer things.”
“Don’t steer them,” he said, caressing her jaw with one hand. “Just let things develop. Trust me, we’ll get there. I definitely want to get there. But I don’t sleep around, that’s not my style. I like to let things build naturally.”
She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling.
Frank was fairly certain she was withholding an innuendo.
“Can I see you tomorrow night?” he asked.
Aralyn nodded. “I’d like that. My shift at the precinct ends at five.”
Frank smiled, relieved. He didn’t want her to think he being prudish, or was unattracted to her. Attraction was definitely not an issue. On either side, from the way she had been kissing him.
Then he was kissing her again but pulled away when he felt the shift in intensity, before he let his hands begin to undress her.
“I’m going to go before we do something too soon and we regret it,” he murmured.
Aralyn nodded, her eyes wide. “Probably a good idea.”
Frank rose from the sofa and she did as well, walking him to the door. There were several more moments of soft, gentle kissing before he finally left.
Within seconds, her cousins were in the living room with matching grins and a plate of cookies.
“All right, cousin, dish!” Tiffany dropped into the overstuffed chair. Natala took the other end of the sofa.
“Yeah, you’re looking a bit disheveled,” Natala laughed.
Aralyn grinned. “He’s really nice. We had a nice time at dinner. And a really good kisser.”
“Better than Cam?” Tiffany asked casually. Aralyn looked at her sharply.
“Apples and oranges,” she answered.
“I’d say that’s a negatory,” Natala said cheerfully, opening a bag of cookies.
Aralyn glared at them.
“They’re very different men. And for your information, I think Frank may actually be a gentleman. He didn’t make a move to undress me at all, and wants to wait before we hit the sheets.”
“You sound utterly disappointed,” Natala snickered.
“Sounds like Cam,” Tiffany muttered but only Natala heard her.
“Well,” Aralyn laughed as she reached for a cookie, “he turns me on, that’s for sure. It’d be nice to knock boots with him. Under those preppy clothes, the man is built. I got a good feel for him under that shirt, and he’s got some real muscles.”
“He’s good and tall too,” Tiffany said with a wicked smile, “I bet you could climb him nicely and explore all of his muscles!”
The three cousins dissolved into giggles as the cookies were passed around.
***
Joe took a swig of his beer and shook his head smiling.
“Something wrong?” Tiffany asked smoothly, leaning over to take the next shot, aware of his eyes on her backside. She sunk the ball easily into the pocket and turned to him. He drew her close against him.
“I think I’ve been bamboozled.”
“Whatever do you mean?” she asked innocently, batting her eyes at him.
“You, my beautiful hustler,” he kissed her lightly as he slipped one arm around her waist, “are scamming me.”
Tiffany laughed. “Beginner’s luck.”
“Not a chance, you handle that stick too well. And you look incredibly sexy doing it,” he murmured as kissed her again and Tiffany felt the charge between them.
“I’ve been playing since I was ten,” she admitted. “My Dad and cousin taught us.”
“Tiffany Duke, con artist,” he laughed, holding her tight.
She kissed him. “Your turn, by the way.”
But he missed his shot and she sunk the last two, winning the game. She turned to him with a flourish, worried his ego would be bruised but he was smiling at her.
“Two out of three,” he suggested.
“Ready to lose some more?” she teased.
He gave her a lingering kiss that left her knees weak. “You’re on.”
*
Tiffany pulled back from Joe’s embrace, gasping for air. Their making out had ratcheted up fast, and he had pulled her into his lap so was straddling him, his hands sliding under her shirt and up her back. His kisses on her neck had her head spinning and she wanted him. Her body longed to be caressed, feel hands roaming over her. She missed the physical contact of a relationship. But she still missed Emme, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to go straight to bed with someone. Raphael had been a one-time thing, since she’d never see him again.
“What’s wrong?” he murmured, his lips on her neck as he fiddled with her bra strap.
“Nothing, I just…need to slow this down,” she breathed.
His hands immediately stopped playing with her bra. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, this is just…a little fast,” she confessed. “I really like you, Joe, but I…”
“Hey, we can slow things down, it’s not a problem.” He kissed her lips lightly. “I’ve never pressured a woman, I promise.”
“I appreciate it.” She traced his lips with her finger and kissed him gently. “My last relationship wasn’t too long ago, and it really hurt when we broke up. I know you’re not here for long but, I just don’t want to rush into this.” She didn’t want to tell him her last relationship had been with a woman, unsure of where he stood on such matters. Something told her he wouldn’t mind, and would probably be open to a threesome.
His blue eyes studied her. “I may be here longer than you think,” he said. “But you set the pace, Tiff. I’m not looking for a one-night stand, but I’m not looking to get real serious. I just like to have fun.” He kissed her gently, his hands stroking her long hair and gave her a sexy smile. “I can control myself until you’re ready.”
Tiffany felt relieved. Her dalliances with John Ross III and Raphael had been one-night stands, intentional fun with no commitment, but she really liked Joe as a person. He was fun, and smart, and impulsive, affectionate without being possessive. But Emme had hurt her, and while she wasn’t ready to rush right into another relationship, she didn’t want a short fling with Joe. She wanted more, but not serious. And if he would be going back to Bayport in a few weeks…
He was kissing her again, but gentler, softer this time. His kisses made her melty, being pressed up against this muscular body turned her on without a doubt. She had thought she wasn't ready for a relationship, but maybe some no-strings attached fun with Joe Hardy was exactly what she needed.
Joe loved anything physical, she had realized quickly from their conversations through the week, and they had played a fun round of paintball that ended with a lot of kissing and laughing. He was affectionate by nature and she didn’t mind; she rather basked in his attention and affection.
***
Frank was doctoring Aralyn’s coffee, humming to himself when he someone stepped up near him. He had paid close attention at the coffeeshop, and Tiffany had teased her cousin about how much sugar and cream she used.
Frank glanced at the young man, about his age and height, he figured, solidly built with muscle. Dark, almost black hair in need of a cut, bright blue eyes that looked numb. He sported a neatly trimmed beard, and Frank idly wondered if the man was all right. For a moment he thought drugs but then he caught a glimpse of the young man’s face and realized the expression was one of utter devastation, not drugs. Sympathy washed over Frank as he finished stirring sugar into the coffee. No doubt a woman had caused that expression.
Recapping the coffee, he turned, and smiled as Aralyn strolled in, the sun bouncing off of her golden curls. He was crazy about her. The elation she caused in him had knocked him off his feet, and their physical relationship was rapdily heating up. Sometimes he couldn’t focus on regular conversation because the way she turned her eyes on him or gave him a certain smile. A simple touch on his arm and his brain stopped. When she fixed her full atention on him, lost his breath It was so easy to get lost in her, and he didn’t mind. He hadn’t known it was possible for a woman to have that kind of effect on him.
“Hi,” he walked to greet her as she smiled at him, and he kissed her gently.
“Hi yourself,” she murmured as she took her coffee. “My kind of greeting, coffee and a kiss.”
Frank smiled at her happily, slipping his arm around her waist as they walked to a table. That was when he noticed the guy from the condiment stand staring at him and looking stricken, and realized his new girlfriend was the cause of the man’s total despair. “Be casual but there’s a guy over near the sugar station who won’t take his eyes off of you. Six-five, two fifty, dark hair, beard.”
Aralyn frowned slightly. With a casual toss of her hair, she saw him from the corner of her eyes. Her smile faltered and she turned to face him full on, giving him a small smile. The man just stared at her, then left.
“I’m going to guess that was an ex,” Frank said.
She sighed. “The only ex, Cam. Our last break up ended pretty badly,” she admitted.
“Last break up?” he echoed. “Sounds like something of a story there,” he said gently.
She nodded as they sat at a small table. Frank reached over and covered her hand with his, unaware of Cam sitting in his white Jeep outside, watching them through the glass.
“He was my high school sweetheart,” she said quietly. “We broke up after graduation, when Tiff and I took that road trip. We eventually got back together but…I was overloaded with school and crap and there was a bunch of stuff that happened earlier this year, so we broke up again. This pastin April, he called it quits, and rightfully so. I didn't have time for him and I didn't handle my schedule well. I haven’t seen him since last semester ended. He’s been out of state for an internship all summer, and our paths haven’t crossed on campus.” She wasn’t about to get into the details.
He nodded in understanding and didn’t press for further details. In time, he hoped she would trust him enough to open up to him. His thumb rubbed hers gently. “I thought he looked awfully sad.”
“Yeah.” She ran one hand over her hair, disheveling the curls in an adorable manner. “He’s a great guy, but I couldn’t make time for him, and it took a heavy toll on our relationship. He’s Dean’s roommate too, so it’s inevitable I’ll run into him sometimes. Plus, we go to the same school. So…if you stick around, you may see him.”
“Anything I need to worry about?” he asked lightly.
Aralyn shook her head. “Cam’s not violent, at all. I think he was just shocked to see me with another guy. He’s not a stalker or anything like that. He’s about the nicest guy I’ve ever known, present company excluded.” She gave him a dazzling smile that he couldn’t help but return.
Frank was more concerned they would get back together. They had only been dating a few weeks but he was already smitten with Aralyn Duke. He wanted to get to know this young woman better and he didn’t want any skulking exes around to jeopardize it. Clearly, she didn’t harbor any negative feelings towards her ex.
“Well,” Frank raised her hand to his lips, kissing it gently. “There are no ex-girlfriends that we might run into on my end. They’re all in Bayport.”
She smiled at him. “Good. I don’t relish running into exes. Cam is the only one you might see. This is a pretty popular hangout so…”
“It’s okay,” Frank smiled as he squeezed her hand. “There are a lot of coffeeshops in this town, but that does raise a question.”
“Which is?” she asked.
“I know your schedule is pretty full this semester…is finding time for me going to be an issue?”
Aralyn squeezed his hand back and smiled, shaking her head. “No. I cut back a lot of my activities and class load this go around. I really overloaded myself last semester, and I’m not going to do it again. Tiff and Nat made it pretty clear I couldn’t do that again. I’ve got plenty of time for you.”
Frank’s smile made her happy.
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed them, making her blush. “Good.”
“What about you?” she asked. “You said you’re close to wrapping up this case. Are you going back to Bayport soon?”
Frank took a sip of coffee. “We haven’t decided. Our lease here is six months, and the plan was to sublet it once we’re done. We had planned to initially but…I met this incredible woman and I’m in no hurry to rush off.” He smiled warmly at her, squeezing her hand. “Joe feels the same. I am definitely making time for you, Aralyn, don’t worry about that. Once this case wraps…well, we’ll see where things go.”
Aralyn blushed happily.
***
Frank wondered if it really was okay a few days later, when he met her at the bookstore. He paused as he looked for her and saw them, about thirty feet away. Neither looked very happy, and at one point, she laid her hand on Cam’s arm. He shook it off and then he left a moment later. Aralyn stood with her eyes closed as he walked up to her.
“Aralyn?” he asked hesitantly. Her dark blue eyes opened and she turned, giving him a dazzling smile.
“Hi.” She wrapped her arms around him to kiss him deeply, and while Frank didn’t mind in the slightest, he wondered if the encounter he had witnessed spurred the embrace. Maybe it was time he found out more about this Cam fellow.
When he pressed the issue later, he felt the wall go up. She turned to him, studying him as he leaned against his car. They were outside the brownstone. Frank always walked to her to the door, and their good-night kisses heated up rapidly. If she didn’t have an early class the next morning, he would have taken her up on her offer to come inside.
“Why are you suddenly asking about my ex-boyfriend?” she asked quietly.
“I saw you with him earlier. It looked like he upset you.” His dark eyes studied her as he pulled her close.
She shook her head. “He didn’t. Cam was…my first love. And he’s someone very special to me, I won’t lie about that. Our last break up was ugly. And seeing me with a new boyfriend last week really startled him. He just wanted to make sure you were a decent guy.”
“I just want to make sure I’m not going to have to fight the guy, he looks pretty strong,” Frank smiled to soften the conversation as he caressed her face. He wondered if all of her skin was so soft and looked forward to finding out.
Aralyn laughed.
“Nah, he’s not the violent type. There’s nothing to worry about there, Frank."
"Nothing to worry about as in you're not getting back together? Because if that's in the cards, I'd like to know now, before this goes any further," Frank said gently.
Aralyn shook her head, golden curls bouncing with the movement. "No. Definitely not. He and I are definitely done.”
“Good,” Frank said softly. “Because we’re just getting started and I’m really enjoying this.”
“Me too,” she smiled up at him.
Meet the cast in full & see the family tree!
Author’s Notes
- a giant yee-haa! To Ronda, my lovely editor. All mistakes are mine!
- Word Count, 5,998
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