Free Dealing with the Past by Toni Griffin Page A

images?" Aiden asked puzzled.
    "You, naked in the shower." Jackson knew he probably shouldn't be saying this to Aiden but he couldn't seem to stop his mouth from running away from him. He wanted his mate desperately.
    "You're picturing me naked in the shower?" The astonishment in Aiden's voice was clear.
    "And what a picture it is. I bet my imagination has nothing on real life but I figure it's all I've got for the time being." Jackson closed his eyes and thumped his head back against the chair he was currently sitting in. He really needed to hang up if he couldn't keep his mouth shut. The last thing Jackson wanted to do was scare his mate off.
    Aiden spluttered on the other end of the line. "You… Uh… You want to see me naked?" he asked uncertainly.
    "More than anything else in the world," Jackson answered honestly.
    "Umm…" Aiden paused and seemed to draw in a deep breath if the noise was any indication. "I'm not quite sure what to say to that," he said hesitantly.
    "You don't need to say anything right now. Just think about the possibility." Jackson would love nothing more than to be having this conversation with his mate face to face but he would take what he was given. The fact they were talking about this at all astonished him. "That wasn't originally the reason for my call though."
    "It wasn't?" Aiden sounded confused now.
    Jackson chuckled. "No, babe, I didn't just call you up out of the blue to let you know that I want to see you naked in the shower."
    "Babe?" Aiden asked and Jackson winced. He hadn't even realised the endearment had slipped out until Aiden had repeated it back to him.
    "Uh… Sorry," Jackson apologised. "Too soon?" he asked hopefully.
    "Yeah just a little," Aiden chuckled lightly.
    "So back to the reason I called."
    "Seeing me naked in the shower?" Jackson could clearly hear the teasing lilt to Aiden voice now.
    "Smart ass," Jackson laughed. "As much as that image has tried to distract me, I really called to ask how you were doing and see if you were up to a trip to the cemetery tonight."
    Aiden was silent for several moments before he started talking again. "Did you have the same thoughts as me?" he asked, sounding unsure.
    "Well, that all depends," he answered. "If you mean did I think that if someone doesn't want Brendan raised, there must be a reason behind it and maybe the man himself might know what that is. The sooner we figure this out, the better."
    "Sounds about right. I wonder what the hell Brendan got himself mixed up in that would cause someone to threaten me to stop him from being brought back from the dead." Aiden sounded honestly curious.
    "There's only one way to find out," he answered.
    "Sounds like a plan to me."
    "I'll pick you up in fifteen minutes. Can you be ready by then?" Jackson asked.
    "Well, that depends on whether I'll be showing up naked or not," Aiden teased. Jackson groaned at the idea of Aiden answering the door naked and he had to reach down and palm his cock that had started to rise at the image in his head.
    "Dead first, then naked," Jackson said, his voice deep and husky.
    "We'll see, Jackson, we'll see. I'll be ready in fifteen," Aiden said then hung up the phone before Jackson could say anything else.
    "Bastard," Jackson said fondly to no one in particular. His mate had a wicked streak to him that Jackson had known nothing about. He looked forward to exploring it more and everything else there was to learn about his mate.
    Jackson palmed the hard bulge in his pants once more but decided against taking his cock out and relieving the pressure. The anticipation would make it so much better if he waited. Even if nothing happened with Aiden tonight, he would still get to see and touch his mate, and for that he would hold off his orgasm until later.
    Jackson stood and gathered his keys and wallet before turning off the lights and locking the door behind him. He called the elevator and waited impatiently as it took its sweet time to get to his floor. Finally in his