Free Ayden's Secret by Cara North Page B

large house was quiet. Too quiet, it needed more life inside it in her opinion. Maybe a couple kids running around like they were at Evelyn’s. Yes, she decided, that is what was missing. But did Ayden want a family? Would he want one with her?
    She headed up the stairs and peaked in his room. He was asleep. Face down in the center of the bed butt naked. Snoring. He must have been tired. Or maybe he was leaving her an opportunity open?
    Charlie stepped into the room and moved closer. God he looked good in the buff. He had a dimple on his right butt cheek. From his waist to mid thigh looked pale white and the rest of his body a golden tan. Smooth and sleek. His brown hair was wet leaving a water halo above it. He was definitely asleep.
    Charlie pulled the blanket over him from both sides wrapping him like a burrito. Ayden felt her tuck him in and then kiss his cheek. He was asleep until he heard the door open, but he realized he was butt ass naked and was curious what she would do. It was a doubleedged sword. He felt relief that she didn’t try to handle him in his sleep and disappointment because she didn’t try to handle him in his sleep. Shit. He needed to figure out what he wanted and soon.
    Charlie headed to the shower and took a nice long cold one. Ayden was making her crazy. Too much of his body exposed in one day. She needed relief. He needed relief, but he wasn’t ready to have sex with her. He wouldn’t unless he really cared about her. She couldn’t unless she was prepared to deal with the rejection that followed if she pushed him into it too soon. There had to be a way. Yes. There was a way. She turned the warm water on and relaxed. She could modify Stephanie’s plan.
    ***
    At the beach, Stephanie and Malcolm enjoyed a nice sunset. They had driven Megan and Chase’s minivan. It had tinted windows, so no one could see in, but they could see out. The tourists had packed in for the day, just a couple stragglers left behind. The parking lot was nearly empty. The minivan sat alone. When Malcolm unlocked the doors, he got in the front driver seat, but Stephanie got in the back. She began pulling and adjusting the seats creating a flat surface on one side.
    “What are you doing?” Malcolm turned to see what she was up to.
    “Making room.”
    “Room for what?” His blue eyes zeroed in on her. Damn she had him trapped.
    “Us. Now get back here.”
    “This is a public place, Stephanie.” Malcolm smiled. She was inventive, he had to give her that much.
    “No one can see us. Leave the sun visor up and no one will know we are in here.”
    “What do you plan to do in here?” He looked around the area. He had to admit it was a little exciting. It was already dark, and the few tourists left on the beach were using flashlights to search for shells. The van wasn’t under a light, so she was right. If they kept quiet, no one would know.
    “I plan to let you make me happy.”
    She said that like he owed it to her. Like because he wasn’t going to have sex with her until they got married that now he was obligated to do what she wanted. “How exactly do you plan for me to do that?”
    “You tell me. You said you would. You won’t in Joshua’s house. Megan and Chase are cool. Megan gave me the idea, so get back here and do your thing.” Stephanie’s heart was galloping. She was ready to explode with nerves, and he wasn’t making things easier. He had all the experience; he should be able to handle this easy. Instead, she felt like the one in control.
    Do his thing she said. Problem was he didn’t really know what to do. Malcolm had told her he had been with two women. It wasn’t a total lie. They had done stuff to him, but he didn’t have sex with either of them. His mother had taken him to a clinic at the age of sixteen and scared him to death with all the diseases. When his cousin got pregnant at fifteen, his parents made him become her Lamaze coach. He was only seventeen at the time.
    After that, he was