Free Beyond Doubt by Karice Bolton Page B

quickly pushed through the front door and left him standing in the hallway.

 
    I was completely at his mercy and had to get a grip. This crush was getting out of hand, and that’s all it was. There was no future with him. He wasn’t that type. My only hope was that when we sat through a dinner we’d bore each other out of our minds. But something told me that wasn’t going to happen. I grabbed a vase out of the kitchen cabinet and filled it with water. I unwrapped the brown paper around the roses and snipped the ends off the stems and arranged them in the vase. Not wanting Gabby to run across them, I took the vase to my room and sat it on my nightstand. I took a step back and attempted to regain my composure, but knowing Aaron was waiting for me in the hallway was all it took to get my pulse going again. I needed to settle down. I needed just a few more minutes away from him.
    “I got lonely out in the hall,” Aaron said, jolting me right out of my wishful thinking as he lightly tapped on my door. I spun around to see him taking in my bedroom. He was grinning as he looked around, his eyes canvassing every section of the large space. My bedroom was quite roomy with a sitting area overlooking the city. The walls were taupe, the furniture white, and the decorative pillows turquoise. It was homey and far more sophisticated than any other bedroom I’d had up to this point. I could thank Gabby for that.
    I followed his gaze to my bed, and pure delight shot through me as he glanced back at me, his eyes scorching.
    “You don’t take instruction very well,” I huffed, turning him around and pushing him out of my room.
    “Very true. Let’s get going before they run out of tables.”
    I followed him back down the hall and kept to myself in the elevator, wondering if I was someone who actually enjoyed torturing myself. We stepped onto the sidewalk and the warm air touched my skin as we began our walk. Every time I felt his body move closer to mine, I stepped away, rerouting our direction slightly.
    “Here we are,” he said, ushering me toward a black door that was ornately carved. “They have patio seating on the side of the building. Thought it would be nice for a night like tonight. Being cooped up in the hospital all day was draining. I need some fresh air.”
    “I completely understand that.”
    He opened the door and I walked under his arm to a large seating area. All of the wood was dark teak and the long stretch of seating was covered in red velvet. The lighting was dim and the crowd of people in the bar was overflowing. I noticed quite a line of people waiting for a table in the restaurant as well.
    “Mr. Sullivan,” the hostess cooed. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
    She glanced at me, her eyes sizing up his latest conquest, before turning her attention back to Aaron.
    “Do you have a table for two on the patio, Tammy?” he asked.
    “Of course,” she replied, grabbing two menus. “Always for you.”
    I felt the distinct shift in the room as the large group of people who had been waiting for a table saw us get seated immediately. Feeling a little uncomfortable about it myself, I turned and grimaced an apology before quickly following Aaron and the hostess, weaving through the crowd of people.
    Tammy showed us to our table, handing us our menus, and I caught a glimpse of folded money in Aaron’s palm swiftly release into her palm.
    “Thank you, Mr. Sullivan.” She smiled and gave him a quick nod before turning around and leaving us alone.
    “I see how it works now. I wonder if that would work at Applebees?” I smiled. “I’ll have to try it.”
    Aaron started laughing and shook his head, but the moment his eyes connected with mine, I felt the tinge of excitement race through me. I needed to get my emotions back on track, keep the subjects neutral. Wait…That was neutral. God, I was in trouble around him.
    “How’s your dad doing?” I asked. “It’s okay to still call him your dad,