Free Aaron: Mating Fever (Rocked by the Bear Book 4) by V. Vaughn Page B
Authors: V. Vaughn
holding the drum I played the first day we met. I want to run to him and tell him I’m sorry. I give him a look that I hope conveys what I feel.
Adrian says, “Olivia knows the backbone to every successful child is a good education. And we know the backbone to every good song is a steady beat.” Aaron hands me the drum, and I gaze into his eyes. He nods at me once with an expression I can’t read. I follow him to sit on a stool next to his drum kit.
I whisper, “Aaron. I’m so sorry.”
My heart sinks when he ignores me and counts out the beat at the tempo I should play. I take a deep breath and begin to tap on the drum. Aaron joins me, and the band begins to play. It’s the song Aleck was writing the first day Aaron and I spent together. I gaze over at my mate, but he’s focused on playing and doesn’t notice me, so I look out at the crowd to discover it’s hard to see much with the lights, although I imagine it might be easier from the front of the stage.
When the song ends, I stand up and bow when Adrian makes me. Aaron is watching me, and pain grips my heart in a vice. Even if we really are over, I have to tell him how I feel. Before I walk away I say, “I do trust you, and I’m so sorry.”
He winks at me and says, “You’re damn sexy when you get mad.”
I melt in relief before I return to my seat. But I don’t think I got off that easy. Even if Aaron lets me, I won’t. I can’t. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with him, and trust between us is something that should never falter. Like the steady beat of my drum, I know that my true mate’s love is nothing I’ll ever have to question.
Chapter 15
F ive months later ....
“ A aron ,” I say as I stumble behind him. He’s pulling me by my hand down the stairs of our new home. I just woke up, and I’m wearing nothing but his T-shirt that I managed to slip over my head before he got impatient and grabbed my hand. I huff as anger begins to build. “I’m not fit for the public. Stop.”
The kitchen tile is cold under my feet as he says, “Nobody’s going to see you, Olivia.”
I relax, because he’s right. Our house is on acres of wooded land on the coast. “Fine.” I glance longingly at the coffee maker as we walk by it. “But please tell me what’s so important that I don’t get coffee.”
We step out the front door, and I gasp when I see what he was so eager to show me. A big purple bow is sitting on top of a shiny new black-and-silver motorcycle. I cover my mouth with my hand as I walk toward the bike. The metal is cool under my fingers as I drag them along the frame.
“Happy Birthday!”
I turn to Aaron and say, “I don’t know how to drive it.”
“I’ll teach you.” Aaron tugs on one of my curls as he says, “You’ll pick it up in no time.”
I slide my hand along the leather seat as a cool breeze that would have made the human me cold swirls around my legs. “You’re crazy. I’m going to crash this thing the first time I try.”
“Olivia. You will not.”
I gaze at my true mate as the briny smell of ocean air fills my nose. Even if I do crash, I now have the ability to heal at amazing speeds. “But this is still insane.” One of our favorite things to do when Aaron’s home is to get on his bike and ride for hours. I’ve fallen in love with the freedom of the road so close under my feet and the wind rushing by me. I step toward Aaron and place my hand on his chest as I tease, “I’m not the kind of girl that has a motorcycle.”
He places his hands on my hips and lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist. He says, “And you don’t date guys like me.”
I shake my head as I lock my arms around his neck and squirm against his belly. “No, I don’t.” His hair is soft in my fingers as I rake them through it. “Just look at this wild hair.”
“And the tattoos,” says Aaron. His voice gets gravelly. “Never date a guy covered in ink.”
I yank on the neck of his shirt and peer
Adrian says, “Olivia knows the backbone to every successful child is a good education. And we know the backbone to every good song is a steady beat.” Aaron hands me the drum, and I gaze into his eyes. He nods at me once with an expression I can’t read. I follow him to sit on a stool next to his drum kit.
I whisper, “Aaron. I’m so sorry.”
My heart sinks when he ignores me and counts out the beat at the tempo I should play. I take a deep breath and begin to tap on the drum. Aaron joins me, and the band begins to play. It’s the song Aleck was writing the first day Aaron and I spent together. I gaze over at my mate, but he’s focused on playing and doesn’t notice me, so I look out at the crowd to discover it’s hard to see much with the lights, although I imagine it might be easier from the front of the stage.
When the song ends, I stand up and bow when Adrian makes me. Aaron is watching me, and pain grips my heart in a vice. Even if we really are over, I have to tell him how I feel. Before I walk away I say, “I do trust you, and I’m so sorry.”
He winks at me and says, “You’re damn sexy when you get mad.”
I melt in relief before I return to my seat. But I don’t think I got off that easy. Even if Aaron lets me, I won’t. I can’t. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with him, and trust between us is something that should never falter. Like the steady beat of my drum, I know that my true mate’s love is nothing I’ll ever have to question.
Chapter 15
F ive months later ....
“ A aron ,” I say as I stumble behind him. He’s pulling me by my hand down the stairs of our new home. I just woke up, and I’m wearing nothing but his T-shirt that I managed to slip over my head before he got impatient and grabbed my hand. I huff as anger begins to build. “I’m not fit for the public. Stop.”
The kitchen tile is cold under my feet as he says, “Nobody’s going to see you, Olivia.”
I relax, because he’s right. Our house is on acres of wooded land on the coast. “Fine.” I glance longingly at the coffee maker as we walk by it. “But please tell me what’s so important that I don’t get coffee.”
We step out the front door, and I gasp when I see what he was so eager to show me. A big purple bow is sitting on top of a shiny new black-and-silver motorcycle. I cover my mouth with my hand as I walk toward the bike. The metal is cool under my fingers as I drag them along the frame.
“Happy Birthday!”
I turn to Aaron and say, “I don’t know how to drive it.”
“I’ll teach you.” Aaron tugs on one of my curls as he says, “You’ll pick it up in no time.”
I slide my hand along the leather seat as a cool breeze that would have made the human me cold swirls around my legs. “You’re crazy. I’m going to crash this thing the first time I try.”
“Olivia. You will not.”
I gaze at my true mate as the briny smell of ocean air fills my nose. Even if I do crash, I now have the ability to heal at amazing speeds. “But this is still insane.” One of our favorite things to do when Aaron’s home is to get on his bike and ride for hours. I’ve fallen in love with the freedom of the road so close under my feet and the wind rushing by me. I step toward Aaron and place my hand on his chest as I tease, “I’m not the kind of girl that has a motorcycle.”
He places his hands on my hips and lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist. He says, “And you don’t date guys like me.”
I shake my head as I lock my arms around his neck and squirm against his belly. “No, I don’t.” His hair is soft in my fingers as I rake them through it. “Just look at this wild hair.”
“And the tattoos,” says Aaron. His voice gets gravelly. “Never date a guy covered in ink.”
I yank on the neck of his shirt and peer