Beat of the Heart (29 page)

I woke up to blinding sunlight streaming through the windows. Stretching in the bed, I glanced over

at the clock on the nightstand. It was after eleven. AJ and I had slept way too late. Of course, after the

bedtime singing performance, I couldn’t wait to get him back to the barn.The first time we’d gone at

each other like always—the ripping off clothes, heavy breathing, moaning, and skin slapping echoing

through the room kinda screwing.

But then something had switched over in the both of us. The next time was slow and sweet like we

had started before we were interrupted by Jake. I felt more connected to him than I ever had before,

and it was both exhilarating and scary as hell. After we finished, we lay entangled in each other’s

arms talking and laughing until the early morning before we finally fell asleep.

AJ snored softly on his stomach on top of the sheets—his fine, bare ass on display in the morning

light. Snuggling closer to him, I ran my fingertips up and down his back. When he still didn’t stir, my

mind went back to last night around the bonfire as he and the guys sang to Jude and Melody. I’d been

floored when after taking my seat next to Lily, Melody had scrambled out of her mother’s lap and

made a beeline for me. “Hold me, Mi,” she’d demanded. I’d quickly picked her up and let her burrow

into my arms. She’d once again wrapped her fingers around the strands of my hair.

Then, I watched in absolute amazement as the guys put on quite the cover of
Hey Jude
. I wondered

what their fans would have thought about seeing them jamming around a bonfire in the middle of the

sticks—Brayden on guitar and singing the lead, with AJ and Jake harmonizing. They even got us all

singing on the “Nah nah nah nah nah nah” part.

Once again I glanced over my shoulder at the clock. I knew it was time we got up and moving. I

leaned over and kissed AJ’s cheek before lightly smacking his other one. “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

“Mornin,” he said, in a hoarse voice.

“Did I wear you out last night?”

He chuckled as he rubbed his eyes. “I think you did.” Peeking at me through his hands, he added,

“But I’m always up for another round.”

I laughed. “Not happening for several reasons.”

“Like what?”

“First of all, we have to be up to the house at noon for lunch, remember?” Last night before we left

the bonfire, Abby had invited us to both breakfast and lunch, but then she recanted her breakfast

invitation citing how AJ was not a morning person.

“A quickie would remedy that one.”

I shook my head. “Second reason—we ran out of condoms, remember?”

“I bet Jake has a few left in his goodie drawer.”

“What?”

Rolling over, AJ opened the top drawer on the nightstand on his side of the bed. He started rifling

through the contents.

“What exactly is in there?” I asked, propping up on my elbows.

AJ continued rummaging around. “Hmm, here’s a cock ring,” he announced, holding it up and

spinning it around on his finger.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. “Don’t even think that I’m letting you use that with me when I don’t

know who it’s been on.”

He chuckled. “Party pooper.” He shuffled around some more before producing a set of handcuffs,

and warming body oil. He raised his brows questioningly at me.

“The body oil, yes. The handcuffs are marginal.”

“You’re questioning the handcuffs when you tied me up on our first date?”

I laughed. “I remember.”

He tossed the items onto the bed before returning to his quest. “Hell yeah!” he exclaimed,

producing a sheet of four condoms.

I rolled my eyes. “Only you would get excited about that.”

He dove over to cover me with his body. “I could give two shits about the rubbers. It’s what I’m

going to do to you when I’m wearing them that I’m excited about.”

He reached in to kiss my neck when I stopped him by gripping his shoulders and pushing him away.

“Babe, you can’t start anything up right now. I don’t want to disappoint Abby about lunch.”

Groaning against my collarbone, AJ lifted his head. “She probably wouldn’t mind if we were a

little late.”

“But between yesterday at the waterfalls and last night, I’m starting to wonder if I can walk.”

An impish grin curved on his lips. “I like that. It totally compliments my dick.”

“Of course you would. Now go get in the shower. I wanna grab something to drink first. All this

sex has dehydrated me.” I nipped at his bottom lip before rising out of the bed.

“Only if you promise to join me after.”

“I will.” When a triumphant look flashed on his face, I shook my head. “But only for a scrub down.

I’m not sneaking into Jake and Abby’s late for everyone to rag us about going at each other like

rabbits.”

He chuckled. “Whatever.” He threw back the sheet and padded into the bathroom. As I eased into

one of the robes from the bathroom, I heard the water turn on in the shower. I was halfway down the

ladder when the doorknob on the front door rattled. It was probably Abby coming to make sure we

were up and coming to lunch. I landed on the main floor just as the door blew open.

“Hey baby, I’m here,” a dark-haired girl called. When her gaze met mine, I’m sure we were both

wearing the same wide-eyed, open mouthed expressions of shock. In one hand, she held an overnight

bag and then a key in the other. Realization of who she was crashed so hard over my head that I

shuddered and drew my arms around me to stop my shaking. It was the same girl from last night—

AJ’s ex-girlfriend, Kylie.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded.

She pursed her glossed lips before replying, “I came to see AJ.”

I felt my fingernails sharpening like claws at my side. “He’s in the shower and not accepting

visitors at the moment.”

“Oh.” She shifted on her feet. “This is kinda awkward.”

“It wouldn’t be if you left,” I snapped. Internally I was doing a little victory dance for keeping my

Sicilian strength and standing up the bitch. I hadn’t been able to do the same thing with Erin—my ex-

friend who cheated with Dev. I had been too emotionally crippled to ever confront her.

Her eyes widened at me. “Look, I didn’t know he was with anyone. He certainly didn’t tell me that

last night—just that it wasn’t a good time to talk. So I figured I would come up here to see him.”

My heart clenched in my chest, and I found it hard to breathe. Why wouldn’t AJ have told her he

was with me? He had invited me to Eastman’s as his date…he’d even chased after me when I tried to

leave. He should have shot her down completely—not let her think there was some window of

opportunity. Shaking my head, I replied, “Well, obviously he should have told you he was with me.

Just like he is now.”

Although she seemed to cower back a little, the look that flashed in Kylie’s eyes told me she

wasn’t backing down completely. “Fine. I can see now is not a good time. I’ll check in with AJ

later.” She waved the key in front of my face. “I know where to find him—I always do.”

“Whatever.”

Grabbing her suitcase, she then headed out the door, slamming it on her way out. “Bitch,” I hissed

under my breath. But with Kylie gone, my bravado suddenly depleted, and I was left shaking in the

middle of the living room. My knees buckled and almost sunk onto the floor. “No, no, no,” I

murmured. This couldn’t be happening to me—not again, not after all I’d been through. AJ couldn’t be

playing me…playing me
and
Kylie. Was he doing both of us at the same time? Leaving me and going

to her or spending time with her when he wasn’t with me? Was everything he’d said and done just a

lie to keep me in his bed?

Just the thought of how things had changed between us yesterday sent bile rising in my throat. On

trembling legs, I streaked over to the kitchen and heaved into the kitchen sink. Turning on the water, I

numbly watched the puke go down the drain. The irony wasn’t lost on me that my relationship, or

what I thought I’d had with AJ, had just done the same thing symbolically.

After I swiped my hand across my mouth, I turned around to lean back against the sink. He was so

smooth and used to having his way with all the ladies he wanted. Why would he want to get serious

so soon with someone he barely knew? Especially with someone like me—my insecurities, my abuse,

my fear of his cheating. My stomach churned again at the prospect, and I knew I needed to confront

him. I had to hear the truth from his own lips.

A strange electricity rocketed through me when I took the first rung on the ladder. Anger replaced

my hurt. What the hell had I been thinking that he was any different? That he could truly love me just

for me. Dammit, in the end, he was just like Jason and Dev and all the other bastard men out there.

He’d claimed he wasn’t trying to play me for a little while.

Once I reached the top of the ladder, I was shaking out of rage, not fear. On my way to the

bathroom, I spied the handcuffs on the bed. I snatched them up before stalking into the bathroom.

Steam enveloped me, and it took me a moment to make out AJ’s naked back and ass through the glass

door.

He glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “Come on in, amorcito mio. The water is just right to

warm you up—in more ways than one.”

Fucking Bastard
, I screamed in my mind. Twirling the handcuffs on my finger, I leaned back

against the door frame. “So you were serious when you said you hadn’t brought girls to Jake’s house

before?”

“That’s right. Jake wouldn’t allow it. Besides you’re special, and I meant it.” My heart shattered a

little more at his words, but I kept my up with my wrath induced veneer. With a sexy grin, AJ crooked

his finger at me. “Now get your sexy S&M ass in here with those handcuffs. I know you said we don’t

have a lot of time, but I guarantee I can make you come so hard you’ll scream in under two minutes.

Then, you can see how fast I can come. We’ll make it a little game.”

I stepped to the edge of the shower, flicking open the handcuffs. AJ opened the door for me. “So

you like playing games, do you?”

“Oh hell, yes.”

Reaching forward, I grasped his wet hand in mine. “You seem to play a pretty good game when it

comes to ladies’ hearts.”

“I hope to have stolen yours,” he said, with a wink.

The click of the handcuffs closing on AJ’s wrist echoed through the shower stall. “No, but I’m

pretty sure you broke it.”

AJ’s dark brows furrowed. “Mia, what’s wrong?”

“You lied to me,” I whispered.

“What are—”

“You just said that you never brought women here.”

“I know. It’s the truth.”

“Hmm, that’s funny because that ex of yours, the one who was all hugged up with you last night, just

showed up to fuck you. Either she has your dick on GPS, or she knew to come here because you

invited her.” I gave him a rueful smile. “I guess juggling all your booty calls got a little confusing,

huh?”

AJ’s tanned features paled. He held up his free hand. “Mia, wait, I can explain—”

I shook my head furiously back and forth. “How could you do this to me? I let you in after swearing

I wouldn’t. I let you see the hell I’d been through…” My voice choked off. Dammit, I did
not
want to

cry in front of him. “The hell I’m
still
in, and then you betray me like this?”

“I swear to God, Mia, I didn’t know Kylie was coming.”

“She had a fucking key, AJ!” I screamed.

“That’s because she’s Lily’s sister. I didn’t give it to her, I swear. She must’ve talked to Lily and

realized that the guys and I were up here.”

“Lily would have told her I was with you.”

AJ grunted in frustration. “Maybe she just heard that the guys were all up here and decided to

come. I don’t know the fucking particulars, Mia. Go up and ask Lily yourself. What I do know is I

sure as hell didn’t invite her.”

“So what, she just happened to waltz into Jake’s house and steal a key?”

“She wouldn’t have to. She’s been up here with Lily and the kids before. She’d know where he hid

it.”

“You’re a fucking liar!” I hissed, before clamping down the other cuff onto the shower head.