Page 22 of Small-Town Secrets
His brother told me later that he used up all his lunch money for the week to do that.
It was insane. No one was that nice to me. Why was he?
It wasn't because he had a crush on me. That much was for sure. I'd made a move on him often enough to know.
The most embarrassing time was when I'd stayed over at their place the night leading up to Valentine’s Day and I sneaked into his room in the middle of the night to give him some heart-shaped cookies I'd made for him. I was just going to leave them on his desk and disappear, but he woke up, shot me a horrified look and told me I was too young for him. He told me he saw me like a little brother, dashing all my hopes and dreams. Couldn't he see that my feelings for him where not brotherly at all?
Apparently not, because he shooed me out of the room.
Trying to focus myself back on the present instead of mortifying memories, I watched Aaron correct the kids' stances as they went through their exercises.
If I let Aaron teach me, would he touch me?
The idea sent a jolt of heat through me.
I scolded myself. I was here to see Aaron with my children, not to fantasize about how good his hands felt on my skin. Not that I needed to strain my imagination much to relive it, when I'd kept the memories I had of my one night with Aaron in perfect condition.
The night I'd only had because I'd tricked him.
I wanted to feel guilty about that, but I couldn't. Chris and Tyler wouldn't exist if I hadn't done what I did.
My eyes searched the gym for the twins. I found them standing in the front row, following instructions for once.
They looked so happy practicing their punches, even though they were punching nothing but air. I hoped they would never have to punch anything more than that, but it was good to know they were prepared. Just in case.
I never wanted them to go through the same things I had.
After a second, my gaze strayed to Aaron again. He seemed good with the kids. A little awkward, probably because he wasn't used to being around any, though.
Because he didn't know that he had two sons.
There was that guilty feeling again. What right did I have to keep an alpha as kind as Aaron away from his children? And how could I deny Chris and Tyler the right to know where they truly came from?
If Aaron was still the alpha I remembered...
But how could I be sure?
I bit my lower lip.
I was never going to reach a decision by sitting here and watching him from the sidelines.
I had to get involved. The idea scared me, but I could be brave, couldn't I? For my children.
Once Aaron had dismissed the class and all the children had filed out of the gym, I walked over to him. "I've thought about your suggestion. Maybe Ishouldlearn karate."
Surprise flitted over Aaron's features. He hadn't expected me to take him up on that proposition, had he? "You mean it?" he asked.
"Would you teach me?" My heart was pounding in my throat. I hoped he didn't notice that.
A slow smile blossomed on his lips and my heart leapt back into my chest to beat a little harder. "I would love to teach you," he said. "We'll have to find a time that suits us both, but we can meet at my house. I have a lot of empty space we can use."
I made myself nod, my ability to speak gone.
I was going to meet Aaron at his house.
Dear lord, what was I getting myself into?
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