The Secret Affair(13)
Feeling confident she had her common sense back on track, she began walking. Aidan wasn’t too far ahead and it wouldn’t take long for her to catch up with him. In the meantime she couldn’t help but appreciate his manly physique. His faded jeans emphasized masculine thighs, a rock-solid behind, tight waist and wide shoulders. He didn’t just walk, he swaggered, and he did it so blatantly sexily, it increased her heart rate with every step he took.
Moments later he slowed and turned around to stare at her, pinning her with his dark gaze. Had he felt her ogling him? Did he know she had been checking out his rear big-time? She hoped not because his front was just as impressive. She could see why he was in such high demand when it came to women.
“You coming?”
I will be if you don’t stop looking at me like that, Jillian thought, getting closer to where he stood. She felt the heat of his gaze on every inch of her. She came to a stop in front of him. She couldn’t take looking into his eyes any longer so she glanced around. In addition to the huge lake there were also mountains surrounding the property. “You have a nice mountain view in this spot and can see the lake from here,” she said.
“I know. That’s why I plan to build my house right here.”
She nodded. “Have you designed it yet?”
“No. I don’t plan on building for several more years, but I often come here and think about the time when I will. The house will be large enough for me and my family.”
She snapped her head around. “You plan on getting married?”
His chuckle was soft but potent. “Yes, one day. That surprises you?”
She decided to be honest. “Yes. You do have a reputation.”
He leaned one broad shoulder against a Siberian elm tree. “This is the second time today that you’ve mentioned something about my reputation. Just what have you heard about me?”
She took a seat across from him on a huge tree stump. “I heard what hellions you, Adrian, Bailey and Bane used to be.”
He nodded solemnly. “Yes, we were that. But that was a long time ago, and I can honestly say we regretted our actions. When we grew older and realized the impact we’d had on the family, we apologized to each one of them.”
“I’m sure they understood. You were just children and there was a reason you did what you did,” she said. She’d heard the full story from Pam. The deaths of their parents, and aunt and uncle, had been the hardest on those youngest four. Everyone had known that their acts of rebellion were their way of handling their grief.
“Sorry I mentioned it,” she said, feeling bad that she’d even brought it up.
He shrugged. “No harm done. It is what it is. It seems the four of us got a reputation we’ve been trying to live down for years. But I’m sure that’s not the reputation of mine that you were really referring to.”
No, it wasn’t. “I understand you like women.”
He chuckled. “Most men do.”
She raised a brow, not in the least amused. “I mean you really like them, but you don’t care about their feelings. You break their hearts without any concern for the pain it might cause.”
He studied her for a long moment. “That’s what you heard?”