Only Mine (Fool's Gold #4)(58)

“You have a really good job,” she said slowly. “The house is paid for, as is your car.” She should know. She paid off both loans herself. “Obviously, if there’s an emergency, I want to help. But otherwise, you need to be responsible for your own bills.”

Her mother sprang to her feet and glared at her. “Aurelia, this is not how you were raised. I’m the only mother you’ll ever have. When I’m dead and gone, your selfishness will haunt you forever.”

Aurelia watched her walk away. She knew her mother expected her to run after her, but she couldn’t. The relationship they’d had before had been twisted and difficult. If she wanted it to change, she would have to be strong.

Stephen walked over to her and put his arm around her. “How do you feel?”

“Nauseous.” She pressed her hand to her stomach. “We’re not done. She’ll be back. But I feel like I’ve taken the first step and that’s something.”

“It’s great.”

She looked up at him and smiled. “Great is healing some freakish disease. All I did was stand up to my mother.”

“When was the last time you did that?”

“I was probably five.”

“Then it’s a big deal.”

“You’re too nice to me.”

“Not possible.”

They walked through the park, going away from the direction her mother had chosen. Aurelia told herself to ignore the guilt, and that in time, it would fade.

The reality was her mother was more than capable of supporting herself. But for some reason, she wanted to be taken care of.

“Maybe she thinks that having me pay for things proves that I love her,” she said, thinking out loud.

“Or she wants to be able to tell all her friends. That gives her status with them. After all, what do their kids do?”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” she admitted. “On my good days, I tell myself to feel sorry for her rather than be angry or resentful.”

“Does it work?”

“Sometimes.”

They stopped by Lake Ciara. The sun had set and the sky was dark. She could see the first stars appearing. As a little girl, she’d wished on the stars, wanting them to make her dreams come true. Back then, most of her dreams had been about a handsome prince who would rescue her.

Now, looking back, she realized the rescue was about escaping her mother. While she’d appreciated having someone to care about her, that relationship had too many rules and strings. Even as a child, she’d felt the need to be loved for herself.

That desire was still there, but she knew it wouldn’t come from the stars. Instead she would have to grow enough as a person to be able to accept that kind of love. Tonight had been a good first step. If her mother returned and tried to suck her back into their old relationship, she would do her best to stand strong.

“You’re looking serious about something,” he said.

“Reminding myself to stay strong.”

He gazed into her eyes. “I really admire you.”

She blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You’ve had to deal with so much. You’re standing up to the only family you have. You’re on this show.”

While she appreciated the praise, she didn’t feel especially worthy. “I’m nearly thirty years old. It’s long past time for me to take on my mother. Besides, you stood up to your brother. I think you inspired me.”

He shook his head. “It was just the two of you. Changing that relationship isn’t easy.” He grimaced. “I didn’t stand up to my brother, in fact. I ran.”

“That’s different.”

Without warning, he leaned in and kissed her. The feel of his mouth against hers made every part of her weak with longing. She kissed him back, knowing she shouldn’t, telling herself she would stop any second now.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her hard against him. She went willingly, surrendering to a force bigger than her doubts. He was tall and strong and made her feel safe. Stephen always made her think that, as long as he was there, nothing bad could happen.

When his tongue touched her bottom lip, she parted for him. She met him stroke for stroke, feeling the heat grow. His hands moved up and down her back, then dropped to her hips. She surged toward him and felt his erection against her stomach.

The physical proof of where this was going shocked her into pulling away. She stepped back, her breathing ragged, and stared at him.

“Stop,” she gasped, then shook her head and held up a hand. “You have to stop. We have to stop. This is crazy.”

His blue eyes were bright with passion as he reached for her again, but she stepped back.

“I mean it,” she said as forcefully as she could. It was difficult to be stern when all she wanted was to throw herself at him, to be held by him, to make love with him.

“I don’t understand,” he told her. “I thought…” He looked away. “My mistake.”

“No.” She grabbed his arm to keep him in place. “I’m sorry. I’m saying this all wrong. Stephen, this isn’t about you. It’s about me and us and where we are in our lives.” She stared at him, willing him to understand.

“You’re twenty-one years old. You need to finish college and go live your life. You have so many firsts, so many new experiences ahead of you, and I don’t want to get in the way of that.”