Saint Sloan (Saint Sloan #1)(29)

She wrapped her arms around his back and held on as he kissed her harder, more needy. Before she knew it, he walked her backward until her back slammed against the concrete holding up the porch. He pinned her between his body and the wall.

Gentleman wasn’t a word she’d use to describe Aaron, but he didn’t go too far. His hands rested on the waistband of her pants, never dropping an inch below.

Finally, her ears began working again, a roar at first then the swirling of sounds. When she could focus again, it wasn’t a swirling. It was her mother standing in the doorway. “Care to explain?” she said sternly.

At first, Sloan really wanted her mom to go away. She wiped her mouth and gently pushed Aaron back so she could have some room to breathe. It was difficult to talk to her mother with Aaron — handsome, ever so kissable Aaron — so close.

“I… uh…” Yeah, that wasn’t embarrassing at all.

“Get in here and tell me what’s going on, young lady. All of it. Ray said something about you being threatened. I want answers, not to see this going on out outside my house.”

“You and me both,” Sloan mumbled. She leaned her head back on the cool concrete to try to get her composure. She’d been kissed before. Boyd used to kiss her all the time. He wasn’t the first, but she thought he’d done a fine job at the time. That was… until Aaron. Wow. Just. Wow.

Her toes were still curling.

A much different kisser from Ray.

Holy Hannah! She’d just kissed her prom date’s brother while her prom date was inside talking to her mother. Could this day get any more complicated?

“Now, Sloan,” her mother demanded again, pointing inside the house.

Sloan looked up at Aaron, who had his thumb rubbing against his bottom lip. A one-sided grin pulled on his mouth, and he, at least, was good enough to look embarrassed. She swallowed hard, wishing she was rubbing her lips against his, following the trail of his thumb, and walked past him as fast as she could into the house.

She leaned on the island for support and took a few deep breaths. It took a few seconds to notice Ray sitting on the other side of the island. When their eyes met, he looked down and his jaw clenched. He knew.

Her mom scooted out of the way so Aaron could come in, but glared as he passed. Kissing her daughter hadn’t obviously been on her mom’s mind when he went out to talk to her. With Ray at the far end of the table, Aaron on her left, and her mom across on her right, it felt like an interrogation or a very uncomfortable dinner party.

“Tell me what’s going on. From the top.” Her mom scooted out a chair and sat down expectantly.

Sloan told them everything, from the roses in her car on Sunday to the flowers this morning from the florist. She even told about the note, which caused her mom to nearly freak out.

“And neither of you saw the flowers?” her mom asked the guys when she was able to form words again.

“No ma’am,” Ray said, leaning his elbows on the table.

He’d been very quiet through it all. And more importantly, he hadn’t made eye contact with Sloan either. A fact that broke her heart. As much as she liked Aaron and kissing Aaron, she hated that she had hurt Ray. Why did things have to be so complicated?

“She asked us Sunday about the flowers, but we never saw them.

“They think I’m crazy,” Sloan threw in there for good measure. Finally, Ray’s eyes found hers.

“I don’t think you’re crazy.”

“I know. Aaron told me the same thing outside.”

“It’s not the only thing Aaron told you,” Ray muttered.

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing.” He sure didn’t have a hard time looking at her now. His eyes had changed from being angry to hurt in a split second.

“You have no reason to be hurt,” she reminded him. “We aren’t even dating.” Awesome. They were having this conversation in front of an audience. Perfect.

“We’re going to the prom.”

“Because we have to. Rules. Aaron can’t go.” Once she’d said it, she instantly regretted it. His face fell, and she swore he was gripping the island like she was. “No, look. I didn’t mean that. I’m just tired and upset and there were letters on this table in red rose petals when I got home, and they’re gone now so I’m a little freaked out, okay? Don’t listen to me today, okay? I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Apparently, making him feel better made Aaron feel worse. From the corner of her eye, she saw his brows furrow. She needed a script writer to get through this day.

“Can we just not take anything I say literally right now? My head feels funny and I’m sort of nervous, if you haven’t noticed. Okay?”

She could tell by both boys’ body language that it wasn’t okay. Tears welled up in her eyes. For the past few months, she’d worked so hard to get along with both of them, not choosing because she didn’t want to lose either of them. Now she might have lost both.

She couldn’t take this anymore. “I’m going to my room. I’m sorry for all of this.” She ran past her mother and Ray, up the stairs, and to her room. She locked the door behind her and fell on her bed. Her head pounded behind her eyes, and she just needed some relief.

Knowing she wasn’t a druggie, she grabbed the aspirin bottle from her bag and took two with a sip of water. She fell on the bed and hugged up to her pillow. It had been one of the worst days ever. A stalker — maybe, Boyd in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, Ray hating her, Aaron kissing her.