Saint Sloan (Saint Sloan #1)(54)

He shook his head and pressed his palms to his forehead. “I don’t know what to think. I mean, both you and Ray said he couldn’t walk, so I don’t see him stalking you, but then again, I don’t trust him. Trying to kill me sort of takes away my trust.”

“Ray never went to see him,” she blurted out. Once she had, she wished she hadn’t.

Aaron’s face darkened. “What do you mean he didn’t go see him? He said he did. He described his house and his chair. Why… oh.” The light bulb went off. “That’s what Boyd told you. That Ray didn’t go to his house, right?”

She nodded. “It’s stupid. I know it is. I mean, if Ray said he did, he did.” She hesitated. “Right?”

Aaron was quiet long enough to make her start questioning things. “A few years ago when our mom was still around, Ray had a bit of a bad time.”

That didn’t sound good. “What sort of bad time?”

Aaron stared up at the ceiling. “I shouldn’t be telling you this.”

“Why?” Tell her!

“Because I’m afraid it’ll change how you think about Ray. I don’t want that. He really is a good guy. He just had a bad time.”

Now she really needed to know. “We’ve already decided to just be friends. He knows there’s nothing romantic between us.”

That got Aaron’s attention. “Really? When?”

“On the porch this evening. He said he knew how much I liked you and didn’t want to stand in the way of that.” She could feel her cheeks start to burn. It wasn’t like she’d ever actually admitted that she liked Aaron, much less straight to his face.

He didn’t take it like she’d expected. She supposed she’d expected his flashy grin and a big ole smirk. Instead he just looked confused.

Oh no! What if she’d read it wrong, and he didn’t want any sort of relationship with her? Maybe he was just one of those guys who liked to kiss random people. She felt she needed to backtrack somehow. “I mean… uh. You don’t have to like me back. It’s just…”

He snapped out of whatever daydream he’d been in. “Not like you back? What are you talking about? Of course I like you.”

“Oh. Good. I was just wondering. You didn’t say anything.” Why did she have to stutter so blasted much? It wasn’t very attractive.

“I was thinking about Ray. He just let you go? Just like that?” His eyes narrowed.

“I guess so. He said he saw that I liked you and didn’t want to stand in our way. Didn’t want to feel bad, especially not now when I had other things to worry about.”

Aaron shook his head. “That doesn’t sound like my brother.”

Really? Because she thought it had sounded just like him. Ray had never seemed selfish to her and would be the kind to move out of the way for someone else’s happiness. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Aaron picked at his fingertips. “Look, I didn’t tell you before because it didn’t mean anything. It isn’t who is he is now. I know what it’s like to be judged for your past.”

“Like how the cops thought you attacked me because of the girl who’d accused you before.”

“Right. And they were both false accusations. But still, people remember them whether they are true or not. I didn’t want that for Ray.”

“He was falsely accused?”

Aaron shook his head and his jaw got ridged. “Not falsely.”

“What?” She sat up straighter and wished he’d hurry up and talk.

“Look, it was a long time ago. A very long time ago. Ray was thirteen, and there was this girl in whatever city we were living in at the time that he liked. Really liked.”

“Did she like him back?”

“I don’t even think she knew he existed. Not at first. Not until the flowers started appearing.”

Her world stopped. “The flowers?”

“Please don’t freak out.” Aaron grabbed Sloan’s hands and held them in her lap. “Like I said, it’s just a coincidence.”

Too much of one. “What about them? What did he do?”

“He sent them to her house. Put a few in her locker. I bet he spent all of the money he’d made helping Old Lady London on those flowers. He never signed them, though. Never once. So she just assumed they were from someone else.”

“Who?”

“Me. Like I’m the flower-sending type.” He laughed nervously. “Anyway, Ray finally got up the nerve to ask her to meet him. It was outside of some dance. He walked toward her with a single red rose in his hand. But, I guess the girl had had a few friends come with her. When they saw it was Ray, they started laughing. Giggling like girls do, but it embarrassed the fire out of him.”

“Sounds horrible. Why would they laugh at him?”

“Believe it or not, Ray wasn’t always the stud-muffin he is now.” He smiled sadly. “Anyway, it hurt him, and I never knew him to like another girl until we got here. I knew he liked you. I also knew I did too. And I knew I couldn’t let him win you.”

“I’m not a prize.” She wasn’t sure she liked that Aaron kissed her just to win.

“It’s not like that. Yeah, I knew Ray had the hots for you. The walls knew it. It wasn’t that big of a secret. I had every intention of moving over and letting him have you. But then… I kissed you. And I couldn’t stop. I wanted you, Sloan. I want you more than anyone I’ve ever known.” He moved closer, like he was going to kiss her again.