and clear it is staggering against his dark hair. He has a stern expression, careful. Hesitant in a way.
Blaming the scenery around us for that hesitancy, I smile.
“My name’s Adeline Cabot.”
“I’m Ari.”
Another step and he is close enough to offer his hand. It’s a mistake to reach out and touch him, a shock of electricity shooting down my arm that forces the breath from my lungs.
His grip is strong yet gentle, fingers holding mine in such an intimate way that my gaze drops down to where our bodies meet, my skin tingling with...
Tugging away faster than is polite, I watch him pull his hand away, slowly tucking it into his pocket again, his body straightening, the shadow of it falling over me.
Slowly, I drag my eyes up to his, and I know I’ve lost the ability to hide my reactions from him. Ari is too strong of a presence, as if his energy can reach across the distance to whisper against your skin.
That energy doesn’t speak of anything easy or safe either, the hair on my arms rising in response to it.
I can’t look away, though. Not that I’m trying. He is too damn beautiful for words.
Hell, my thoughts must be written all over my face. The corner of his lips stretch with masculine arrogance I’m sure he earned through years of making women lose their minds to him.
“It’s nice to meet you. Given the less than desirable circumstances.”
Nodding, I struggle to find my voice. I swallow several times. Silently yelling at myself for acting like an idiot.
“Um, yeah,” I finally manage to say, hating how scattered I sound. But that’s what this man does. Scatters you. Stretches you out until all your parts are mixed up and out of order. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”
His eyes tear away from mine, lifting higher to look out over a cemetery that stretches across verdant green lawns and is shaded by large trees, their bows hanging down as if mourning the loss of so many lives.
A gust of wind blows past, carrying with it the scent of late blooming flowers, a touch of cold in the air that warns of winter coming in the next few months.
Shivering against it, I hope it’s the wind that causes goose bumps to race across my skin. Somehow, I know it isn’t.
And while Ari looks out over the distance, I take the opportunity to study him. He has a nice body, that much is obvious beneath the suit he wears. The top buttons of his black shirt are undone, the buckle of his belt glimmering beneath the sun.
His profile draws my attention the most. He looks like a mystery wrapped in sin, a temptation that will cut if anybody dares to reach for it. His posture is strong, prideful, his focus so shrewd and intent, I wonder what he’s thinking, what he does for a living.
Returning his gaze to me, he tilts his head.
“The weather is nice, and I have nowhere to be. Would you like to take a walk with me? I’ve never explored the cemetery beyond this area.”
My instant thought is to say yes. To jump to my feet and walk at his side through nature and stone, across acres of heartache that are peaceful despite the wilting flowers and trinkets placed on graves.
This is the first time I’ve had to remember I’m married, had to pull back. My thumb rubs over the two carat diamond and white gold band on my finger, Ari’s gaze drifting down to the small movement and back up again.
What would Grant think if he caught me with another man, even if it was innocent companionship?
One thing about my husband I learned after we married is that he has a jealous streak. He can’t stand listening about my past. Would rather believe I’ve never known anybody else but him.
“I probably shouldn’t.”
His eyes trap mine. “It’s just a walk.”
He pauses, giving me the tiniest of smiles, but the curve of his lips are more sad than anything. “It’ll be nice to talk to someone who understands what I’ve gone through.”
Dropping a pointed look at my parents’ headstone, he hints to the shared trauma we’ve both experienced.
How can I say no to that? It isn’t like he’s asking me out on a date. Ari is simply looking for company, someone who can empathize with him.
The truth is, I want someone who understands as well. Grant certainly doesn’t. Both his parents are alive and well. Not that the family is very