The Awakening Aidan - By Abby Niles Page 0,10
looked at her. Dr. Avgar had disappeared; sitting before him was Jaylin. The sympathy shining back at him made his throat constrict, and he saw a woman who was capable of warmth and understanding. “So much. He rarely smiles anymore, laughs. I don’t know this Liam. He’s so dark, so easily angered.”
She scooted closer and took his hands in hers, then cradled them in her lap. “He can get some of that back, but he’ll never be completely whole again. The longer he refuses therapy, the longer it’ll be before he can recapture a part of who he once was.”
Aidan swallowed. Worry for his friend slowly faded into the background as her warm gaze drew him in. He slipped his hands farther into hers, holding on. Not wanting to let go. Her face was directly before his, her lips a breath away from his.
Mine.
Having to taste her, he moved forward without thought. She gasped and dodged to the side. His lips met nothing but air. His beast growled, moving in agitation inside him. He had to kiss her.
Now.
He cupped her jaw and tried to bring her face back to his, but she jerked from his touch, and shot off the couch and across the room. Anger spat from her eyes. “How dare you!”
Aidan stood, raking a hand through his hair. Shit. He’d screwed up. Bad. “Jaylin. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“D-don’t call me that! It’s Dr. Avgar.”
He stepped toward her. “I can call you Dr. Avgar and you can continue to call me Mr. O’Connell, but it changes nothing, Jaylin.”
The armor flew back over her as her entire body stiffened. “Do not contact me again, Mr. O’Connell. If Liam decides he wants help, he can come to me.”
With that she stormed from the cabin. His beast snarled, pacing. Aidan worked his neck back and forth, fighting off the rising tension his beast’s agitation caused, fighting the need to follow and take the kiss he wanted. Not yet. Her words may have been final, but Jaylin was in for a rude awakening if she truly believed she’d seen the last of him.
…
Jaylin slammed the office door behind her. “Damn shifters.”
“Problems?” Pam asked as she jotted something down on a yellow notepad before burying the pencil in the bun at the back of her head and continuing to type away at the keyboard.
The typical sight of the eraser poking out of her receptionist’s brunette hair calmed her. What would she ever do without Pam? She’d worried the woman would leave her when she’d cut the client list to only humans, but Pam had insisted she wasn’t going anywhere, and so far she hadn’t, even if times had gotten hard for both of them because of Jaylin’s choice.
The money sitting in her briefcase crossed her mind. She might not have had her scheduled session with Liam, but there was no way in hell she’d give the money back since she’d taken the time out of her day to drive up there. Twice.
She dug it out and counted out five of the hundred-dollar bills and held them out. “Here.”
Pam swiveled around in her chair and her eyes widened. “What’d you do? Rob a liquor store?” She pursed her lips. “Did you happen to grab a fifth of tequila on your way out?”
She laughed. “It’s from the job I was offered yesterday. Unfortunately, it looks like this will be all of it. The shifter backed out of therapy.”
Pam rolled her eyes. “Shock.” She folded the money and tucked it in her bra. “But I thank him for this. My car payment’s overdue and the vultures have been skulking around looking for it. Lucky for me, I can walk to work and keep it locked away in my garage.”
Guilt hit Jaylin. “I should fire you.”
She shrugged. “Fire me. I’ll still come into work every day.”
“You don’t have to stay, Pam. I’ll understand.”
“Yes, I do. You took a chance on me when no one else would. I’m not going to leave you in your time of need. Besides, everyone goes through hard times. It’s just our turn.”
“It doesn’t have to be yours. You can find another job.”
Seriousness stole the usually lighthearted expression from her friend’s face. “I’m not leaving. I’m in for the long haul, so get used to it.” Then that impish expression came back. “Besides, if I lose my apartment, I’ll just move in with you.”
Jaylin sat in one of the plush waiting area chairs. She knew that Pam felt indebted to her, which had