The Awakening Aidan - By Abby Niles Page 0,7

it was best to leave well enough alone.

Liam growled—not his beast, but Liam. “I can’t fucking do this. Tell that woman to forget it. I don’t want her help.”

Aidan stood. “She can help you, man. Give her a chance.”

The look of fury Liam shot him shut him up.

“Yeah, sure she can. That’s what women are put on this planet to do. Help the shifters.” He gave a nasty laugh. “You’re in for such a rude awakening, my friend. You need to open your eyes before a woman helps you.”

With that, he slammed out the front door.

Aidan didn’t go after him. He’d seen Liam in this mind frame before, and there would be no talking him out of it. He could only hope that his friend would reconsider before Jaylin showed up tomorrow.

Because there was no way in hell he was calling her to cancel.

Chapter Two

Aidan paced around the living room, straightening cushions, stacking magazines, and wiping dust away with the palms of his hands. Why couldn’t he stay still? Ever since Jaylin had left last night, he’d had this excessive energy he couldn’t explain. If Liam had been here, he could see himself talking a mile a minute to his friend.

But Liam wasn’t here.

Aidan glanced at the clock on the cable box. Ten to ten.

Jaylin was going to be pissed.

Part of him couldn’t wait to see that anger directed at him, to watch her petite frame vibrate with indignation and those deep brown eyes spark with fury—watch that icy facade slip, revealing the hot-blooded woman he sensed beneath.

The other part cursed Liam for his stupidity.

Aidan had given his friend until midnight last night to return before calling his cell phone. Of course in his current frame of mind, the ass had refused to answer until the tenth consecutive call. Then Aidan had been greeted with a welcoming, “What?”

A quick inquiry to his whereabouts had revealed that Liam was at Britton’s and he wouldn’t be coming home until after his scheduled appointment with Dr. Avgar. It’d seemed his friend didn’t trust Aidan to cancel the appointment. The lack of faith hadn’t been terribly wounding since Aidan hadn’t canceled the appointment—for two very good reasons.

One, he’d hoped Liam would come to his senses and, two, he needed to see Jaylin. Liam was the only connection he had to her right now, and he wasn’t above using his friend’s needs to help with his own.

Three sharp knocks on the door made him pause in fluffing the couch cushions for the fifth time. The precise, in-control raps let him know that Dr. Avgar was here. How long would it take for him to get her hot-blooded side to show? If yesterday proved anything, it wouldn’t take long…just one wrong word from his mouth.

He opened the door, his heart thumping as she came into view. Need hit him square in the chest. He tightened his hand around the doorknob, keeping himself planted when all he wanted to do was haul her to his chest and kiss her. “Dr. Avgar.”

He congratulated himself on saying her last name in a normal voice when he felt so coiled inside, especially when it wasn’t the name he wanted to utter. But using Jaylin right now would be a stupid move. He needed to at least get her inside first.

“Mr. O’Connell.” Abrupt. Professional. He hated it.

His beast shifted, rumbled. He understood why. Her aloof attitude did nothing to hide the woman standing before him, even with her hair still tightly twisted at the back of her head. The starched off-white pinstripe suit didn’t hide her figure, either. One button cinched the suit jacket tight at her waist, accentuating her hourglass figure. An enticing hint of cleavage peeked from between the lapels of a pastel blue blouse. The tight, straight skirt hit right above the knees.

His body heated in anticipation of getting a glimpse of the curvature of her ass molded to the material as she walked by. He should know. He’d not been able to rip his gaze away from the sight last night—she’d spent a lot of time walking away from him.

Her cream heels were high, much higher than the ones she’d worn yesterday, with a tiny strap that buckled around her delicate ankles. The entire ensemble gave off a “can’t touch this” vibe.

Eventually, he’d touch, and she’d enjoy every second of it.

She cleared her throat, her defiant chin jutting into the air as she threw her shoulders back. “Look your fill, Mr. O’Connell, because looking is all you’re