Appearances were a tricky thing, Aiden thought as he watched Nevaeh move through the crowded club. Anyone seeing her now would never have guessed at the vulnerability he’d witnessed in her home earlier. He’d ached to draw her into his arms and just hold her but Aiden knew he was just as much to blame for her current troubles.          She was incandescent tonight, glowing with a light from within, as she moved among her high-society friends, the groupies who followed the deejay from club to club and the paparazzi that seemed to follow her everywhere she went.          Aiden leaned against the wall in the VIP section and just watched her sparkle. He still had absolutely no idea what he was going to do with her other than take her to his bed. He knew that if he wanted her there, tonight, he should be a little more sociable but nightclubs like this left him cold. And pr

          Nevaeh shifted again in his arms but it was futile. She wasn’t getting closer to him until he decided she was.“I need more, Aiden… I need more of you, more of this…”“Not yet, Neve,” he countered.          She realized then that he was playing her. Not in a malicious way but in a... power way. One that made her submissive to him and his desires. He’d give her what she wanted but only on his agenda. She didn’t understand what his agenda was here. But she felt that he did have one.          Her heart was pounding… She stepped away and looked at Aiden. His gray eyes were cold and flat. She saw the passion in him in the flush of his skin and the erection straining against the front of his pants. But she saw that he kept a part of himself locked away fr

          Nevaeh glanced at the alarm clock, afraid to move in case she woke Aiden. The illuminated dial read 2:30. She had always been a bit of an insomniac. She felt too vulnerable lying naked in his arms.          She’d shown him too much of who she really was and now he had the power to hurt her. Really hurt her and she wasn’t sure she trusted him not to. Oh, he wouldn’t do it intentionally. He was too caring to deliberately hurt her but she was still… afraid.          Sighing slightly, she tipped her head back, staring at his beard stubbled jaw in the dim light of the moon. The desire to touch him, to explore him now that he was sleeping and not watching her was so powerful…          She wanted to memorize all the little details of his body so th

          He was a shallow man… And he didn’t want Nevaeh to have that. He didn’t want her to be sad and in constant pain and doubt. She should be sassy and happy. Teasing and laughing the way she’d been with him every morning until this one. But he didn’t know if he could give her what she wanted.“Aiden?”          After he gave her a quick glimpse, Aiden shook his head and pulled down the coffee mugs she’d bought for them at Starbucks, after insisting that using his company logo mugs wasn’t going to cut it.          They were big cups since they’d both discovered that neither of them could face the day without an extra-large-extra-strong brew. The green background with white flowers always reminded him of Hawaii.       &nbs

          He signaled to change lanes and then looked over at her.“It will turn out great, baby… Just like everything else you try.”          Nevaeh flushed at the compliment and at the confidence and pride she saw in Aiden’s eyes. He pleased her on so many levels that sometimes she woke up afraid that this was all a dream. The fragile bond they’d formed two weeks ago should have made her feel more sure of their relationship but it had only made her realize how vulnerable they were.“I was thinking about staying in for dinner tonight. Blossom’s hosting a birthday party for one of her coworkers but I thought a quiet night would be better.”“I’m going to be later at work tonight than I thought, Neve. Why don’t you go to the party and we’ll catch up later?”    &n