up her neck and cheeks. She grabbed her purse and hoisted the strap against her shoulder. She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear, and AJ noticed her trembling fingertips.
She crossed the room, intent upon leaving, and he touched her arm. “Not so fast. Where was that taken?”
Siobhan expelled a breath and turned back. Reluctance slowed her motions, shadowed her eyes. “Carnegie Hall.”
Carnegie. AJ’s jaw dropped. Couldn’t be helped. “Siobhan, it’s incredible. I can feel your energy.” Deliberately he caught her eye. “And your passion.”
She nodded and once again turned to leave. AJ remained rooted to the spot, staring. Part of him wanted to challenge her to open up, but another part, the stronger part, stayed transfixed simply because of the beauty of the photograph.
Siobhan propped a hip against her desk and fiddled with the strap of her purse. She looked at the ground rather than the striking work of art hung in prominence.
“It was my senior year at the New York Dance Academy,” she began. “We performed at Carnegie, and the school hired a professional photographer to take individual shots. This one was mine.”
She shrugged the matter aside, turned yet again to attempt retreat. Once more, AJ refused that goal, standing with feet planted.
Pursing her lips, Siobhan paused for a moment before looking into his eyes. “It was such a fantastic moment. I came alive on that stage—it was the thrill of a lifetime. I’ll never, ever forget it.”
“I can only imagine…and I can’t wait to see that”—he gestured toward the photo—”for myself.”
Words faded to silence. The flesh-and-blood woman who stood before him took in a stuttered breath, head tipped to search his face. She was so small, yet so powerful in impact. AJ touched her cheek, absorbing the silky texture of her skin when his fingertips glided slowly along her creamy neck.
“That said, I won’t hold us up any longer. I can tell you’re ready to leave.”
Siobhan didn’t respond except for the brief, telling wrinkle of thought that creased her forehead.
****
Once Siobhan was alone, once AJ returned her to the studio and quietly clicked the door closed behind him, she sank against the wall and pressed a hand against her chest. Had the past few hours really just happened? Siobhan forgot all about the world around her, the pain, even dance, as she lost herself in the memory of his touch—and the way he had soothed her ragged senses.
Then there was that mind-blowing kiss…a kiss so perfect, so sweet and reverent it had lifted Siobhan away from everything that clouded her mind, and heart. She had drifted into him in an eloquent beat of love and longing that still moved through her system hours later. A kiss so powerful it reminded Siobhan of how beautiful it felt to float and spiral through air with nothing holding her in place and nothing but happiness pouring through her soul.
What an interlude—what a man. He had efficiently eased all the pressure that had built in her soul over the past few months.
Yet he had awakened all new ones.
She looked at the sterling silver band that encircled the ring finger of her right hand. Purity most certainly wasn’t easy, nor was it for the faint of spirit. She needed reinforcement. Fast.
She speed-dialed Aileen.
****
What a mistake.
Nobody, but nobody, could call out Siobhan like her best friend. She should have considered the ramifications of coming clean. Obviously, there would be an inquisition. Of course, there would be pushes and nudges and difficult questions to be answered about a certain captivating doctor.
“I have to admit, I’m thoroughly enjoying every single moment of this budding romance, Siobhan.” True to form, once Siobhan detailed the circumstances of the hours she had spent with AJ, Aileen cut straight to the chase. “Throughout this whole ordeal you’ve asked one very important question. Why? Why would God allow this to happen?
She crossed the room, intent upon leaving, and he touched her arm. “Not so fast. Where was that taken?”
Siobhan expelled a breath and turned back. Reluctance slowed her motions, shadowed her eyes. “Carnegie Hall.”
Carnegie. AJ’s jaw dropped. Couldn’t be helped. “Siobhan, it’s incredible. I can feel your energy.” Deliberately he caught her eye. “And your passion.”
She nodded and once again turned to leave. AJ remained rooted to the spot, staring. Part of him wanted to challenge her to open up, but another part, the stronger part, stayed transfixed simply because of the beauty of the photograph.
Siobhan propped a hip against her desk and fiddled with the strap of her purse. She looked at the ground rather than the striking work of art hung in prominence.
“It was my senior year at the New York Dance Academy,” she began. “We performed at Carnegie, and the school hired a professional photographer to take individual shots. This one was mine.”
She shrugged the matter aside, turned yet again to attempt retreat. Once more, AJ refused that goal, standing with feet planted.
Pursing her lips, Siobhan paused for a moment before looking into his eyes. “It was such a fantastic moment. I came alive on that stage—it was the thrill of a lifetime. I’ll never, ever forget it.”
“I can only imagine…and I can’t wait to see that”—he gestured toward the photo—”for myself.”
Words faded to silence. The flesh-and-blood woman who stood before him took in a stuttered breath, head tipped to search his face. She was so small, yet so powerful in impact. AJ touched her cheek, absorbing the silky texture of her skin when his fingertips glided slowly along her creamy neck.
“That said, I won’t hold us up any longer. I can tell you’re ready to leave.”
Siobhan didn’t respond except for the brief, telling wrinkle of thought that creased her forehead.
****
Once Siobhan was alone, once AJ returned her to the studio and quietly clicked the door closed behind him, she sank against the wall and pressed a hand against her chest. Had the past few hours really just happened? Siobhan forgot all about the world around her, the pain, even dance, as she lost herself in the memory of his touch—and the way he had soothed her ragged senses.
Then there was that mind-blowing kiss…a kiss so perfect, so sweet and reverent it had lifted Siobhan away from everything that clouded her mind, and heart. She had drifted into him in an eloquent beat of love and longing that still moved through her system hours later. A kiss so powerful it reminded Siobhan of how beautiful it felt to float and spiral through air with nothing holding her in place and nothing but happiness pouring through her soul.
What an interlude—what a man. He had efficiently eased all the pressure that had built in her soul over the past few months.
Yet he had awakened all new ones.
She looked at the sterling silver band that encircled the ring finger of her right hand. Purity most certainly wasn’t easy, nor was it for the faint of spirit. She needed reinforcement. Fast.
She speed-dialed Aileen.
****
What a mistake.
Nobody, but nobody, could call out Siobhan like her best friend. She should have considered the ramifications of coming clean. Obviously, there would be an inquisition. Of course, there would be pushes and nudges and difficult questions to be answered about a certain captivating doctor.
“I have to admit, I’m thoroughly enjoying every single moment of this budding romance, Siobhan.” True to form, once Siobhan detailed the circumstances of the hours she had spent with AJ, Aileen cut straight to the chase. “Throughout this whole ordeal you’ve asked one very important question. Why? Why would God allow this to happen?
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