“He was such an asshole, and I loved him.”

“May I ask why you’re passing notes to Aiden?” He eyed the letter like it was a bomb.“It’s a love note. I’m asking him to circle ‘yes’ or ‘no’ if he likes me.”

“His eyes searched mine. "Thank you." "For What?" I loved the feel of his arms around me and how I fit against him, hard against soft. He trailed his fingers over my arm, and I was amazed by how he could make me shiver. "For everything," he said.”

“Honestly, as much as I love my brother, I’m not sure how I feel about him hanging out in your bedroom.” He reached out with a muscular arm and used his fingers to brush a few strands of hair off my cheek, tucking them behind my ear. I shivered, and he smiled. “I feel like I need to mark my territory.” “Shut up.” “Oh, I love it when you get all bossy-pants. It’s sexy.”

“Oh, I was two seconds from jumping on his back and strangling him from behind… with love, of course.”

“I studied him silently. He looked like he always did—a living, breathing statue. Perfection without any humanity, and yet he was here.”

“He was there. Like always, holding me up when I couldn’t’ stand and letting me go when he knew I needed him to. He was more than just a shelter. Aiden was my other half, my equal.”