Page 20 of Unbroken

She was about to find out.

Summoning every ounce of courage, she stepped inside.

Aiden had changed and was now relaxing on the couch, one foot propped up on the coffee table. For all intents and purposes, he looked completely at ease. But she knew better. The lines around his eyes and mouth were tight with tension, probably because he was worried about what she was going to do.

She slowly closed the door, then locked it behind her, cringing inwardly as the metallic click filled the air. Her heart beat faster, and her limbs trembled with nervous energy before she finally forced herself to turn around and face him.

The TV played softly in the background, and Aiden smiled as she warily ventured closer.

He tipped his head toward the opposite end of the couch. “Make yourself comfortable.”

She jumped when the buzzer rang, and Aiden threw a small smile her way as he pushed to his feet.

“Pizza’s here. I’ll be right back.”

Her heart raced as she watched him hit the button to admit the delivery person, wondering not for the first time what the heck she was doing.

This was crazy.

Aiden grabbed his wallet from a small side table, then offered the deliveryman a tip before taking the pizza and locking up again. He strode toward her and slid the box onto the coffee table.

“What would you like to drink?”

“Whatever you have is fine.”

Aiden grinned and tipped his head. “Come on.”

She rose, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans, and followed him into the kitchen. His back was to her as he opened a cupboard and pulled down two plates. She couldn’t help but notice the way his broad shoulders filled out the plain T-shirt, rippling and shifting beneath the fabric as he moved.

“Take these, would you?”

She ripped her eyes away, her cheeks flaring hot as he passed the plates her way. If he’d caught her staring at him, he didn’t say a word.

Aiden moved toward the fridge and grabbed two bottles of water. “Good?”

She nodded, and he snatched two paper towels from the roll before leading the way back to the living room.

He set the waters on the table, then flipped open the box. Her mouth watered even as her stomach twisted, and she handed a plate to Aiden, who loaded it up.

She reached in with shaky fingers and withdrew a slice of cheesy pizza. Aiden relaxed into the cushions and returned his gaze to the TV.

She forced herself to chew and swallow, all the while watching him from the corner of her eye. But he never moved.

Unlike a lot of other people, Aiden didn't scrutinize her. He didn’t check on her every two seconds to make sure she was eating or watch for the smallest sign of an impending breakdown.

He was just… there.

She slowly began to relax, and they finished off half the pizza in comfortable silence. He didn't interrogate her, didn't watch her like a hawk to see how she was handling being in a locked room with him. She appreciated all of that more than she could say, and it solidified her opinion that Aiden really was the good guy he seemed to be.

He left to put the remainder of the pizza in the kitchen, and she pushed to her feet, then drifted toward the window. His apartment overlooked a park, and she stared sightlessly at the lush green trees below.

A hundred emotions rioted inside her stomach, and she felt like a fool for coming here. What was she thinking?

He'd been polite, but he didn't seem remotely interested in her—not the way he had that day at the coffee shop last year.

Her heart twisted, and deep in thought, she didn't hear him when he stepped back into the room.

“You okay?”