22. Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-One
Aiden
T he next time I wake I don’t feel nearly as bad as I had earlier. And I’m beyond thankful for that. I still feel a little queasy, but most of it has gone away. I can taste blood in my mouth, but I don’t feel like I bit myself or something weird like that.
I shift against Calder letting out a groan from how stiff my whole body feels. At least I didn’t do anything weird in my sleep again. That would have been embarrassing. Especially with me still sitting in his lap.
His arms tighten around me when he realizes I’m awake.
“How are you feeling, little bat,” he rushes out in a gravelly voice, and I hate the worry I hear in his voice. He runs his hand through my hair, and I wonder if it’s as much to soothe me as it is to relax him.
“I feel a bit better, but still sore,” I mumble, my voice rough from sleep, “feels like I’ve been run over by a semi-truck.”
“I’m sorry, Aiden. I don’t mean to rush you,” he says pulling out his phone to check the time, “we’re almost to the next train stop. Do you still want to get off?”
“I mean, if you’re offering,” he lets out a frustrated sound in the back of his throat at my comment.
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
I give him a cheeky smile because I can’t seem to help myself. Then I take a moment to think about it. I don’t feel as bad as I did earlier, and I think I should be fine. I give a slow nod mostly to myself before I look back up at him.
“Yeah, I know, but still I stand by what I said,” I say smirking up at him, “on a scale from one to ten how bad do I look right now? Like, do I look like a hot mess? I feel like one.” I’m babbling again, but I can’t seem to stop myself as I fidget against his body. Something hard starts to poke me in the back, and I look up at him from underneath my lashes hoping I don’t look like too much of a tragedy.
“Aiden,” he growls in warning, and it takes all my effort to stop wiggling in his lap.
“Fine, fine,” I say with disappointment lacing my voice, “I think I’m good now. I don’t even know why I got so sick in the first place.” I can see the concern outweighing the lust in his eyes and I let out a little huff. His eyes dart around my face trying to figure out if I’m telling him the truth or not.
“Don’t worry, Calder,” I slide my hand up his neck causing him to shiver as his eyes close in pleasure, “I’m fine. I rather get there sooner than later, you know?” He hums in agreement pressing me closer to him like he can’t seem to help himself. The feeling is definitely mutual because all I want is to feel more of him against me.
Leaning down he kisses my forehead, but that’s not nearly enough. I need more. I need all of him. I try to lift, but my body protests and a little noise escapes me. His eyes shoot open as he looks down at me. I purse my lips and try again.
He finally realizes what I’m after and quickly rearranges me in his lap until I’m straddling his hips. His soft lips press against mine and a moan rips out of me. I can feel his hard length pressing against me and my whole body seems to light up with a need that I’ve never felt before.
His lips break away from mine first only to press feather-light kisses against my jaw and down my neck. My hands tangle in his hair as I tilt my head to give him better access.
“Please,” I moan.
“I’m not fucking you on a train ride for your first time,” he growls against my sensitive skin.
“But it would be one hell of a story,” I whine, and he pulls back to look into my half-lidded eyes.
“And who would you be telling this story to, my little bat,” the possessive glint in his gaze has a shiver running down my back and I’m momentarily speechless as I stare back at him.
“Not sure, but I can probably find someone to listen to my newfound sex life,” I murmur before leaning forward and placing a chaste kiss on his soft kiss swollen lips.
“I much rather you not,” he grumbles as his hands tighten on my ass, squeezing and kneading my cheeks. The sensation causes a gasp to rip from my throat and my cock jumps in excitement. My fangs begin to tingle, and I moan thrusting harder against his lap.
“Maybe if you’re good for me when we get to the hotel, I’ll give you what you want,” he murmurs.
“But just how good do I really have to be,” I ask swiveling my hips against him causing him to moan and his head to tilt back. I nip at his throat and his hips surge upward.
“Aiden,” he growls in warning, and I huff out a little laugh.
“Okay, okay. I’ll be good,” I mumble resting my head against his shoulder.
Finally getting off the train I stretch and let out a low groan.
“I am never going on a train again,” I grumble turning to find Calder’s heated gaze on me. I give him a cheeky wink and he clears his throat.
“We’re going to have to go back on a train to get back home, little bat,” he says in that gravelly voice of his.
He grabs my hand before I can protest and leads me to a sleek black SUV. I let out a whine, “I don’t want to do more sitting.”
“It’s only a ten-minute ride to the hotel, Aiden. I’m sure you’ll survive,” he says pulling the back door open and helping me climb in.
The driver gives me a nod in greeting, and I shift awkwardly in my seat. I hear Calder load our suitcases into the back and then slide in on the other side of me. He takes my hand and presses a soft kiss against my knuckles as the engine starts and we’re on our way again. I feel like I’m missing something.
When we pull up to the hotel, I’m almost positive my eyes are as big as saucers as I take in the very fucking tall building we stopped in front of.
“Calder?”
“Yes, little bat?”
“Are we staying here,” I ask hesitantly as I slowly turn back around to face Calder.
“I figured you’d like to be comfortable while in New York,” he says with a nod like this is just an everyday occurrence for him. All the while I just gape at him completely dumbfounded.
“Are you like Daddy Warbucks? Am I like, your Annie?” Fuck I don’t know why my brain went there, but it did because I’m almost positive this hotel is the Ritz or some shit like that.
I’m so completely underdressed and sickly looking for a place like this. My hair isn’t even combed, and I probably look like the world's biggest train wreck right about now.
“I thought we established that you don’t want to call me Daddy, Aiden,” he says with an eye-roll. I blink a couple of times at him.
“Calder,” I grit out.
“Yes, Aiden,” he muses.
“Why are we at a fancy-ass hotel,” I shriek a little and I notice out of the corner of my eye the driver in the front seat cringes a little. Okay so maybe I’m overreacting just a little bit, but still, he should have said something. Suddenly, Calder’s big hands are on my cheeks forcing me to look at him.
“Breath for me Aiden,” he says softly, and I reluctantly take a deep breath in to calm my frazzled nerves.
“I don’t belong here,” I whisper hoarsely.
“You belong here with me Aiden,” he murmurs running his thumbs under my eyes, “you are perfect just the way you are. Nothing and no one else matters, little bat.”
I swallow hard. I don’t know if I believe him, but I find myself wanting to.
“Now Thomas will stay with our luggage while we get checked in, alright,” he asks and I slowly nod, “Good. Why don’t you grab your backpack? I’m sure you want to keep it close to you.” My eyes dart down to my voodoo bear, and I cringe internally. If I knew I was going to be going somewhere so fancy, I probably would have opted for another backpack.
When we walk in through the front doors of the hotel, I feel so many eyes on me that it makes my skin crawl. I swallow hard gripping Calder’s hand so hard that I’m surprised I haven’t broken one of his fingers yet. I try to take deep breaths forcing myself to stay calm, but it’s getting harder to put one foot in front of the other. All I want to do is turn tail and run out of this place.
As we approach the front desk my eyes catch on the man standing behind it. He has dirty blond curls with his hair shaved on the sides and longer on top. His shirt stretches against his broad chest with his movements. He’s rather pretty for a front desk clerk. Is that a strange thought to have? Stereotyping at its finest, I suppose.
“Matty, I didn’t know you worked here,” Calder says with a bright smile that has my insides twisting painfully. Does he know him? Of course, he fucking knows him! I don’t know if it’s worse or better for him to be my complete opposite in every way. Suddenly, I feel rather frumpy and self-conscious as I tug on the sleeve of my hoodie.
My eyes begin to dart around searching for an exit strategy but come up short apart from the front doors.
“Oh, you know,” he says with a nonchalant shrug, “I’m just running the front desk for my uncle during winter break.” I feel my fangs slice through my bottom lip with my overwhelming jealousy.
“Are you okay,” Matty asks pointedly looking over at me which in turn causes Calder to look at me as well.
“Aiden are you feeling alright,” he asks with concern lacing his voice. He quickly pulls out a napkin and presses it against my mouth to no doubt clean up the blood now leaking from my lip.
“Yes, I’m fine,” I hiss out through my fangs as I jerk away from Calder’s touch. The hurt in his eyes makes my stomach clench, but I’m not going to stand around looking like a dumbass.
“Mat this is my boyfriend, Aiden,” he says turning back toward him.
“Aiden this is Mat. I’ve known him for a very long time,” he stresses the word to make his point, “he’s like a little brother to me.”
I purse my lips when the comment registers in my head. Great, now I look like a complete asshole. Matty gives me a little smirk, and I bare my fangs at him.
“Matty,” Calder grits out and I don’t know if he’s upset with me or him, “can you just get us checked in? It’s been a long trip and Aiden has been feeling unwell.”
He checks us in and then hands a keycard over to Calder.
“How long are you going to be here for,” he asks before we can turn towards the elevators.
“I’m not sure yet,” Calder mutters, “possibly a couple of days.”
“Should I send up the usual?”
“Yes, that would be great. Thank you, Mathew,” Calder says before steering us towards the shiny elevators.
Once we’re in the elevator I have nowhere to run to. Calder presses me against the back wall of the little confined space. His arms boxing me in and I’m completely surrounded by his strong body.
“My jealous little bat,” he murmurs running his nose up the length of my neck and I squirm against him. I let out an irritated huff and press my hands to his chest, but he doesn’t budge.
“Nowhere to go now, little bat,” he growls against the shell of my ear causing a little whimper to escape me, “and all I asked was for you to be my good little bat.”