Chapter 16
He was so incredibly sweet with Addison, and when he held my hand, I felt the warmth of his skin spread a soothing feeling up my arm and across my whole body.
There was definitely something about him.
Sylvie was right. I shouldn’t be overthinking this too much.
I should just let it go and see what happened.
When we got to the kerb to get in the car, Aiden opened the door and revealed there was a child seat in the back. I didn’t even know he would have considered such a thing, never mind having actually had one put in the car while we got ready for it to arrive.
“You have a car seat?”
“I had Derek collect one from the Argos in Cheapside on his way here with the car.”
I was speechless. This was not the thoughtless bastard I had come to know from working with him. This was something else. I settled Addison in the seat and strapped her in. Derek handed the keys to Aiden and smiled. I got into the passenger side and he got into the driver’s side.
“All set?”
I glanced over at Addison, secure in her new seat, and settled back into her deep sleep. “Looks like it.”
He nodded. “So where am I heading?”
“Grove Road in Sutton.”
Aiden tapped on the satnav and headed off into the evening London traffic.
The miles passed with idle chitchat, and I was, for the most part, grateful for it. I had shared so much with him, and it felt like I was exposed. He still wasn’t sharing too much of himself with me.
He pulled up into the driveway of my home, and he helped me get Addison into the house, carrying her from the car to her bedroom while I got our belongings and unlocked the front door. I quickly got Addison into her vest and pants and tucked her into bed.
When I got back to the living room, Aiden was looking at the family photos on the wall. I followed his eyes and saw the photo of Tim and me holding Addison when she was just born.
“She looks just like him,” he said, without looking over his shoulder.
I agreed. “Can I get you a coffee?”
He looked over at me and nodded.
“Have a seat and make yourself at home. I’ll be back shortly.”
I watched him briefly as he slid his suit jacket down over his broad shoulders and back and took off his tie and undid the buttons on his collar.
I wanted to walk over to him and kiss him.
Instead, I retreated to the kitchen to make coffee.
I heard the TV switch on, and the delightful sounds of Tom Ellis playing Lucifer coming from the living room.
“Lucifer?” I handed him a mug and took a seat on the sofa beside him.
“Yeah. Don’t you watch it?” He took the cup from me and had a sip.
I laughed. “Oh, I watch it.”
We sat there and chatted more about the kind of music and films and TV shows we enjoyed, and it turned out we actually had a lot of likes in common.
“Okay, this is the deal breaker.” He laughed. “ Star Trek , or Star Wars ?”
I paused like I was actually giving it some thought. “ Trek , and I think Quinto makes a damn fine Spock.”
Aiden’s laughter filled the room, and goose bumps lifted on my skin. “Thank fuck for that!”
The chatter faded and so did the coffee, and there were a few pauses in the conversation that were loaded up with sexual tension.
It was palpable. I could feel that he was being pulled to me, and I felt pulled to him, but neither of us had the courage to do that last thing and breech the distance between us.
“Well, I guess I should head home.” He made a move to get up and grabbed his tie and jacket. I stood and quietly walked with him to the door.
“Thank you for everything this evening.” My eyes met his again and he smiled broadly.
“Anytime. She’s a pleasure. And so are you.”
With that one comment, I was undone. Whatever had been stopping me previously now didn’t exist. I took a single step forward, firmly into his personal space, and let my lips find his.
I felt a jolt of surprise from him, disappearing as he returned my kiss.
With everything that had been bubbling between us for weeks now, I had expected this to be a passionate, hard kiss.
Instead, it was a soft, loving, and beautiful thing, evolved from mutual adoration, of longing, and a knowledge that after this, neither of us would ever be the same again.
His tongue swept over mine, his hands found their way to my waist, and he pulled me tight against him as he worshipped me sweetly with his mouth. All too soon, it was over.
“I should get going.”
Everything in me wanted to ask him to stay. Instead, I nodded and stood there watching as he got in his car and left, my lips still tingling with the touch of his.