Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
AVERY
I might’ve left this morning with nothing but Aiden on my mind, but it hadn’t taken me long to settle into the festivities.
Between the Harvest Market, the Food Truck Alley, and the Octoberfest celebration, my attention was consumed, and Aiden was barely more than a blip in my thoughts throughout the day.
That was until I’d received the text from Addison, letting Aiden and me know of our evening plans.
There was no denying she was a mastermind with her nefarious schemes.
And fucking relentless. I’d forgotten just how much she loved having her hand in other people’s business.
I would’ve found it funny if I weren’t trying so hard to resist her brother.
Why? Well, that I didn’t quite know anymore…
My resolve was slipping away more and more, day after day, and now it was nothing more than wisps of smoke at my feet.
I could admit now, thanks to that ever-helpful hindsight, that my initial reaction had more to do with my history than it did with Aiden or what he’d done. He’d just borne the brunt of it.
But my hesitation about getting involved with him was still present. If for nothing else than to keep my wits about me. Because I knew if any man was going to have me losing myself again, it would be him.
And I had no intention of traveling down that path. Been there, done that, adjusted my life for it. Never again.
Just before 6, I swung by our room to change into something more presentable than what I’d been wearing around the festival all day.
An oversize sweatshirt and leggings were great for strolling the beer garden, but they probably weren’t going to cut it at any sort of event that was titled an experience.
Thankfully, I’d packed my just-in-case outfit—a two-piece black set with a long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder, smocked crop top and a high-waisted skirt.
After a quick touch-up to my hair and a few swipes of mascara—nothing too elaborate because this absolutely was not a date—I headed around back to where Addison had indicated.
The ma?tre d’ greeted me immediately and led me up the spiral staircase, the brisk evening air making me shiver.
Fortunately, the chill dissipated as soon as I stepped onto the rooftop.
A dozen heat lamps were placed around the intimate space, and in the middle of it all sat a candlelit table set for two.
The ma?tre d’ dipped his head and held his arm outstretched toward the man who was definitely not my date and then took his leave, heading back down the stairs and leaving Aiden and me alone.
The man I’d spent all day trying not to think about stood from his chair, his eyes drinking me in as I walked toward him, and I couldn’t help but do the same to him.
He wore dark gray pants and a black button-down with the sleeves rolled to mid-forearm.
If I squinted, I could just make out the barest hint of a tattoo peeking out from beneath it, and it gave me a sharp thrill that I knew what he looked like under that professional facade.
Knew what he looked like when he was completely undone.
“Avery.” He stepped around the table to my side, placed a hand on my waist, and dipped his head to press a kiss just below my ear.
It wasn’t quite the spot I’d come to think of as his—and that said it all, didn’t it?
That I’d known him for only a couple weeks and had already marked a part of my body as his—but it was close enough that a shiver swept through me.
I had to stiffen my spine in an effort to hold myself back from melting into him.
From pressing my body against his, rubbing myself all over him, and letting this thing between us consume me like it was so desperate to.
He pulled back enough so he could meet my eyes, though his hand never left my waist. He stroked his thumb over the sliver of exposed skin on my abdomen, the light touch like lightning. Then, in a low murmur, he said, “You’re stunning.”
I’d been called a lot of things in my life.
Pretty, cute, hot. Sometimes even beautiful.
But stunning? Never. And the best part—or worst, depending on how you looked at it—was that I felt it.
Coming from Aiden, in that soft, serious tone, those intense eyes never leaving mine, I felt it. Straight to my bones.
“Thank you,” I said. “You look good, too.”
Understatement of the century. He must’ve swapped his glasses for his contacts, because nothing was blocking those gorgeous baby blues from me or the way they raked over me.
He didn’t even try to hide it, that slow perusal over every inch of me, and I didn’t want him to.
There was something decadent about the way he looked at me. Like I was the only woman in the room.
The only woman in the whole fucking world.
He pulled out my chair for me—another first…
the guys I usually dated weren’t at all concerned with taking care of me, in big or small ways.
I murmured my thanks as Aiden slipped into the chair to my right.
They’d set up the table so Aiden and I were directly next to each other rather than across, and I didn’t know how I was going to make it through a five-course meal and wine tasting with him close enough that our arms brushed with every movement.
I just knew if I gave him the green light, this would be on. No holding back. There was no denying that we flared bright when we were together, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to get burned.
In an effort to distract myself from his nearness and how much I was enjoying it, I glanced around at the deck, taking mental notes to bring back some ideas for the resort.
The space was…lush. And romantic. Ivy-covered trellises bordered the deck on all sides, creating a secluded, intimate area, and string lights hung in a canopy above, giving off a soft glow.
This tiny little pocket of paradise felt like a getaway all on its own, and it would be even better in Starlight Cove, with the ocean as its backdrop.
“Wow,” I breathed. “It’s beautiful up here.”
“It is.” At Aiden’s low, reverent tone, I glanced over, but he wasn’t taking in our surroundings like I’d been. Instead, his eyes were focused intently on me, that look sending a bolt of lightning through my insides, and my stomach dipped and swooped for no good reason.
Okay, not for no good reason. Because I was remembering, in great detail, what it had felt like to have his attention on me in an entirely different manner.
That intensity focused solely on my pleasure…
on making me feel good. On taking care of me.
And, honestly, it was a wonder I didn’t melt into a puddle at his feet.
Thankfully, our waiter chose that moment to greet us, allowing me time to cool myself down.
“Aiden and Avery, we’re so happy to have you dining with us tonight.
” He dipped his head and gave us a warm smile.
“Welcome to The Rooftop Experience. My name is David, and I’ll be taking care of you this evening.
Our chef has curated for you a five-course meal accompanied by carefully selected wine pairings.
Each of the dishes has been prepared with the finest ingredients, locally sourced where possible, with an emphasis on aphrodisiacs.
To give you privacy during your dining experience, I’ll make myself scarce this evening, other than to bring your dishes out to you.
” He pointed to a small item that looked similar to a doorbell, set in front of the vase of flowers on the other side of our table.
“But should you need anything at all, just press that button and I’ll be right up. ”
With that, he left us with our first course—Oysters Rockefeller, natch—and slipped down the spiral staircase, leaving Aiden and me alone with nothing to do but get drunk on this never-ending supply of wine and eat food designed to make us horny.
But I was sure that was fine. I could handle this and keep my head on straight. I could make it through one evening without jumping his bones.
Right?
Aiden gestured for me to dig into the oysters first and leaned back in his chair, bringing the glass of wine to his lips. “How’d today go?”
I smiled, grateful for a safe topic to discuss.
“It was really fun. Considering this town isn’t much bigger than Starlight Cove, I wasn’t expecting this event to be so big.
Or so impressive. And that’s even with most of the festivities not starting until tomorrow.
I can’t wait to poke around and see what other things they’re doing.
My notes are getting obnoxious. I know Addison sent us here with ulterior motives, but I really think you guys can make this work in Starlight Cove.
And I was thinking that if—” I cut off, finally realizing Aiden was just…
staring as I babbled on. “What?” I reached up, brushing a hand over my mouth. “Do I have something on my face?”
His lips twitched, that dimple popping out, and shook his head. “I just like listening to you talk. Especially about things you love. Books. This. It’s obvious you enjoy it.”
“I do, actually.”
He raised a brow. “You sound surprised.”
“I am.” I lifted a shoulder. “I didn’t think I’d have as much fun as I did, but the second I stepped out there, my brain was spinning with ideas to bring back to the resort. And I loved talking with all the different people, learning their stories.”
“So what you’re saying is, I need to give my sister some credit. She had the right idea shipping you up here, even if her original plan was just to force us together.”
I breathed out a laugh. “I guess so.”
“Is this what you saw yourself doing?”
“In life?” I clarified. At his nod, I continued, “Not even a little. I’ve always wanted to travel, all over the world. And I figured the best way to do that and not go broke is as a flight attendant.”
“Really?” he asked, brows up.
“Yep.”
“So why aren’t you doing that?”