29. Chapter Twenty-Nine #2
He chuckles and gives me another light peck on the lips before he sits back on his haunches, wraps his arms around my middle, and pulls me to my feet.
“Always happy to help.”
I bend and grab for my water bottle, my mouth breaking into a wide smile when I hear his low groan behind me.
“Shit, Mae. Yoga pants? Really? You’re killing me.”
I turn around and grin at him.
“Like what you see, hey?”
His eyes blaze with a need that makes my own flare to life inside me. “Distract me.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re ten seconds away from getting fucked right here against the wall unless you say something that’ll take my mind out of the gutter and back to reality.”
I take a step closer, coil my fingers through his belt loops, and look up at him through my lashes. “I have a better idea.”
He places his hands on my hips, the warmth from his touch scorching my skin through my clothes. “What’s that?”
“Take a bath with me.” I lean up to my toes and close my eyes, inhaling his signature citrussy scent before I nibble on the sensitive spot on his neck that I know he loves.
His fingers dig into my softer flesh, that one intimate touch enough to tease me with the promise of his strength.
The groan he releases sets the flames inside me burning wilder.
“Fuck, yes.”
I grab his hand and lead him with me, away from the home gym, through the kitchen, and towards the stairs to the second floor. My body hums, the current beneath my skin settling into a low ember as we walk upstairs to the bathroom.
“How much time do you have?”
“For you? All afternoon.”
I gulp, my mind spinning. Aidan squeezes my hand, binding me to him.
His hand is strong, firm, but still gentle, and I’m grateful that we don’t have to rush this time.
He’s letting me set the pace. When we reach the landing and I take him to my bedroom, nerves flap inside me.
He tugs on my hand, and I turn to face him.
He releases it and steps up to me and raises his eyes at me.
“You’re quiet…”
I shrug lightly. “Just thinking.”
“Hmm.” He leans down and places his mouth on my cheek. “Your brain being busy again?”
“Yes.” I sigh, leaning into his touch.
“Let me try to help you stop thinking so hard.” He steps away from me. “I’ll start the bath. Stay here and don’t move.”
He keeps backing up, keeping his eyes locked with mine as if to make sure I do as he says, and I bite down on my lip.
It’s strange, this giddiness mingled with need.
When he bumps into the doorframe, I laugh.
He gives me my favourite crooked smile and then turns around, leaving me to wait for him.
I wrap my arms around my middle and try to be patient.
“Do you think you can get it to work?” I shout.
“Of course I can. I’m handy, remember?”
“Right.” I nod, looking down at my bare feet, pushing my toes into the lush carpet.
“You can come in now.”
“Finally,” I mutter. I push off the soles of my feet and walk briskly to the bathroom.
I pull at the messy knot of hair on top of my head and comb my fingers through the tangles, my mind halfway on a naked Aidan, but the second I see the flickers of candlelight, I come to an abrupt stop.
My eyes widen, and my mouth pops open in shock.
Aidan has lit at least a dozen candles and placed them in a half-circle around the built-in bath, creating a pathway for me. I finally manage to gulp in a lungful of air, and the fresh scent of lemongrass teases my nostrils, instantly calming me.
“What’s this?” I breathe.
Aidan runs a hand through his hair, making it stand up in tufts. It’s such a boyish move, and it makes my heart jump in my chest. He closes the distance between us, and as he wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer, I let out a gasp as his erection digs into my soft belly.
“I wanted to spoil you.”
“Wait,” I huff. “You planned this, didn’t you?”
“Maybe. How can you tell?”
“Because I know that I don’t own all those candles, and even if I did, I wouldn’t keep them in my bathroom.”
“Well…you caught me.”
I tilt my head, taking in the note of vulnerable light in his eyes that shines down at me.
With a burning need to show him how much I appreciate his gesture, I push up on my toes and press my lips to his.
As he so often does when he kisses me, he keeps his eyes open the whole time.
I don’t rush this time. There’s only an aching wish inside me to show him a gentler side to me.
Somehow, I’ve never taken the time to slow down, and yet as I stand here with him now, our lips moulding to each other’s in unhurried bliss, that’s the only thing I want.
To be gentle with him.
To show him that yes, I do care.
I want him to know that I care more for him with each passing day. That, despite the tantalising fear of getting hurt, I’ll give him more of myself than I’d ever planned on giving to anyone else.
Giving another person that much power is risky, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take.
With him.
I put my hands on his upper arms and dig into his hard muscles, wanting to tether myself to him. His long, low moan into my mouth is intoxicating, and I sigh and move my arms up to wrap them around his neck. I tilt my head, pushing my fingers into his hair, nibbling on his lips.
“Fuck.” His harsh word mixed with the softness of his touch spurs me on, and I open my lips, inviting his tongue to come inside and play.
My heart races in my chest, and lust coils low when he sweeps inside, his hold around my waist tighter.
He pulls up the soft fabric of my wraparound top and pushes his hands under my pants, spreading my bum cheeks and lifting me up.
When the pads of his fingers dig into my soft flesh, a full-blown body tremble cascades through my body. I sigh into his kiss.
“Aidan.”
He leaves my mouth to trail a path down my neck, giving my jumping pulse point a double dose of attention with his hungry mouth.
“Yes,” he growls against my skin, “I’m here. I’ll take care of you, Wildfire. Only me. Say it.”
“Yes. Only you.”
My breaths fall in bursts, and I pull on his hair. His body jolts against me, his fingers spread my buttocks, and then a long, thick digit slides down my crack, teasing my sensitive skin in the most delicious way.
I mewl loudly and remove my hands from his hair. I pull blindly at the T-shirt while the haze of lust swims before my eyes, still soft, but relentless in its pursuit of getting this glorious man naked.
“Clothes. Off.”
He squeezes my cheeks one more time before I lose his hands on my naked skin, and his searching mouth clamps down on my neck.
It’s my turn to jump in both pain and pleasure, and all I can do is hold on for my life.
The surge of wetness between my legs sets me trembling.
Aidan tears off his shirt and tosses it to the floor, and I run my hands over his firm skin.
My eyes feast on the sensual, hard planes of his chest. I can’t resist getting a taste of him, so I lean forward and wrap my lips around his nipple, sucking it deep into my mouth.
“Fuck.”
I feel his hands in my hair, his mouth on top of my head, and reach for his belt buckle. I explore his body, wanting to know it as well as my own, and the salty taste of his skin mixed with his signature scent of citrus makes me whimper. I can’t get enough of this man.
“Mae. Fuck, what you do to me.”
I feel a thrill at the sound of his hoarse voice, a wave of power washing over me.
I make quick work of his jeans and push them and his boxers down in one move, kneeling before him. His cock bobs, and I lick my lips as I move forward to press my nose to the silken skin and inhale his musky scent.
I tilt my head back, looking up at him.
“Can I taste you?”
His silver-grey eyes turn stormy, and his gaze falls on my lips. He shakes his head.
“If you wrap your lips around me, I’ll blow.” He reaches down and tilts my head further back with his finger. “Later, you’ll get to taste my fat cock, but right now, you need to get out of those fucking clothes and into the bath.”
I pout, the temptation to go against him so strong, but I’ll let him take the lead for now.
I push up on my knees to stand. Aidan doesn’t rush as he undresses me, his passion-filled eyes on a hot trail down every part of my body.
The steam in the bathroom floats around us, and I feel like we’re trapped in the Irish mist or in a bubble where time doesn’t move.
When I’m finally naked, he takes a deep breath, and my nipples harden into points, begging to be touched.
He takes my hand and leads me down into the bath where he turns around and sits down.
“Come here,” he murmurs, putting his hands on my hips. Carefully, I kneel in front of him, but he shakes his head. “Turn around and sit between my legs, Mae.”
I do as he says, and when he wraps his arms around me from behind, urging me closer, I relax and melt into his body.
I rest my head at the crook of his neck and let him hold me.
The water splashes softly around us, the bubbles hiding our bodies, and the tension I’ve been carrying around with me for the last few days slowly ebbs away.
I rest my hands on top of Aidan’s and look out the windows.
I take in the beauty of the roses at the gates of the cottage, just starting to show their buds, and I can’t wait to watch them bloom.
My mind settles.