Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
MACO
Aldrich
Now that they had bumped their very pretties, Sorinah looked a little shy.
She was hiding all the good bits. He wasn’t a fan of her trying to cover up, but he was hoping she would stay around, and they could indulge some more.
So, he needed to make sure she was comfortable. Okay, he would do either way.
“Would you like a robe?” he offered.
“Yes, please.”
He left and gathered not only a robe, but a washcloth and towel.
“Thank you.” She rushed off the bed to take the robe from him, then took the washcloth and disappeared into the washroom, closing the door behind her.
When she returned almost fifteen minutes later, he was in a pair of joggers.
“Everything good?”
“Yeah.” She tugged on the belt of the robe.
The feistiness he had become accustomed to was nowhere in sight. He frowned internally.
“We need nourishment,” he commented.
She looked at her watch. “It’s kind of late for room service. Do you have any snacks?”
“Snacks?”
“Yes, you know, like chips?”
The last thing he wanted was chips. His expression must have given him away.
Sorinah placed her hands on her hips. “What, you don’t put chips in the temple you call a body?” Her tone was a mixture of sass and mockery.
There she was. It was brief, but he missed this version of her. It allowed him to be unfiltered in return. She got the unvarnished version of him. It was like constantly taking deep, fresh, cleansing breaths.
“I eat chips. I just don’t want any right now. Earlier, I worked up an appetite and plan to burn off what I eat.”
“It’s really late. Room service is finished.”
“Room service is never over for me. So, what do you feel like eating?”
“Are you going to wake someone up to make you something to eat?” she asked, looking appalled.
“No. I’m not waking anyone up. They are already down there preparing for the day.”
“Oh. Nice. So, what are you ordering?”
“Whatever you want.”
“Do you think they have any more of the Lobster Carbonara from earlier?”
“Yeah. I got you.” He didn’t bother to mention it would be made fresh. She probably wouldn’t want it if she thought it would be an inconvenience to anyone.
Aldrich got her a bottle of sparkling water as he placed the order. “Would you like some fruit while you wait?”
“Nope. I’m good.”
He grabbed a bowl of grapes, took a seat on the couch, and invited her to join him.
“The food should be up in thirty minutes. While we wait, I would like to know what caused you to dislike me.”
Suddenly, the cushion on the couch was the most fascinating thing she had ever seen. All her concentration was focused on it. “Oh, it was nothing.” She waved her hand, dismissing him.
He plucked up the cushion and sailed it over his shoulder. “No. It was something. I want to know.”
Sorinah huffed, her breath coming out in a sharp burst of frustration. “Fine.” Rolling her eyes dramatically, she added, “I don’t appreciate your judgy feelings about single mothers.”
Her answer caught him off guard, perplexing him. It was the last thing he expected her to say. “Do tell. What are my feelings concerning single mothers?”
“You think we… they are… “ She pressed her finger to her lower lip, her gaze drifting upward as if she were searching her memory for the exact words. “Irresponsible and get pregnant for financial gain.”
“What?” He blinked, genuinely taken aback. “Where on earth did you get such a ridiculous idea?”
“Oh, don’t act brand new, mister. I heard you with my own two ears.”
“Did you?” he asked, his tone purposefully neutral, though a flicker of amusement danced in his chest at her indignation.
“What? Are you calling me a liar?” She leaned forward, pointing a finger at him, her eyes narrowing into slits as she shot daggers his way.
His feelings were conflicted. On one hand, Aldrich shouldn’t have found the flash of her temper as hot as he did; the way her cheeks flushed and her voice sharpened was a turn-on.
On the other hand, he was baffled. He didn’t have those feelings concerning single mothers, and he had no idea why she would think he did.
“If the shoe fits,” he answered calmly, keeping his expression neutral despite the tension crackling between them.
“So, you don’t have any issues with a single mother?”
Wait!? Why did she phrase it like that? The question hung in the air, laden with implication, and he couldn’t help but notice the subtle shift in her tone—something between challenge and vulnerability.
“Are you asking if I have a problem with someone who happened to be a single mother?”
“Yes!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air.
“Wait! You know Nova?” Aldrich had a major issue with this woman. She was toxic on a level he refused to entertain. If Sorinah was associated with her, well, their fun was about to come to a quick permanent end. She had been his ex-fiancée’s best friend and wreaked havoc in their lives.
“No.” She shook her head.
“So how would you know to ask that particular question?”
“I heard you, okay? Talking about how selfish it was to be a teen mother and bring a baby into the world when you weren’t equipped to be a parent. How you found it disgusting to put a poor child through hell for clout and a pay cheque.” Sorinah was animated as she spoke, with her hands moving.
“I never took you for a Maco.”
“Whoa, what the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“It means someone who minds other people’s business or, in your case, an eavesdropper.”
Her eyes widened as she opened her mouth to deny his accusation, then she shut it immediately. She couldn’t defend herself, nor deny it, because he was right.
“What’s worse, you aren’t even good at it. You eavesdropped and didn’t get the entire story.”
“Well… Your brother sent me to find you, and when I did, you were already talking, then you pissed me off, so I… left.”
“Ah, huh. Not that I owe an explanation, but Nova is Flavia’s best friend.
Her claim to fame was being on a reality program featuring Teen Moms. During her time on the show, she had three children.
Who she made her brand. I don’t really care about all of that.
” He shook his head. “She inserted herself and her opinions into my life, spewing negativity into Flavia and my relationship,” he said, his voice tight with lingering frustration.
“When she finally succeeded in breaking us up, Nova turned her attention to pursuing me.” He paused, his jaw clenching briefly as if the memory still exasperated him.
“Needless to say, I didn’t appreciate it or handle her advances with any sensitivity. ”
“Oh.” Her perfect, pouty lips formed a large ‘O’ before she nibbled her lip. “I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.”
“And?” he prompted, lifting his eyebrow.
“For jumping to conclusions.”
The food arrived then. He rolled the cart into the room with a deliberate slowness, his gaze fixed on her. “I don’t know if I should give the woman who judged me unfairly over something she overheard any food.”
“But I’m sorry.” She tilted her head, giving him the sweetest look, her lips curving into a sexy pout that made his pulse pick up despite himself.
“Fine,” he sighed, trying to hold back a smile. “Come on, let’s eat. You’re lucky I can’t eat while you stare at me.”
“You’re the kindest,” she said, her tone teasing as she settled in, her eyes still sparkling with humour.
While they ate, Aldrich was given a front-row seat to her eating, and the experience was far more…
sensual than he expected. The way she savoured each bite, the soft sounds she made, a quiet hum of pleasure after a particularly good mouthful, drew his attention in ways he hadn’t expected.
The faint clink of cutlery on plates, the subtle scent of herbs from the food, and the warmth of the room all heightened the moment.
By her third bite, the look on her face, lips parted, eyes half-lidded with enjoyment, had him hard, his body reacting to her in a way that was as surprising as it was intense.
“Enjoying that, are you?” he finally asked.
“It’s so good,” she moaned, popping a bite into her mouth.
Once his burger and fries were done, Aldrich watched her meticulously spear bites of pasta, lobster, and bacon. He’d tried to make conversation, but she had shaken her head at him and continued eating.
Finally, it looked like she was almost done.
“Oh, this was so good. I can’t believe I ate it all, but I couldn’t help it.
Look at this.” She held up her fork, admiring her handiwork.
“This is going to be the ultimate bite. Just enough, saucy pasta, perfect size of lobster, and look at the bacon.” Her sigh was wistful as she closed her eyes.
Sorinah opened her mouth in anticipation, and just as she moved it towards her parted lips, he leaned forward and captured her perfect bite.
“The fuck!” she cried, her eyes flying open. “You, Dick Hole! Why would you do that?” The fork tumbled from her hand as she spread her hands out.
Her antics made him chuckle. “Because you judged me unfairly.”
“So, you did this.” Her face crumpled.
Shit! Why did it look like she was about to cry? It hadn’t been that serious.
Instead of tears, she narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re a gigantic Dick Hole,” she snarled.
Aldrich had, of course, been called a Dick many times. In fact, leave it to Sorinah to put a unique spin on it. He found her outburst endearing. He wasn’t an idiot and did his best to suppress the smile that tugged at his lips.
“This is what I get for letting a Dick Hole dick me down.”
Not only did he lose the battle against smiling, but he chuckled too. Her eyes grew to the size of a large saucer.
“Oh, yeah?” she challenged.
It was all fun and light-hearted until she pushed away from the table. Her movements were precise and brisk as she headed back to his room, making a beeline for her clothing.
“Wait!” He sobered. “What are you doing?”
“Getting the fuck outta here.”
“I thought you were staying so you and I could please each other some more.”
“That was before you showed yourself to be a selfish, inconsiderate dickhole!”