Chapter 12 Eva
There were only two options.
Option one—sit and pretend Aston doesn’t exist.
Option two—set the record straight and send him on his merry way.
This was a date.
What I didn’t expect was for Marco to invite him to dinner, or for Aston to look so… I don’t know, jealous? I mean, why would he be jealous ? He loathes me and has made his feelings abundantly clear.
The moment Aston walks away, Marco glances at me, cocking his head with curiosity.
This time, I try to smile naturally—not forcefully like I have been since Aston gate-crashed our dinner.
Anger and nerves get the better of me, so I take a long sip of my drink and let the margarita work its magic.
I breathe a huge sigh of relief, then focus back on Marco.
“I was picking up on some tension between you two,” he begins, then continues with a sudden change in demeanor, “I thought you were just planning a wedding.”
“We are. Well, I am. Aston is not very cooperative. He drives me insane. All I need him to do is sit down, concentrate, and not act like a jerk. That’s too hard for him apparently.”
Marco nods quietly. “You are beautiful. I don’t blame him.”
“For acting like a jerk? What do my looks have to do with it?”
“Well, for starters… men have this thing when trying to deny their feelings. They act a certain way.”
I shake my head. “Aston has always been like this. He looks at me like his little sister’s annoying best friend.”
“But, you’re not so little anymore—”
“Look, I’d rather not waste my breath talking about him. I’m starving, shall we eat?”
The rest of the dinner is enjoyable. If there’s one thing the chef does well, it’s the soft tacos with slow-cooked brisket. I polish off three plus another two margaritas, and things start feeling slightly blurry by the night’s end.
Marco leans in, placing his hand on mine. “I enjoyed tonight.”
“Me too.” I grin.
“I would love to invite you back to my place for a drink, but unfortunately, I have an early appointment in the morning.” He raises his hands with a mischievous grin. “I promise, I am not making that up.”
“Are you sure?” I tease.
He leans in again, this time closer so our lips are almost touching. I press my thighs together, unsure if it’s the proximity or the margarita making me dizzy. His hand rests on my knee, the light caresses teasing me beneath the table.
“I promise, Eva, I want to spend the night with you. But work—”
“I get it,” I reassure him. “You’re saving lives. There will be a next time.”
Marco takes care of the bill even though I offer my share, and as we step outside to say goodbye, a few families loiter near us. The kids run around in the cold, making loud noises while Marco stands closer with his hands holding on to my arms.
“I’ll call you,” he says softly, the warmth of his breath lingering between us. “Tomorrow?”
I punch him playfully. “You better, Dr. Wilde.”
And though I know our first kiss would have been perfect, the screaming kids are not. One falls over and sounds like they’re dying, so Marco kindly offers to look at the boo-boo.
This is not how first kisses should go.
Thankfully, Marco picks up on my vibe and doesn’t pressure me into one.
My apartment is two blocks over, so I say goodbye and walk home, enjoying the brisk night air.
It’s something I do often when I need to clear my head, and after the way tonight ended, plus Aston’s gate-crashing, my head needs to be cleared.
Cinnamon Springs is one of the safest towns in the county, so I’m not afraid of strolling at night by myself.
That is, until I get to my apartment.
Is that a shadow?
My heart begins to race, panic setting in as I try to get a better look at the man standing near the door. God, I don’t even carry mace or anything to protect myself. What good are a tampon and some breath mints when I’m in danger?
As I step a bit closer, the hands running through the curly hair appear to be familiar.
I take larger steps, eyes wide in disbelief.
“Are you stalking me?” I accuse in a high-pitched tone.
Aston raises his brows, pursing his lips. “I would hardly call it stalking.”
The guy is relentless. It’s bad enough he put me in a sour mood this morning and earlier tonight, but now he just keeps going like he’s bored and has nothing better to do than to annoy me.
“Why are you here, Aston?”
“To prove a point to you,” he states matter-of-factly but then glances around. “I’m right. Though, your doctor friend is missing. Not enough game, huh?”
I shake my head in confusion. “Right about what?”
“A man and woman can’t just be friends,” he reminds me smugly.
Not this again.
I drop my gaze to the ground, granting myself patience to deal with whatever Aston is about to throw at me. One minute, I think he’s somewhat pleasant and cares about his sister, but the next, he acts like some jealous boyfriend who won’t let me play with other boys.
My head begins to spin, thanks to the margaritas. “I’m tired, okay? Just go home.”
He places his hand against the brick wall, blocking my way. As he stands this close to me, I smell his aftershave. How can a man as infuriating as him smell so… so… delicious ?
I refuse to look him in the eye in case he can read my questionable thoughts, but he inches closer anyway.
“You’re telling me you didn’t consider inviting him inside?”
“No…” I shake my head, still unable to look at him, and manage a lie. “I told you, I’m not into one-night stands.”
Aston remains silent, but I know he’s watching me. My breathing is ragged, and I’m sweating beneath my coat despite the cold night air.
Slowly, I lift my head to meet Aston’s intoxicating gaze. Unwillingly, I swallow the giant lump inside my throat, unable to turn away. I should be angry he’s invading my privacy, but I can’t seem to gain any clarity, and my heart is beating way too fast for me to focus on anything else.
He tilts his head slightly, leaning into my ear to whisper, “And when he leaned in to tell you how beautiful you look tonight, you didn’t envision him removing this sexy dress of yours until you’re naked in front of him, begging to be fucked?”
The intensity of his words causes me to bite my lip. My legs press together to stop the desire between my thighs, which, thankfully, is hidden beneath my coat.
“No,” I choke.
“Hmm… interesting.” He touches the pendant hanging from my necklace, then runs his finger down my chest, stopping just shy of my cleavage. My stomach flutters, and beneath my clothes and bra, my nipples harden at the touch of his fingers against my skin. “Your body appears to be betraying you.”
“Perhaps you’re reading it all wrong,” I say, finding my voice and fighting off this overpowering urge to do something I will regret later. “See, if I want something, I go for it.”
With a satisfied smirk, he murmurs, “A woman who knows what she wants.”
“Yes, Aston.” I look him straight in the eye and beg myself to remember all the bad things about him, and ignore the part of me that suddenly wants him… naked . “I’m tired. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
He drops his arm, allowing me to pass, but as I step forward, he stops me again by grabbing me. I glance down, focused on the tight grip around my wrist.
“Sweet dreams, Everleigh. If you need inspiration tonight, I finished twice in the shower after you left. It’s a shame you couldn’t join me.”
My heart almost falls out of my chest. I scramble to respond, but my tongue is tied because my body has now betrayed me entirely.
Then, I shift my gaze and look into his teasing green eyes. He releases his grip on me, the absence of his touch catching me by surprise.
He’s just playing. His ego is so big, he thinks he can push my buttons—and for what purpose? All we need to do is get this wedding over and done with, and then he’s back in Manhattan where he’ll forget all about me—the shiny toy left behind.
“Perhaps you’re good for something, Mr. Beaumont. Aside from being the biggest pain in my ass.” I pull out my keys to place them in the lock but turn around again. “Tomorrow, and since you’re so eager to share your stamina in the shower with me, I expect your attendance at nine will be no problem.”
And with those final words, I enter the building and hurry to close the door behind me.
Later, when I’m tossing and turning in bed, I beg myself to fall asleep. He got to me.
And I hate him so much for it.
Though hate is such a strong word especially for someone who desperately needs to release this tension building down below. I close my eyes, sliding my hand between my legs. The simple touch is enough to make me moan.
Slowly, I move my fingers in a circular motion, this build inside my belly warning me it’s only a matter of moments. I bite down, squeezing my eyes shut as the desire climbs and a spread of warmth reaches every part of me.
“ Holy fuck ,” I gasp while arching my back, unable to catch my breath.
My body collapses on the bed, trying to come down from the euphoria. The echo of my heavy breathing is loud inside my room. Surely, this will knock me right out.
An hour later, I find I was wrong.
Another best self-induced orgasm of my life.
And the worst part of it all?
I imagined him for the very first time.
Big fucking rookie mistake.