22. "I was thinking more along the lines of tying you to my bed."
I stood checking a patient's blood pressure, while I tried fighting the blush that wanted to taint my cheeks crimson. Aiden stood at a distance, leaning against the wall, his gaze focused on me, while I could not bring myself to even glance his way.
I couldn't focus. All I could think of was the feel of his lips on me. It felt so surreal, as if I had imagined it. But the way he was smugly and intently staring at me told me that I certainly had not been seeing things. He really had kissed me.
Oh my God. He kissed me.
After recording the patient's blood pressure, I referred him to the relevant doctor. As the patient left, I stilled in place noticing Aiden walking my way from my peripheral vision.
I kept my eyes elsewhere when he stopped next to me.
"I'll wait for you in the parking lot at eight. No Ubers. I'll take you home." He asserted, his voice low and deep.
My heart was beating fast. I couldn't meet his gaze. I couldn't even form a proper sentence to speak.
"Do you understand me, Aysel?" He inched closer, his words slow and firm, making my eyes widen.
I nodded, still looking away.
I felt his eyes scrutinise me for a minute, before he retreated, and I watched his back as he left.
The day went by fast, and I pushed the thoughts and images of my first kiss to the back of my head for the sake of my patients. But as soon as my shift ended, the thoughts returned. I could not erase the feel of his soft lips on mine. Or how passionately he had kissed me as if I was all his.
But I wasn't.
Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I quickly called an Uber.
I knew he had told me not to. But my cheeks burned up as I kept recalling what had happened.
I could never look him straight in the eyes again.
Not longer than two seconds at least. I did not know how I could even be in his presence again, and to think that I was living in his house.
It was overwhelming, sending a surge of adrenaline through my body that only served to add to my anxiety and nervousness.
I took fast and long steps towards my Uber, afraid of Aiden jumping out of some corner and grabbing me, getting mad at me for not doing what he told me to.
And that was exactly what happened.
Just as I sat inside the car, the door to my side was abruptly pulled open.
Before I could process it, Aiden grabbed my upper arm and pulled me out.
I uttered a low sound of alarm and protest as he pulled me to his chest. I could feel anger and annoyance emanating off his body without even looking at his face.
"I told you no Ubers." He said through gritted teeth.
I could neither look at his face nor respond.
His grip tightened. "Aysel," He asserted, as if commanding my attention.
When I didn't respond, he let go of my arm and grasped my chin instead, forcing me to look up at him.
His gaze was stern as my shy eyes looked into his.
I could feel my cheeks heating up as I looked at his lips momentarily. "I told you I would take you home."
I swallowed, trying to form words, but before I could, the Uber driver interrupted us. "Ma'am, is this man bothering you?" He asked, looking between us.
Aiden's hand dropped from my chin, a frown forming on his face. "Get lost."
"Sir, leave the lady alone or I'll call the cops." He said.
Aiden's frown grew. "Do you know who I am?" He took a threatening step toward the poor driver who was just looking out for me.
I grabbed his arm in an attempt to hold him back. "He's not bothering me. I know him." I told the man.
"Are you sure, ma'am?"
"You fucking heard her." Aiden's tone grew loud and impatient as he glared at him.
I almost facepalmed myself. "Yes. Thank you for looking out for me. I know him, and I'll be leaving with him."
He looked at both of us skeptically for a moment before retreating to his car. Aiden took hold of my arm again as the Uber driver drove off. "Why don't you listen to me?" He upbraided.
"Why do you talk to people like that?" I mumbled, letting him pull me to his car.
"I don't have the patience to deal with people's shit." He spoke, opening the door to the passenger seat and practically pushing me in.
"But you expect people to deal with yours." I shot as he took his seat and pulled out of the parking lot.
He huffed. "If you ever go against something I tell you again, there will be consequences."
"You'll slit my throat? Shoot me? Strangle me?" I asked almost sarcastically as he drove a little too fast down the road.
"I was thinking more along the lines of tying you to my bed." He said casually.
I stiffened in my seat, my eyes widening. "W-what?"
He simply hummed.
I stared at him while he kept his eyes on the road. "A-and do what?" I could feel my heart hammering in my chest.
He drew in a breath. "Punish you."
My heartbeat sped up even more. "H-how?"
"By leaving cockroaches all over you." He replied almost nonchalantly.
I gasped. "You're horrible!" My hands flew out to cover my mouth as I pictured cockroaches all over me in my head.
And then my silly self started hyperventilating.
"For God's sake, are you actually panicking right now?" He asked incredulously with a hint of mockery in his tone.
"You're so mean," I looked out of the window. "How can you even think of doing that to me?" My voice broke.
He pulled into his driveway, sighing as he parked his car. Unbuckling my seatbelt, he caught me off guard by pulling me into his arms. "You silly little girl." He muttered in my ear.
"You mean, big monster!" I uttered.
He chuckled, the vibration of his chest against mine sending waves of a warm, giddy sensation through me.
"Let go." I mumbled, though I didn't really mean it.
He backed away, putting me back in my seat before stepping out. I watched him walk around the car and open the door for me, offering me his hand. I shyly took it and stepped out.
I almost gasped as he tightened his hold on my hand and led me inside his house. We were greeted by Nina who stood in the lobby and asked us about dinner.
"I'm not too hungry. What do you want, Aysel?" Was Aiden's reply.
He was so weird. He was never hungry.
"Can I have steak?" I asked him shyly.
He nodded readily. "Steak for her."
"Two steaks. For us," I asserted, causing Aiden to snap his head my way. I turned to face him. "I won't eat if you won't."
He sighed, looking back at Nina. "Two steaks."
She nodded, turning toward the kitchen.
"Go to my room and make yourself comfortable. I have to take care of something." He said.
"What if there's someone hiding in your room?" I asked him.
"There's no one there. Go." He gave me a gentle push toward the staircase.
"Is Luna here?" I asked from behind as I saw him turn towards the living room.
He turned back around, rolling his eyes. "No, why?"
I shrugged, pointing with my head in the direction of the living room. "I figured she was here since that's your favourite place to hang out with her."
He rolled his eyes again. "Go up."
"What if I don't?" I quirked an eyebrow.
His eyes darkened, but definitely not with anger. "Go, Aysel." He drawled.
This time I rolled my eyes, before jogging upstairs. When I entered his bedroom, I made sure to look around to confirm that there was no intruder. After being sure, I looked around the room to search for the TV remote. I found it in one of the drawers, along with a picture. A family picture.
It featured a man, a woman, a little girl and a boy that was certainly Aiden.
It was very adorable. He seemed to be around twelve in the picture, at the most. His face displayed a giant grin as he put his arm around the pretty little girl.
It wasn't hard to guess that she was his sister, and the other two their parents.
His mother was beautiful, and he looked a lot like her.
Especially the shape and colour of his eyes.
His dad was extremely good looking too. Genes of good looks definitely ran in the family.
I heard the door open and close behind me, and then footsteps approached me. Turning around, I met Aiden's dark brown orbs that zeroed in on the picture I was holding.
I held it up, smiling at him. "You have such a big smile here. Why are you so grumpy now?"
His gaze hardened, becoming hooded with an indecipherable emotion. My smile faltered as he stalked up to me and snatched the picture from my hands.
"Why the fuck are you going through my stuff?!" He growled.
I shook at his sudden outburst, staring at him eyes wide. "I... I was just looking for the TV remote."
"Do you think it's right to go through people's drawers?!" He raised his voice.
I swallowed. "I'm sorry," I muttered, looking down. He put the picture back in the drawer before slamming it shut. I flinched. "I was just admiring the picture; I didn't mean—"
"Stop talking!" He said through gritted teeth, seemingly holding himself back.
I cleared my throat. "I think it would be appropriate if I just stayed in my own room."
"You're not going anywhere." He glared at me. There was no softness in his tone or gaze.
I didn't have it in me to argue with him, so I just walked to the couch and sat down on it. Why was he like that? One moment he was nice and caring, even going to the extent of kissing me, and the next moment, he would turn into the cold and heartless version of him.
The version that ached my stupid, little heart.