28. "I didn't know the big, bad CEO liked cuddles."
My head was spinning on the drive home, and I kept my eyes away from Aiden the entire time. However, I could feel him glance at me repeatedly the entire way. I didn't know what to do. I felt stuck with no way out. I wondered if I was endangering Aiden's life by seeking his protection.
That guy did say Aiden would be harmed if I continued to stay with him.
When Aiden pulled into the driveway, I wasted no time in getting out of his car and jogging up the front steps.
"Aysel!" I heard him call from behind, but didn't stop until I reached the bedroom we were sharing.
I have to leave.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" His frustrated voice sounded behind me as he barged into the bedroom.
I turned around to meet his frowning gaze. "I... I want to move back into my apartment."
His frown deepened. "Did you lose brain cells or hit your head? Why would you say that all of a sudden?"
I sucked in a breath. "I'm... I'm... I can't just stay here with you forever."
"Stop thinking nonsense. Going back to your apartment means having a death wish." He stated firmly.
I sighed. "Aiden, I have to go!"
"You're not going anywhere!" He raised his voice, stepping closer. "This debate is closed! Don't you dare bring this topic up again."
"I'm putting your life at risk too!" I raised my voice as well.
He stepped closer, standing only a few centimetres away from me. "You're not. Besides, I don't give a damn about living."
I sucked in another breath. "But—"
I couldn't even gasp as he abruptly pressed his lips to mine, moving them gently over mine. My body relaxed as he worked on quieting my fear, and I couldn't help but put my hands on the back of his neck as he continued to kiss me.
After breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead on mine. "Stop talking about going away from me. I won't let you." He whispered, breathing heavily.
I looked into his softened eyes, holding back tears. "I don't want to be the reason you get hurt."
"I'll get hurt if you leave." He said.
I gaped at him as his eyes stared right into my soul, the incredulity his words brought tugging the strings of my poor, little heart that wanted to believe him.
"You will?" My voice was low, coated with hope.
He nodded, before moving his forehead away from mine and squeezing my hand. "You're staying here with me. No ifs and buts. I won't let you go. I won't let anyone take you away from me."
I squeezed my eyes shut, letting a couple of tears fall out. "I..." my breathing faltered. "At... at the mall... the coffee shop... um..." I struggled to speak, but he patiently waited for me to continue. "When I... came out of the bathroom... some guy blocked my way..."
"What?!" He demanded, scowling. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me, Aysel?"
"He told me to move back to my apartment or Liam would hurt you!" I revealed.
His frown deepened, his eyes darkening with rage. "Why didn't you tell me?" His hold on me grew tighter.
I sucked in a breath. "I was scared, Aiden!"
He sighed in exasperation. "You don't need to pay heed to that bastard's threats! He can't do anything to hurt me any longer."
"Please find him," my voice came out as a plea. "I'm scared of living in constant fear."
He sighed, caressing the back of my hand with his thumb. "Don't be scared, Aysel. I won't let anything happen to you... I will find him and make him pay for everything he has put us through."
I sighed, using my free hand to wipe away stray tears that lingered on my cheeks. Nodding, I met his eyes again. As I searched for words to say to him, he beat me to it.
"Don't ever hide something from me again, okay?" His eyes held a mixture of sternness and concern.
"I was thinking of your well being." I mumbled.
He drew in a breath. "He can't do anything, Aysel. He knows the moment you go back to your apartment, away from me, you become an easy target. And to get you to do it, he came forth with an empty threat."
I pressed my lips together. "I really hope it was an empty threat."
He scoffed. "What's the worst he can do? Kill me?"
I watched him in awe as he rolled his eyes. As if his life was worth nothing. "Your life isn't worthless, Aiden. It's the most precious thing you have. It's something working at the hospital has taught me."
His gaze pierced through mine again. "I've barely felt alive all these years. As if I'm the walking dead."
My heart ached as I saw the broken pieces of his soul, the crushing pain in his eyes that he tried his best to hide. My hand reached out to grab his, giving it an assuring squeeze as I looked into the window of concealed emotions in his eyes. "I'll help you feel alive again..." I whispered.
His chest moved up and down slowly as he silently took a deep breath. His head moved up and down as he nodded slightly, pressing his forehead to mine again. "You've already begun to."
His murmur settled like a little flame in my heart.
You've already begun to.
The ringing of his phone interrupted the vulnerable trance we were caught up in. He quickly composed himself, wiping the streaks of vulnerability from his gaze and voice as he attended the call.
I watched his back as he stepped out of the room, while his words played like a broken record in my head.
———
As night fell, I watched Aiden make the bed and put a pillow in the centre of it. "What are you doing?" I asked him.
"I don't wish to create the boundary, but it's what makes you comfortable." He said.
"We're sharing the bed again?"
"Yes, we are. I won't have any nightmares with you next to me." He stated, sitting down on his side.
"Okay then." I said shyly, crawling into my side of the bed.
My cheeks heated up as I felt his intense gaze on me. "Stop staring at me." I protested weakly.
A smirk graced his face. "Make me."
I rolled my eyes as butterflies soared in my stomach, and my cheeks turned redder. "Good night." I announced, giving him my back.
Several minutes passed as I lay with my eyes shut, trying to fall asleep. Why won't he say good night back? Why won't he say anything at all?
It was pathetic how I was dying for him to say something. One last thing so I could succumb to slumber. Something I could hold on to until the next morning.
"Aysel?"
My heart stood still as he called my name. I bit my lip, before replying. "Yes?"
"Can we cuddle?"
His request caused my eyes to go flying open in surprise before the silly little butterflies took flight in my stomach again.
"W-what?" My voice was a shy, incredulous whisper in the dimly illuminated room.
"Can we cuddle?" He repeated. "It'll help you sleep better."
An eyebrow of mine shot up even though he couldn't see me. "I'll sleep just fine."
My heart and body protested and argued for me to give in. To turn around, meet his dark brown eyes and submit myself to the warmth of his arms.
"You're rude." His voice was coated with disappointment.
I bit my lower lip as my lips stretched upwards. "You're rubbing off on me."
He snorted before shifting, causing the bed to move a little, until it became very quiet. Realising he wasn't going to say anything, I finally lulled myself to sleep.
———
My eyes fluttered open slowly, being met with the beams of sunlight that snuck in through the sides of the curtains. I was facing the side Aiden had slept on the previous night, but he was no longer there. Sitting up, I scanned the room. It was devoid of his presence.
After I freshened up in the bathroom, I decided to go look for him.
Figuring he might be in the opposite room, I knocked at the door, but after receiving no response, I pushed it slightly open.
The lights were on, but it seemed empty.
Pushing the door open further, I stepped in slowly, looking around for any sign of the big man.
Something familiar on the desk in the room caught my eye, and I couldn't help but take small steps towards it in awe. A grin broke across my face, one that represented my pleasant surprise and joy.
He had kept the snow globe I bought from the mall on it. Like I asked him to.
I almost teared up.
"Good morning, little one." His husky voice behind me caught me by surprise, making me turn around to meet his gaze.
He had a relaxed expression as he leaned against the wall by the door.
"You kept it on your desk." I stated the obvious, unable to hold back my smile.
"Of course." He replied, his tone one of gentleness and care. The complete opposite of his usual demeanour.
My lips stretched up even more. "I'm glad."
"I'm not." He said, his tone changing to a serious one.
My smile faltered. "Why not?"
"I'm mad at you."
"Why?" I asked as sorrow settled into my heart. I wondered what I had done to upset him.
"Because you didn't cuddle with me." He complained.
I blinked a couple of times, before sighing, the sorrow that had stupidly settled into my heart lifting as I shook my head at him.
"I didn't know the big, bad CEO liked cuddles." I teased as I walked up to him.
His face eased up into a small smirk. "Only if they're with tiny, little doctors."
Before I could reply, he caught me off guard by wrapping his arms around me and lifting me off the ground. I gasped, my arms instinctively wrapping around his neck.
"Put me down!" I protested, my cheeks reddening as he carried me out of the room.
"Breakfast is ready." Was his reply as he carried me downstairs.
"I can walk!" I grumbled.
"You can, but that doesn't mean you have to trouble your pretty little feet while I'm around." He spoke.
My heart fluttered because it was a hopeless romantic and clearly very easy to impress.
Perhaps my life was becoming like one of those romance novels where the scary, rich CEO falls for a girl like me, having a soft side for her and her only.
How ridiculous of a thought. Aiden Knight falling for me.
I laughed out loud at the thought.
"What's funny?" Aiden questioned amusedly as he set me down on one of the chairs at the small dining table, bringing my attention to the fact that my cackle was not in my head, but indeed very audible.
I shook my head, averting my gaze from him.
"What's on your mind, little one?" I felt his scrutinising gaze on me, but before I could make up an excuse, his phone rang. For once, I was grateful at the interruption.
I swallowed nervously as he declined the call and returned his undivided attention to me. "What has you laughing like that?" He asked again, studying my expressions.
"Nothing." I replied almost defensively. What was I to say? That I was picturing us to be like a couple in romance novels? That would surely wind up with him laughing as well. Something he never really does.
He narrowed his eyes at me, and I moved my nervous gaze away.
Catherine showed up with our breakfast, and I was relieved. My eyes lit up as she placed a plate stacked with pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries on top, in front of me.
Aiden's plate was stacked with pancakes and some maple syrup on top.
"Yayyy whipped cream and strawberriesss." I gushed a little too enthusiastically, grabbing my fork and knife.
I could see Aiden watching me with humour and amusement.
Catherine left us to devour our breakfast in silence, and I stayed completely focused on my pancakes despite the feel of the big, bad CEO's constant heated stares.
We finished our breakfast in silence, the only discomfort being the way he kept looking at me, causing me to constantly fight back my nervousness.
I sighed, putting the knife and fork on my plate before using a tissue to wipe my mouth. His dark brown eyes followed every single movement I made.
"Stop ogling me already." I finally said.
He put an elbow on the table, resting his chin on the palm of his hand, his face relaxed. "Make me."
I rolled my eyes, rising from my seat.
A gasp left me as he caught my wrist and pulled me onto his lap in one swift motion. I blinked rapidly, processing what happened before lifting my gaze to meet his alight with a brand new emotion. One I had never seen in them before.
My breath stood still in my lungs as did my heart in my chest when he palmed the side of my face with his big hand, holding my gaze magnetically with his intense one.
"Stop trying to get away from me." He murmured, the sound of his voice sending ripples of desire down to my virgin core that suddenly ached to be filled.
What. The. Hell. Aysel.
I gulped, feeling my cheeks turn red. My body turned into stone when he leaned forward, touching his nose with mine.
Damn it.
Before I could think rationally, I had pressed my lips to his soft ones, but my lack of experience caused me to freeze as our lips touched. Before I contemplated pulling away, he took control, kissing me gently until his kiss grew possessive and passionate.
I moaned into his mouth as he devoured mine, silencing all my fears and apprehensions.
All I could think was how perfectly our lips moulded together, and how good it felt.
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