Chapter 26
Aidan’s mouth collides with mine so vigorously that it takes me by surprise, so much so that I can’t help but giggle against his lips.
“What are you laughing at, you goof?”
“You just seem very eager to kiss me.”
“Well, maybe that’s because I’ve been wanting to kiss you for a while now Hales, I mean really kiss you, and I am not wasting any more time not kissing you. I never want to waste time again.” He looks intently at me with his teal eyes.
My feet finally reach the ground after what felt like an eternity propped up in Aidan’s arms, which I’ve decided is my preferred method of transport from now on.
When I finally get my bearings on solid ground, I bend down and slide off my shoes. I am about to unzip my dress. Aidan’s hand stops me.
“Don’t you dare.”
“What? You don’t want me to take off my clothes?” I ask, lifting one eyebrow quizzically.
“No.”
For a moment I am deflated, self-conscious that I’m really not what Aidan wants. Then he wraps his hands around my back and finds my zipper. His hands clench tight around the fabric and he pulls outward, causing it to rip and hang off my shoulders, exposing my bra underneath. “I wanted to.”
I stand there, breathless, as the sexiest man in the universe slides what is left of my dress all the way down my body, keeping one of his hands glued to me, tracing my figure slowly and intentionally, pausing only to feel my lace panties and tracing the hem dangerously with his fingertip. How is it possible to feel so exposed and so secure at the same time? That’s the magic that Aidan brings to the table, and I am here to revel in it.
“It’s my turn,” I say playfully. I stare at Aidan’s white button-down shirt and decide to take the opposite method that he used with my dress a second ago. I slowly start unbuttoning his shirt, ogling him in the process. I want to take my sweet time with him. These past two weeks have been a whirlwind, decoding what was real and what was for show. And then tonight I discover there has been this invisible string tying me to Aidan since the very first day we met. After every small translucent button, I touch his skin, which is on fire beneath my cool fingertips. With every touch, his abs tighten, showcasing each ridge, taut and cut to perfection. I want to tease him a little. I want to take in the sight of him shamelessly and freely, something I haven’t been able to do since I’ve met him. Now it’s just him and me, and I can finally enjoy Aidan in all of his glory.
Aidan growls in frustration. “You’re killing me, Swann. I’ll rip my own shirt off if that means I can continue kissing you.”
I reach the last button, satisfied that I evoked any sense of urgency in Aidan. I trace my hands along his unbuttoned shirt, reaching the top of his broad shoulders and sliding his shirt all the way down his arms, stopping momentarily at each curvature, each muscle. When his shirt falls, Aidan takes control and feverishly kisses me, like he is making up for lost time. One hand is completely entangled in my hair and the other presses my back, causing our bodies to mold together. I swallow hard as I feel how much I am really affecting his body. There is definitely no mistaking my affect on him. Chills make their way all up and down my skin, which is in direct contrast to what’s happening internally–everything is on fire. Sparks fly with every touch.
Aidan lowers me to the bed, carrying my entire body weight with one arm, his other arm busy holding the back of my head so that our lips won’t part. I’m not planning on unlocking my lips from his anytime soon. My pulse rings in my ears, as I suddenly become acutely aware of who I am making out with and who, undoubtedly, I am about to have sex with. My body tenses with that thought.
Aidan is the first one to break our kiss. “Don’t.”
“What?”
“I feel you holding back, Hales.” He kisses me again, moving my body toward the headboard. Then he whispers in my ear, sending shockwaves through me: “I don’t want you to hold back with me. Not now. Never again.” His massive hands move deliciously down my body, slowly, firmly, as if he is memorizing a path that is vital to remember.
Our lips and bodies move in sync, like we were always meant to do this. Like we were meant to be here, in this moment, forgetting about the world outside these four bedroom walls, forgetting about what awaits us when we return home.
Aidan presses kisses onto my collarbone, his tongue slightly coming into contact with my delicate skin. My breath hitches and I gasp at the sensation coursing through my veins.
“Can we add this to the contract?” he asks, knowing full well what my response is going to be.
“Yes,” I exhale.
“Good.” His hands are busy making their way down my body, going further south, without any detours. His thumb brushes against my lace panties. My body instinctively gives into his touch and I groan. “What about this?” Aidan presses his lips hard against mine, gliding his fingers inside my panties and then into me, making me gasp. The sheer size of his fingers alone inside of me makes my skin flush. I could feel him smile against our locked lips, clearly satisfied with how wet he is making me.
“It’s more than okay, Aidan. Do whatever you want with me,” I say, finally admitting to myself and Aidan how much I want this to happen. How much I want those sparks to turn into a fire. How much I never want him to stop touching me like he is right now.
Aidan gives me yet another devilish grin as he pins my hands above my head. “As you wish, Hales.”
In one swift motion, he reaches a free hand behind my back and unhooks my balconette bra. I try to move my hands, but Aidan only strengthens his hold on me. “I have your hands up here for a reason, Swann.” It’s dangerous what one hand is capable of doing. In what seems like no time at all, my bra is suddenly stripped from my body and strewn onto the floor. Aidan’s lips traverse along the curves of my body. Kissing. Sucking. Licking. All so delicious and ravenous. My back arches as he nears south of my belly button. He is no longer treating me delicately. And I don’t mind it one bit.
He pauses, lets go of my wrists, and props himself up to where he is still hovering over me, but just enough that the weight and warmth of his body has departed from mine. I need it back immediately. My mouth lets out a guttural reaction. “What are you doing, Aidan? Why did you stop?”
His eyes journey across my entire body – it is his turn to ogle me, apparently. I get flushed all over again. Talk about ravenous. Aidan’s eyes are turning dark, like he doesn’t want to hold anything back anymore.
“I am taking you all in, Hales. You don’t realize how fucking gorgeous you really are.”
Feeling brave, I sit up completely, so my chest is flush with his. I grab his belt buckle and loosen it, sliding the entirety of the belt out of the loops, throwing it on the floor next to the rest of the scattered clothes. It is my turn to wrap my hands around his waist. The elastic band of his underwear peeks above the top of his dress pants. Suddenly my bravery flies out the window and I retract my hands.
“Wait, why did you stop?” Aidan asks.
“I’m nervous,” I admit. I want to be truthful to Aidan, especially in a situation like this. A situation that can never be reversed and will live forever in my brain.
Aidan kisses me, leaving me breathless again. It is a kiss of reassurance. In between kisses, Aidan says, “Everything is going to be okay, Hales. I promise.”
I press my forehead to his and exhale out of relief. He knows how to calm me, even when he is the one making my heart race.
As if my hands are independent of my own hindering thoughts, they find their way to the button of his pants and unbutton them. “I want you, Aidan.”
Aidan helps me with what I didn’t finish and his pants slide down the rest of his perfect body. It’s a shame that he can’t walk around like this all the time, but I guess seeing this man in his underwear 24/7 wouldn’t help the hysteria since he looks like a model for Calvin Klein. He should be their fricken ambassador. I’m sure sales would skyrocket. Step aside, Jeremy Allen White.
“I want you too, Haley.” He leans down to where his pants are and reaches into one of his pockets, pulling out a condom. I prop myself up on my forearms and watch as Aidan rips the condom wrapper with his teeth and rolls it on in one fluid motion. Then he leans down and his teeth grab onto the hem of my panties. He slides them all the way down my legs, causing them to tear slightly from his aggressive pull.
Nervously laughing, I tease, “At this rate, you’re going to have to buy me a brand new wardrobe, Stone.”
Aidan slowly crawls back on top of me, clearly gloating because he knows that he has me. He has set my soul on fire and obliterated any semblance of walls I had left. He brushes the hair out my face, looking at me with such tenderness it makes my heart explode. Although his actions are tender, his words are laced entirely with sensuality. “Gladly.” He eases into me and my need for him overtakes my body in such a way that I no longer have control. Normally I would hate to feel this way. Not now. This is a lack of control I am happy to give into.
So much has built up to this moment and the spark has now fully ignited between us–it is near combustible. I wrap my legs around his sculpted back, exploring every muscle with my heels. I kiss him, gliding my tongue in his mouth, and he returns the gesture. My fingers dig into his back and he lets out a groan. A groan that fuels my need for him even more. Every movement he makes against my body electrifies me. I can’t live without feeling this sensation. I can’t live my life without Aidan. Every touch, every kiss, every move this man performs makes an impression in my soul, and there is no way those will ever be erased.
“You’re so damn gorgeous and I love that you’re all mine,” Aidan whispers in my ear, almost like it is a secret and I’ve sworn to keep it all to myself. He thrusts deeper into me, and I can’t help but indulge in every movement. He must sense I am close because luckily, he doesn’t stop moving. My toes curl and my muscles tense, finally releasing tingles throughout my entire body. He quickly comes right after and continues to hover over me, arms sexily flexing on either side of my body. How is his body not quivering like mine is? Maybe he is, but his outer armor isn’t revealing that whatsoever.
Before I can fully catch my breath, Aidan steals yet another kiss from me. This man is pure magic and he’s proved that over and over again. Now, I know Aidan on a whole other level, an otherworldly level.
“Did I prove you wrong?” he asks, dimples making their appearance on his handsome face, his fingers tracing my swollen lips. I’m in so much trouble.
“So wrong.” My fingers trace Aidan’s lips, which are just as swollen. He softly kisses my fingertips. He is so beautiful and sexy and insert whatever word to describe your fantasy man, because Aidan is certainly mine. He makes his way down to my neck and presses his lips against my insanely sensitive flesh. I gasp as if his touch is brand new to me, which at this point it’s safe to say that nothing about Aidan is foreign to me anymore. Not after tonight.
“Be right back.” Aidan walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. I pull the duvet over me and drape an arm over my face, processing what just happened. There has been a seismic shift in our relationship, and there is no turning back. This is definitely something I will never forget.
I reach down to the floor and find what is left of my panties and bra. I am putting them on when I hear the bathroom door open and see the light shut off. Aidan stops short of joining me in bed and says, “What do you think you’re doing?”
After securing the last clasp, I say, “Um, I thought I would put my bra and what’s left of my panties back on, and then go to bed?” I question my own actions based on the almost unlawful look Aidan is giving me right now. No one should be allowed to look at anyone like that–like he wants to devour every inch of me. Actually, scratch that—I would allow Aidan to look at me like that every day for the rest of my life.
He chuckles and confidently walks over to the side of the bed where I am sitting, anxiously awaiting what he is going to say, or do, next. Did I mention he is completely naked? And completely made of pure marble, apparently? My eyes can’t stop staring at what is below his navel and I become very hot again. He finds the clasps of my bra and undoes my handiwork again. My lips part as I became aware of how much my body already aches for Aidan.
“You’re cute if you think that was all I’m going to do to you tonight.”