He wasn’t ready. He never would be. There was no future without Samantha.
“You deserve happiness.”
There would be no joy without her; no happiness and nobody else. He couldn’t conceive of loving another. He held her hand while tears spilled down his cheeks.
“You’ve given me everything, Sam. Love I never imagined possible and the most beautiful baby girl in the world. I’m happy.”
“Aiden, that’s not enough. I won’t let you mourn me for the rest of your life. I want you to live and love again.”
“I have Callie. I’m happy. I don’t need anything else.”
“I know the kind of man you are. You’re too wonderful not to share your love with another. You deserve love.”
He didn’t want to talk about another woman. It felt too much like cheating, and he wouldn’t consider the idea, not with his wife dying in his arms, but it seemed important to Sam. She needed his promise before she could let go, and hell if she hadn’t fought long enough. It was selfish to deny her dying wish.
He brought her hand to his mouth and pressed his lips to the paper thin skin. The cancer stole Sam’s strength and destroyed the woman he loved.
“I promise.” Tears ran down his face with a promise he never planned on keeping.
She breathed out a sigh and her expression eased of all its pain. Her fingers fluttered in his palm. The beeping on the monitors slowed.
“Mr. Cole…” A nurse stepped into his wife’s room. “It’s time.”
“Can you get my mother-in-law?” He wouldn’t leave Sam’s side, but her mother needed to be there.
“Of course.” The nurse left and brought his mother-in-law and Callie into the room.
Callie’s soft coos sounded and she blew raspberries while her mother took her last breath. He held his wife’s hand while Samantha died, knowing he would never love another.
“You don’t have to talk about it,” she said suddenly in a rush.
His knuckles had turned white with the death grip he had on the counter and his cheeks were wet with tears. He swiped at his cheeks, angry and embarrassed by the rare show of emotion.
“Sorry about that. It never gets easier.”
“I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.” The pilot held out her palm and placed it against his chest.
Such a simple, comforting gesture, he didn’t know how to react. He was used to being the strong one, not an emotional tear bag. It wasn’t the best way to impress a woman, but whatever, a man could shed a tear or two for his dead wife.
“Sam isn’t a bad memory. She was an amazing mother and a wonderful wife who wished for nothing more than for her husband to live a full life.” Now he was rhyming? Could this get any worse?
He hoped Ariel understood what he was getting at. The air crackled between them, an attraction that couldn’t be denied. He’d never felt anything like it before. It was as if he’d been struck by lightning and the pilot was at the center of it all.
Samantha made him promise he would move on. He hadn’t, but that was only because there hadn’t been a woman smart enough, strong enough, or tenacious enough to hold his interest. He’d known this woman less than an hour and his skin hadn’t stopped buzzing.
Ariel’s smile returned. “She sounds like an amazing person, but I think cunt might not be the best word to teach your daughter.” She didn’t shy away from curse words, either. Many women found the word cunt highly offensive, but the word practically rolled off her dirty tongue. He liked that.
He let out a deep belly laugh. Even better than her filthy mouth, she had no problem calling him out on his bad language. He loved it.
“Now, that's great advice. Which is where the swear jar comes in. Callie makes a fortune off my little slip-ups.”
“I bet she does.” Ariel spun around. “As for us, mother-fucking cunt is a pretty apt description of our situation.”
“Doesn’t look good?”
Damn, the woman switched gears without missing a beat. He hadn’t had a chance to work anything else in before she went all professional on him.
“Wind speeds are gusting at fifty knots. I could take off, but by the time we get your guys loaded on the helicopter, wind speeds will be far in excess of that. Julian has stepped up his game. It's not worth the risk. We’re grounded until this blows over.”
“We should probably tell the others.”
“You go do that. I’m going to find out about your ride. They need to turn back if they haven’t already.”
“Did you forget about me not leaving anyone alone?”
She gestured to the room. “Where exactly do you think I’m going? I’m not heading out for a stroll and I think I can find my way back. For the record, you left the rest of them alone.”
“For ex-military, you’re not that good at following orders.” He watched for the slightest reaction, wondering how he should play this.
“Sorry, didn’t know that was a command, bossman.” Her deliciously brown eyes darkened as her pupils dilated. And he didn’t miss the way she licked her lips. Was it possible she felt the energy sizzling between them too?
“Say that again,” he said, taking a step toward her.
She took a step back but was stopped short by the console. He took another step and she gripped the edge of the counter but didn’t move away. He leveled his entire focus on her eyes, holding her with the force of his will. Her chin jutted forward. She gulped and licked those damn lips again.
“Say what?” A quiver bounced in her voice.
“You know what I mean.” He took another step. Only a few inches separated them. Over six feet tall, he towered over her small frame. Now was the time for her to step to the side, but she didn’t. She held his stare, then dropped her gaze as he leaned slightly forward. “Do you like bossy men?”
Her words came as a breathy whisper. “That depends on the man, and whether he's an asshole or not.”
“Is that so?” He itched to touch her but would wait until there was no doubt as to whether she wanted more.
“Are you an asshole?”
Damn, but her words set his blood on fire. He wasn't an asshole. He had a little girl to raise and had very specific ideas on how women should be treated.
“Hmm, not an asshole, although you shouldn't ask any of my men. I run a tight ship, or rather, a tight rig. I can be a certified asshole if the safety of my men is compromised.”
Her gaze bounced to his eyes, but she didn’t hold it for long before dipping her chin and biting at her lip.
“I’m wondering what you’re going to do,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“When I kiss you...”
Her eyes widened and she gave a tiny gasp.
“You’ll understand why when I do.”
Her lips parted ever so slightly.
Words weren’t necessary for what came next and screw professionalism. A Category Five hurricane barreled down on them. They would be stuck in close quarters with the others until the infernal storm blew over or sank the rig. It made no sense not to go for it, and he was long past ignoring the electricity crackling between them.
He wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her to him. He really should ask permission, but the hand she placed on his chest didn't push away. Her fingers curled in his shirt and tugged. When he pulled her close, his body roared with its need to possess, but this wasn’t something he intended to rush.
No, he would savor the moment, drawing it out until she begged for contact. He glided his hand up the nape of her neck and slid it over the wet perfection of the tight bun at the back of her head. He looked at her in a way he hadn’t looked at any woman since his darling Samantha passed away.
Ariel’s eyes glittered in the overhead lights. Sparks of passion, and lustful desire flashed as a teasing smile crept across her face.
Samantha made him promise to move on and open his heart to the possibility of loving again. He hadn’t been able to honor her dying wish.
Until now.
With the demands of work and raising his daughter alone, there simply hadn’t been the time to date. He could’ve frequented any strip club and slaked his physical ache, but that wasn’t the kind of woman he desired. He needed confident and self-assured; a woman strong enough to allow herself to be vulnerable and yet willing to yield herself to a man like him.
The acceleration of his heart was a blend of everything his body wanted, mixed with a tinge of fear. The desire in Ariel’s eyes couldn’t be ignored. It mirrored his.
No hesitation.
No guilt.
With a gentle press of his finger, he lifted her chin, tilting her face to meet his gaze. The passion brimming in her eyes, that hot intensity, was all the permission he needed to ignite the inferno to come. The rest of the world became unimportant at that moment. The storm outside faded into insignificance and the men down the hall disappeared. Everything but Ariel was banished into the far recesses of his mind.
The heat of her breath brushed against his skin, but he didn’t rush. This was a moment to savor. A nearly impossible task, he ignored the stirring within him. His desire was a caged beast that had been contained for far too long. It struggled to be free. The only thing that mattered was touching her more.
He would try to be gentle but knew he would fail. He cupped her cheek with one hand while freeing the long lengths from the bun at the back of her head. She shivered as he shook out the wet lengths of her hair. He leaned in and feathered his thumb against her lower lip, demanding she open for him. Completely in tune with his need, she parted her lips and swiped her tongue along his thumb.
“Do that again.” Deep, raw, and hoarse with tightly held restraint, he gave the command.
Her eyes closed and a curtain of dark lashes swept over her high cheekbones. She pressed the tip of her tongue to his thumb, then sucked his thumb into her mouth. The warmth of her mouth made him groan with need. Her eyes opened and she stared at him through those thick lashes. He weaved his fingers through her hair. Pulling her head back, he pulled his thumb free of the wet heat of her mouth.
He wanted to take the zipper of her flight suit and yank it down, but they were still in the getting to know you stage. She reached up and gripped his neck, pulling him down while she rose up on her toes.
He yanked on her hair, a firm tug to let her know he was in charge and gave a satisfied nod at her frustrated whimper. She held her hands around his neck, but no longer tried to force the kiss. He didn’t make her wait long, needing to feel her lips on his. Leaning down, he closed the distance.
Demanding and determined, he didn’t take time to coax a response from her. He plundered and plunged, taking what he wanted. Her fingers lost their grip around his neck and slid down his chest, clutching at his shirt. Her entire body seemed to melt into him as he swirled his tongue against hers. Long dormant nerves stirred to life, hardening him in an instant. His entire body seemed to come alive with a riot of sensation as desire ignited into an unslakable thirst for more.
He rocked his body against hers, allowing her to feel the boldness of his erection pressed between them. That would come later, but it would happen. An inevitability existed between them and he determined then that he would pursue this woman. For the first time ever, honoring Samantha’s wish felt like the right thing to do.
Chapter 5
Ariel
A toe-curling, heart-stopping, soul-tingling wave of sensation swept down Ariel’s body with the unapologetic ferocity of a single kiss. His name? What was his name? He mentioned it, but for the life of her, she couldn’t remember the name of the man who was kissing her. Hell, she could barely remember to breathe.
The kiss overwhelmed nearly every thought in her head. Delicious. Sensual. Arousing. Long-slumbering parts of her anatomy woke up and took notice. This wasn’t something she’d ever felt before.
He had her by the waist and pulled her hard against him. There was no denying the rock-hard prominence pressed against her belly. The swell of his arousal was thick, hard, and persistent.
What the hell was she doing? Was she really grinding her hips against his erection? And she didn’t stop. Although she should. There were hundreds of reasons why she should stop.
This was highly unprofessional. Like, not a little bit wrong, but a major, hard stop, ‘Do not pass go’ kind of wrong. Not that they worked together. It wasn’t like she was his boss, or he was hers, but this wasn’t the time or place for hormones to take over.
Just a little more friction.
She ground against him and dug her fingers into the back of his neck, pulling him down, or trying to claw her way up his towering height.
What was she thinking? Or doing? Wow, but he tasted amazing. It was that kind of sinful, sultry, dark, give-me-more kind of taste she couldn’t get enough of.
Third, this wasn’t—she wasn’t that kind of girl. Hot and heavy had never been words used to describe anything sexual about her existence. The quiet, reserved, shy one, she hadn’t had a boyfriend in years, with the horrible exception of the asshole, Rick. And she had never experienced unbridled passion.
In contrast to the bumbling attempts Rick made, this nameless man tasted like sin and moved with unapologetic determination in his quest for more. What the hell did he say his name was?
Not to mention, they had just met. She wasn't this kind of girl, but there was no denying what she wanted at the hands of this man.
Her mother had practically given up asking whether Ariel was dating. She really wasn't the girl who kissed on the first date. None of this stopped her hands from exploring the hard planes of his chest or tracing the rippled terrace of muscles spanning his back. Her hands moved with a mind of their own, wandering, exploring, memorizing every sculpted nuance of muscle girding his frame.
The excuse she gave her mother about not dating was always the same. There had never been time. All her potentials were arrogant assholes. The men she worked with weren’t the kind she dated. Don’t shit where you eat. There was great wisdom to that saying. And when not working, her life was that of a hermit - isolated, alone, and safe from the eventual heartbreak men brought. In the end, they were all arrogant assholes who cared about nothing but their next lay, and she'd be damned if she let a man use her and toss her aside the next morning.
Was she doing that now? Who the hell cared. This, this explosion of passion might be worth the risk.
She tilted her head back as his fingers stroked her hair. The gentle glide felt amazing but not nearly as mind-blowing as when he tugged at the roots. That made her insides churn and her lady-bits pulse with aching need. It did things inside her head as well; dark, delicious, and forbidden things.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and tried really hard not to wrap her leg around his and climb on board. Ruggedly handsome, blue-eyes, authoritative. Check, check, and double-, no, triple-check. He was everything she couldn’t resist in one dominating package. She was one step away from dry humping him right there.
She’d never been looked at by a man the way he looked at her, all hungry and determined. She’d read about such things, but had never experienced it. And her body? What was with all the tingly nerves? That warmth that spread outward from her heart? And the needy pulsations between her legs? Rubbing against his very hard erection was something she had to consciously choose not to do. She wasn’t a needy and weak thing who lost her mind the moment a man kissed her, current situation being a notable exception to that rule.
But damn, what a kiss. The acceleration of her heart intensified as he swept his tongue along the seam of her mouth. Her hands gripped the fabric of his shirt as his fingers tightened and yanked on her hair. Why did that seem to be the one thing which drove her the most insane?
She knew the answer to that, even if she didn’t want to admit it. There was a reason she didn’t date. Men were intimidated by what she did for a living. Put off by her hardness and strength, none ever stepped up to the plate to take control and she wasn’t
about to boss a man around in her personal life. That simply felt wrong.
This guy didn’t seem to have a problem with taking charge and her entire body took notice. She craved more, even if she would never, ever voice her true desires. Forbidden remained relegated to the darkness of her late-night dreams. Besides, what would she do if she said something and he thought it weird?
Goosebumps lined her skin, and it wasn’t because she was cold. Her flight suit might have soaked her to the bone, but electricity skated along her skin and tunneled along her nerves. She may have been cold a few minutes ago, but a fire burned within her now. So hot! She wanted to strip out of her clothes and rub against every inch of his skin.
His shirt needed to come off.
She pulled at the fabric. Grasping, she yanked his shirt from where it was tucked in his pants. She had every intention of pulling it over his head and stripping him bare when he ended the kiss.
“Luv, if you do that, there is only one way this is going to end.”
He pressed his forehead against hers and those piercing blue eyes of his seared her soul. Warmth enveloped her wrists as he gripped her hands. She gave a whimper as he tugged.
“As much as I’d love to strip you out of your clothes, there are men back there who might be wondering what’s taking us so long. I’m sure your crew is eager to know if they’re prepping for a flight or are hunkering down for the next forty-eight hours as this thing blows over.”
She relinquished her hold and allowed him to lift her hands to his mouth. His lips pressed against her knuckles as he gave each a kiss.
“Fuck,” he said with a growl, “but you taste like sin.”
With the power of the kiss fading, a sense of shyness and uncertainty overcame her. Was this regret? Did she feel bad about that kiss? Her brows scrunched together as conflicting emotions rushed through her mind.
“Hey,” he said, “penny for your thoughts? Don’t shut me out. After a kiss like that, you can be damn sure I’m barely getting started. I don't like the way your brows are pinching together. Don't regret what just happened.”
Aiden & Ariel Page 4
