by K E Osborn
“I don’t like this,” I murmur quietly.
Aiden rushes over while I still stand in the background. “You have nothing to be afraid of. I’m here, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know. But why is she doing this?”
“I have no idea, but it has to stop. Now. Mike, can you take this to the police station and report it for me? I’m going to the security company to change our scanner over to different key cards. Jeni, now do you see why you can’t lose your card?”
Oh, fuck no! He’s not going to make me feel like some sort of errant child being told off by an angry parent. My mouth opens to give him a piece of my mind, but then I think better of it. I know he’s worried about me, but I won’t have him speaking to me like that again.
I lost the damn card. So what? People lose shit all the time.
“Jeni, get dressed. We’re going out.”
I head off and dress as quickly as I can.
Mike’s gone, and Aiden’s searching the rest of the apartment. “I think everything else is fine. I can’t see anything out of place, but I’m going to get security in to do a scan while we’re away.” He makes a quick call, and I feel safer knowing everything will be secure.
Walking up to him, I feel a little dazed and lost. I can’t believe this is happening, and to be honest, it scares the hell out of me.
“I need to get dressed. I’ll be a minute.” He kisses me on the forehead before walking to the bedroom.
I take a moment, letting this all truly sink in.
Someone is watching us.
Not us.
Me.
Someone is watching me.
My anxiety deepens when I start to remember the time in the bath when I felt as though someone was watching me.
Maybe I wasn’t dreaming after all.
Arriving back at the apartment, Aiden studies the cheat sheet the security company gave him, word for word, and carries out the instructions on the security panel in the elevator.
“Guess I won’t know if that worked until Mike gets back,” Aiden advises as we head up and the doors open to our apartment.
Once again, we head to the kitchen to start on dinner.
As we are pulling out the pots, Aiden’s cell rings. “Mike… it’s not working? Perfect. I’ll be right down.”
He hands me the pot he’d just filled with water with a smile.
Guess I’m cooking tonight.
I start to chop an onion, and as I do, my eyes begin to tear. “Stupid onions.”
Eventually, Mike and Aiden come back into the apartment with the new cards programmed and the system now tested and working properly.
“All done,” Aiden calls out to me.
I walk from the kitchen to greet them still holding the knife.
They both look at me.
Aiden rushes to my side. “Baby, what’s wrong?” He takes me in his arms. “Everything’s fine. I have security working on the apartment, the system is fixed for the elevator, and I have more security arranged around the parking garage tonight.”
I laugh when I realize they think I’m crying. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s the onions. I’ve been cutting onions. That’s all. I’m fine.”
Aiden’s body sags with relief, and Mike chuckles.
“No more stalkers then?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Nope. We’re all safe.”
“Mike, do you want to stay for dinner? We’ll have plenty.”
“No, Miss Taylor. Thank you, though. It’s very kind of you to ask.”
“You’re welcome anytime.”
Mike walks to the elevator but hesitates as he goes to enter. “Would you like me to give the other card to your mother, Mr. O’Connell?”
Aiden smirks. “Yeah, sure. Here it is. Can you please make sure to tell her not to misplace it?” He looks straight at me. I shrug and raise my eyebrows. Mike leaves, and it’s the two of us, alone at last.
I walk to the kitchen and throw the pasta into the boiling water. Aiden comes into the kitchen and wraps his arms around me from behind, pulling me into a bear hug, resting his head on my shoulder. I do feel safer now that security has been put in place.
Even though I’m not going to say it to Aiden, I know one thing’s for sure, I’ll never lose my security key card again.
“I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you,” he whispers into my ear.
I turn my head and kiss him. “I don’t plan on going anywhere. You don’t have to worry.”
“No, really, Jeni. You’re my life. My oxygen. I can’t breathe without you. You never have to worry about feeling safe because you are. I won’t let anything happen to you. Ever. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.” He leans in and kisses me passionately. His words make me tingle all over, but his kisses turn on the electrical surges between us.
I know he’ll keep me safe.
I know because he’s in love with me as much as I’m in love with him. And I’d do absolutely anything for him.
I finish preparing our dinner, and he lets go of me so I can dish up. I take the plates to the table, and Aiden brings over some wine glasses. “Thought you only drank wine on special occasions?” I ask.
“This is a special occasion. We’re in a stalker-free apartment. I think that calls for a celebration,” he chirps.
I smile, raise my glass, and we clink them together. “We should get away this weekend. Unwind a little. It’s been a stressful few days. So, I think we should use the birthday present you gave me. What do you think?” he asks.
“I’d love to.”
I think some time alone away from all this tension and strain is exactly what we need.
Arriving home from work, we pack for our romantic weekend getaway to the seaside cottage I gave him for his birthday. I’m not sure what to pack, so I pack everything. And then some. Once I’m done, I drag my massively overstuffed luggage to the living room.
Aiden’s eyes widen. “Are you sure you’re going to need all that?”
“I figured it was better to have something and not need it than need something and not have it,” I say with a shrug.
Getting up, he walks over to my luggage and lifts it. “This weighs a ton, Jeni.”
I shrug again, and he chuckles. “If you’re ready, we should hit the road.” Grabbing both bags, we head to the Aston Martin. After he strategically loads everything, we settle in for the drive, and he turns on the radio. Bon Jovi’s “Thank You for Loving Me” is playing.
I turn the volume up, and he looks at me with a smirk. “This should be our song.”
He lets out a small laugh. “You want this song?”
“Hell, yeah. The lyrics are beautiful.”
“You can’t put ‘hell, yeah’ and ‘beautiful’ in the same sentence, baby.” He grins while the chorus plays.
“What do you say? Do you like it?”
He nods. “I say thank you for loving me every day.”
“So, that’s a yes?”
“That’s a yes.”
With a smile, we hit the road. It isn’t long before the sun begins to set, and we pull into a little takeout shop to get a quick bite to eat. Not wanting to waste any more time, we get back on the road.
The sun is set when we finally arrive at the seaside cottage. My hair moves in the gentle breeze blowing in from the sea. It smells like saltwater mixed with that unmistakable tangy crispness. It’s a scent I can’t get enough of, so much so, they should bottle it.
Aiden grabs the luggage, leaving me to only have to worry about carrying our dinner. As we head inside, the cottage is a quaint little two-story modern space that smells like fresh baked cookies. Setting our bags down next to the sofa, he turns on the lights. Everything is white—the ceiling, the walls, the rugs on the floor, the appliances—absolutely everything. The floors are whitewashed wood. There are shells and nets on the wall, but it doesn’t look tacky. It’s a perfect blend of artistic and romantic with the nautical design theme—perfectly
Hampton’s vibe.
Walking up the stairs into the master bedroom, the floor is carpeted in a soft blue with a monster four-poster king-sized bed with a net canopy. The blue is a subtle contrast to the lack of color downstairs. All the windows have white shutters that open to a view of the sea. The view is breathtaking.
Not wanting to settle down for the night, we head back downstairs to the sofa area where there’s a huge double-glass sliding door that opens to a deck with a table and chairs.
“This place is fantastic.”
“I know. I did good, right?”
“You did very good.” He pulls me into an embrace and kisses me softly.
“We should have dinner before it gets cold.”
I walk over to the cupboards and search for plates to serve our burgers and now soggy fries out on the deck. It’s a beautiful night. The sound of waves crashing against the shore is calming and washes away the past few weeks of drama.
“This… this is exactly what I need.”
“I’m glad you like it. It’s so relaxing. I see ourselves spending the whole time on the beach, reading.”
“If I have anything to do with it, we’ll be up in that bedroom. Not reading.” He raises his eyebrows insinuatingly.
After dinner he disappears upstairs, returning a short time later with something in his hand.
“What have you got there, Mr. O’Connell?”
He smirks and holds out his hand which contains a piece of black, silky material. I look at him, creasing my forehead. “I found it on top of your suitcase when I was unpacking them.” He hands me the silky material which I take it from him, and it unravels into a small, sheer see-through negligee.
I grin at him knowing exactly what he’s in the mood for.
“I think you should put that on right now.”
The edge in his tone sends me straight into overdrive. So I do exactly as he says, slowly taking off my clothing until I’m standing in my underwear. Aiden moves in pulling me closer, moving his hands to my back to unclip my bra. My breathing hitches as it falls to the floor, freeing my breasts. His eyebrow raises as I kick my jeans across the floor. My body heats as lustful tension fills the air. He slides the negligee over my head and then slowly, his eyes glide down taking in the curves of my body.
“Jenifer Taylor, you’re an amazingly beautiful woman.” He runs his hands down my body sensuously and ever so slowly. I lean in to kiss him, but before I reach him, he picks me up, making me squeal, and whisks me upstairs to the bedroom. There, he lays me softly on the bed and quickly sheds his clothing. Once naked, he lays on the bed next to me.
I slide off my panties. As I go to take off my negligee, he stops me.
“Leave that on.”
I smirk as he moves on top of me and leans in kissing me passionately. His hands run along my body, heating me with every touch.
His mouth is on my lips as his tongue pushes in, wildly caressing mine. My body reacts to his touch, leaving me already wet so I’m not worried when he places his cock at my entrance and thrusts inside me. He fills me deliciously and starts to slowly move within me, causing my head to fall back, and a loud moan escapes my lips.
“Fuck, Jeni,” he murmurs, kissing my neck. He pushes further and further into me, opening me up until he’s completely buried inside me. He kisses me with equal passion and control, and I can’t help but moan louder. Aiden keeps a slow pace, moving in and out, loosening me with each thrust.
My fingers tighten around his bare back. He starts to move faster, letting me become acclimatized to his size before he drives into me with wavering control. My hands move to fist in his hair while his lips push against mine. He takes my bottom lip in between his teeth, nipping at it softly. The heat of his body through the fine silk is caressing my skin and sets me on fire. I quiver with want as he moves quickly, taking his lips to my neck, kissing and sucking.
“Oh, Jesus, Jeni,” he moans, driving into me faster and faster. He moves his hand to intertwine with mine above my head, and instantly, I feel it. The heat rises, my back arches as he thrusts with a force, sinking him deep inside.
“Aiden…” My breathing hitches as the moment of pleasure hangs on a precipice, and he thrusts again, finding a new depth I didn’t think existed. I start to quiver as I ride the wave of ecstasy higher and higher before the explosion releases. My body clenches as flashes of light sparkle, causing me to scrunch my eyes tightly while wave after wave of pleasure washes over me. Just when I think I’m coming down, another pulse sends me over the edge into a blissful culmination of overwhelming pleasure.
I moan and dig my nails into his back. My other hand tightens in his grasp.
Aiden continues his rhythm, pushing into me hard, endlessly driving himself further and further and then, his breathing stops. His face scrunches in that delicious way, and he explodes inside of me.
“Fuck,” he moans out loudly. His body stiffens on release, and he holds his body’s muscles taut until finally he relaxes while his weight presses down on me.
He moves his lips back to mine, tenderly pouring all the love he has for me into a single kiss.
Keeping his weight on me, he slips out, needing to catch his breath.
He leans over me as he reaches down over the edge of the bed searching for something. I laugh at him while he continues his search. He looks up, one eye squints, his tongue slightly poking out of his mouth, concentrating on his quest to find the elusive object. That sight makes me laugh even harder.
“What are you doing?”
He smirks. “You’ll be tickled pink when I find them,” he jests, continuing patting around in his search. He leans over more and then moves his head lower so he can see under the bed.
I shake my head and rest it back on the soft feather pillow and simply wait.
“Found them.” Moving his weight from me, he sits up. There’s a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, and he has the biggest smirk on his face. Whatever he’s hiding behind his back, he’s very excited about it. I roll my eyes and play along with his game.
“So, what you got there, stud?”
“Well, I want you to keep an open mind. Okay?” he asks, making me pay full attention.
Now, I am curious. “Okaaay…”
“When I was in prison, I’d think about you constantly, and during that time, I had a fantasy playing through my mind over and over again.”
I let out a light laugh. “I see. Well, if you want me to have a threesome with you and Bubba from cell block nine, you’re in for some serious disappointment, babe.”
He laughs. “No. Although that thought is very tempting.” I smack him on the chest, making him chuckle. “I thought maybe I could be the prisoner and you the warden?”
I laugh out a bellowing belly laugh as he brings his hand to the front, and dangling from his pointer finger is a pair of fluffy, pink handcuffs with sparkling bling locks.
“Well, someone has been a very naughty boy.” I snatch the handcuffs from him.
He tries to contain his smile while I take his wrist and place the cuff around it, snapping it shut.
“Now prisoner, O’Connell. Do you have anything you’d like to say before I carry out your punishment for being so very, very bad?” I try to act as seductively strict as I can without losing myself in hysterical laughter.
Aiden shakes his head and frowns. “No, ma’am. But I have been very naughty. And I’ll take any punishment you see fit.” He holds his hands out in front of him so I can snap the other cuff on his free wrist.
I push him back so he’s lying with his head at the foot of the bed. His smirk grows wider as I move on top of him, straddling either side his hips. Instantly, I feel his hardness beneath me, and I know we’re in for a fun night.
The weekend passes in a blur. We held nothing back, exploring each other in various places and as often as the mood struck us. Which was frequent. My favorite place was in the ocean.
It’s our final day, and I’m lying on my towel, dressed in a bikini soa
king up the last of the sun’s rays before we have to pack and head back to reality. The quiet time, reading a book in the warmth with the salty breeze is something I will miss, especially when I think about what awaits us once we arrive home.
The pressure of work.
A tension-filled Niall.
Simply put—stress.
Aiden walks up to me wearing his board shorts and a pair of Aviator sunglasses. “You’re starting to burn, baby.” He thoughtfully stands in front of me, shadowing me from the sun. Looking down, I see my arms have a slight red tinge.
“Do we have to go back? Can’t you buy this place, and we can live here forever, making love in the ocean and in the bedroom and in the living room…”
“Maybe one day. But for now, work takes priority. Sorry.” He drops to his knees and kisses me.
“Oh, pretty please. Can’t we stay here?” I pout.
He bites my lip, then kisses it.
“Hmm… more of that, please,” I tell him.
Eventually, we have to leave to head back to civilization. I know it, and he knows it, so we walk back to get changed into something less revealing and pack our luggage.
Back to the stresses and strains of everyday life.
The days are slowly fading into each other with no more threats or pranks being played on us since Aiden changed the passcode on the control panel in the elevator, and hired security to check the premises. Although, most of the security has been relaxed now as we think the threat has passed.
Thank goodness, the world is returning to normal.
Niall’s back at work, but he’s having all his meetings out of the office at restaurants and other places. In other words, work is great. It’s pretty much Brielle, Aiden, and me having fun but still getting our work done on time and in the right way.
Josie seems to have stopped her persistent pestering, but she still insists on greeting my partner every single day, which irks the ever-loving shit out of me.
Brielle is still living at Killian’s, and Niall is looking after himself. Sort of. He’s getting thinner and obviously isn’t eating. Personally, I think he’s living on a liquid diet, one that consists of numerous glasses of Macallan and not much else. I might suggest to Aiden that he hire a chef to deliver food, so he at least gets something to eat other than whisky and pretzels every night. Not sure what happened to their help, guess the stupid old man must have fired them all.
