by Amber Rayne
“Maybe brunch with my mother or Natalie.”
He nodded, then smiled. “Perhaps your mother would be a good idea. She’s made several attempts to meet with me. I’m not interested in any properties at this time.” He shot a look over his shoulder at me as he looked in the mirror, his hint of a smile making me wonder if he was remembering me bent in front of it hours before. That’s what had come to my mind.
“Are you the father of Elizabeth’s baby?”
He walked slowly to me and leaned over to kiss me on the forehead. “Asked and answered,” he said and started out the door. “You should have lunch with your mother,” he offered.
I ignored Aiden’s suggestion as much as I ignored my mother’s numerous texts; instead, I decided to meet Natalie for lunch.
When I got out of the car, I saw her seated on the restaurant’s patio. Her arms were crossed, her brow raised, and the smirk fixed firmly on her face as she watched Bane drive away.
“It must be nice to have a driver,” she teased in an overexaggerated haughty voice.
“I wouldn’t know, you’ll have to ask Aiden.”
She nodded her head thoughtfully. “Aiden. Mister tall, dark and mysterious.”
“Yeah,” I said, my response soured by everything that had occurred earlier. It was cool outside, but I was glad to be there; the fresh air and the ability to people-watch were what I needed. A distraction from everything, including the abundance of emotions I was starting to feel. Natalie started to eat our appetizer, a fruit-and-cheese tray, munching on it while watching me the way she always did before she hit me with a barrage of uncomfortable questions. I didn’t want uncomfortable questions, which was why I was avoiding my mother.
“This is more than just fun for you, isn’t it?”
I shook my head. “Of course not. It’s just fun. Like he said. We go out, we screw, we—”
“It’s okay to want more, El.”
“You have to know him to understand that even if I did, he wouldn’t. This isn’t his first time, he’s done this before. They all fall for him, and he walks away from each one. I’m just the flavor of the month. Besides, I think there’s something going on with his ex.”
“So you think it is his baby?”
“He said no,” I said, picking up my cup and finishing my drink, my throat becoming increasingly dry. Pushing down and denying my feelings was becoming a harder job than I’d expected.
“It’s just fun,” I asserted in a tone that would have made anyone else believe me, but not Natalie.
“It is. Enjoy it, and if nothing else, you got a chance to ride in a Bentley and screw a guy so hot, he made me question how committed I really am to my husband.”
I laughed. Natalie, the conservative and devoted wife, would never think of being with anyone other than her husband. They were the type of annoyingly loving couple that made other people think they were putting on a performance, but they weren’t. They were truly in love. My relationship with Jason had been a performance for which we had both deserved awards, but what they had was authentic.
My phone buzzed. “Are you having a good time with your mother? Do you need rescuing?”
“No. With Natalie.”
“Is that him?” she asked, making a face. “Hmmm. Seems like a long time since I’ve had a booty call or been someone’s ‘fucktoy,’ but I don’t remember them calling to check on me.”
My gaze narrowed on her. “Name one time you’ve had a one-night stand. Or even had a friends-with-benefits moment?”
She laughed. “Okay, every show I’ve ever watched in my life never worked this way if it was just a one-night stand.” She ended her statement by sticking her tongue out at me. It was the reason I loved her. No matter how bleak a situation felt, she managed to add a little sunshine to it.
When I arrived back at the penthouse nearly four hours later, Aiden hadn’t returned. I was lying on the sofa reading a book when he finally came in and laid his jacket on the chair across from me.
“How was lunch?” he asked as he sat down on the sofa and then moved over me, hovering, wedging himself between my legs.
“It was fun. How was your meeting?”
His lips tightened into a line. “Elizabeth seems to be under the impression she wasn’t served with divorce papers years ago.”
“Her baby—is there a chance it could be yours? Maybe that’s why she continues to hold on to you.”
I hated that it took so long for him to answer and that I cared so much that it did. This had nothing to do with me, or so I attempted to convince myself.
“No,” he finally answered with. “Does it matter?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head.
He looked at me for a long moment and then frowned. “Ella,” he said softly.
I nodded. “A little, but I know it shouldn’t,” I said.
Reading the look on his face was difficult, so I stop trying. He kissed me. “Let’s enjoy our time together, okay?”
My head barely moved into the nod of assent.
CHAPTER 5
The next morning I awoke to a fully dressed Aiden gently shaking me. I rolled over and looked at the clock; it was five o’clock. I buried my face in the pillow. “I’m on vacation,” I mumbled.
He chuckled, the bed depressed from the weight of his body when he hovered over me. “Ella, we have to go.”
“Where are we going?” I asked, batting him away, my words muffled by the pillow. I wanted to sleep. Aiden was a machine. We’d spent most of the night having sex and hadn’t gotten to sleep until close to one.
“Camping.”
I rolled over to face him, giving him a doubtful look. I’d mentioned that I enjoyed camping, that it was one of the things I missed doing with Jason. I gave his appearance a once-over. His black t-shirt showed off his broad, defined chest, and he wore jeans and boots. In the corner was a bag he’d already packed.
“Up,” he said, pulling the cover back and smacking me on my bare ass.
I winced, still a little tender from our night of amorous activities. Looking into his amber eyes, I saw they still held hints of the same mischief he’d shown last night and early into this morning during temperature play. Hot and cold. Pleasure and pain. They’d all melded together into something erotic and sensual, and I’d enjoyed every moment of it with Aiden. I enjoyed it, period. What would happen when I was with another man? Would I tell him I got off on having my ass spanked, my hair pulled, hot wax poured over me, and ice cubes massaged against my clit?
He gave me a devilish grin, winked and then leaned in and kissed me quickly on the lips. “We’re staying in a cabin. We can play when we get there,” he said.
“I wasn’t thinking about that,” I retorted.
His hand slipped between my legs, where his fingers dipped inside of me, finding me wet. He ran his fingers along my thigh so I could see it.
“Of course you weren’t.”
I looked down, brushing my hand against my nose, trying the hide the rosy line that I knew was there.
“If you want to be ashamed of liking those things, fine. Just don’t be that way with me. I like that you enjoy it.”
Four hours later, Aiden was hauling our things out of his Mercedes SUV as he walked into his cabin. Cabin being used quite liberally. He had failed to mention that his cabin was in Wisconsin and was a two-story home decorated in rustic chic decor. It was chilly outside but not cold yet, but there was a light fire burning in the fireplace that warmed the place. I took off my jacket and hung it on the coatrack before walking through the house.
“Do you like it?” he asked, taking our things into the bedroom, which mirrored his bedroom in the city. King-size bed, large mirror on each side of the room. Instead of the mahogany furniture found in his apartment, the cabin had walnut furniture. Off to one side of it was a jacuzzi in an enclosed room. A picture window on each side gave an amazing view of the woods that surrounded the area. Focusing out the window, I saw a trail and a small camping area.
“I have a tent, if you want to camp outside.”
I looked around again. “I like it here.”
After we had gotten everything packed away, I started to appreciate how warm it was in the home. The lush crown of trees and bushes that surrounded the home offered privacy despite the number of windows in the cabin. Aiden had on just his jeans as he cut up fresh vegetables in the kitchen. Each time he moved, his muscles contracted, enhancing the delineation of his chest and abs. I had on a t-shirt and was debating taking it off.
“Are you standing there and watching me, or are you helping?” he asked, sliding vegetables in my direction.
“How often do you come up here?”
“Maybe fifteen times year. It’s peaceful. Sometimes I just need to get away from the city.”
“Do you have a lot of guests?” The five-bedroom cabin was awfully large for someone who just wanted to “get away.”
The wolfish smile flicked at his lips and made its way to his eyes. “I think the real question that you want to ask is how many other women have I brought up here. Am I correct?”
I kept my eyes on the food I was cutting up, waiting for an answer. After a long pause, I looked up to find him watching me. His face was expressionless, his gaze deep and searching.
“Ella, you were about to get married less than three weeks ago. What we have is escapism. I’m fun—and meant to be nothing more.” I didn’t wait for an answer. I shoved on my jeans, but before I reached the door, Aiden said, “I’ve had parties here, but I’ve never brought anyone here but you. It doesn’t change anything.”
“I heard you the first hundred times you made a variation of this speech,” I snapped. “You don’t need my help here, do you?” I didn’t wait for him to answer before leaving the kitchen, grabbing my jacket and storming out of the cabin.
Following the trail leading from the house, I felt foolish, naïve and most of all puerile. He’d said it enough times, and I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t get it through my head. Why was I always clinging to something that made me special to him? Whether or not I was, he’d never act on it. I recounted the woman we’d met at the bowling alley, how she’d looked at him with desire, noticeably flaunting her unresolved feelings for him, even in front of her fiancé. He’d dismissed her feelings as nothing more than a fondness for his lifestyle and money. I wondered if that was true, or just his way of dismissing her feelings. The recent failure of my engagement and my ex-fiancé’s new marriage were probably what he’d use to dismiss mine. Did I have true feelings for him? Maybe he was right. I didn’t do one-night stands, and yet I’d foolishly signed up for one that lasted twenty-one days.
After I’d walked the trail, things seemed to be in perspective. I had resolved to accept this for what it was. I didn’t care about anything, and even if I were foolish enough to, Aiden would make sure to remind me of it. I didn’t want any more of his reminders.
“I thought you’d walked home,” Aiden teased when I came back into the house. I gave him a forced smile. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine but I don’t need any more reminders of what’s happening between us. Okay?”
“Of course. Anything else, Ella?”
I nodded. “Your rules were good. I like them. They didn’t blur the lines of what this is. I want them back.”
He nodded pensively. “I think that’s an excellent idea.”
I smelled food, but I wasn’t hungry. I looked up at the clock and realized I had been gone for two hours, and I wanted a shower.
The waterfall showerhead was just what I needed, and I stood under it, the water spilling over me, making me feel renewed. And it was more than the warm water washing over me from overhead; it was the feeling of control over the situation. I had reinstated the rules. And the boundaries felt good, like I was in control of the situation and not Aiden. And I was grateful for some semblance of control.
Aiden knocked on the door before poking his head in. He was still shirtless. When he stepped in closer, I tugged at his pants, urging him in. Quickly discarding his pants, he stepped in, kissing me hungrily as his fingers coursed over my body, kneading my skin. He pressed me into the tiles, trailing warm kisses down my neck and chest before taking my breasts into his mouth, his tongue laving over my nipples, his teeth grazing over the sensitive area.
He pulled back, watching me. My damp hair fell over my face, and he pushed it away and then crushed his lips against mine. I pushed against him, walking him back until he was against the tiles. Steam filled the room, but his body shivered as I dragged my nail down his rigid muscles and eased down to my knees, sliding along the length of him before taking all of him in my mouth. I was rewarded with a shuddering moan. He buried his hands in my hair, guiding me further down.
“Fuck, Ella,” he groaned as I took all of him. He pulled me away, easing me to stand. His fingers still interlaced in my hair, he pulled me to him and kissed me, hot, fervent and commanding. He released my hair and slammed back against the wall, his fingers curled around my legs as they encircled his waist. He thrust into me, pounding into me with ferocity as I clawed at his back. He hissed at the pain.
The wave inside of me was turbulent—desire, and a need that had to be satisfied. I rocked to meet his demands. The frenzy of our movements consumed us, and pants and moans filled the room, our hair matted to us, our heated bodies crashing into each other. The incipient stages of the orgasm prickled at me. I moved harder into him, my wanton desire needing to be sated. Aiden’s fingers dug into me with a bruising grip as we came together, the wave of pleasure crashing into us. He kept me pinned against the wall, my legs curled around him, his head resting against my breasts. We moved slightly, letting the water run over us.
He kissed my shoulder. I loved the lazy rasp of his voice as he said my name. We stayed in the shower a little longer, caressing and holding each other, basking in the hazy feeling we were left with. Eventually we got out of the shower. Tired from the drive, my walk on the trail, and the sex, I needed sleep.
I walked to the large bed and pulled back the covers. Aiden leaned against the wall, watching me in silence, his jeans in his hand, a towel around his waist. I tossed the towel on the dresser and slipped into the bed. He waited, watching me for a few moments.
“Goodnight, Aiden,” I said. I turned off the lamp and slipped further under the covers. He didn’t immediately leave. I could feel his eyes on me, and for a brief moment, I wanted to say screw the rules again and ask him to join me. To feel his body next to me, his hardness wedged next to me and the lithe way he stroked my breasts throughout the night and kissed my shoulders and neck. I wanted to smell his scent and have it on me the next morning. To taste me on his lips throughout the night. When the door closed behind him, I sighed.
I lay in the bed for nearly thirty minutes but couldn’t fall asleep. I wanted food more than sleep, so I slipped a t-shirt on and headed to the kitchen. After looking through the leftovers of chicken, roasted vegetables and potatoes, I decided on a bowl of ice cream and cornflakes. Whoever had stocked the food for our trip was a person after my own heart—there was popcorn, coffee and mint chocolate chip ice cream, fruit, an assortment of cheeses and bread. I ate protein because it had been drilled into me to do so. My mother and Jason’s poorly veiled insults about my weight kept me away from carbs. I shoved the spoonful of ice cream in my mouth.
“I prepared a nice dinner for you and this is what you choose,” Aiden said, attempting to take the bowl from me.
I nodded and pulled it back to me, taking another spoonful.
He laughed. “Defiance looks good on you,” he admitted.
“Most people like for others to be complacent.”
“I’m not most people,” he said. Placing his hand over mine, he took the bowl from me and automatically extended his hand for me to take it but reconsidered and dropped it before backing out of the kitchen, with me right behind him. He took a seat in the oversized chair in front of the fireplace and patted his thigh.
>
I hesitated.
“If you don’t want to, don’t.”
I’m not sure why it took me so long. The gray lines, the blurred distinction between a twenty-one day one-night stands and something more. But above all else, it was about pleasure and satisfaction, and I felt both when I was near him.
I curled up on his lap. Once I was comfortable, he turned the spoonful of ice cream to me, licking off any that melted on my lips.
“How long are we going to stay?”
“Do you like it here?”
I nodded.
“We’ll stay as long as you like.”
“I thought you had a fundraiser to attend for your father.”
He frowned. “You’re a great excuse to not go.”
“I think you should go.”
He grinned. “Fine. We will go.”
I finished off the ice cream and remained in his lap, comfortable in front of the fireplace with his arms wrapped around me. Each time he brushed his hand over my hair or kissed me lightly, it was where I wanted to stay.
“We need to go to bed,” he said after we’d been in this position for over an hour. I stood and headed for the bedroom. He wasn’t behind me, although there was a part of me that wished he was. Instead he stood in the middle of the living room, watching me. “You made the right decision to go back to the way it was. I don’t want to hurt you…” He stopped and took a deep breath. “I’m not sure if I’m capable of doing anything else. And you don’t deserve that again.”
Lost for words, I had no idea what to say. Aiden was self-aware, painfully and truly self-aware. It was the closest thing he’d given to warning.
“Okay.”
Okay had set the tone for the next three days in the cabin. Hot, mind-blowing sex between two people who ended up in separate beds and pretended things were okay. Okay was the answer I gave to Aiden each time he asked me how I was doing. And okay was how I felt, as we walked up the maroon carpet to the large, elegant building. Aiden dressed in a tuxedo, and I wore another dress Lorraine had chosen for me, a midnight-and-pearl formal halter-top, slim through the bodice, with a willowy flare at the bottom.
