by Wood, Vivian
Her eyes narrow. “Stop, Aiden.”
She doesn’t push me away, though. I settle a solitary kiss right where her neck meets her breastbone. Her skin is salty yet sweet. She shivers and bites her lip.
She lets her eyes close, whispering. “What do you want from me?”
“I just wanted you to know I’ll be thinking about this—” I cup her between her legs, which makes her squirm.
“Seriously!” she yips. “You have to quit.”
I lean down and kiss her, then turn her loose. “I just wanted to make sure that you and I will be thinking about the same thing tonight. Unless you’re feeling really brave and you want to sneak into my cabin—”
A startled huff of laughter leaves her. “If you think that I’m going to come and join you and some… some girl… you’ve seriously got another thing coming.”
It takes me a second to follow her logic. “What are you… oh. You don't think I’m going back to that girl’s cabin, do you?”
I can’t help but grin. I’ll admit, her jealousy feeds some deep, primal need inside me. The alpha asshole inside me is practically drooling he’s so happy.
Olivia crosses her arms. “It’s not like I can tell you who to take to bed.”
I feel like a jerk, but her words only make me grin a little harder. “No. You definitely cannot.”
She shakes her head and turns to brush past the cabin, but I grab her arm. “Hey. I’m just playing around. Right now, you’re the only one I’m interested in. I promise.”
Why I’m making promises to her, I do not know. Still, it feels good to give her just this one thing.
She turns back, hesitation written all over her face. “Yeah?”
“Yes,” I say, my answer solemn and immediately. “If it’ll make you feel better, I won’t sleep with anybody else this whole month. How does that sound?”
She rolls her eyes. “I get it, Aiden. You’re like… the cat that ate the canary, okay? Just don’t… don’t rub it in my face.”
I pull her close, tipping her chin up so that she has to look at me. Then I press a kiss against her lips, the touch all too brief. “I’ll be good,” I mumble against her lips. “I swear.”
There I go again, making oaths that I’m not even sure if I can keep. She sighs but I can feel her lips turn up into a smile as they touch mine.
“Okay,” she whispers. Something passes between us then, a strange pulse of energy or something. We both shiver.
I hear Grayson’s deep rumble approaching. Turning Olivia loose, I wave quietly and then speed walk back to my cabin. The whole time, I am picturing her expression right before I let her go.
Adoration, maybe. Head thrown back, eyes glittering in the darkness, cheeks flushed.
Is this what it feels like to be adored? It’s nice, whatever it is that she feels.
As I lie back on the hard bunk and stare into the darkness, I feel like that pulse of energy that we shared is still with me somehow. Though I could swear that I am not tired at all, that feeling stays with me until I close my eyes. When I open them, thinking that it has only been a few minutes, the feeble early morning light is trickling in through the windows.
For a minute, I admire the quality of the light. It shines down onto my bunk in two distinct shafts. I stare at the dust motes dancing in the air, thinking absently of how amazing Olivia would look in this light, all spread out and waiting for me.
Damn. When have I ever been so hung up on a girl? The last time I can remember was when I was a teenager, I guess. All elbows and knees and bated breath, waiting for someone in particular to notice me.
Okay, so I basically have a crush on Olivia. Which is weird enough in itself. But what makes it a thousand times worse is that I picked her to have a crush on.
Her.
Grayson’s little sister.
Of all the women in the world, why her?
I groan and roll over in the squeaky little bed. I try to go back to sleep, but my brain won’t shut up about my crush and how bad I am for having it. After another ten minutes, I drag myself up out of bed and head out into camp.
It’s early enough to still be a little bit brisk when I step outside my cabin. Allowing my autopilot to kick in, I head for the bathrooms. I’m still in a daze as I make my way back out.
Which is how I literally run into Olivia, hitting her hard enough to make her fall to the ground. She stares up at me with so much surprise on her face.
“Aiden,” she murmurs softly. I lean down and offer her a hand up, then pull her into my arms.
We come together like it’s fated; every piece of the puzzle in place, our bodies just seeming to know what to do, our mouths seeking and finding. The kiss is immediately heated, her lips tasting like ripe berries in the middle of a relentlessly hot summer. It soothes my soul while keying up another part of me.
Then we aren’t alone anymore. A body bumps into us.
“Sorry—”
It’s Rachel, Grayson’s ex. We jump apart, trying to pretend that we were doing anything but passionately kissing only a moment before. Rachel looks between us, a silent moment of shock sliding around the circle of the three of us.
Olivia’s eyes bug out. “Rachel!” She swings her gaze to me. “We were just… um… I didn’t know you were here…”
“I was helping her get an eyelash,” I say. “It was stuck in her eye.”
Rachel crosses her arms, apparently in no mood for our lies. “What are you doing here, Olivia?”
Olivia clears her throat. “Um… applying for jobs. I’m supposed to get a summer internship just like you did.” Her eyes narrow. “What are you doing?”
Rachel stares at both of us. “Grayson and I are both taking it easy today, I guess.”
I clear my throat. “Where is Grayson?”
“In my cabin.” Her cheeks turn pink. “Maybe I should get him. We can all meet up outside the dining hall and…” She casts her gaze over Olivia again. “I guess we should all talk.”
“Great. I’ll see you all there,” I announce. “I have to grab some stuff from my Jeep anyway.”
I practically sprint off, beyond glad to get out of there. But as I head to my Jeep, I’m practically sweating. Thinking that if Rachel tells Grayson…
Fuck.
I mean… fuck.
I am so beyond fucked.
My best friend will learn that I did the one thing he told me not to do.
I fucked his little sister.
Fuuuuuuuuuck.
I can only hope that Olivia and Rachel have some sort of understanding, I guess. Putting my head down, I stalk to my Jeep, my brain full of nothing but curse words.
Chapter Thirty
Olivia
“It’s not that big of a deal.” I give Aiden a frank look. “Rachel said she wasn’t going to tell Grayson.”
He makes a face, stretching out his big frame across my bed. It’s hard to even have this conversation with him right now, because I keep getting distracted by the fact he’s completely naked. There should be a rule against being that handsome and having all those abs and yet trying to have a serious conversation, all at once.
It isn’t fair, honestly.
“She’ll tell him,” he grouses. “Maybe not right now. But it’ll eventually come to his attention. And what am I supposed to say when Grayson shows up on my doorstep, looking like I murdered his puppy?”
I give my head a slow shake. “She won’t tell him. And besides, it’s not the end of the world. So what if he knows that we hooked up for a little while?”
As I am saying it, I’m aware of how much of a lie it is. Not only will Grayson definitely care… but it’s also untrue in another way.
In the way that I’m playing it casual around Aiden, when all I want is him to utter the magic words to me.
I love you, Olivia. I’ve always loved you, just like you’ve loved me. It’s a good thing you were waiting for me…
He shoots me a scowl, not answering. And I know, with every sp
ace between each heartbeat, with every shuddered breath…
I know that I’m playing with fire.
I know that he is going to burn me, to leave me a pile of bitter ash, unable to fit anyone else in the space in my heart that he currently occupies. I know all of this.
And yet, I can’t help my heart.
I’ve always loved him. It’s just a part of who I am.
I reach my fingers out to touch his chest, tracing a line down his ribs, meandering down to touch the vee of muscle at his hip. He sucks in a breath, which to me is about the sexiest sound I think I’ve ever heard in my life.
If I have to die tomorrow, I’d want to hear that sound come out of his lips first.
“You are not playing fair,” he accuses me softly.
I glance up at his face, at the intensity in his dark gaze. A smile curves my lips.
“And you are?” I ask, my voice raspy.
“Mmm.” He wraps his hand around my waist, pulling me against his hard body. He kisses me then, slow and deliberate, teasing me and killing me all at once.
When he finally pulls away, I feel this desperate need to fight him, to do whatever I can to keep him with me. I know what he’s going to say even before he says it.
“We should go to work,” he says with a sigh.
Feeling like a child, I bury my face against his chest. “I don't want to.”
“And yet, the world keeps spinning. It’s almost like the universe doesn’t give a fuck what we want.” He pushes himself up with another sigh, then starts pulling on his clothes. “Fuck, I don't think I even have time for a shower. When I smell like a pig at the end of the day, it’s going to be all your fault.”
“Worth it!” I call as he vanishes from my bedroom, heading to his own apartment.
After that, I manage to get myself dressed and walk down the path to the main house for work. I find a dark chocolate bar in my pocket, which I’m glad for. If ever I’ve wanted to be comforted by food, this is the time.
Burying my head in a pile of books is the only way to get my mind off of Aiden. It’s not long before the chocolate bar makes its way out of my pocket. I break off a piece of it, bringing it to my mouth.
Then one second before I put it on my tongue, I catch a whiff of something sour. The scent is like something has been festering for a hundred years. I stop and sniff the chocolate, easily identifying that as the culprit. I gag a little as I wrap the piece of chocolate back in the wrapper.
Who knew that chocolate could even go bad?
Nauseated, I put the chocolate on the edge of my desk, intending to throw it away downstairs. But as I try to refocus on my work I keep smelling it. It’s like someone has a vat of hot melted chocolate that has gone bad, and they are wafting the odor over to me.
It is utterly vile.
Mouth watering in the way that says I’m about to vomit, I grab the chocolate and run downstairs, dumping it in the nearest trashcan. Then I rush back to my work, all but forgetting my momentary illness.
I am surprised when I look up from my desk in the ballroom and find Carter lingering in the doorway.
“Hey,” I greet him. “I thought you were still in Seattle with the rest of the family.”
He clears his throat. “We all came back. Actually, if you could come downstairs for a few minutes, I think you’ll be interested in what the family has to say.”
For some reason, my heart jumps into my throat. I stand abruptly, worrying my bottom lip as I follow Carter downstairs. When I step into the front parlor, I find Aiden already there. Megan is standing in the corner with an older man in a suit, both of them looking sober as judges. They are facing Margaret and a number of the older members of Carter’s family, all dressed like something out of a fashion magazine spread.
Carter’s mother gives me a glance as I walk in, her kohl-lined eyes narrowing.
What in the world is going on? I clutch at the base of my neck, feeling like I can’t breathe. I can feel Aiden’s gaze boring into me, but I avoid it.
“Olivia,” Margaret says from her spot on the couch. “Oh good, you’re all here.”
She coughs a little, gesturing to Carter’s mother. Carter’s mother clears her throat daintily.
“Ahem. Aunt Margaret is going to move into my mother-in-law suite,” she announces.
My mouth falls open. There is stunned silence in the room. I make eye contact with Aiden, but find a lack of surprise on his features. Instead, he almost looks bored.
I don't understand that, because I’m pretty much floored. I’m might have to find a new job and a new place to live all at once. I bite my lower lip anxiously.
“What about us?” Aiden asks, wrapping his arms across his broad chest. “Are we just fired, then?”
“No!” Carter says. But his mother speaks at the same time. “Yes.”
They look at each other, leveling glares. Carter speaks first.
“What my mother means is, we’ll be wrapping up your work here in the next couple of weeks. The estate is already on the market, with a few very interested buyers. I will personally give you references if needed.”
That’s a lot to take in. I suck in a breath.
The man standing beside Megan speaks up. “Is that why we’re here? To talk about setting a price on the estate?”
Carter’s mom gives him a slow smile. “Yes, Mr. Smith. We need someone to appraise the entire estate. We want to liquidate everything. Isn’t that right, Margaret?”
She glances over at Margaret, who is currently giving her a disdainful look.
“I suppose,” Margaret says frostily. “Olivia and Aiden, you’ll have as much time as you need to find other housing. I might be infirm and frail, but that will stand as the order of things around here.”
She slides a look at Carter’s mother, who doesn’t look one bit unruffled.
“Can we go?” Aiden interrupts flatly.
Carter’s mother glares at him. “I suppose—”
He doesn’t give her the chance to finish. He just shoulders his way out of the room, going right out the front door. It slams behind him, hard enough that I jump at the sound of it.
I find myself apologizing for him. “I’m sorry about that. I should just… I’ll go make sure he is okay.”
I rush out of the room, hot on Aiden’s trail. Once I’m outside, I see Aiden stalking towards the staff quarters.
“Aiden!” I yell. He glances back, a muscle twitching in his cheek. He slows to let me catch up.
“It’s bullshit,” Aiden mutters as soon as I’m close enough. “Typical rich old white people and their bullshit. They are all alike, every single one of them.”
He turns and continues toward the woods, expecting me to follow. Which of course I do, even though his temperament is bordering on furious just this moment.
“Aiden,” I try again. Catching up to him, I pull on his hand. “Wait for a second. Let’s talk.”
He rounds on me, his expression of barely contained rage scaring me. “About what? Huh? About the fact that the summer is over? About the fact that I missed my chance to tell the Morgans I might be one of them? And last of all, whatever you and I had… it’s all over, and we had no say in the matter.”
My eyes widen. I really hadn’t thought about any of that until this moment. Is my summer of Aiden really over?
He’s not done ranting, though. He grips my elbow hard. “Where am I supposed to go? What am I supposed to do? Huh? Everything is just going to shit and there is nothing I can do about it.”
In the face of his anger, I feel tears welling up in my eyes. “I don’t know,” I whisper softly. “I’m in the same situation as you.”
The hardness in his face softens a little. He exhales and looks away. “I know.”
I shake loose of his grasp on my arm, taking his hand instead. Lacing his fingers with mine, I tug him toward the staff apartments. “Come on.”
Aiden follows, frowning. “I never thought I would say this, but this isn’t a problem that c
an be solved with sex.”
That makes me smile. “It won’t be made worse by sex though, will it?”
He tugs on my hand, stopping me, then slides his whole arm over my shoulders. “No.”
I look up at him, my eyes misting over once more. “Then let’s enjoy the time we have left. We have… what, a couple of weeks? Let’s just… let’s make the best of a bad situation.”
He cocks an eyebrow. “By fucking nonstop?”
I flush but I refuse to be cowed by his frank gaze. I look right back into his eyes. “That’s what life has given us. So yes, let’s go back to your apartment and fuck ourselves silly. Over and over until we’re both exhausted. And when we’re through, maybe we can each come up with a plan for what to do next.”
Aiden cups my cheek, leaning down and bringing his mouth hard against mine. His kiss is demanding and needy, tasting like mint and man. It turns me to putty in his hands.
He breaks off the kiss and then starts to tug me toward his apartment. “That’s what we’ll do, then.”
And I go along with him, realizing that the fire in him is at a fever pitch. It is already scorching me. I’m nearly aflame.
All that’s left for me is to burn.
Chapter Thirty-One
Aiden
It’s almost dusk outside now. Olivia and I just wore each other out for the third time. Well, we started to have sex the third time, but in the middle of our last round she got a pretty bad nosebleed. I’m talking twenty bloody tissues, do you need to go to the ER? kind of nosebleed, too. Now she’s resting comfortably beside me in my bed, dozing lightly.
She’s snoring very lightly, which I haven’t ever heard her do before. It’s kind of cute, in the way that I would be annoyed if I was sleeping. But I’m not, so I let her snore.
I’m lying in bed, wondering if I’ve somehow tripped into a relationship. I cast an eye over her sheet covered form. Is it a relationship if whatever is between you remains unspoken?