by K E Osborn
He looks at me and chuckles. “Again?”
I move my hand up and down his shaft, and he quickly becomes hard again. Aiden breathes slowly with his eyes closed as I pleasure him.
I maneuver myself on top, and he holds onto my hips as I lower myself onto him. We both moan with pleasure when I move up and down, making love to my man once again.
Most of the day is spent in bed making love. We pause for a break here and there and are then back at it again. It’s like we can’t get enough of each other.
The day turns into night, and we finally part and lay on the bed completely exhausted. He takes my hand in his, and we finally fall blissfully and contentedly asleep.
A ringing phone causes my eyes to jolt open from a deep slumber. Aiden looks dazed and confused as he picks it up and swipes the screen. “Hello,” he mumbles, rubbing his eyes. “Hi, Mom. Yeah, sorry. Jeni and I… um… we slept all day,” he lies, and I suppress a laugh.
“Oh, that’s great news.” He covers the phone and looks at me. “They got Matthew and Rachelle.”
My lips turn up in the widest grin as I rub his back.
“Yeah, sure, when?” There’s a pause. “On Monday. Yeah, I guess that will be fine.”
Curiosity flows through me, wondering what’s happening on Monday.
“Yes, Mom, I will. I’m sure she says hi back.”
I smile and nod.
“I will. Thanks, Mom. Tell Father thanks, too.” Another pause. “Yes, I know.”
I chuckle as he sounds like he wants to hang up, but she won’t let him.
“I love you, too… bye, Mom.” He ends the call, then flops back on the bed putting his phone on the bedside table as I rest myself against his chest. “She said, Father wants us to go back to work on Monday.”
My head jerks back in shock. “Um… are you okay with that?”
“Yeah, I’m fine if you are. I want to do whatever makes you happy.” He kisses the top of my head. “It’ll be strange without Matthew and Rachelle in the office.”
“I’m good with going back to work as long as you feel comfortable there,” I say matter-of-factly as I glance over to the clock to see it’s now eight thirty at night. We’ve been in bed all day, and I can’t help but laugh to myself.
“What’s funny?” he asks, bemused.
I gesture to the clock. “We’ve officially been in bed for nearly twenty hours. No wonder I’m so hungry.”
“Maybe it’s time to get up then?” He lifts me with him as he sits up in the bed. “Get dressed into something nice. We’re going out,” he states, heading to the ensuite.
My body aches as I hobble to the closet and pull out some clothes to put on. Aiden strides behind me and slaps me on the ass as he walks past.
“Ouch!” I punch him in the arm softly.
He takes my hand, kissing my knuckles.
I love it when he’s playful.
“Where are we going?” Curiosity gets the better of me.
“Somewhere we were meant to have dinner and didn’t get a chance.”
I know instantly he’s talking about the Intercontinental Hotel. We were meant to go there for dinner one night, but during the day, Aiden and his father got into a fight about the investigation, causing him to completely annihilate himself with whisky and pretzels. Needless to say, neither of us had dinner that night.
Aiden pulls out a pair of black suit pants and a pinstripe shirt, putting them on without underwear. I shake my head and smirk.
After getting dressed, we head down to where Mike is waiting for us in the parking garage, and he drives us to the hotel. I sit next to Aiden, his hand holding mine, our fingers interlaced the entire way. Even though we’re not saying anything, sparks dance on our skin between us, and I know he feels it too. It’s love, total sappy, soppy, emotional love, and I couldn’t be happier.
Arriving, we exit, and Aiden directs me to the elevator, his hand guiding me by the small of my back. A young couple exits the elevator as we step in. The girl’s hair is tussled with that just-fucked look, and they both appear completely guilty. I stare at the guy knowing exactly what they have been up to. The door closes, and Aiden and I both let out a laugh. But his laugh is stopped short as the atmosphere in the confined space changes. He looks at me with those seductive, bright blue eyes, smoldering with an intense lust for me that makes me catch my breath.
My finger collides with his chest as he comes closer to me. “Don’t you even think about it, Mr. O’Connell.” I quickly squash any thoughts he may have about taking advantage of me in the elevator. He chuckles, pulling me to him in an embrace as we arrive at the top floor of the Intercontinental. The doors open to a restaurant that has an air of sophistication. The room is white with soft mood lighting. Tiny crystal lights on strings hang from the ceiling giving it a magical vibe. Soft music plays in the background as I stare in awe at the beauty of the area. The full-length windows in front of me showcase the night sky above and the Mornington Vale city lights below. My eyes open wide at all the sophisticated people sitting at their tables and note that Aiden suits this place. He blends in perfectly. Me, on the other hand, I feel somewhat out of place.
“This is upmarket,” I murmur under my breath.
“It may look upmarket, but it’s actually really nice. My mom used to bring us here when we were kids,” Aiden replies.
I try to picture him as a young boy. The thought warms my heart.
“Hello, Mr. O’Connell, a table for two?” the maître d’ asks when we reach him.
“Yes, thank you.”
The maître d’ takes us to a table in the back of the room, next to the window. “Your menus are on the table. A waiter will be with you shortly to take your orders.”
“Thank you, Thomas.”
My eyes widen at the familiarity Aiden has with Thomas. Aiden pulls out my chair for me before taking his own seat and reaches across the table to take my hand in his. I love the feeling of our entwined fingers, but I feel so out of place. I’m a simple girl. I know Aiden has wealth behind him, but this kind of extravagance is not something I’m accustomed to, and it makes it hard to relax.
Reluctantly, we let each other’s hands go to look over the menu. Everything’s so fancy and once again, I’m feeling very out of place. I’ve no clue what most of it means. I think maybe it’s in French or something. Under a hushed whisper, I look over at Aiden and say, “I’ve no idea what any of this is.” Quickly, I look back down at my menu in hopes he doesn’t see my embarrassment.
He chuckles. “Neither did I when I came here as a child. I’ll order for you if you like.” He shuts his menu, and I raise my brow at him questionably.
“Don’t worry. I won’t order the escargot.”
Sinking back in my chair, I nod. “I trust you.”
He smiles brightly, the curve of his lips accentuating his chiseled jaw. He’s such a strong-looking man and right now, he’s beaming with happiness. I’m guessing because I used my forbidden word, trust.
Interrupting our moment, the waiter approaches our table and takes our order. While waiting for our dinner, we talk about how much we missed and love each other, simply enjoying our evening together.
Our meals are served, and mine, of course, is mouth-wateringly delicious. I knew Aiden would only order the best. Lifting his glass of expensive champagne, he winks at me, knowing I’m enjoying the food. He spoils me far too much. I’ll never know how I got so lucky to deserve him or really, any of this.
I shift the conversation to something a little more stressful even though we had a small discussion in bed earlier. I want to watch his reaction. After all, last time he was there, both our lives changed dramatically. I just don’t know how he will cope with being back at the same place where he was arrested. “So, how do you feel about going back to work on Monday?”
His face crinkles. “Not sure. It’ll be strange.” His eyes look a little panicked. He shifts in his seat, then exhales heavily.
“Are you sure you’re r
eady to go back, Aiden? No one would blame you if you needed more time,” I ask, doubting him. Maybe even doubting my own ability to be back there as well.
He smiles, trying to reassure me. “You’ll be there which helps considerably. I’m sure it’ll be fine. You always tend to keep me focused on the important things.” I hold his hand tighter and half-smile at him. “Are you ready to go back to your job with us?”
A cold shiver slides through my body.
“Jeni?” he asks, concerned.
I swallow hard. “I’ll be fine knowing you’re there with me.”
He moves my hand up to his mouth to kiss it tenderly. “A toast,” he announces. I raise my glass to his. “To the most beautiful, caring, and life-changing woman I’ve ever met.”
Clinking my glass to his, I smile. “To the best man a woman could ask for.”
We both take sips from our flutes. The champagne tastes crisp, clean, and is chilled to perfection.
It’s getting late as I look around the dining area, and to my surprise, we’re sitting alone in the great expanse of the room. Aiden notices me looking around and does the same. I hadn’t realized everyone had left as I was too wrapped up spending my night with Aiden.
“I guess we’d better let these guys close up for the night.” He stands and walks around to my chair, pulling it out for me.
“Thank you.” He’s such a gentleman.
Aiden takes my hand and leads me to the maître d’ desk. “Thank you, Thomas. Sorry for keeping you here late.”
“Not at all, Mr. O’Connell. It was our pleasure.”
“Thanks, Thomas. Everything was lovely,” I tell him.
“Glad you enjoyed your evening.”
“Give my regards to Georgia and the kids,” Aiden states.
“Yes, sir, I will. Good night, sir, ma’am.” Thomas dips his head.
“Good night,” we both say as we walk to the elevator and step in. He wraps his arm around me, pulling me toward him so we’re face to face, our lips an inch apart.
“What would I do without you?”
“Get more sleep.”
“Who needs sleep, anyway?”
“Not you, apparently.”
He shrugs. “It’s overrated.”
I lean in closer and kiss him, hard. The elevator chimes, and the doors open. I quickly back away and probably look about as guilty as the young girl did when the elevator doors opened on them. He chuckles, takes my hand, and leads me outside.
“Thanks for dinner. It was wonderful.”
“Only the best for my girl. You should know that by now.” He pulls out his phone from his pocket, sending a text message to Mike. Positioning himself behind me, he embraces me and rests his chin on my shoulder as I wrap my arms over his.
“I thought…” he pauses, making me turn my face to the side to meet his, “… I thought I was going to be in there for seven years, and I was going to lose you.”
My stomach falls right through the floor at his admission, so I turn my whole body to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck. I shake my head. “Stop it! Don’t even think like that. You’re out now, and I’m here. I wasn’t going anywhere then, and I’m not going anywhere now.”
He exhales loudly. “I can’t believe they set me up like that.”
“Listen to me… they’re out of our lives, and you’ve got nothing to worry about. I know it’s hard to think that someone you’ve known for so long could do this to you, but you have to let go of any anger you have toward them. If you don’t, it will bottle up inside you, and then it’ll eat you from the inside out. Trust me. I know how bottling up misery can be bad for you,” I tell him, thinking of my ex, Jason, and the mess I was in before I met Aiden.
“I love how you keep me focused. You help me just by being here with me now, in this moment, together.”
Mike pulls up to the curb.
We hold each other closely as Mike walks around and opens the door. Eventually, we part and slide into the car.
I’m so fucking glad he’s slowly opening up to me, even if it’s only small bits and pieces at a time. By the time we arrive back at the apartment, it’s after eleven, and though we’ve been sleeping on and off all day, we decide to go to bed, completely exhausted. The time spent apart has taken its toll on our relationship.
Since Aiden’s been home, we’ve spent our days and nights with each other, never losing sight or being far from the other’s grasp.
Aiden talks to me every now and then about what life was like behind bars. It wasn’t easy for him. Being wealthy meant men tried to make deals and use him for their advantage. All he wanted was to lay low and do his time so he could get out.
I know talking about it has been hard, but I’m so fucking glad he’s slowly opening up to me, but in that place with men who deserved to be locked behind those bars is enough to take its toll, no matter how hard you try to block it out.
To get through the roller coaster of emotions, he’s scheduled himself in to see a therapist. He’s trying to move on.
In the meantime, he’s focusing on me, and I can’t complain one little bit.
My stomach is in knots, I’m nervous because today’s the day we go back to the office. How will Aiden react? For that matter, how will I react being there? My hopes are that I will be able to help him through the day. He and his father haven’t had much contact since all this started. I know Aiden’s harboring resentment, which I don’t blame him for, but somehow, I want to see their relationship improve. My opinion of Niall hasn’t changed, but he’s still Aiden’s father.
Thinking back, since Aiden met me, his relationship with Niall has been on rocky ground, at best. I can’t think of a single argument that hasn’t somehow included me. All of this adds up to me feeling guilty and them repairing their relationship would help right a wrong.
Aiden slowly pulls me closer to him, kissing me on my shoulder. “Morning, beautiful.”
I relish in his touch. “Morning.”
“Let’s quit work and stay in bed forever. What do you say?” Aiden jests, causing me to smirk.
“But how would we pay for food, bills, gasoline, and—”
“You know I have plenty of money—”
“That may be, but still—”
“Okay, okay. I get it, spoilsport.” He chuckles with a half-smile.
I lean in and kiss him gently on his soft lips. Just because it’s not a logical idea doesn’t mean I don’t like it.
“So… first day back at work for us both.”
He shrugs. “It will be great knowing you’re there to keep me focused. How do you feel about it?”
“Don’t worry about me. I wasn’t the one they took away in handcuffs.”
He leans over, kissing me gently. “I’m fine. Nothing to worry about.” He tries to reassure me as I sit up in our bed and sigh. With a fake smile plastered on my face, something I’m sure I will be doing a lot of today, I get up and head to the closet to pull out our clothes for the day.
As I exit the closet, I’m faced with Aiden standing in front of me in all his naked glory, smiling because he knows I’m staring at his stunning body.
“Liking the view?”
I give him a sideways smirk. “Loving it.”
Aiden moves closer, pulling my body against his. He slides my hair from my shoulder and gently kisses my neck. My eyes close in reaction to his touch as my lips part. He slowly kisses up my neck to the edge of my jaw and then across my cheek until his lips meet mine. His kiss is slow and tender while he holds me around my waist. Tight. So tight. Every part of my body is pressed firmly against his, and there’s no hiding his growing cock while we kiss.
“Babe,” I whisper through muffled kisses.
“Mmm,” he answers with a moan.
Shifting my hands so they’re gripping his strong biceps, I slowly push him away from me. “We have to get ready for work.”
He looks at me, pouting his bottom lip, and it makes me giggle. Rolling my eyes, I give him a quick k
iss on the lips.
“Tease,” he whispers into my mouth.
“You think that was teasing? Wait for this.”
I push him onto the bed, causing him to grin and raise his brows in curiosity. With my own smirk, I crawl over him, kissing my way from his hips up to his stomach, then his collarbone, along his jaw, making my way to his mouth and finally straddling him. Pushing my tongue into his mouth, I force a groan to emanate from deep within his chest. Sound vibrates through my body to my core. His hands make their way to my ass, holding me in position atop his groin. He’s so damn hard beneath me, I can’t help but move my hips slowly, grinding precise, determined circles. This time he moans in response, sounding breathless.
“You still think I’m a tease?” I ask seductively. His breathing starts to quicken as I move my hips a little faster.
“I think you’re fucking beautiful.”
I place my hands on his chest, stopping all my movements as he looks at me intensely.
“We have to get ready for work now.” I beam with a smirk.
His eyes widen. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
I hop off, stand, and walk to the end of the bed with a pep in my step. I dress while he stares at me blankly. Finally, he smiles, sits up, and shakes his head. “You. Are. Trouble. Jenifer Taylor. I’m going to be worked up all day now because of this little stunt you’ve pulled.” He subtly rearranges his cock with a slight chuckle.
“I know, but you love me anyway.”
“Yeah, I suppose I do.” Aiden walks over and kisses me on the cheek, rubbing his hardness into my leg, but I just roll my eyes and finish getting dressed.
On arrival at the office, my nerves are back. I discreetly try to shake them, not wanting to worry Aiden. I really dislike this place. I’m not sure if I can get these feelings to go away. He, on the other hand, must either be really good at hiding his stress or he isn’t affected in the same way.
“You ready?” he asks, taking my hand.
I swallow the lump that’s caught in my throat and don’t answer as we start to walk. My breathing becomes shallow, almost non-existent as we walk up the stairs. Memories of Aiden being arrested flood back with a vengeance as he looks down at me and stops. “Are you okay?”