Only His Touch: Part Two (The Untouched Series Book 5)

by Lilly Wilde

  “Mmm. That feels amazing.” I was so relaxed. I closed my eyes and imagined I was on a tropical island paradise. I’d almost started to drift off when my phone sounded. And then Aiden’s. A few minutes later, another phone notification and then another. In a frustrated sigh, I gave up and asked Aiden to pass the phone to me. As I suspected, it was his mother. I groaned as I rolled out of bed. It looked as if it would be another full day of Sienna. She’d invited me to attend a charity lunch today. Invited is not really the correct word—it was more like insisted I join her. Before I replied, I sent Allison a text and asked her to come with us, but she flat out refused. Allison loved spending time with me, so her denial only gave me more cause for concern.

  I returned Sienna’s call and accepted her invitation. She chattered animatedly about what I should wear and how I should do my hair. Was she serious? I didn’t know how much more of her acceptance I could take.

  It was a ladies function so I couldn’t force Aiden in on this one. She’d be at my door within the hour so I halfheartedly stepped into my closet, seeking Sienna-approved attire. I pulled out the most boring outfit I could find, and after looking at it, I knew Aiden’s mother would like it.

  The doorbell rang soon after I’d grabbed my purse and headed downstairs. After saying good-bye to Aiden and Lyric, I stepped outside to the waiting limousine. A sudden rush of noise erupted from the gate. I looked toward the front of the property and saw that a mass of reporters had camped out—obviously awaiting a glimpse of the newly engaged couple. I sighed inwardly as the driver held the door for me, and I slid inside.

  Sienna looked impeccable as usual, and she was practically beaming at me. Before I could get settled, she dove into the discussion of the wedding announcement and then out of nowhere, she presented me with a gift. It was a scroll pendant necklace, like ones I’d seen both Allison and Sloan wear. She said she’d given one to each of them for very different reasons. I looked down at the necklace lying in the box. It was delicate and understated. There were diamonds set in platinum, which delicately traced the swirls of an open scroll. I’d also seen the design someplace before, but I couldn’t recall where.

  “You don’t have to put it on now, but I do hope you’ll wear it,” she said.

  “It’s beautiful, Sienna. Thank you.” I reached up to remove the necklace I was wearing. “And as a matter of fact, I’ll wear it today.”

  “It’s become somewhat of a tradition for Sloan, Allison and I to have a girls’ day, and we all wear them. I know it may sound silly, but it’s very special to me.”

  “No, I don’t find it silly at all. I’m honored you would include me.”

  *

  Later on our drive home, I saw the scroll design on the tall gates that opened to the property. So that’s where I’d seen it. Funny how you could see something so many times that you no longer noticed it. Rolling my fingertip over the necklace, I considered its meaning to Sienna. Was this her way of indicating that I was now a part of their inner sanctum?

  After confirming my next meeting with Sienna, I said goodbye and headed inside. As soon as I entered the house, I went to check on Lyric, and my heart overflowed when I saw him and his father asleep on the sofa. I grabbed my phone from my purse and snapped a couple of pictures. I loved them both so much, with my whole heart. I was so happy that I nearly burst into tears. I had a family again…and in a few short weeks that would be even more official than it was now.

  Chapter Five

  The next morning, Aiden and I were at the main house for our first meeting with the wedding planner Emilie Tomassi. I would have thought she and Sienna would request, at the very least, some input from us, but that didn’t happen. It was almost as if Aiden and I weren’t in the room. Our only contribution was a yes or no to some of Emilie’s questions.

  While Emilie and Sienna planned and plotted, Aiden and I sat by texting naughty messages to each other as we waited on it all to end. After three hours of a very exhaustive consultation, I realized Sienna was wrong—I didn’t love Emilie as she said I would. As matter of fact, I didn’t like her very much at all. She was devoid of all emotion, obsessively detail oriented and she wanted everyone to follow her instructions to the letter. Although I’d previously joked about it, I left that meeting really wondering if I wanted to elope.

  Immediately after Emilie left, Sienna invited me to lunch at the country club. As soon as I accepted, Aiden disappeared. I would guess he was as crazed after all of that as I. But I needed him. I needed his “go team” speech before I faced Sienna for more of the annoyance she felt was necessary.

  I’d be meeting some of Sienna’s closest friends today. I suspected they were less friends and more so members of her elite social group. She’d had the good foresight to exclude Michelle Lane. I couldn’t be responsible for my words or actions toward the mother of the crazed bitch that was obsessed with my son…and my man. I knew Michelle wasn’t responsible for her daughter’s actions, but I did blame her for her repeated attempts to harness her daughter with Aiden.

  Over the last week, I’d met a side of Sienna I would have sworn didn’t exist. I believed some of it was genuine, but as Aiden had said, she was still Sienna Raine. I sensed she wanted me to be a mini-Sienna. It was clear her own daughters weren’t on board with taking on the role, so it looked as if I was the new nominee. However, I had no plans to be a younger version of her—the dutiful society wife. There would be some social circles in which I’d need to participate as Aiden’s wife, but I would not be the cookie-cutter Raine woman that Sienna wanted.

  Sienna and I were in one of the event rooms of the University Club of Chicago. The building overlooked Millennium Park, and how I wished I was there instead of sitting here with these pretentious people.

  Sienna was called up to speak on her latest charity event. At the conclusion of her little speech, she glanced at me, smiled and announced what I was sure the others already knew—that I was marrying her son. Sienna allowed the ladies a few moments to calm down and then she continued. “They will be marrying in Italy, but we’ll have a bridal shower and other festivities to celebrate the occasion here in Chicago. Of course I’ll keep you all up to date so you may make plans to attend.”

  “Can I get a picture, Mrs. Raine?” came a voice from the crowd.

  And there it was. The reason she’d introduced me—the society pages.

  “Of course. Aria, would you mind?” she asked, looking toward our table.

  I silently cursed Sienna as I slid from my chair and walked to the lectern to join her. She hugged me and kissed my cheek as the photographer snapped picture after picture. I smiled for the camera, but behind that smile was the thought of strangling my fiancé’s mother.

  *

  How could I possibly get away from Sienna now? We were sitting in the limo as the gates of the Raine mansion started to open. She rattled on and on about how well today’s lunch had gone. I smiled and nodded—only paying attention to every other word. I was busy mulling over excuses to politely escape once we were inside the house. Sienna had planned for us to have tea and crumpets after we settled in. She wanted to discuss my possibly joining her for an upcoming fundraiser. First and foremost on her list, however, was a discussion of the most recent wedding plans Emilie had sent over since our meeting this morning.

  First off, what the fuck? Who has tea and crumpets? Is that a real thing nowadays? And second, is she freaking serious? When I’d accepted Aiden’s proposal, I had no idea it would entail all of this extra. Quite honestly, I hadn’t given much thought to anything beyond his proposal and my acceptance, but I’d come to the conclusion that he had looked far beyond that, which is why he’d found a way to avoid most of the torture to which I was being subjected. I was going to kill him!

  My phone pinged. I read the message and relaxed when I saw I had a way out. It would seem that when you have to breastfeed, that was all the excuse you needed to get rid of an overbearin
g soon to be mother-in-law. The text was from Dianna, letting me know that Lyric had already eaten and was asleep in the nursery—but Sienna didn’t need to know that.

  As soon as I stepped inside the cottage, I dashed upstairs to “feed Lyric,” which actually translated to “find Aiden.” I went to our bedroom, but he wasn’t there. I walked down the hall and checked the nursery—Aiden, like me, often watched Lyric sleep. I slowly opened the door and peeped inside, he wasn’t there, either. Neither was the baby. I returned to the bedroom to change into something less country club and more Aria Cason. Afterward, I checked my phone, re-read the text from Dianna, and realized they were all at the main house. I wondered why Aiden hadn’t texted me himself.

  I crept inside the mansion, hoping to avoid Sienna. I walked past the study and slowed when I heard voices on the other side of the large wooden doors. As I took a few steps closer, I recognized Sienna and Connor’s voices. Sienna was filling Connor in on the events of our “successful afternoon,” as she called it. I took a chance and peeped in, just to see if Aiden was there, but he wasn’t. I then checked the kitchen, but no Aiden. The mansion was simply too large to search every room. I was hoping to have the element of surprise when I unleashed my pre-marital diatribe, which was the reason I hadn’t texted him, but after leaving the billiards room, I gave up on the impulse to surprise him and pulled out my phone. I tapped a quick message to him and waited, but he didn’t reply. Did he know I would be looking for him? Was he purposely avoiding me? I was about to check upstairs when I saw Dianna.

  “Is Aiden still here?” I asked her.

  “Yes. He and Nicholas did go out earlier, but they came back some time ago. They should still be in the fencing room.”

  Fencing? Would I ever stop learning new things about the man I’d agreed to marry?

  Dianna noted my confusion and provided me with directions.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked. I loved that she was so protective of Aiden and his happiness, which was still different than that of his mother. Sienna wanted Aiden happy, but she still had her own vision of what that happiness looked like.

  “No,” I said. “I wouldn’t say everything is fine.”

  Dianna’s eyes filled with worry.

  “But it will be,” I added, not wanting to give her cause for concern. “Thanks, Dianna.” I smiled as I took in her mother hen look, and then rushed off to find my manipulative fiancé.

  As I approached the fencing room, I heard the clash of metal. Opening the door, I stepped inside and in front of the row of windows were two figures dressed in snugly fitted white gear. I watched, wide-eyed at the rapid back and forth between the two men. They were moving with such precision and belligerence that I’d momentarily forgotten the reason for my search. It was easy to discern which of the men was Aiden. He had that way about him that resonated no matter what he was doing or who he was with. He was truly incredible. How I loved that man—even in the midst of my soon-to-be tirade, there was no denying that.

  Aiden delivered a series of aggressive advances, and that’s when Nicholas lost his footing. He fell to the floor as his sword went sailing behind him. Aiden rushed his opponent, towering over his defenseless body with his sword aimed directly at his brother’s masked face. I gasped and Aiden’s attention was momentarily diverted as he caught sight of me. He stepped back from Nicholas, and extended a hand to help him from the floor. After taking off their gloves, they shook hands, and then Aiden removed his mask and started toward me.

  Did he have to look so hot in everything?

  He ran his fingers through his hair and flashed his sexy, lopsided smile. My gaze moved down his body, seduced by the movement of his powerful thighs rippling through the fabric. It was like watching a hot guy on a movie screen walk directly toward me. The only thing missing was the slow motion.

  “Hey, babe.” He leaned in for a kiss once he’d reached me, but I stepped back.

  “Don’t you hey babe me.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “As if you don’t know.”

  “Hey, Aria.” Nicholas said, as he approached us. “Looks like you’re in trouble with the little woman, bro.”

  “Nicholas, is your offer to take me off Aiden’s hands still on the table? I think I’ve been dating the wrong Raine brother after all.”

  “Whoa, that’s a little extreme for a guy who’s unaware of his crime,” Aiden said, shaking his head.

  Nicholas shoved Aiden to the side. “See, I knew you’d come around, Aria. Better late than never,” he added, and kissed my cheek.

  “Oh, so him you let kiss you?” Aiden asked, as he pushed Nicholas away from me. They were like two small children battling over a toy.

  “Yes, because he didn’t set me up.”

  “And how, pray tell, did I manage to do that, Aria?” Aiden asked.

  “Thanks for the match, little brother,” said Nicholas. “You stepped up your game while Aria was away, and I don’t think I can best you now.” He glanced at me and then back at Aiden. “I’ll leave you two alone to hash this out. Aria, if it doesn’t work out, you know where to find me.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied.

  “It’s a standing offer—just so you know,” he said and winked at me.

  “Nick, get the hell out of here before we really have a match and I kick your ass.”

  “Yeah, right. I’ll catch you later,” he said. “Don’t forget about that conference call.”

  I waited until the door closed behind Nicholas. “You’re in big trouble.”

  “So what’s new? I seem to always be in trouble when it comes to you.”

  “You did it again.”

  “Did what?”

  “You skipped out on lunch today because you supposedly had something scheduled you couldn’t get out of,” I said. “Well…it started out as lunch, but it somehow evolved into a meeting, as I’m sure you suspected it would.”

  “Let’s be fair. I’ve participated in some of them, Aria.”

  “But we agreed you’d attend them all. Today was the last one you’ll miss, so whatever you have scheduled—cancel it.”

  “Aria, I’m sorry. But my mother…she’s slightly overbearing when she’s coordinating events, especially if she’s the host. I already knew it would be a thousand times worse with this wedding, and I just couldn’t deal with it.”

  “But I could? You subject me to her craziness while you play around with Nicholas all day. Is that what you had mind?”

  “No. Not at all. I really do have things on my—”

  “Shut up, Aiden. The jig is up.”

  He took a deep breath and stared at me. I could see the wheels turning. He was still determined to get out of this.

  “How about I play you for my participation?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure I follow.”

  “Basketball.”

  “I can’t play basketball. My dad tried to do that with me, but I could never dribble without stumbling.”

  “So no dribbling, we’ll just shoot. Whoever scores five points first is the winner.”

  “You mean, when you get five points first.”

  “No, not really. I’m tall, but I’m not really good at basketball.”

  Was he lying? “Seriously?”

  “Hand to God.”

  Something he isn’t good at. That means I stand a chance of winning. “Okay, let’s do it.”

  *

  It was the last shot. I had miraculously scored four points, and they hadn’t come easy. I was literally sweating. It was Aiden’s shot, and he also had four points—granted they came about easier than mine. He wasn’t as horrible as I’d hoped, but maybe not as good as he was accustomed to being in everything.

  He’d taken off the top of his fencing gear two points ago, and I was having a hard time focusing on anything but the sweat glistening on his chiseled chest. I was sure that was part of the plan. I watched as he b
ounced the ball twice and then looked up at the goal. He grinned at me and then looked back at the object of his aim. He tossed the ball, and I could see right away that it wasn’t going in.

  “Yay!” I shouted. “You know what that means.”

  “Yeah, it means I missed…doesn’t mean you’ll make yours, so don’t start your victory dance.”

  “We’ll just see about that.” I jogged toward the ball that had bounced behind the goal post and then I ran back toward Aiden. I was excited. I could win this. I bounced the ball a few times and started to take aim.

  “No. Back up, Aria. Don’t cheat.”

  I followed his gaze and saw that I was barely over the free throw line. “Are you serious? Are you that worried about losing that you would let a couple of inches freak you out? Geez.” I stepped back and bounced the ball again and then glanced at him with a huge smile on my face.

  His brow raised and he motioned toward the goal. “The basket is that way.”

  “You ass.”

  I took a deep breath and tossed the ball toward the goal. I closed one eye and watched the orange leather floating toward the hoop—and swoosh! I did it! I beat him!

  “Ha! I won! In your face, Aiden Raine! In your face!” I did a little happy dance, and he laughed as he shook his head at me.

  He walked over to me with his hand extended. I reached to shake, but he bypassed it and picked me up.

  “Stop it,” I squealed. “You’re getting your sweat all over me.”

  “That’s the idea.”

  “Ugh, you really stink.” But Virginia was somehow turned on by the musky smell. Evidently, even his sweat was sexy. It wasn’t the rank odor that instinctively upturned a nose …no. His smell was different—he smelled of pure, primal man—his unique scent mixed with perspiration and rich with pheromones. A ravenous desire had taken over—the rich, spicy scent of his sweat clutched my insides. I grabbed the back of his head and pulled his mouth to mine, tearing at him like I was famished and he was the meal.