Sensing my nervous demeanor, Aiden starts chatting about his upcoming trip and my school. Being his funny self, soon he has me completely distracted from my errant thoughts. I’m amazed at how in tune he is to my body language and to my needs.
After we leave the traffic and noise of the city behind, Aiden eventually turns into Highway One to take the scenic ocean view route. I know for sure at that point that we’re heading to Northern California. “Are we going to San Francisco?” I ask him excitedly.
“Nope. We’re going somewhere that’s quiet and more romantic.”
“More romantic that San Francisco?” I ask in surprise. “Come on, Aiden. You’re killing me here. You have to tell me.”
His deep chuckle tells me he’s enjoying this a little too much. I punch his arm. “Come on. It’s not fair for you to know and for me to have no idea.” I punch him softly again.
“Okay. Okay. Don’t hurt me. I’ll tell you. Have you ever been to Monterey?”
“No, I’ve only been to San Francisco in that area and that was a long time ago.”
“You’re in for a treat then.”
We take our time driving up the scenic highway. Aiden turns up the music and we alternate between signing along to the tunes and chatting aimlessly about anything and everything. We make a few stops along the way so we can step out and enjoy the beautiful view. The road trip is nothing short of incredible.
By the time we get to Monterey, it’s dinner time and we’re both starving. Aiden tells me he has a reservation at a restaurant, but we could go to the hotel and change, if I need to freshen up. Sensing that he prefers to go to the restaurant directly, I tell him to go ahead.
As we approach the restaurant, I notice it is perched on top of a cliff that overlooks the ocean. Once we get there, the waitress takes us to a table on the patio. The tables are adorned with fresh roses and a few candles that flicker in the evening breeze. We sit down just in time to catch the last glimpses of the golden sunset. The view is breathtaking and the atmosphere incredibly romantic.
Aiden orders us wine, but this time, to my surprise, he only orders a glass for each of us. “Why didn’t you order a bottle tonight?” I ask, my voice laced with disappointment.
He gives me a knowing smile. “Because you have a tendency to finish the bottle, when I order one…and tonight I want you to stay sober.”
“Why is that?” I ask nervously.
“Because I want you to remember every little thing about tonight.”
The way he says this has butterflies soaring in my stomach in anticipation of what the night will entail.
By the time dinner is over, I’m completely consumed by nervousness. The thought of what Aiden has planned for the rest of the evening, and how I would feel about it all has my head going in a million different directions, and my body humming with anticipation.
Sensing my nervousness, Aiden suggests a romantic walk by the ocean. I want to tell him that I’d much rather get to the hotel to get things started and over with, so this debilitating anxiety is over. But I have a feeling if he realizes how nervous I really am, he would say that I’m not ready. So I keep my mouth shut and try to take deep breaths to calm myself.
Aiden holds my hand firmly in his, as he gently makes small circles on the back. The ocean breeze wafts over my skin and has my hair dancing in the air. Seagulls caw in the background and the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs is a soothing song to my racing heart. Within a few minutes of walking, the serenity of the atmosphere slowly seeps into my tense body and calms my anxious heart. I lean my head against Aiden’s shoulder and let him lead the way, as I realize that he knows my body and can sense what I need better than I do.
We walk for another few minutes until Aiden can feel that most of the nervous energy has left my body. He turns us around then to head to the car and towards the most romantic hotel I’ve ever seen. It is a small boutique type hotel perched on top of cliffs that overlook the ocean. The entrance is adorned with a large Victorian fountain. The lobby is cozy and romantic. Aiden checks us in quickly and grabs our baggage to head to the room.
He opens the door for me when we get there and steps aside so I can walk in first. I step inside and hold my breath.
The. Atmosphere. Inside. Is. Breathtaking.
There are about a dozen vases holding different color roses at each corner of the room. Every possible surface is covered by a lit candle. There are about a hundred of them; all different sizes and colors. The candles cast a mesmerizing hue across the room. The bed is covered by pink rose petals shaped in the form of a heart and there is a red rose in the middle of the heart. I stand there awestricken at the romantic view in front of me. Joyous tears well in my eyes, as the extent to which Aiden has gone to make this night special for me fully registers.
I turn around to see his face and the smile I see on his lips takes my breath away. He takes my hand in his and brings it gently to his lips. “Do you like it?” he asks me with twinkling eyes.
“Do I like it? I…I’m speechless, Aiden… This is incredible. How did you do all this?”
“I have my ways,” he says with a wink. He leads me to the bed then and lifts me to place me on the edge. He takes my face in his hands and studies my eyes closely. “Are you nervous?”
I wish I could say no, but that is not true and I don’t want to lie to him. I nod my head slowly. He touches his lips gently to mine to steal a tender kiss. He kisses the tip of my nose then, before directing his gaze back into mine. “We don’t have to do anything, if you’re nervous. We can just cuddle and sleep and tonight would still be one of the best nights of my life… I just wanted to make this night special and memorable for you, just in case it led to more. But that doesn’t mean it has to. I want you to be hundred percent sure and ready when we go there…”
I raise my hand to stop him. “I am ready. I want this. With you. I’m just nervous because this is a big deal to me. It doesn’t matter how long we wait or how ready I am. I will still be nervous whenever we have to cross that bridge. I want to do it tonight.”
He rewards me with the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen. “Before we do anything, there are somethings I need to tell you.” He says, before picking up the rose placed in the middle of the bed and handing it to me. “Do you see this rose? I had this specially handpicked and placed here, because I wanted to show you something. You’re just like this rose to me, baby. Gorgeous from the outside, but made up of more beautiful layers on the inside… I want to peel all of your layers one by one to unravel what’s inside. I want to feel and sense everything you have inside and out. I want to speak to your soul, baby. Will you let me in? Will you let me show you what you mean to me?”
Tears threaten to overflow as I listen to him describe his feelings. Aiden has such a way with words. He has me breathless and on the edge, before he’s even touched me. I’m so filled with emotions; all I can do to respond is nod my head.
He gently takes the rose from my hand and places it on the night stand, before taking my hand and placing it on his heart. “Do you feel this?” he asks me. “Do you feel how my heart has picked up speed?”
I close my eyes to tune out the world and pay attention to the rhythm of his heart.
His heart is beating at a frenzied pace that matches my own frantic heart rate. I open my eyes to look into his. “I do. It’s really fast.”
“That’s because this, tonight, is as important to me as it is to you. It’s true that I’ve been with many other women, but none of them were meant to me half as much as you do… This is important to me, Aleah, not just because you’re different, but because I’m in love with you…”
My heart stops.
And I feel his skip a beat.
Did I hear him correctly? Did this incredibly gorgeous thoughtful man just say that he loves me?
If I thought I was breathless before, now I’m panting and all he has done so far is caress me with his words.
He fixates his intense emerald gaze
onto my eyes. “I love everything about you… I love how every part of your body is reacting to this moment … I love how your teary eyes are so big and emotional right now… I love how you try to keep your emotions in check because you don’t want to interrupt me… I love your smile, your eyes, your hair, and your gorgeous lips. I love your curves, your long legs, and everything in between… I love all of your body, but you know what I love the most about you?”
I shake my head.
“I love your mind and your heart... I love your mind,” he says after placing a kiss on the side of my head, “because you’re the smartest most level-headed twenty-year-old woman I’ve ever met and I love your heart,” he repeats, after kissing the spot above my heart, “because there is nothing but purity and love in it… I love you inside and out, baby. This is real for me. This is not a game. If we do this… If I make you mine, I’ll be yours forever.”
Tears are streaming down my face and my heart is beating so fast, it is about to pop right off of my chest. How did I get this lucky? How did I get to have this breathtakingly gorgeous man in my life who can pick me up and heal my wounds in one breath?
I raise my hand to gently touch his cheek. His slight stubble grazes my fingers and goose bumps form all over my skin. I open my mouth and the words flow effortlessly. “I love you too, Aiden. With everything I have. I wouldn’t be here, if I didn’t.”
He smiles through his sparkling eyes. “I know… I know you wouldn’t… And I hope I deserve everything you’re giving me… I’m going to try my damn hardest to be the kind of man you need me to be.”
He crashes his lips to mine then for a soul searing kiss that speaks of everything we just said and more. Even though we’re both anxious for what’s coming next, he takes his time exploring my mouth, as if it’s the last thing he’s doing in his life. He teases the corners and tangles his tongue with mine until I’m too breathless to go on. I pull back and frantically grab the edge of his shirt. He helps me take it off in a rush and helps me out of my clothes faster than I ever thought possible. Once he has me in my underwear though, he slows down.
He gently pushes me back on the bed, so I’m lying on my back, before stepping back to gape at my body. I feel uncomfortable under his scrutiny and start squirming. “Don’t move, love. Don’t be shy. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I just want to watch you for a second… I’ll never get tired of staring at you.”
The blush that covers my cheeks is instantly replaced by a heat of another nature once he starts using his tongue to show me how beautiful he thinks I am. He nibbles on my ear, before teasing the sensitive area below and moving his tongue along the length of my neck. Once he reaches my chest, he lifts up his head and grabs one of the rose petals from the bed. He gently runs the rose petal over my skin, creating goose bumps in its path. “Your skin is like this rose petal, soft and flawless.” His tongue follows the petal as it moves over every inch of my body. He alternates between tickling me with the petal, nibbling on my skin and running his tongue over and over on areas where I’m the most sensitive. “You taste incredible. I want to taste every single inch of you.” My heart rate picks up, as every nerve ending in my body comes alive.
When I can’t take it anymore, I beg him to stop the slow torture, but he simply smiles. “I’m not even halfway done with you, baby. You gotta have patience.”
And he shows me more… So much more I never knew existed. So much that he has me on the edge and more, before he has even touched my core.
And when we finally come together in the most ancient dance of existence, it is more than a mere joining of bodies, it’s the explosion of stars and the forming of moons. It’s a meeting of souls and a marriage of hearts, and it is the promise of a redeeming love guaranteed to mend the broken pieces of my heart.
I hear the bathroom door close and swirl my head around to see Aiden walk towards the bed. He gets under the covers with me and I snuggle up to him. He wraps his arms around me and gently turns my head to gaze into my eyes. “How are you feeling?” he asks me affectionately.
“Amazing… That was…that was just incredible. I had no idea it could be this good,” I tell him honestly. “Thank you…thank you for helping me get over my trauma, and making me see how being intimate can be so sweet and beautiful.”
He starts shaking his head and putting his finger on my lips to shush me. “No, it’s me who should thank you… Thank you for trusting me…with both your body, and your heart.”
His words bring a huge smile on my face.
Deciding to lighten the mood, Aiden winks at me before joking, “And look at that smile. I wonder who put that smile on your face.”
“You’re smiling even bigger. Who made you smile that big?”
“Hmmm…..there’s this incredibly hot chick that just showed me the time of my life. I think my smile may have something to do with her.”
“She sounds amazing. I’d like to meet her one day.”
“Nope… She’s all mine. I’m locking her up in a room all to myself.”
“Is that so?”
“Yup… at least for the next couple of days.”
TWELVE
AIDEN
I start the car reluctantly to make the trip back home. The past two days were nothing short of incredible, as we spent time exploring each other’s bodies and getting closer to one another’s hearts. The weekend was exactly what I had hoped it would be; a chance to declare my love and commitment to Aleah and to strengthen our bonds of love before I leave the country on this stupid trip. But now that we’re on our way back home knowing that I will be flying out tomorrow, a somber mood has taken over both of us.
I have an uneasy feeling about this trip. The thought of having to leave Aleah here on her own for three long month makes me nervous. We’ve only been officially dating for about six weeks and now we would have to be apart for three months. I hope that our relationship has become strong enough to withstand this time and distance, but doubt is still creeping into my mind. I’m worried that I will screw up somehow.
I look over to Aleah and notice she’s playing with her fingers, a nervous habit. “What’s on your mind?” I ask her.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Have you told your family about us?”
Shit. She’s asking the one question, I don’t have a good answer to. I promised her when we got back together that I would figure that out, but I’m yet to do anything about it. It’s not like I haven’t thought about it, but the problem is there are no ideal solutions. My mom recently completed a two month stay at a rehab center and has been doing well since she left. I’ve learned over the years that it doesn’t take much for Mom to slip back into her old habits. A small shock, an excuse that her kids are doing something stupid might be enough to throw her off her track. And I don’t want to do that right now. If not for Mom herself, but for Andrea’s sake. Particularly now that I’m leaving the country for three whole months. Plus, God knows what tricks they may come up with to hurt Aleah and threaten her to stay away from me, while I’m gone. I know I have to eventually tell them, but because I know it would be such a difficult pill to swallow, I’ve been pushing it off as long as I can.
I turn my face momentarily to Aleah to respond to her. “No, I haven’t told my family yet, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about it… I have and I just think that we need to give it some time. Everything that happened in the last few months is still too fresh on everybody’s mind. We need to wait a few months so everyone can calm down and put Grandpa behind. I think, in time, their feelings about you will change.” I lie. I know time won’t help with how my mom and uncles feel about Aleah, but I can’t tell her that right now.
“Aiden–time will not change a thing. Your family will always think I’m not good for you. Even if we I hadn’t married your Grandpa, they would still not approve of me. Look at us. You’re from one of the riches families in this country. You’re Harvard edu
cated and potentially about to take over your Grandpa’s entire fortune and business. And me… I’m just a twenty-year-old college girl who almost dropped out of school because of her family. My family isn’t rich or famous. I’m a nobody. They will never like me.”
I pull the car to the side of the road in a rush. As soon as the car is parked, I grab her face in my hands and look her deep in the eyes. “Don’t ever call yourself a nobody again. You hear me…? You’re smarter, more mature, and stronger than half the girls in Harvard, and you’re way better than of all of the girls my mother’s introduced me to. I don’t care if my family approves of you or not. They’re all stuck-up jackasses, anyway. I know what I want and it’s you… And you better start recognizing your own worth…Don’t ever say you’re a nobody, when you are everything to me.”
She blinks back tears as she continues staring into my eyes. “Did you hear me? Just don’t, okay?” I repeat. She slowly nods her head and I take the opportunity to crash my lips to hers.
I kiss her with all my might.
I kiss her to show her with my body what my words may not be capable of conveying.
I kiss to wipe all her doubts and insecurities away.
I kiss to show her that I’m in this till the end.
The airport is super crowded, when we get there. We quickly find Jonathan, the guy from the Pierson Foundation who is supposed to accompany me on this trip and get in the check-in line.
Aleah decided to skip her classes today to come to the airport with me, and even though I told her that she shouldn’t, I’m glad that she did. I want to spend every last possible minute with her.
Once we check in our bags, Jonathan starts walking towards the security line, but I stop him. “We still have some time before we have to go to the other side. Give me a few minutes.” I really don’t want to say goodbye to Aleah in a rush.
Redeeming Love (Resilient Hearts #2) Page 10