by J. S. Scott
If he thought he’d wanted her before, it was nothing compared to the need that was now coursing through him. He nipped at her hip and then kissed the curve of her belly before trailing his way up to her lips. Catching her mouth in a kiss that held all his passion, she wrapped her legs around him and pulled her to him, his cock nudging her upper thigh. It took all the willpower he had to not just plunge into her, unsheathed, especially when her hips kept searching him out.
Condoms…fuck. Did he even have any? And if he did, when had they expired? This was not a scenario he’d planned for. Of all the small details to derail an evening.
When a small laugh escaped him, she pulled away to look at him. “What’s so funny?”
“I don’t suppose you have protection? I…well, I’ve been living a bit of a solitary life.” He stole another kiss, though his hips shifted in protest, as if daring him to throw caution to the wind.
“Maybe. I don’t know. I can go have a look, though they might be rather old. I’ve never done this sort of thing, you know…without protection. But…it’s safe on my end, though I get it if you’d rather not…” She shook her head with a smile. “I’m rambling. And it wasn’t really something I thought to pack either.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” He sure as hell hoped she was. After finally taking such a leap, he was desperate to see it through to completion.
She tightened her legs around his hips and kissed him as she ran her hands down his back. “I want you, Aidan. And I trust you. So yeah…I’m sure.”
He didn’t have to be told twice.
Chloe could think of little else but having Aidan take her, fill her, especially not when she could feel his hard length teasing her. “Please…I want you. Desperately.”
How was it that a man she’d only just met could reduce her to begging? She was never like this. Never. Hell, she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d been with someone, always too busy with work or family.
But now? She’d do just about anything Aidan wanted, even if she didn’t quite know why. Maybe it was because Finn was so dear to her, that she felt like she already knew Aidan. Or maybe it was because he was tall, gorgeous, and brilliant. Or maybe it was because he looked so haunted that it broke her heart. But it felt like there was more to it than any of those reasons combined. Maybe it was because from the moment she first set eyes on him, he’d stolen her breath and made her heart race.
With her legs still wrapped around him, she tightened her hold and shifted her hips towards him, hoping he’d show her some mercy. Unable to take much more and hoping it’d spur him on, she bit his neck hard enough to have him cursing under his breath.
His cock slowly parted her slit before he thrust his hips forward and buried himself to the hilt as her body stretched around his generous length and girth. She forced herself to take a breath, for that single thrust nearly had her coming once more. Her clit was already swollen and keeping time with her heartbeat, so each thrust left her teetering, and desperate for more.
He watched her with those sharp hazel eyes, as if not wanting to miss a moment. And yet it made her want to bury her face in his shoulder, her arm, anywhere she might be allowed to escape the scrutiny of his gaze as each thrust pushed her self-control further and further out of her reach.
“You’re not to come until I tell you, love. Are we clear?” His stern voice—the authority in it—was nearly her undoing as she teetered on the edge, fighting to hold on. “Answer me, Chloe.”
“I’ll try.” And she would. But how could she promise not to come when she was already so incredibly close?
“Try?” He pulled out of her, leaving her reeling from his absence, though she’d barely had time to protest when he’d flipped her onto her hands and knees, and entered her from behind. He fisted her hair and pulled her head back, but that tiny spark of pain did nothing but push her closer. “Must I really ask again?”
“I won’t come until you tell me to…I promise.” Though she damn well knew that it was a promise she’d have little control over breaking.
He gripped her hips, his fingers digging in just enough to send a flicker of delicious pain through her body as he thrust into her with such force, it felt like he was not only claiming her body, but her soul. He’d then slowly pull out, ever so slowly, before thrusting back in to claim her once more, indelibly marking her as his.
He draped himself across her back and pinned her to him with an arm across her shoulder, his lips at her ear and his breath warm on her skin. “Can you feel that, love? The way it’s building inside you?”
She nodded with a whimper of need, but knew he wanted to hear an answer. How she managed to find the words, she hadn’t a clue. “Yes. And I’m so close, Aidan.” So fucking close, her head was spinning with the effort to not come.
“I know you are, sweetheart…you’re so wet, so tight…and so swollen with need.” His words only spurred her on, and she swore she’d never before been left teetering on such a precarious slope. When his pace picked up, each thrust ending on a punctuation, she could take little more.
“Aidan…”
“Will you come for me? Come now, love.” He slammed into her as his teeth clamped on her neck, her pain and pleasure mixing to push her over the edge.
She cried out as her body shattered into a million shards of white light, and he joined her with his own release, his hard length pulsing deep inside her and their union complete.
Chloe wasn’t sure what to expect from Aidan, though for now, she was happy enough to just stay curled up in his arms, his warm body tangled with hers. She had to admit that sex with Aidan had been unlike anything she’d ever experienced—not that she’d been with many men, given her crazy work schedule and her non-existent social life. And it had not only been good, but mind-blowing. She wouldn’t have pegged herself for the type to like it when a guy took control, and yet…she’d surprised herself.
Unable to resist, she nestled her face in the crook of his neck and kissed him. “You okay?” He’d said very little after their adventure together, and though she knew nothing of his past, she was sure he was going through a rollercoaster of emotions.
“You must be starving.” He quickly kissed the top of her head, and shifted her out of his arms before rolling out of bed to grab a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. “The chili should still be hot.” Without another word, he made his escape down the stairs.
And that was exactly how it felt—like he was escaping.
She told herself to be understanding. Even if she was experiencing a post-orgasmic bliss, it didn’t mean he shared her feelings. Though it hurt, she knew he had issues he was struggling with. After all, it’d been three years since he’d last been with anyone. And as good-looking as he was, she was sure he hadn’t been celibate all this time because he couldn’t find anyone to sleep with him.
Telling herself to pull up her big girl panties and just deal with it, she tossed on his flannel shirt and then padded across the hall to where she’d stashed her bag. It didn’t take her long to find her own sweats and a pair of rag wool socks. Though the generator had kicked on and the heat seemed to be working, there was still a bite to the air.
She found him in the kitchen with his back turned to her as he leaned against the counter with his arms outstretched and his head hung low. Though he hadn’t said anything to push her away, he felt so incredibly distant, and given how close she’d just felt to him, it was impossible to ignore the growing ache in her chest.
Unsure of what to do to make this better for him, and not wanting to make things worse, she decided to give him a bit of space, and climbed onto a stool. Without a word, he grabbed two bowls from an overhead cabinet and ladled the chili into them, before grabbing some shredded cheese and sour cream. He set a bowl in front of her, along with a spoon and then sat in the other available stool without a word.
“Thanks.” She stirred
the chili and took a spoonful, but her appetite had soured, and she could barely stand to look at it. She forced a few bites in, knowing she was indeed hungry, and yet she couldn’t manage anything more, upset as she was.
“What’s wrong?” He barely looked at her between spoonfuls.
She told herself not to say anything. To just let it go. And yet her mouth seemed to have a mind all its own. “What’s wrong is that you look miserable. We just had sex and instead of looking happy, you look absolutely wretched. And I get that you have issues you’re dealing with, but…” She shook her head with a weary sigh and dropped her spoon in her chili.
“It has nothing to do with you. Okay? Just leave it.” He shook his head and shoveled in a bite, his eyes pinned on his meal.
“Yeah…I’ll leave it.” She shook her head, feeling like a fool as tears stung her eyes. But she would not cry. She refused to show weakness.
It’s not like she didn’t have her own problems to deal with. This was supposed to be her attempt at a perfect Christmas. Instead, she was stuck on an island with no hope of getting off it before the holidays.
Yet another chance for her to disappoint her father. Yet another chance to not be good enough.
It seemed to be the theme of her life. She told herself she shouldn’t care. Told herself none of it mattered. And yet, Aidan only helped to reinforce that thought.
The lights flickered, just as a sob escaped her. Mortified that she was getting so emotional over something that didn’t matter, she could think of nothing but escaping to her room when Aidan grabbed her arm and slowly pulled her close.
“Chloe…truly, it’s not you. And I’m sorry that I’ve involved you in any way. I shouldn’t have.” He ran a hand down her back and then held her close. “I should have known better.”
“And by involved, you mean you shouldn’t have slept with me.” She pulled herself free of his grasp and hopped off the stool. “It’s not like I want anything from you, but shit…some common courtesy or manners wouldn’t go amiss. Even if you didn’t enjoy yourself, you can at least try pretending so that I don’t feel like a miserable piece of crap.”
“Chloe, stop…” He made a grab for her, but she sidestepped him and bolted for the stairs as her tears finally spilled over. Locking herself in her room, she threw herself on the bed and wondered how the hell it had all gone so terribly wrong.
How foolish was she that she was letting this get to her? She knew what she was getting into when she decided to sleep with Aidan, though she supposed she’d expected a few blissful days of hanging out while the blizzard raged. Getting the cold shoulder moments after sleeping with him hadn’t exactly factored into her snowed-in fantasy.
It didn’t help that she was emotionally on edge to begin with, since she really had been hoping for a perfect Christmas with her family. It would be one more opportunity for her father to give her that look of his…the one that said she’d tried but didn’t quite live up to his expectations. That she hadn’t managed things as well as her mother had, and she wasn’t as successful as her two brothers, and she’d only thought of herself when it came to going to college.
Just one big disappointment. Never quite managing to measure up.
And she knew better than to pay it any heed. She knew she was better than what her father—or Aidan—saw in her. She had a good life, and was a good sister and daughter, even if her father refused to see it. So then, why was she always trying to convince him of that? Why the hell was she wasting her time and energy when he’d only ever see what he wanted to?
Feeling chilled, she crawled under the blankets and snuggled in, while vowing to stay positive and not let things get to her. She couldn’t live her life trying to please others—her father and Aidan included. All she could do is try to live her life by her own moral code, and hope she measured up to her own expectations.
As for Aidan, she hadn’t been expecting much, but…what the hell? Well, lesson learned. He got to scratch his three-year itch before turning back into the grumpy bastard who’d answered the door when she first turned up. It’d been fun while it lasted, but she’d be damned if she’d be going down that road anytime soon, if that was going to be his reaction.
Once was more than enough and quite frankly, she didn’t need that sort of complication in her life. If he didn’t want her or want anything to do with her, then she’d get out of his hair and out of his way.
The Siren Song Inn might not be open for business, but she was sure there were other places to stay, like a bed and breakfast. So that was exactly what she’d do. If Aidan wanted to be left alone, then she’d grant him his wish.
After spending a restless night tossing and turning, Aidan finally pulled himself out of bed, though he was far from ready to face the day. It was the day before Christmas, and that meant this was the worst day of the year. The day his life had forever changed.
As if this day couldn’t get any worse on its own, he now had the added guilt of being an ass to Chloe. It’d been a mistake to sleep with her when, emotionally, he was in no shape to do so. He should regret it. And yet he didn’t.
All she’d really done is try to help him out and be accommodating. And she hadn’t asked for anything in return. And yet, instead of finding a way to be more sensitive, more respectful of her and the good time they’d shared, he’d let his bad mood take over and make him miserable.
He took a quick shower to help wake himself up, and then got dressed before taking a peek out the window. The snow hadn’t let up one bit. If anything, it seemed to be coming down even harder, blanketing everything and blocking out the sun.
He knew he’d have to make it up to Chloe for being a jerk, though he hadn’t a clue as to how to go about it. It was going to be a hard enough day as it was, and he didn’t need her to be miserable with him, too. The door to her room was open, but she wasn’t there. Nor was she downstairs.
What the hell? Where was she?
Paisley trotted behind him as he went through the house, calling out her name. When he turned up empty, panic seeped into his chest as he expanded his search for her. He went out his front door and was relieved to see that at least she hadn’t taken her car anywhere, though she’d moved it down towards the barn. It was a small SUV and likely had all-wheel drive, but with more than two feet of snow, he didn’t care what she was driving—it wasn’t safe.
Hannah’s accident flashed into his mind—an icy road late at night, pieces of her car scattered everywhere, the cop lights blinding him, and strong arms holding him back as he struggled to get to her.
But this wasn’t Hannah. It was Chloe.
Suddenly he was desperate to find her, and needed to make sure she was safe. There…footsteps from her car to the barn. They’d been blown away by the fierce winds, but he could still make out their faint outline. How long ago had she left the house?
He raced over and pulled open the door, immediately spotting her. She was asleep in an office chair with her head on the desk he’d built for her father. His pulse finally started to slow as a wave of relief washed over him.
He ran his hand over her dark hair and bent over to kiss her cheek and found her ice cold, his pulse racing once more as he tried not to panic. She must have come out here in the middle of the night. And for what? Why? She could have frozen to death. The barn might have protected her from the winds, but it wasn’t heated unless he was running the wood stove.
Squatting at her side, he gave her a gentle shake to try to wake her. “Come on, love. We need to get you inside. Get you out of the cold.”
She started to stir and come to, but she still seemed drowsy and Aidan knew he had to get her warm. He scooped her into his arms as she mumbled and her head lolled around before settling against his shoulder. Still holding her, he fumbled with his key, but managed to get the door unlocked to the passage way. He got her settled in front of the fireplace and quickly got the fire going
to try to warm her. Once he’d built the fire up, he added several more logs until it was blazing.
There wasn’t a hospital on the island, though if need be, he could get the sheriff to open the bridge and take Chloe to the one on the mainland. Was the doctor even on the island, or had he gone to see his daughter in Portland?
He needed to get her warmed up but wasn’t sure what’d be best. Keeping her dry in front of the fire with the blankets piled on her? Stripping both of them down and trying to warm her skin to skin? Or maybe he should try the hot tub?
She shook her head as if trying to clear it from a fog. “What happened?” Her words were spoken as if mumbled through pea soup.
He wanted to yell and scream at her. Tell her she’d nearly gotten herself killed. That she’d scared him half to death. Instead, he took a deep breath and brushed her dark hair from her pale, cold skin. “You were in the barn. What the hell were you doing there?”
“I was going to try to get the desk in my car and then go to a local bed and breakfast. I found one online, so I emailed them last night…didn’t want to be in your way here. But the desk was too heavy.” Another shake of her head. “And the roads…there was so much snow.”
“Exactly! The roads aren’t passable, Chloe—not even for driving around the island. And then what the hell were you thinking you’d do? Drive yourself into the ocean? Wrap your car around a tree?” Unbelievable. She could’ve gotten herself killed. “You’re staying here until this storm blows over. Do you hear me? It’s not up for debate. And we still need to get you warmed up. Why you didn’t come back into the house is beyond me…”
“The doors…they locked behind me. I didn’t realize…”
Just as he was getting ready to yell at her about not ringing the goddamned doorbell, she drifted back to sleep, her body still too cold to waste energy with remaining conscious. And then he wondered if she had actually tried to wake him, since he usually slept like the dead. She likely had pounded and rang the bell repeatedly without any luck.