by Natalie Ann
Ella crossed her arms and zipped her lips, but looked at Cade. Mason did the same thing, but not one of the three of them said a word. He could only imagine what Cade did to them, and he and Brody still didn’t get it.
“That’s beside the point,” Aiden said. “No, the cameras won’t bother me. I guess I was more worried about the time away. The taping is for a Thanksgiving special. I’d be gone when we could be getting busy.”
“How long is it going to take?” Mason asked. “A day, maybe two? Give me a break. The staff can handle you being gone for two days, Aiden.”
“When was the last time you took more than a day off at a time?” Ella asked.
Shit. He didn’t want them looking too closely at that. “If you guys think it’s all good, then yeah. I’ll tell them I’ll do it. I’d have to fly out on a Sunday night, be back late Tuesday night.”
“Go Sunday afternoon, come back later Wednesday. Take a working vacation,” Brody said.
“Go visit old friends. Check out some restaurants and see what’s hot there. You know you’re going to anyway,” Cade said. “Then you won’t feel as guilty and it gets you out of here too.”
“I’ll think about it,” Aiden said.
The rest of the meeting finished without any more input from him. He was just walking back into his office when Mason caught up to him, then shut the door behind the two of them. “This will be good for you. Professionally and personally.”
“Professionally, sure. I don’t know about personally.”
“You need a break away. We all do. Refresh. Recharge. Take Nic with you.”
“That’s pushing things a little, don’t you think? Talk about throwing it out there in everyone’s face.” Though he had to admit he was thinking of how to make that happen while the rest of the meeting was going on.
“Does it really matter?”
“Of course it does. I don’t need her talked about any more than she was,” Aiden argued.
“So it’s about her?”
“Yes,” Aiden said. “No one is going to say anything to me. Not if they value their job.”
Mason laughed. “There’s that cockiness we all love. It works all ways. It can work to protect Nic too. That is if you really care about her. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe this is just a fling to you.”
Aiden’s face turned red, he took a menacing step forward and Mason put his hands up. “That’s exactly what I thought.” Mason laughed and Aiden shook his head.
He’d just been played.
Understood Him
Nic was scheduled late again. Since it was a Saturday and the busiest night of the week, there was more staff on. Even the kitchen was running behind cleaning up and closing. He didn’t care though, because it kept him there later without having to come up with an excuse as to why.
He could probably leave. Nic was going to his house after she was done as it was. Staying the night this time too. A few nights ago, she’d left shortly afterward. Said she needed to get home so her grandparents didn’t worry.
This time, she’d told them in advance. He still wasn’t sure what their reaction was to it all, but he’d find out later.
For now, he was content to finish putting everything away in the kitchen, and then he was going in to do some paperwork and look at schedules. To see if there was a way he could work it around Nic going with him to New York and still not having it stand out that she was actually out of work the same time as him.
It could work. He could have her scheduled on Sunday, then they could fly out that night. Monday and Tuesday could be her days off and she could work the night shift Wednesday. No one would think anything of it if she got two days off in a row. He’d done it before when writing the schedule.
He’d see if she was game for it tonight. She might say no. Might say it was too early.
He wouldn’t know if he didn’t ask. And he desperately wanted to ask.
A little before midnight, he knew he couldn’t stay any longer. They’d been pretty busy in the pub tonight and Nic was just starting to clean up. She’d be about ten minutes longer, he was guessing, since there were two of them working at the moment.
“Everything all set here?” he asked Nic and Bill.
“Got it covered, boss,” Bill said. “Nic here is a neat freak when cooking, so the place is half cleaned up already.”
Aiden smiled. “That’s a good trait to have, don’t you think, Bill?”
“Sure do. I’m going to try to figure out how she does it. Or maybe not,” Bill said, laughing. “It sure would get me out of here faster and home to my girl if I did though, huh?”
“Yes, it would,” Aiden said. “See you guys later.” He grinned at Nic, but no different than the grin he was sending to Bill, then walked out the door, knowing she’d be behind him shortly.
When he got home he showered quickly, then realized she’d want to do the same. Instead, he looked over at the big clawfoot tub he never used and wondered what she’d think if he had it all filled when she got here.
Before he could change his mind, he turned it on and wished he had some bubbles to pour in. Unfortunately, all he had was some body wash that his mother gave him years ago for Christmas. She was forever still filling their stockings up with little things like that that never got used.
He popped the top, sniffed and figured it was better than nothing. Not floral or citrus, but clean and that was good enough.
He dumped the whole mini bottle in and watched as a few bubbles started to form. The water was more a milky white, but when he put his hand in, it was soft and silky.
It was the thought that counted, he was thinking in his mind.
He had no time to try and find another bottle before he heard Nic calling his name. He’d left the garage door open for her so she could come right in.
Rather than yell back like he wanted to, like his mother always did—and they all did growing up—he walked downstairs to meet her. “Hey,” he said.
She walked up and wrapped her arms around his waist and held on. They hadn’t had time to be together since their one night. Wednesday he was at his meeting bright and early. Thursday he had meetings with vendors all morning, then got right to work, and Friday she took her grandmother shopping in the city before her shift started at one.
“I’ve been dying to do this for days. I didn’t realize how hard it’d be to see you and not be able to walk up and give you a little cuddle.”
He was glad to know he wasn’t alone. That he wasn’t the only one craving this. Maybe not the only one missing it.
He kissed the top of her head and felt something deeper inside than just lust and arousal. He hadn’t needed Mason to push his buttons this morning to point it out either.
He guessed deep down he’d felt it all along. Why else act and do something he’d said he’d never do? Why else put himself in this position again? Bringing his personal life in with his career. In with what he lived and breathed each day.
Because he knew that at some point it couldn’t all be about work. He’d known it for years but could never find someone that fit what he was looking for.
Someone that shared his passion, that understood what meant the most to him and accepted his commitment to his family.
Nic was all those things without them even having to discuss it. She shared the same passions, and had the same commitment to her own family. She understood it.
She understood him.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he said, leading her up the stairs.
She giggled and it was a sound he found he enjoyed. “I was hoping you did.”
When they entered his room, he took the bag out of her hand that she was carrying and set it on a chair, then brought her to the bathroom. “What do you think? I took a risk. Wasn’t sure if you were a bath person or not. Ella swears by them. My mom took a ton of them, but I think it was to escape us. I’ve never seen the need, but I’m not a girl either.”
“I can’t tell you the last time I soaked in a
tub,” she said.
His smile dropped. “Oh. Guess you aren’t one of those girls then. You can take a quick shower if you want.”
“No,” she said, turning to look at him. “I just never have the time for one. It seems I’m always on the go or doing something in the house for my grandparents. Plus, we’ve only got one bathroom and I never want to stay in there longer than necessary.”
“Now is your chance.”
“Are you going to join me?” she asked, pulling her shirt over her head. No nervousness now. Nothing like the other night.
“I can if you want.”
“It’d be a lot more fun if we were in there together. I mean, otherwise I’m not going to want to soak in it as long as I would like.” She was wiggling out of her pants now, then pulling off her underwear and socks. “Hurry up,” she said, slapping his butt.
He could add playful to the list of things he was finding out about her. Things he was coming to appreciate.
She was already in the tub leaning back when he climbed in. As he went to sit, water rose to the top, threatening to spill over. “Shit, hit the drain.”
She giggled again, tapped the drain and then eyed a part of his body that was just staring at her while she sat there. He held his breath, but didn’t have long to wait and see what she’d do before she moved forward and put her mouth around him.
He closed his eyes in ecstasy, thinking he might want to take baths more often if they were going to start out like this.
Her hands moved up his thighs, then gripped the length of him, stroking and squeezing. Her mouth was like a suction going to town and bringing him so close that he thought he was going to explode. It was too soon. Not yet. Not what he had planned for the night.
He shifted back away from her mouth, stopped the drain, then sat down without worrying that the water would slosh over.
“Why did you stop me?” she asked.
“Because that would end things too fast. What is it with you and wanting to hurry all the time?”
He pulled her back against his chest, placed her between his legs and just closed his eyes for the moment. The heat of the water, the silky feel of it over his body. Nic’s body against his. Her hands just caressing his legs with her head thrown back against his chest. Yeah, this was so going down in the book as the best bath ever.
“I told you I want what I want.”
He lowered his head and kissed her. “Me too. But this time we’re going to do it my way.”
His hands glided up her ribs and over her breasts. Massaging her, stroking her, cleaning her. Anything and everything. He couldn’t get enough.
She was squirming around, rubbing against him and working him right back up. Rather than prolong it, rather than make her wait because she seemed so impatient, he dropped a hand down and put it to work elsewhere. Sliding between her folds, moist and slick, rubbing his finger up and down, then inside.
He placed his lips on her neck. “You’re so tiny that I fear hurting you,” he said, sliding another finger in.
“Remember you said I was mighty before? Don’t worry. Everything you’re doing feels so good. Don’t stop.”
He couldn’t even if he wanted to. His other hand went under the water, found the magical little nub he’d rubbed so hard for her the last time and did it again.
Both of his hands were moving with and against her. She was splashing the water around trying to work herself over along with him. She knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to find it. To go after it. To claim it as hers.
“Aiden,” she said, her voice rising, her back arching, her nails digging into his thighs.
“That’s it,” he said, holding himself back as much as he could. She was rubbing against him so hard he was afraid he was going to finish right with her. “Keep it up. Let it all out.”
“Kiss me,” she said, tilting her head back. “Mimic with your mouth what you’re doing with your hands.”
She was commanding him again, and he followed right along as if it was the best suggestion he’d ever heard.
It didn’t take long at all. Her hyper little body was sending water everywhere, and she was sucking him in in more places than one, until she tensed, then just collapsed against him again.
He was vibrating, he was so hard. He wasn’t sure it was possible to be as worked up as he was and just have to sit there and hold onto it for the moment.
But she needed a second and he was going to give it to her. After all, she seemed to have given him more than enough already.
***
“I don’t want to know how you got to be so good at that,” she said a minute later. She just had to lie there and take inventory of her body. It was throbbing and pulsing, and she prayed she wasn’t going to get electrocuted since they were sitting in water.
He was hot and magnetizing when the two of them were together. She wasn’t sure it could have gotten any better than the other night, and was glad to know that what they shared wasn’t just a one-time thing—something that she’d rated so high she’d never be able to find again. Now she knew and now she could look forward to it again and again.
“I don’t know that I want to tell you,” he said, “but I’m sure it’s not for the reasons you think.”
She turned her head and looked at his grin. “Now I’m afraid to find out what you mean by that.”
He laughed. “That came out wrong. I’m just saying that I don’t get around, if that is what you’re thinking. I’ve just always been hyperaware of senses. Tastes and feelings. Textures and blends. The human body is made up of plenty of those things.”
She swiveled her body around and got on her knees facing him. “I get it. I guess I feel a lot of the same things. I’ve always been a sensual creature, even though I don’t partake in two-person play often.” He raised his eyebrows and she laughed. “You know what I’m saying.”
“Yeah, I guess I do. How often is not often?” he asked.
“That I’m alone, or that I’ve been with someone?” Why were they having this conversation right now, in the bathtub of all places?
“Both,” he asked.
“Alone, maybe once a week, sometimes longer, sometimes more often. It depends on if some sexy boss gets me all hot and bothered.” He laughed. “With someone? Not counting you, probably a year. Just a few people and we’ll leave it at that.”
“I can leave it at that,” he said, his hands sliding up her ribs and covering her breasts again.
“Can we stop talking and get down to business?” She slid her hand under the water and gripped him tight. So big and strong like the rest of him.
“We can. Why don’t we dry off and get on the bed?”
“Or we can stay right here.” His eyes flickered shut as she dropped her other hand down to cup him.
“The condoms are in my room,” he said, his voice getting harsh.
“True. But I’m on the pill if you’re okay with that. I’ve been on it for years.” His eyes popped open. Uncertainty was there and she wasn’t sure the reason. “Or we can go in the bedroom,” she said, dropping her hands away.
He reached down and grabbed them, put them back on him. “I’m okay with it if you are. It’s your choice. I’ve always been protected, but if you’re comfortable with it, then I am.”
“I am,” she said.
She moved her hands away and inched up closer, rose up higher, then slid down and closed her eyes. Everything she was feeling was just slamming into her at once. She’d never had unprotected sex before. The pill had always been a back-up plan, but she’d never felt comfortable putting herself out there like this.
Aiden made her feel things deeper than sex. Intimate things that told her she could take that step. That he wasn’t using her. That he wasn’t out for just a fling. That maybe he cared for her almost as much as she was starting to care for him.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck and just started to move back and forth. It wasn’t going to take much, she knew. S
he was half grinding, half riding him.
His hands had moved to her hips and were starting to control her movements and that was even better. She gripped his short hair and tugged his head back, then attacked his mouth with hers. It was an aggressive and sexy move and he obviously was just fine with that, because now his fingers were probably leaving marks. Which she was good with herself.
The water was splashing and churning, their own little whirlpool at this point. The water was probably cooling too, but neither of them felt that either. All she felt was the heat of his body, and her body starting to fall. He tensed, but held her tight, then relaxed back, both of them limp, with the sound of their breathing the only noise to be heard.
That Easy
A few days later, Aiden called Nic into his office the minute she walked in the door for her early shift.
“Shut the door,” he said. She lifted her eyebrow at him, but all he did was smirk back. “Don’t worry. Stacy is the only other one out there for the moment and she won’t think anything of it. I call people in here all the time to talk about things as simple as their schedule.”
“True,” she said, sitting across from him. “So what did you want to talk about?”
“Your schedule,” he said, laughing. He found he did that a lot in her presence. Smiled and laughed. Then again, he always thought he was a pretty happy person to begin with.
“What about it? Trying to plan it so you and I can have more nights together?”
“Do you want me to?” he asked.
He’d love it, but he knew that she did a lot for her grandparents. And she liked to spend time with them, have meals with them at night. Family was important to her, so he was trying to keep that in mind. Unless he had an employee request nights or days only, he shifted everyone around.
“I wouldn’t mind more than one or two times a week, but we’ve been making use of the morning too.”
She winked at him. Yeah. Just yesterday morning she’d come over before her midafternoon shift and they spent time messing up his sheets rather than his kitchen like he’d originally planned.