Page 78 of Troubles

Aidan groans deep in his throat as I settle myself, grinding against him. My skin tingles as he runs his hands over me, touching me everywhere. Pulling me closer until there’s nothing between us but thin layers of cotton. His touch, warm and comforting, singes my skin through my thin sleep shorts and t-shirt. His warm palms press my ass closer, closer, closer as I push his shirt up his torso, revealing the bumps and valleys of his muscles.

My need for him making me forget all rational thought. I pull back just long enough to get his shirt over his head and out of my way, crashing my lips back to his as soon as it’s clear. His muscles shift and flex across his back as his hands glide up my thighs and dig into the flesh of my hips—pushing me, pulling me.

I work my hand between us and fumble desperately with the button of his jeans. Frantic to feel him, to be with Aidan, I struggle with the closure and groan in frustration.

“Lis—” he breathes across my lips. “Jesus, I can’t believe I’m saying this. Lisbeth, stop.” Aidan grabs my hands and stills them, clasping them tightly.

I pull my head back panting and search his eyes, not understanding. “What? Why…?” Surely, I didn’t misread him.

He leans back, putting even more space between us.

“The last thing I want is to take you in a rush, fuck you like a secret in my parents’ house.” He looks to the clock on the nightstand and then over his shoulder to the open bedroom door. “I’m not sure when they’ll be back, but I sure as hell don’t want that to be on my mind while I show you how much I’ve missed you. I want you to myself, Lis. Completely to myself.”

I look past him, out the door, biting my lip.

“Yes. But—” My brain is fuzzy with lust and I blink several times trying to make sense of what to do next. My body physically aches for him. My heart thunders in my chest, pushing the blood through me in the familiar rhythm I’ve come to associate with Aidan. His grip on my hands loosens. I feel his thumb graze the skin on the underside of my wrist like he’s measuring the beats.

Aidan brings my knuckles up to his lips and stops, staring at my fingers. “Where’s your ring? Did Francie not give you the letter?”

“It—it’s in my bag. I brought it to give back to you. I couldn’t…I just couldn’t wear it,” I whisper, not wanting to give the words life, to admit that I was coming here to say goodbye.

With one arm wrapped around, holding me tightly to him, Aidan leans to the side grabbing my purse from the nightstand. “Where? I need it.” His words rumble through my chest, making me catch my breath.

I pull out my wallet, unzip the inner pocket. Fully prepared to return this ring, I never expected to wear it again. The thought that I will, brings tears to my eyes. I place the ring in his waiting palm, giving him my right hand. He kisses my knuckles again and places it over his heart, before reaching for my left hand. “Lisbeth, this is more, so much more than just dating. I won’t lose you again.”

He flips the ring so the point is out, toward my fingertips and slides it on sealing it with a kiss over the ring and one to my lips. “This is just a place holder until I’m home with you. But I won’t—let—you—go.”

Each word is punctuated with a brush of his lips across mine.

I feel like time has stopped. And once again, the thought flies through my head, that this is not why I came here—but it’s so, so much better.

“You good with that? Or we can go to the jeweler right now and get you a proper engagement ring.”

“No. No, this is perfect. I don’t need anything else, just you.” The beat of my heart syncs with the thump of his beneath my palm. I bow my head and press a kiss to his chest, tasting the salt of the single tear that escapes my lashes. The veil of my hair covering my emotions.

Aidan lifts my face to his with a lone finger under my chin. I want to hide, but I know I need to let him in. Let him see me.

With a shuddering breath, I look up into his eyes. This single moment is so much more intimate than any we’ve shared. The recognition of what this is, what is passing between us, spreads across Aidan’s face, changing his look of confusion to one of tenderness and love.

His gaze slides down, landing on my lips. His kiss filled with the love and emotion his features hold. Breaking the kiss, he rests his forehead on mine, sighing. “Let’s get dressed and go. I’ll show you a bit of Dublin before we can check in.” His words give me all the pause I need to collect myself.

Twenty minutes later, I meet him by the front door catching the tail end of his phone call. “…right, so that’s the soonest? You’ve nothing earlier? Right, yeah, that’ll be fine. Thank you.” Aidan slings his bag over his shoulder and grabs mine from me.

“You ready?”

“Where are we going?” My stomach growls as we walk out, locking the door behind us. I slap my hands to my stomach and feel my cheeks flame red as he turns, a smile stretching across his beautiful face.

“Erm—we’re going to get you something to eat and then I’m going to share one of my favorite things with you.” I cock an eyebrow at him trying to suppress a giggle-snort.

Aidan chucks our bags in the back of the car and straightens up. Hands low on his hips, shaking his head as he laughs. His eyes sparkling with mischief and desire.

“Yeah, I intend to share that with you later. But Eagan gave me his views on love yesterday and how to win over the girl. I want to test his theory.”

“Really? Advice from your five-year-old nephew? You’re that desperate?” Chuckling, I climb into the correct side of the car this time.

“If I were truly smart, I’d have taken Henry’s lead and wrapped myself around you last night.” He pulls my hand to his lap and drives us into Dublin. We park near the Woolen Mills at Ha’penny Bridge and go in to the café there.

We settle in to our lunches and watching the people pass outside the huge plate glass windows.

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