Page 81 of The Marine

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

BRIAR

––––––––

Stretching out my arms, I rejoice at how comfortable my bed is this morning. It feels like a million feathers were­—

Wait a minute.

My eyes fly open, and I glance around the luxurious bedroom decorated in black, white, and silver tones.

Aidan.

The conflicting feelings of belongingandbeing in a stranger’s home slams into me as I tug the four million thread count sheets up to my chin.

Heisrich.

I knew he was successful but had no idea until I pulled up to his property last night and drove through the large gate. I noticed a few things inside the house in between all the orgasms but now it's sinking in.

I shouldn’t be here.

But I’m not sorry. I was highly emotional after leaving Mom’s last night after our argument. All I wanted was Aidan.

That one single thought drove me here.

He’s the only person that I’ve loved who hasn’t hurt me.

Not Mom.

Not my father.

Not Kael.

That’s not entirely true because Trina and Alice have been loyal and loving friends. But it was Aidan’s arms I wanted wrapped around me. And once they were, I didn’t want to leave. I needed him to completely consume me.

Well, he did that.

Several times.

I glance around the room, taking in the beautiful large mirror above his dresser and the art on the wall. It’s a silhouette I can’t quite make out in the still darkened bedroom.

Light creeps in from under the half-opened door and edges of the curtains, and I can hear some sounds coming from downstairs.

I toss back the covers and find Aidan’s T-shirt laying on the floor, so I pull it on. The Springsteen Tour ‘95 top falls to almost my knees and looks ridiculous.

I don’t know where he got this from, but I do know he was about five when the tour happened so, yeah, I’m confident he wasn’t there.

As angry as I was last night, I know in my heart I can’t betray or lose my mother, so I’m not going to pretend this is some magical romantic reunion.

It’s not.

This is the only time I will be in Aidan’s home, so I tiptoe quietly through the house in my bare feet and take in as much as I can.

It’s best described as a lived-in magazine shoot. He’s clearly had an interior designer help him—I’m sure of it—but heliveshere. Like really lives here. It’s stylish but a tiny bit messy.

The living room has a modern gray sofa with blue, white, and beige cushions. A mustard throw is draped over one arm. On the glass top coffee table sits an empty coffee mug and open magazine.

A remote lies on one of the sofa cushions.

---