Page 112 of My Irresistible Enemy

“You…love me?”

“Completely and utterly and totally. I’m every cliche in the book. Head-over-heels, crazily, stupidly in love with you. And I understand if you hate me and never want to see me again. I understand if you can’t forgive me for the things I said, but—”

“Shut up,” Aiden interrupted.

I blinked. Shit. That was…not what I was hoping he’d say. I hadn’t even gotten everything out that I’d wanted to. I sighed.

“I—okay. I understand. I just wanted to say my piece, but I can go, I can—”

“Just shut up,” Aiden repeated.

He tugged my hands, pulling me off-balance. I stumbled forward, and his lips hit mine.

My eyes flew open in surprise as our lips pressed together. Aiden slid his hands out of my grasp and wrapped them around my neck instead, pulling me down to deepen the kiss. I slipped mine around his waist, my body moving of its own accord because my brain was still trying to catch up with what was happening.

When Aiden finally pulled away and stepped back, he was grinning.

“I love you too, you idiot.”

“You—you do?” I stammered.

His grin got even wider. “I do. Now shut up and kiss me for real this time.”

He pulled my face down to his, his lips parting, inviting me inside. Our tongues tangled, velvet smooth. I was suddenly very glad I had Aiden to hold onto, because I felt like my knees might buckle any second.

Deacon wolf-whistled somewhere behind us and Mal clapped.

“Finally,” Tate said, sounding satisfied.

Em laughed. “I’d say that’s a wrap.”

I stopped listening. Stopped thinking entirely. All I could pay attention to was Aiden’s taste on my tongue, his scent in my nostrils, his body in my arms.

That was all that mattered.

* * *

“Wow,” Aiden said, closing the door half an hour later. “I thought they’d never leave.”

Em and Tate had stayed to talk about what to do with the footage Em had recorded. We’d decided the first step was for him to take it to his studio back home and make backups, before Tanner could try to demand that he erase everything.

Then, he’d find Nora, and they’d talk to the other executive producers. There was no way the show could proceed as planned anymore. But I didn’t care about those details right now. All I cared about was making sure Aiden was okay.

Deacon and Mal had stuck around a little longer, just to make sure that Tanner wasn’t coming back, and to ask if we needed anything else. Deacon had seemed content to let it go after we’d said no, but Mal had lingered. I was pretty sure he was enjoying the chance to tease me about finally pulling my head out of my ass.

“In fairness,” I said, “I did punch one of their guests in the face. Even if he is a terrible human being. I think they wanted to make sure they weren’t about to get sued.”

“If anyone’s getting sued, it’s Tanner,” Aiden said darkly. He looked as angry as I’d felt a little bit ago. “I can’t believe he—fuck.Everythinghe did was so messed up. My brother warned me about him, but somehow, I didn’t realize he was quite that sociopathic.”

“Your brother?” I asked, confused.

“It’s a long story,” Aiden said. “I’ll let him tell you sometime. Suffice it to say, Tanner has a history of being the worst. I just didn’t know how bad it could get.”

“Hey, ” I said, sitting down on the edge of his bed and beckoning him closer. “Come here.”

I moved my legs apart so he could stand between them, then took his hands again. His cheeks were flushed, his nostrils flared, and he’d never looked more beautiful.

“Have I told you how sorry I am?” I asked, drinking in his face.

---