Page 10 of Harry

But with Aidan’s arms around me and his heart beating against the side of my face, I felt safe despite everything that’s happened.Is happening.

He opens the door and looks back at me with a tight smile.

“I’m sorry,” he says. His dark eyes are full of remorse.

I want to tell him it isn’t his fault, that he isn’t to blame, but I can’t loosen up my vocal cords enough to do so.

“I’ll be back at seven.”

I look at my phone, having not adjusted my own watch yet. It’s already midnight. Aidan closes the door behind him and despite him being a stranger, I wish I’d asked him to stay.

***

The knock at the door rouses me from a fitful night of no sleep. After drying my hair and picking at the food that came up from room service, I got into bed, wishing Aidan was still here just so I didn’t feel so alone.

I check the peephole and sure enough, he is there, filling up the space in a perfectly pressed suit. The bubble of excitement in my stomach is a stark contrast to the grief that has consumed me since finding out about my father. I open the door and find he is holding coffee in one hand, a bag of something in the other, several garment bags are draped over his arm and a shoe box perched on top.

“Since we don’t know who we can trust I figured I’d sort it out myself,” he says, lifting his arm in a gesture that tells me he is talking about the clothes.

I’m not sure how I feel about this man buying my clothes and making choices on my behalf. But I suppose anything is better than the clothes I flew over in which are in desperate need of a wash.

“How did you know my size?” I ask as I take the clothes from their bags and he drops the shoebox on the unmade bed.

“I have eyeballs,” he replies, his eyes roving my body with a glint of appreciation. He clears his throat. “And your shoes were by the door, I made a mental note of your size as I left.”

“Creepy,” I mutter while taking a sip of the coffee and giving him a sarcastic smile. “But I’m grateful nonetheless.”

I lift up a pair of black lacy knickers and raise an eyebrow at him.

“Well, a man can dream.” The roguish smile that plays over his mouth is so delicious I want to tell him he won’t be dreaming for long, but manage to gather my wits about me.

I head into the bathroom with the knickers, a pair of blue jeans, a white T-shirt and a navy blazer.

Not my usual style, but it will have to do.

Aidan

I knew the panties could have been a douche move but it seemed to do the trick of lightening the mood.

When I left her room last night, I was itching to stay, to go back in and hold her through the night. It took everything not to slam back through the door and kiss her rose-pink lips. They looked so soft and inviting. Several times I caught my mind drifting to fantasies of tasting her pussy, driving her wild, watching her ride me… then I’d berate myself for thinking such thoughts about Richard’s daughter. I’m probably the last guy he envisioned for her.

I can tell she hasn’t slept. The bed sheets are all tangled from where she has been tossing and turning. I wish they were a mess for other reasons and I close my eyes to take a deep breath. Try to reset my brain to not think that way. To be professional. She has just lost her dad for fuck sake.

She moves around in the bathroom quickly, the faucet running and switching off. I wanted to get her some toiletries too but didn’t know her preferences.

The door to the bathroom opens and she steps out as she is shrugging into the blazer. The T-shirt hugs her curves, the high-waisted jeans nip in her waist while accentuating her hips. I realise my mistake immediately. I chose clothes I thought would make her look dowdy, but they’ve done the opposite.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, smoothing her hands down her front as I swallow.

“I didn’t mean for you to look so good,” I say.

She rolls her eyes at me. “Pull the other one, Aidan, they are jeans, and you chose the boxiest blazer I’ve ever clapped my eyes on.”

I don’t say anything as she moves around the room while putting in earrings that were sitting on the desk. Her blonde hair is piled up in a messy bun and I want to pull it free. It’s so much lighter now it’s dry. A pale silver blonde that makes her look like a creature from another race entirely.

“I need to meet with my sisters.” She gathers up her purse and grabs the hotel key card before moving to the door.

“Tell them to meet us in the lobby,” I say, appreciating her ass as she walks away.

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