That night, Aiden opens the door to his apartment, and I don’t hesitate before wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, jumping into his arms, and kissing him deeply. He takes less than a second to respond, gripping me firmly under my ass and groaning into my mouth as I grind against him.

I’m tired of overthinking. I’m tired of having my guard up. I want to go back to being the woman Aiden met at the wedding. The woman who was carefree and confident. Everything with Aiden feels right, and for once, I just want to give into the euphoric feeling of being with him, regardless of where this all ends up between us. I want him to make good on the promises he made to me earlier today. I want to fall asleep worn out and exhausted from everything he can give me.

As if he can hear my thoughts, he walks us to his kitchen counter, placing me on the edge. Through my leggings, the feeling of the cool granite beneath my thighs sends chills up my spine.

“Where’s the shirt from this morning?” Aiden asks. “I was looking forward to seeing you in it again. Thought maybe I could tear it off your perfect body before I got to work worshipping it.”

“You wouldn’t dare. I’ve worked hard wearing that shirt downto complete distressed perfection,” I say through our shared kisses, lightly tugging on his bottom lip with my teeth.

“I’ve been thinking about you all day. Take off your clothes,” he says into our parted lips while they lightly press together.

“You first.” I reach down to grip the hem of his shirt and pull it over his head, revealing his muscled torso. I run my hands over his chest to his belt before undoing the clasp, button, and zipper. I push his jeans down with my feet. The buckle of his belt rattles when it hits the floor before he steps out of his pants, leaving him in only his boxer briefs, his erection straining against the fabric. “You made me promises this morning, and I came to see if you can deliver on them.”

His stare turns heady under his dark lashes as he smirks at me. He grips my ass and pulls me to the edge of the counter in a show of strength and spreads my legs around his body, lining himself up with my center, slowly grinding against me.

I grip his shoulders and let my head fall back. “Fuck, Aiden.”

“Bec, I will deliver on every single promise and then I’ll make a hundred more and deliver on every single one of them too. I’ve been waiting all fucking night to do this. I was so tempted to fuck my fist at the thought of tasting you again, but I wanted to wait for the real thing.”

With one hand behind my head and one hand on my chest, he slowly pushes me backward until I’m lying across his kitchen counter, my legs still clinging to his waist as he stands at the edge of the counter.

“Hips up, babe,” he commands, and I comply, pressing my palms into the smooth stone counter, raising my hips several inches into the air while he pulls my leggings off and tosses them to the floor. Aiden doesn’t look away from my center, covered in a black satin thong. “Tell me, beautiful, have you been awake at night thinking about us? Have you touched yourself imagining it was me instead? Maybe used that pretty pink vibrator you love so much?” He bends down andkisses a trail of wet kisses up my inner thigh, while hitching my knees over his shoulders.

My mind goes blank, my stare locked on the sight of him making his way up my leg, and I can’t find the words to answer his question. I close my eyes and run my fingers through his wavy hair, tugging him gently toward where I want his kiss most of all.

“So ready for me,” he says, his voice rumbling low as he places a soft kiss on my underwear. He pulls the fabric to the side before running his tongue along my slit. I moan and grip his hair harder, my hips flexing, instinctively seeking more of his touch. He slides his hands beneath my ass, pulling me even closer before he unleashes his mouth on me with a hunger I’ve never felt in my life.

“Fuck, you taste better than I remember,” he mutters before returning his focus to my clit.

“Aiden, fuck me. Please, I need it,” I plead. He’s already driving my body to the brink of hysteric need and all I want is for him to take me on this counter.

“Fuck, I’ll give you whatever you want,” he groans. He pulls me off the counter, sliding my body along his until my feet hit the tile flooring. He pulls my shirt over my head and leans down to suck one of my nipples into his mouth through my lace bra. I arch back and give in to the sensations. Aiden’s attention to every inch of my body instantly clears my head; the incessant stream of worries that I can never seem to shut off goes silent. He takes me completely out of my thoughts and all I can focus on is the feel of his rough hands on my body, the strength of his movements, the discipline of his touch, never too rough but always firm. He turns me around abruptly to face the counter and I arch my back, rubbing my ass into his groin.

I look over my shoulder at him before I thread my fingers into the lace straps of my thong and drop my panties to the ground. “Now, Aiden.”

His stare is locked with mine as he shoves his boxers to join my underwear on the floor. Aiden steps closer, rubbing his erection along my soaking slit and gliding over my clit. “Shit. Hold on, I’ll be right back. The condoms are in my room.”

“I…got tested after my last relationship, and I’m on birth control. I’m comfortable going without one if you are,” I say, desperate to feel him bare inside me.

He wipes a hand over his face. “Shit, Bec. I’m good too. Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. Now, are you going to make me beg or what?”

“I’d love to hear you begging for my cock. But you worked so hard today. I’m going to take such good care of you,” the gravel in his voice sends a jolt of electricity to my core as he runs his lips over my bare shoulder. He presses his thick cock into me, slowly entering me bit by bit, his fingers digging into my hips. We melt together, finding our rhythm. Our need for each other building until we’re both desperate. The intensity of his thrust strengthens, my breathing quickens, he presses one palm against the base of my neck and the other to my clit where he slowly and firmly circles the pressure point with his steady fingers.

I press my palms into the counter, spreading my legs farther and arching my back to meet his pulsing hips, his length fully entering me with each stroke. My impending climax builds, and I reach my hand back to grab his sculpted ass and I pull at it, a plea for him to go harder. He wordlessly obeys, and I feel him driving into me with more powerful thrusts.

“Being inside you like this feels so fucking perfect. Do you feel how crazy you’re making me? How you make me fucking drip for this perfect body of yours. These…” He presses his fingers into my soft hips. One of the places I’m most insecure about if I’m honest with myself. I’ve always had full hips no matter my weight. “Thesegoddamn hips have me in a fucking chokehold. I never want to come up for air.”

“Oh god. Aiden, I…I’m going to come,” I say.

“The first of many. Let me hear how much you love this; how much you need this…as bad as I fucking do.”

I clench around him, finding my release, my head falling back against his shoulder. I cry out as my body responds to his words and his touch.

“Atta girl.” He slows his movements and pulls out of me, leaving me feeling empty.

He’s not finished, and as tired as I am, I desperately want more. He folds his hand around mine and pulls me alongside him into his bedroom.