Page 30 of A Night of Indulgence and Sloth
“Club Rapture.”
Those two words ring out through the room like gunshots. The naive part of me had hoped we’d never have to talk about it. If we could just pretend it didn’t happen, we wouldn’t have to have this awkward conversation. What if he felt the need to tell Kaleb? I wouldn’t be able to face him again if that was the case. But maybe, if I truly opened up about it, we could clear the air and move on.
A small part of me didn’t want to put it behind us — alright, so maybe it wasn’t actually small, but I’m totally fine to live in denial. That part of me wanted it firmly in our path, in our future, because during that night at Club Rapture… I was free.
Shifting my body in his direction, I pull a pillow out from behind me and place it in my lap as a barrier. As if that might just save me from the uncomfortable conversation.
“I was kind of hoping you’d forgotten about that,” I whisper, staring at my clasped hands.
“Sorry to disappoint.” A smile seeps into his tone, providing all the confirmation I need to know that he isn’t sorry at all.
I take a deep breath, solidifying my resolve to finally ask the question that’s been on my mind for weeks. “Did you know who I was the whole time?”
“I did.”
With his confirmation, my stomach drops. “Is that why you hired me? Was Kaleb in on it too?”
All this time, Exalta Solutions had felt like home, but if he’d only hired me because my name had been selected for the lock-in, I would have no choice but to leave.
“God, no. Your job has absolutely nothing to do with the events of the club. I never intended for you to see my face, but I lost control. The last thing I’d ever want to do is make you uncomfortable or second guess your role.”
I nod, unsure of what to say. Questions fill my mind, and I want to ask all of them. If he’s so close with Kaleb, how come he doesn’t know? Why is he bringing this up now, while we’re alone in bed together? Thoughts race through me like an angry breeze, forcing words from my lips before I can stop them. “Do you participate at the club often?”
I catch the shock on his face for a moment before he covers it. “Occasionally, yes.”
I’m fully prepared to ask him if Kaleb does too. The question sits on the tip of my tongue, begging to break free, but it gets stuck when he places his hand on mine, running his thumb back and forth against my skin and says, “But no one has ever consumed me like you have.”
He moves closer slowly, giving me ample time to pull away in case this isn’t what I want, but I don’t move. When we’re only inches apart, he stops. “There’s never a moment that goesby that I don’t think of you, of that night. And now that I’ve gotten to know you beyond just sex and pleasure, I’m even more captivated by you.”
My heart races as he reaches up to trail his fingers across my cheek. I close my eyes and hold my breath, incapable of speaking even if I wanted to.
“Tell me you don’t feel it too,” he whispers, closing the space between us, but he halts before our lips touch, leaving the choice up to me.
But is it even a choice? An invisible energy tethers me to him, and the knowledge that he feels it too makes this moment between us almost impossible to fight.
My core ripples with need, spurring me to open my eyes and stare deep into his gray depths. Without another thought, I press my lips to his.
His arms gather me close as his lips dance over mine until his tongue beckons my mouth open. I give in, needing more and knowing he can provide. My hands move around his neck, into his hair, pulling him against me with fervent movements. All his talk of being consumed by me when it’s me who’s been tormented. Thrust into a job where I’m forced to see him every day, to yearn for his touch without ever being able to act on it.
A moan escapes me as he fists my hair, changing the angle and deepening the kiss. I’m need and desire incarnate, hungry for more of his touch.
A loud knock reverberates through the small space. We stop moving, our breaths coming out hard and fast as yet another knock rattles the door.
“I’ve got cookies for you, as promised,” the female voice singsongs from the other side.
A strangled laugh escapes me as I pull away from Aiden, from the promise of pleasure, and head toward the door. On theother side stands the owner with a tray of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and two glasses of milk.
“Here you go, dear. Warm, ooey-gooey cookies to finish off the day. Are you two settling in okay?”
“Yes, thank you,” I reply, as if on autopilot.
“Happy to hear it! I’ll leave you two to rest and see you both in the morning. Sweet dreams!” With a swish of her apron strings, she walks back down the hall, leaving Aiden and me alone once more.
He strolls towards me with outstretched arms, taking the tray from my hands and placing it carefully on the dresser. When he turns back, I shake my head.
“We can’t,” I whisper before he can touch me. “You’re my boss, and I love this job. I don’t want to fuck that up.”
His gaze roams over my face, from my eyes to my mouth, where I’m chewing on my bottom lip. I immediately stop, not wanting to provoke him any further, because if he touches me again, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop him. Hell, I don’t even want to stop him now. God, this is torture. I want him to throw me on the bed and make good on all the promises I see in his gray depths.But could I handle that, or would I just end up jobless and brokenhearted?
