Page 6 of Awakened
Ignoring his intense stare, I went to the kitchen, put new grounds in the coffeemaker, and started it. Then, I took two large tumblers from the cabinet and filled them to the top with water. Gulping mine down, I refilled it and leaned against the counter to take a much-needed breath. I tapped the sides of the cup to the ticking of a clock packed in a box somewhere nearby, staring at my chipped black nail polish, wishing I had time for a manicure.
Eventually, I acknowledged the fact that no matter how long I waited, Aiden wasn’t going to just magically poof out of existence. With a heavy sigh, I carried the cups into the living room and handed one to Aiden. He accepted it with a nod, and I sat beside him on the couch. A position that used to bring me so much comfort now felt unnatural and wrong.
We drank our water in silence until both glasses were empty. I stood to refill the cups, but Aiden grabbed my hand and brought me back down to the couch. His touch burned, but I didn’t pull away. I let him toy with the ring on my finger, telling myself I’d give him just one more minute. I’d give us just one more minute of innocent connection before it was severed forever.
Finally, he looked away from our entwined hands and into myeyes. His expression mirrored every terrible feeling I had, intensifying the pain in my chest.
Squeezing my fingers, he asked, “Les, are you leaving?” His voice was so raw and broken that I wanted to do anything to fix it, fix him, but there was nothing I could do.
“Yes.” I pulled my hand away to brush a few loose strands of hair from my face. “Tomorrow. I’m going to stay with Sarah in St. Louis until I can figure my shit out. You know. Get over this. Get over you.”
He grimaced like I just stabbed him right in the heart. “I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want you to get over me.”
“Are you fucking kidding me, Aiden?” My voice slowly rose as I grabbed my hair in frustration. “Ten years. Ten fucking years. That’s how long I’ve loved you. You were my first everything, and I thought you would be my last. You found your mythical fucking mate. Congrats. But you can’t expect me to sit here and pine for you while you have your soulmate and I have no one! You live with her. You’re fucking her. What do you want from me?”
He looked stunned. This was the most I had said to him in weeks, and the most I had said on the topic of us post the big mate revelation. As he got to his feet, I thought he was going to leave. Instead, he turned back, his hands waving toward me, and shouted, “I want you. I want you to be my mate, but I can’t change this. I can’t change the pull she has on me. I can’t help that I fell in love with you first. I love you both. I can’t live without her, but I don’t want to live without you.” He shook his head in disgust, anger simmering in his eyes. “I shouldn’t still want you, but I do.”
I yelled at the top of my lungs, “How dare you!” Anger coursed through me as I jumped up from the couch. I swung my right fist, hitting him square in the jaw. A sickening crack filled the room.Fucking rock-hard face.I definitely broke something in my hand. Thank Goddess, it would be healed by morning—too bad it would still be sore during all that heavy lifting.
I glared at him as I cradled my fist to my chest. “You selfish prick. I’m not just?—”
His lips stopped me mid-sentence. I used my ample body to push him away, slapping him, only to be yanked back to his chest. He leaned down and kissed me roughly, biting and pulling my bottom lip in frustration.
As I tried to tell him to stop, he slipped his tongue into my mouth. The taste of whiskey and the sweet mint gum he always chewed overwhelmed me, and my resolve weakened. I half-heartedly shoved him one more time, not having any fight left.
Like a million times before, I melted into his kiss. I became pliable and willing to follow his lead. The heat from his body drew me in and kept me plastered to him.
My hands found their way to his dirty blond hair, pulling and tugging until he groaned into my mouth. The rumble in his chest sent vibrations through me, heightening our connection. His rough hands moved down my back, and he grabbed my ass, hoisting me up.
A frenzy took over. I couldn’t get close enough to him. I wrapped my thick legs around his waist like a vise as he walked us up to our bedroom. I continued my assault on his neck, nipping and biting while my hands stayed locked on his shoulders. With every step up the stairs, my pussy rubbed against his hard cock as it strained against his jeans.
He moaned at the constant contact, keeping me pressed firmly to his front. My proximity to Aiden deprived me of any inhibitions, and I rolled my hips into him to create even more heat between our bodies. It was all so natural, so familiar. In that moment, there was just him and his sinfully beautiful body. I wanted him, all of him.
He dropped me on the bed and yanked his shirt off. Grabbing the hem of my dress, he pulled it over my head. His gaze fell on my navy lace bra and matching panties. He growled at the sight and was on top of me in a flash, murmuring into my ear, “You know, these are my favorite.”
The heat of his breath against my neck sent a shiver through me. I loved how vocal he was with his praise.
He slid his hand into my bra, pushing back the cup and exposing my breast. His fingers massaged and then pinched the hard tip. I moaned into his neck, gently nibbling my way to his ear. His chest rumbled, urging me on. Our long history meant I knew exactly what to do to draw the most delicious sounds from him.
Removing my bra entirely, his hand resumed its torture while his mouth enveloped my other nipple, his tongue and teeth teasing the sensitive skin. Goosebumps covered my body as I arched into him. I wanted more. I needed more.
As if he heard my thoughts, his hand slid over my round belly to my panties. Grabbing the material, he ripped them clean off my hips. His thumb circled and rubbed my clit as he eased a thick finger into me. “Fuck, you’re so wet,” he groaned.
I bucked against the movement of his hand as another finger entered, and his thumb continued to circle my clit. My hips pushed, seeking more friction. Heat spread throughout my body as my muscles clenched, chasing that final release. It had been weeks since I’d been touched and cared for like this.
“I want you to come for me, baby.” His breath fanning over my neck and ear made me lose what little control I was holding on to.
My fingers weaved through his hair, holding him to me. He sucked and bit my neck on his way down to my heaving chest, his fingers speeding up while his mouth grew more aggressive.
Short of breath, I panted, “I’m com—Aiden—oh Goddess!” I came apart in his hands. All the tension was gone, replaced with a sense of contentment.
He smirked against my neck as he nuzzled into me. Pulling away momentarily, he kicked off his jeans and boxer briefs. His eyes traced the generous curves of my body as he stroked his cock. Licking his lips, he asked, “Do you have a condom?”
“No, we haven’t used one in a long time . . .”
Reality crashed down on me. Aiden had been with someone else.
He’s not my Aiden. He’s not mine.
