Page 47 of Come With Me

She giggles as she licks ice cream off her arm.

Ayden cleans up while I get her situated in the bathroom. She yawns, and I know she’ll pass out as soon as she’s ready for bed.

“Your taco was delicious,” Ayden says as I walk into the kitchen.

My brows rise. “You had more than one.”

“Oh, I wasn’t talkin’ about the food, though they were tasty, too.”

“Ayden Carson, you better stop flirtin’ with me.” I blush, walking around him to get to the fridge.

He wraps an arm around my waist and yanks my back to his chest, burying his face in my hair. “Are you still pretendin’ you don’t want this?”

“I never said that,” I argue because I definitely do.

“Then why are you fightin’ it, baby?”

I gulp at how that one word of endearment brings me back to when I was a teenager, and it’d make me all tingly inside. I felt special.

Like I was his whole world.

“You leave in a few days,” I remind him as his hand slides up and cups my breast.

“I know. Doesn’t mean I won’t see you again. We’ll take turns visitin’ each other.”

“And how long can we do that before we’re tired of it? What about when Serena goes to school?”

Ayden spins me around to face him, then tilts up my chin.

“I don’t have an answer for that, but I’ll do whatever it takes to see you and Serena as much as I can. Until then, we’ll figure it out.”

Even though I want to beg him to stay, to give us a chance to make it work here and be a family, I nod. He loves his job, and the Hollises are his family, too.

“My mom texted earlier and said she hired a new manager. I’ll be trainin’ her for two weeks, and then Serena and I can come to see you.”

“Yeah? That’s great.” He smiles wide, then dips his mouth to mine, brushing his lips softly against mine. “I should warn her I might not let you leave.”

ChapterThirteen

Ayden

It’s two in the morning, and I can’t sleep since I’ve been waiting for Laney to sneak her sexy ass in here.Did I push her too far?I tried to hold back and keep my distance, but it’s nearly impossible around her. Laney’s the only woman I’ve ever wanted, and when we’re together, all I think about is kissing her.

Deciding to get up for a drink, I pull on my sweats and tiptoe to the kitchen. Lights from the fridge illuminate the room, and I find Laney leaning against the counter with a mug.

“Can’t sleep?”

She jumps with wide eyes, and the liquid from her cup spills over.

“Sorry.” I laugh, handing her a towel from the hanger.

She takes it and wipes her hands. “I’m not used to you being here and sneakin’ up on me.”

“What’re you drinkin’?”

“Lavender tea. Want some?”

I scrunch my nose. “No, thanks. I’ll just have water.”

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