Page 111 of His to Cherish
We were together, and whatever was happening between us, regardless of how slowly we moved, we were good. Our new relationship was safe and secure and full of passion mostly because I was with a man who was all of those things and more.
“If I forget to thank you later,” I whispered, “I had a really nice time tonight.”
Aidan laughed, that low, thick rumble from his chest that made my abdomen warm. “Should I have shown up with a limo or a plane and whisked you to the opera instead?”
Confusion rattled my brain and it took me a second before understanding dawned. I poked his side and watched him squirm.
“I wasn’t quotingPretty Woman,I was being sincere. I’d do any of those things for you, too, if I could.”
I didn’t doubt he was serious, and as we continued walking through the carnival, eating more junk food that was going to take me weeks to run off and playing more games that had to cause a major hit to Aidan’s wallet, I knew I’d do the same thing for him.
I wanted to give him everything he wanted.
I wanted to make his dreams come true.
I wanted to make sure he never had a reason to cry again.
—
By the time Aidan walked me into his house, one of his hands at the small of my back, I was high on chocolate and drunk on love and spouting enough silent clichés inside my head that I wondered if I needed to take a trip to a shrink.
Or drink a gallon of water to calm my sugar buzz.
I couldn’t help myself. I hadn’t been back to Aidan’s house since the night Mandy had shown up, and my pulse was racing.
Arousal and anticipation fought for first place with my nerves.
Trepidation had me wanting to flee, to put this off for another night, or maybe suggest we go to my house where I felt safer.
More comfortable.
Where my last memory of being with Aidan wasn’t hearing that I was nobody important.
Forget it.
I tried, I did. But Aidan sensed my hesitation as we reached the foot of the staircase. His hand on my lower back moved to my hip.
He tightened his hold, stopping me.
“We don’t have to do this,” he said, looking down at me, and I could feel his eyes examining me.
His bright eyes softened, and he moved closer, cupping the back of my neck with his other hand. He burrowed his fingers into my blond, messy locks and pressed his forehead against mine.
Every movement he made, every brush of his skin on me, caused my fears and concerns, the memories and hurt, to dissipate.
“I want to,” I murmured. Rational thought fled my brain when he stood close to me and looked at me the way he was.
“I want you.” I felt the rumble of his deep voice down to my toes and shivered.
I slid my hand into his and tugged him toward the stairs. “Then take me.”
I took two steps up before I felt Aidan’s hand slide from my own. And then his hands were on my hips, lifting me and tossing me over his shoulder.
I squealed in shock, my fingers grabbing on to Aidan’s backside pockets so I didn’t fall over him as he carried me up the stairs.
His laugh rumbled and filled the air, slashing through any remaining doubts or worries.
He loved me. He hadn’t said it yet, but he’d warned me he would, and that was more than enough for me.
