Page 83 of His to Cherish
I burned for him so deeply I had to bite my lip to keep from shouting the words “I love you” as he brought me to orgasm.
The man was incredible.
His fingers gently ran through my hair as he lay on his side, looking down at me. “Chicago. I want to go there with you.”
My breath caught in my throat for a brief moment. That was where he was supposed to go with Derrick.
“That’s where we always went,” Aidan continued. His eyes glazed over and I knew he was remembering…fond memories that brought aches of sadness to his eyes. “Derrick and I.” He swallowed slowly and I watched him work through what he was going to say versus what he wanted to say. “I want to share that with you.”
“Aidan,” I said, lifting my hand and cupping his cheek. “I’d be honored.”
He dipped down, brushed his lips across mine before I opened my mouth and let him in.
Our kiss was tender as we moved together, his hand on the back of my neck while my fingers grazed the stubble lining his jaw and moved to his hair at the back of his head. I loved it.
I lovedhim.
“I’mhonored,” he whispered against my lips when he pulled back, “that you’ll be there with me.”
It was the look that he gave me, his eyes flashing with pleasure and sated lust, the way he stared at me as if I’d just given him the most precious gift in the world that told me I didn’t just love this man, I was in love with him. Completely. Irrevocably.
“Sleep.”
It was a simple word said with much more emotion, but I listened to it anyway as he shifted our bodies. He adjusted us until I was lying with my back to his chest, his arms wrapped around me.
Caging me in. Protecting me.
And maybe…hopefully…loving me in the only way he could right now.
As the heaviness of sleep pulled me under, I knew that even if this was all he could give, it was more than enough.
More than I’d ever had before in my life.
Aidan
I was yanked to consciousness by a heavy thump hitting the front door. A vicious banging echoed from downstairs, as if someone were trying to pound the door down with a battering ram.
“Aidan?” Chelsea’s voice was thick with fear and sleep.
I was already jumping from the bed and yanking on my jeans, not bothering to button them. I wasn’t fearful. An intruder didn’t act like they were going to blow your house up before entering.
But Mandy, on the other hand—this was the typical kind of bullshit she always pulled. Showing up at all hours, whenever convenient for her.
“Stay here.” I didn’t hide my anger.
Of all the nights for her to fucking show up, it had to be this one.Goddamn it!
Scrubbing my hands through my hair, I took a moment to play out how this confrontation was going to go. I didn’t have a way to get ahold of Mandy. I never did. But I knew, with Derrick’s birthday already passed, she’d show up sometime.
“Stay the fuck up here.” I snapped it at Chelsea when she jumped out of bed and began reaching for clothes, and cringed. If she could read I was pissed, she’d want to help. It was what she did, who she was.
Normally, I liked it. Her soft heart and her pretty smile always there to ease an ache inside me I couldn’t explain. But this wasn’t her issue to deal with.
It was mine.
Mandy’s psychotic, selfish behavior if she saw her would only make things worse.
“Who is it?” she asked, her voice trembling.
