Page 68 of Not As Advertised

I smiled into his pillow as I thought about spending future nights just like this. Quite possibly, he was going to kill me with orgasms. But what a way to go.

Waking up in Aiden’s bed was like waking up from a deep sleep where the dream felt like it actually happened. It took me a moment to figure out if I was conscious or lost in my wildest fantasy.

Hesitant to open my eyes and find that last night had all been an elaborate creation of my overactive imagination, I took stock of my surroundings via my other senses. I was warmer than usual. I could feel heat radiating toward me from my left, like I was sitting side-on to a fireplace.

The air had the distinct scent of skin and sweat. Like that amazing smell of sun-kissed skin from the outdoors. Only now, there was the warm scent that was Aiden mixed with my coconut shampoo. The result was an addicting feeling of a tropical paradise. We would make a fortune if we could bottle it.

Feeling the acute stiffness in my muscles from last evening’s activities, I blushed when I thought of how insatiable Aiden had been, waking me to make love to me again in the middle of the night. There were no other words to describe it. The unhurriedpace, paired with his hand working my clit almost the entire time, had pulled another throbbing orgasm from me.

The tenderness between my legs intensified when my inner muscles clenched with my thoughts.

I felt the prickliness of my blush spread to the roots of my hair and spread over my cheeks and chest as I thought of the sounds I had made last night. Aiden had a way of disarming my inner critic and freeing a part of me that I didn’t know I had.

The strongest confirmation that I truly wasn’t dreaming was the rough voice emanating from the man beside me.

“Baby, what are you thinking about over there? It must be something hot because you’re flushing that gorgeous pink color again.”

Aiden was awake and apparently watching me jump through the mental Olympics of waking up. It should have made me feel self-conscious knowing he was watching me sleep. But it just felt sexy because, well, my brain and body agreed that everything he did was sexy.

I turned my head on the pillow toward the sound of his voice, opening my eyes approximately one millimeter, because if this was a hallucination, I never wanted to be sane again.

“Abbie…”

His deep voice took on that hint of amusement I only heard when he was talking to me.

Opening my eyes further, I brought my hand up to his chest and placed it over his heart. The steady beat reassured me. He wasn’t freaking out or regretting us. Thank God.

“Hi.” I gave him a shy smile, tempted to squeeze my eyes shut.

“Oh, don’t hide from me now. We’ve just gotten started.”

His smile broadened in a way I had never seen before. Was this Aiden Sullivan happy?

There was a shine in his eyes that definitely wasn’t a trick of the early morning sunlight. I was seeing him truly relaxed for the first time in all the months that I had known him.

I rubbed my hand back and forth over his heart, loving the warm, firm muscles of his chest under my palm.

“I’m not hiding. I’m just making sure I’m not dreaming.” I slapped a hand over my mouth. “Forget I said that! I have no filter with you.”

He outright laughed as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to his chest.

“God, you are absolutely adorable.”

“Just what a woman wants to hear the morning after,” I grumbled.

He took my chin in his hand and tilted it upward so I was looking into his eyes.

“You are adorable, Abbie. You are also brilliant, kind, loyal, and gorgeous, both inside and out. I like all parts of you. I never want you to filter your thoughts with me.”

The pink of my cheeks heated to what I was sure was bright red at this point. I might just spontaneously combust at this point.

“Ah, you don’t have to be embarrassed. You are all those things, even though I know you might have a hard time believing them. Don’t worry, I won’t tire of telling you.”

He seemed determined to run me through the gamut of emotions before breakfast. Now, I felt the telltale sting of tears behind my eyes. I blinked a couple of times to clear them, but one traitorous drop fell down my cheek. He caught it with his thumb and gently brushed it from my skin.

“This can work, Abbie. I know we don’t have everything figured out yet, and we will talk about that later. But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be with you.”

His eyes radiated a certainty that I had caught glimpses of in other moments between us. For the first time, I didn’t see any doubts or fears clouding their depths. It took my breath away.

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