Page 60 of Reclaimed

“Is he….” Benjamin lowers his voice for the rest of the question. His words are swallowed in the wind.

“That’s my boyfriend.” Isla flashes me a quick smile, some of the light returning to her eyes. A heat blooms in my stomach at hearing her mention it so casually, so easily, in a way that feels right and not fake at all.

“Okay. Good. Kelly’s been asking about you. We haven’t seen you out since you moved back.”

“Things have been a little crazy.” Isla shrugs. “Tell your girlfriend to give me a call and we can set up lunch or something. She can bring Carter.”

I don’t catch what he says next, but his parting statement is clear. “Say hi to Juniper for me.”

“I will. See you Monday.”

Isla waves as she returns to my side. She holds up the two Styrofoam containers. “Dinner. Thank goodness he remembered, because I’m starving.”

“Sorry.” I clear my throat. “I forgot.” The headlights flash on my sedan as I unlock the car for her and open her door. She slides safely in, and I close her inside.

“Good friend?” I ask as I crank the engine.

“Used to be. Juniper and I would go out with Benjamin and his girlfriend Kelly a lot before I moved three years ago. I haven’t been out to the bars since I came back. For obvious reasons.” She waves a hand holding a fry over her stomach.

“I hope she calls you to set up lunch.”

“Me too. They have a small kid together, so it’d be nice to have an experienced mom in my circle of friends.”

While my mind whirls over tonight’s situation, she gabs and snacks on her fries the entire ride home.

I’m glad she isn’t rattled by the events. Either that or she covers her fear well.

Something I find deeply concerning.

16

Isla

“Ready for another performance, starshine?”Aiden’s hand tightens fractionally around mine. He holds the door open to the Sunset bar about thirty miles outside of Fairview Valley where almost all of his family and friends are waiting for us to arrive.

“I make a career out of entertaining, Powell. You can follow my lead.”

“Oh, really,” he smirks as I start to slip past. At his challenging remark, I change course.

Releasing his hand, I flatten my palms on his shirt, fighting to ignore the way his hard pecs flex and tense beneath my touch. For how much swagger Aiden has, he sure seems shy whenever I get my hands on him. Which isn’t often. Much less than my hormonal self would like.

He’s been sleeping in my bed ever since the night I invited him in and I think his proximity is having a rather… invigorating effect on my dreams. I woke up the other night nearly in a full-blown orgasm from a dream starring my attractive fakeboyfriend. Only the fact that it was seven in the morning had me climbing out of bed instead of on top of him like I wanted.

My flowy black skirt swishes around my ankles as I press into him, tilting my head so that my hair cascades down my back. He gazes down heatedly, his blue eyes glittering in the light from the bar. His jaw clenches and I feel him fist his hands at his sides.

“You can touch me,” I whisper seductively, leaning further into him. “It’s okay, lover. Put your hands on me.”

His large hands span my hips so quickly I squeak before I regain control. His fingers tense, clenching the softness on my body.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, starshine.”

“Am I?” I ask innocently and beat my lashes at him.

I gasp as he casually thrusts forward, pressing the evidence of his statement against my stomach. The reaction is instant. My thighs clench, my core tightens, everything below my belly button responds to the knowledge of what I’m doing to him. We’ve barely touched and I’m wet, and somehow I feel like I lost the upper hand.

“Yes,” he grits out between his teeth.

“Do you think they’ve noticed us yet?”

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