Page 28 of A Lifetime in 30 Days
Her expression must have screamed those words, because when he turned back to her, he gave her a tentative half smile. “I just meant I can pay your bills and mine if that’s what’s required. But I’m definitely not here to use or hurt you in any way.”
When she didn’t immediately respond, he reached for her hands, holding them both in his. “I didn’t know it was your birthday when I showed up at the funeral. But the one thing I did know was that if this turned out to be another shot with you, I wasn’t missing it again.”
Chapter 9
Later, after bowling and drinks and dancing at Glitz because Ronni had mentioned missing it last week, Vanna walked into her house recalling Aden’s words about not missing another shot with her.
“You sure about this?” he asked from behind her as he closed the door.
She turned to him and took a deep breath before replying, “Remember I told you tomorrow’s not promised?”
“I do.” He remained where he was and folded his arms over his chest. “And I agree. I’m just trying to be certain the three mojitos you had at the club weren’t making decisions for you.”
She closed the distance between them and reached out to push the hem of his hoodie up enough so that she could grasp the elastic band of the joggers he wore.
“First, I’m no lightweight—literally or figuratively. I can hold my liquor.” And because she’d already learned, when she’d tripped coming out of the club and he’d easily wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her, that Aden was a lot stronger than his athletically built body portrayed, she didn’t attempt to pull him to her. Instead, she took the final step, which had his folded arms pressing against her breasts and his growing arousal to her belly. “And second, I’ve never been an indecisive person. When I want something, I go get it.”
He let his arms fall down to his sides, slowly enough that the backs of his fingers brushed over her nipples, and she sucked in a breath.
“Earlier today you and your friend wanted to know what my intentions were toward you. Why I was back here after all this time. Now you’re ready to, what? Take me to bed because your body says that’s what you want?” he asked.
“Exactly,” she replied. “And look, it doesn’t have to be a big deal. We’re both consenting adults. I’m assuming you don’t have a wife or girlfriend that would make this an absolute no. So, unless your real reason for standing in my foyer instead of following me upstairs to my bedroom is that you don’t want me, I’ll lead the way.”
She stared at him, pulled her lower lip between her teeth, then smiled as she turned away and headed up the steps. But he grabbed the wrist of the hand that was just about to release his joggers and held her still.
“Wanting you has been an affliction for me since that day in the park,” he said. “But I’m not interested in being a Band-Aid or an itch you need to scratch.”
She huffed and rolled her eyes. “Really, Aden, the door is right behind you. It’s been a long night—hell, it’s been a long two weeks. I’m going to bed.”
This time when she tried to move away, he laced an arm around her waist while still holding her wrist in his other hand. Then, in a few steps, he turned her to the left and walked them back until her ass brushed the wall beside the table that held her keys and purse. “You should know before another minute ticks by that I stand on my business too. I know what I want from you and with you, what I’ve wanted for a very long time. So when I ask you to be sure, I mean I want you to be sure you’re ready for this.”
The edge to his words, the bass in his tone, the simmering heat in his eyes, kept her body still and sent her hormones soaring. When she’d planned this bowling event, she never would’ve imagined it could end this way—not even when he’d invited himself to come along. She hadn’t expected to ever see him again, and if she were being totally honest, she was still reeling from the funeral, his appearance, her arrest,all that dramatic shit that should’ve had her teetering on the brink of a nervous breakdown.
But none of that seemed to matter in this moment, nor did the point she suspected he was trying to make. All Vanna wanted was a blissful sexual release. She wanted ... no,neededit, like an addict needed whatever it was that they craved. And dammit, it was her FFSF month, so she was gonna get it!
“I hear you, Aden,” she replied. “Now, are we going upstairs, or are you leaving?”
He didn’t leave, and moments later they were walking into her bedroom. She went straight to her bed to sit and untie the tennis shoes she’d worn with her jeans and white bodysuit. She had just set them to the side when she felt his presence more than saw him. When she’d come into the room, she’d known he was right behind her, but he’d stopped in the doorway to look around. Now, as she sat up, it was to see that he’d crossed the room and was standing directly in front of her.
“Stand up,” he told her, and again, there was something about the deepness in his tone. It was different from his usual voice, tinged with just a hint of dominance that she had to admit turned her all the way on. So she stood.
His arm was around her waist again, but this time he didn’t stop there. With that one arm, he pulled her into him, his hand snaking down beneath the band of her jeans to rub directly over the bodysuit she wore. With his other hand, he cupped her cheek and whispered, “Savannah,” before his lips touched hers.
It couldn’t exactly be described as a touch—it was so brief that maybe it was more of a brush—but he didn’t even give her the time to figure it out. His tongue was extended in the next second, licking her bottom, then her top, lip, then pressing between them both to take her mouth in a deep, tumultuous assault that had every nerve in her body standing at attention. Arousal had already been brewing just beneath the surface for her all night. Aden was fine, he smelled good, he had his own money, he got along with her friends, he’d paid for herlawyer. Check. Check. Check. Check! He’d checked every damn box she could’ve imagined if she were the type to have a checklist for the kind of man who turned her on. Of course, she’d never been that type, but he was fitting the bill, and if he kept kissing her like he was, he would have her ringing the bell to satisfaction in no time.
When he finally tore his mouth away from hers to drag wet kisses down her neck, she panted and whispered, “Um, I was ... I was gonna ... ahhhh ... take a quick shower.”
His hand moved from her cheek to lightly grip her neck now as he kissed the swells of her breasts just above the neckline of the bodysuit. “Mmmm-hmmmm,” he moaned. “Let’s take that shower.”
It was hot and soapy and as erotic as people loved to imagine a shower with a sexy man should be, but it was what happened after the shower that Vanna was certain she’d never forget. The moment he’d gently pushed her still-damp body onto her bed and watched her with a sexy grin as he sheathed himself with a condom. Her knees were pushed back until they were near her face, and she was panting his name before he was fully buried inside her. If her FFSF celebration were to end here tonight, she would declare this as the best birthday present ever!
“I talked to Caleb when I first came back to town,” Aden said after their second shower.
Vanna lay on her back, wearing a pair of her favorite night shorts and tank top, with him right beside her in his boxers. It was almost three in the morning, and she felt like she was floating on a cloud. Her goal had been sexual satisfaction, but Aden had been an amazing overachiever. She probably should’ve suspected that from his swagger and confidence, but she was more than happy to have found out from firsthand experience.
“So he knew you were here,” she said, and continued to stare up at the ceiling. “I guess he wouldn’t have told me, since we were separated.”And she was sure Caleb had no clue about the times when they were in school and she’d stared at Aden a little too long. Hell, Aden probably didn’t even know that.
“We hung out a few times. And a few of the brothers were planning a trip out to Sedona for a week around Thanksgiving. Caleb was excited for the trip,” he said.
