Thorned Embrace, page 12
He hesitates, his eyes dropping to the floor. “That’s when I started writing the letters.”
My eyes widen, his words setting in. “There are more?”
Nodding his head, embarrassment creeps over his face. “A few.”
He isn’t saying it, but I get the feeling there are a lot more letters. Warmth blossoms under my skin, and I know I need to read them. “Will you give them to me?”
“You want them?” His brows lift in surprise, and his hazel eyes fill with hope.
I nod my head. “Yes, I want them. All of them.”
My thoughts drifts back to all those nights laying in my bed reading every word he wrote wishing they were for me. And they were. Aiden wrote them for me.
The thought doesn’t seem real. Tears prick at the edges of my vision.
Aiden shifts closer. “Please don’t cry. I am so sorry. What I’ve done is nothing less than cowardice.”
I shake my head, because I don’t want him to apologize. I’m not crying for the reason, he thinks. He thinks I hate him, that I despise him for lying to me and hiding this from me. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Forcing myself to turn away, I take in the room again. All the flowers, the romantic candlelight dinner. “You did all of this for me?”
He nods his head, and a muscle in his jaws ticks. “I don’t think you understand what I would do for you.”
“But why? What have I ever done to deserve all this?” Staring at him, a sense of wonder fills me.
“I don’t think you see yourself clearly, Lilly Lane.” He shakes his head, glancing down at our hands like he can’t believe that he’s touching me. “I’ve never been able to get enough of you. You don’t put up with any of my bullshit. You have the kindest soul of anyone I’ve ever met.”
I stare down at him, trying to visualize myself through his eyes. “Why not just ask me out on a date?”
“I thought you didn’t like me.” He raises one brow. “There wasn’t a chance in hell you would have said yes, is there?”
I laugh for the first time, shaking my head. “You’ve got me there.”
The tension in his shoulder lessens visibly at the shift in my tone. His grip tightens on my hands, growing bolder. “The first time I saw you, I knew I’d never be the same.”
Without understanding why, I reach out, running one hand down the length of his jaw. His eyes close as if he’s savoring each second my skin touches his.
When his eyes open again, his voice drops, growing huskier. “Seeing you in that coffee shop was like seeing the sun for the first time.”
I try to remember, but I can only view it through his eyes. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember.”
Laughing, he shakes his head. “Don’t be. I wouldn’t expect you to.”
His intense gaze scans me from head to toe before he asks, “Do you think you can stand?”
When I nod, he stands before pulling me to my feet. “I want you to see something.”
Without letting go of my hand, we walk towards the rows of flowers. I marvel at their raw beauty. “Where did you get these?”
“I had to special order them.” Squeezing my hand reassuringly, he adds, “I couldn’t order them from you. That would have been suspicious.”
My eyes catch on a flash of white paper at the base of each vase. “What are those?”
His cheeks turn red as he looks down at me with intensity in his eyes. “They’re your letters.”
Turning in a circle, I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I’ve never been the best at guessing, but there has to be at least a hundred vases.
He turns me to face him and wraps one arm around my waist to pull me closer. “Is this okay?”
As his body presses against mine, warmth engulfs me, sinking until it settles deep within me. Closing my eyes, I lean into him. A sense of calm I have never known washes over me, and every piece of the puzzle shifts into place inside of me.
“So when you turned me down last night, it wasn’t because you didn’t want me?”
Surprise flashes in expression, his arms tightening around my waist possessively. “Did it feel like I didn’t want you?”
He presses against me, and every inch of my body buzzes with electricity. Looking deep into his eyes, I see every word he wrote staring back at me. Shaking my head, I can’t deny our chemistry or the way my body reacts to him.
But an ounce of doubt chips away at me. “Is this why you’ve given my shop so much business over the years?”
My words shock him. He pulls away to look down at me, a deep v creasing his brows. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”
My words have hurt him, but I need to know. I need to know if what’s happening between us is real and if his business in my shop is real as well. “I don’t want to believe it.”
He closes the space between us. His hand moves to the back of my neck, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Getting to see you was just an added benefit.”
“Abby told me.” He shakes his head, clearly not understanding, so I continue. “That you won’t work with anyone else.”
A chuckle rumbles from deep within his chest, and he inches closer, not breaking eye contact. “I have high standards for my clients. You should know better than anyone that I expect perfection.”
His lips almost brush against mine as he continues. “You aren’t just a florist, Lilly. You are an artist. That is why I only work with you.”
His words send a flurry of emotions through me. He’s so close I’d only have to lean forward an inch and his lips would be on mine.
“Promise me this is real.”
A smirk tugs the corners of his lip into a smile. “Lilly, there is nothing in this life that is more important to me than you. You are the only thing I can’t bear to lose.”
Bridging the distance between us, he presses a tentative kiss to the corner of my mouth. “Does this feel real to you?”
His breath tickles my skin, and it takes everything in me to put together a coherent thought. This is real. This is happening.
Through a shuddering breath, I nod my head. “Yes.”
The words barely leave my mouth before he presses his lips to mine. Every thought vanishes from my mind, and all I can feel is Aiden. His grip on my neck pulls me in closer. His touch is timid at first, then grows more possessive with each passing second. His other arm wraps around my waist, pressing me flush against his body.
I’ve been kissed before, but nothing has ever felt like this.
My arms wrap around him, needing him closer. My skin burns with a heat I’ve never felt before. The alcohol must have dulled my senses because even last night is nothing compared to this.
Need burns through my veins, and I sigh against his lips as he pulls away.
I blink through the lightheaded, giddy state he’s left me in and look up at him through my eyelashes. Intense eyes stare down at me, and it’s like he’s trying to see into my soul.
“Will you be mine already?” His words are a whisper, but they rattle me to my core.
I smile, pulling his lips back to mine just to whisper against them. “I already am.”
In an instant, his hesitation melts away. Devouring lips press into mine, and my hands move, tugging gently at his brown hair. He groans against my lips and a giggle slips from mine.
He whispers the same words I said to him last night. “What are you doing to me?”
With my teeth, I nibble at his bottom lip, eliciting another deep groan from him. I whisper back, “The real question is, what are you doing to me?”
He shakes his head. As I pull away, I can’t help but notice the way his eyes sparkle as something mischievous enters his gaze.
His eyes darken from liquid amber to a warm whiskey. “The real question isn’t what am I doing to you. The real question is, what am I going to do to you?”
Blood rushes to my cheeks at the dirty images his words illicit.
In a flash, he lifts me off my feet, my legs wrap around him. His free hand slips into my hair. He pulls softly against the strands, and my head falls back. His lips find my neck, trailing soft kisses from my jawline to my collarbone. A moan slips from my lips and I can feel him smile against my neck.
Leaning forward, my lips find his. His tongue traces my lower lip, coaxing me to grant him access. Opening my mouth, I allow him in. Heat pools deep within me as he deepens the kiss. And just like last night, I want more.
I bite at his lip, then run my tongue along it to ease the sting. The groan that escapes his lips drives my hands into his hair. Letting go of my neck, he places both hands on my ass. Before I know what he’s doing, he’s walking us back towards the table.
He breaks the kiss, positioning himself over the chair before he lowers us on to it. His hands land on my hips, pulling me flush against him. My core presses against something rock hard, and our combined heat drives me insane.
Sinking my nails into his shoulders, I push myself against his length, rubbing my core against him in a slow, deliberate motion. The bottom of my dress pools at my waist, tantalizingly close to revealing everything I’m wearing underneath.
His grip on my hips is punishing. Speaking low into my ear, he growls. “Baby, if we don’t stop-.”
I draw his lips in for another kiss, not letting him finish his sentence. Pulling back, I finish the sentence for him. “You’re going to lose control.”
He nods his head breathlessly.
I’m lightheaded, but the way he stares at me makes me bold. I roll my hips into him again. “Then I’ll stop, if you want me to.”
He groans, as if this is the hardest thing he’s ever done. “Lilly, please.”
I smile against his lips, rolling my hips against him again. “Lilly, please what?”
I know I’m teasing him, but I can’t help it. He makes it too easy. “Don’t make me take you here, baby. Let me take you home and do this right.”
Stilling my hips, I run my hands over his shoulders and down his chest. Even through clothes, I can feel how firm his muscles are.
“How would you do it right?” He raises one eyebrow at me, and I laugh. “I want to know all my options. How else is a girl supposed to decide?”
Running one hand down the length of my back, he leans back. “You know how diligent I can be when I’m not rushed.”
His hand traces the curve of my hip and trails the edge of my dress. He tilts his head, forcing me to meet his eyes. I know he’s silently asking my permission, and with my lip pulled between my teeth, I nod my head.
His hand disappears beneath my dress, and the tips of his fingers trail along my apex.
His head lands on the nape of my neck, and I feel his growl rumble through me. “You’re fucking soaked for me, baby.”
“Am I?” I don’t even recognize my voice. Just one touch, and I might hyperventilate.
Fingers skim the fabric again, and I feel him watching me. Through hooded eyes, I glance up at him. He nods his head, and I feel his length twitch against me. My eyes widen, enjoying the lazy path his fingers trace against me.
His gaze turns questioning the longer he stares at me.
“What?” I ask, and his fingers slow until they stop.
“Have you ever done this before?” His fierce gaze pierces me.
But his question confuses me. “Done what?”
“Any of this?”
A blush creeps up my neck, turning my face red. I can’t say the words, so I shake my head.
Understanding fills his face. He knows what I mean even if I can’t say it.
He removes his hand from under my dress. “Then we are going to do this right.”
Pulling me forward, he rests his head against mine. “I want all of you. There’s no need to rush. I will wait as long as I need to.”
I grumble, pouting even as he holds me against him. “But I don’t want to wait.”
Leaning forward, he kisses the corner of my mouth before pulling me into him again. “I promise it’ll be worth it.”
A sigh escapes my lips, and I know he’s right. Neither of us wants our first time together to be in an event room of a hotel.
I move to stand, but he holds me against him. “Are you really mine?”
I stare into his eyes. How can I possibly convey everything that has changed in these last few months? How can I possibly convey how he makes me feel?
I repeat the words I read over and over the last few months. “Every time I close my eyes, you are all I see.”
His hands move to my face, pulling me towards him one last time. He whispers against my lips, “No matter what happens, my heart will always belong to you.”
Smiling against his lips, I say words I never thought I’d say to Aiden Cole, the most annoying man I’ve ever known. “I love you too.”
The End
BONUS CHAPTER
RAVEN INSTRUCTS US to sit, and we both oblige, turning our backs on each other. From the corner of my eye, I catch sight of a pout forming on Spencer’s face, when Raven tells him, “Keep your eyes forward, no peaking.”
Corey snickers, yelling out, “Come on man, can’t you keep your eyes off of her for more than five minutes?”
I can hear Spencer’s jaw tense and I know he’s grinding his teeth. “Not if I don’t have to.”
Raven pins him with a glare. “Well, you have too.”
I reach back and gently squeeze his hand, and his muscles relax under my touch. It takes everything I have to keep from turning in my chair just to see his face.
Raven signals to Lilly and she stands and makes her way to stand in front of me. Raven points her finger at my shoes and Lilly bends down on one knee to remove my shoes. Her cheeks are tinted pink with embarrassment, but I give her a small reassuring smile. She smiles back, the tension in her shoulders disappearing. She places one in my hand before moving to pass the other to Spencer.
Raven hands me one of Spencer’s dress shoe before turning to face the spectators. “Before me, I have a list of questions for our soon to be bride and groom. Let’s see how well their answers line up.”
I know I should be nervous. That’s the point of this whole game. With Spencer at my back, every ounce of anxiety melts away.
“Let’s start off with an easy one.” She turns back to face us, an inquisitive look passing over her face. “Who is the best cook?”
I narrow my eyes at her. She would start off hitting below the belt.
My siblings and their spouses laugh as we both raise Spencer’s shoe.
I can’t resist peeking over one shoulder to see Spencer’s response. I’m not surprised to see his shoe is in the air. Laughter makes my shoulders shake. “At least there’s one thing we can both agree on. I’m a terrible cook.”
There’s a smile in Spencer’s voice when he says, “At least I didn’t say it.”
“Hey!” I try to swat at him over my head, but I miss.
“Next question. Let’s make it a little harder this time.” Raven circles us like a hunter and we are her prey. There’s a playful gleam in her eye that should scare me. “Who is the better driver?”
All the men laugh, except for Aiden, when we both raise a heel.
Raven chuckles, raising her eyebrows at the spectators. “Now that one is unexpected. Care to explain yourself, Mr. Grant?”
Spencer laughs unapologetically. The sound warms every inch of me. “I live in a big city. I don’t need to drive very often.”
“You’re also terrible at it,” I whisper under my breath.
The room breaks into laughter again. Over the noise, Spencer says, “Low blow, babe.”
For a second I think I’ve hurt his feelings, but he takes my hand, tracing small circles into my skin. My skin burns from the simplest touch, and I give his hand a small squeeze. He squeezes back and I know he is feeling the same scorching heat burning where our skin meets.
Raven passes by Sarah and hands her the clipboard. Her eyes trace down the page of unasked questions before she calls out, “Who takes longer to get ready?”
We both hold up a heel.
“That’s too easy.” Spencer calls out, “Give us something harder.”
“Who is messier?” Corey calls out, taking the list from his wife before passing it on to my brother Ryan.
Everyone takes turns bombarding us with a few more silly questions.
“Who is the bigger spender?”
The answer is unanimously Spencer. He never has learned to say no to his perfectly tailored suits, and I could never fault him for that. A little eye candy never hurt anyone.
“Who planned the honeymoon?”
Heels fly into the air. Spencer wanted to plan it, but we both agreed planning our trips was definitely my strong suit.
This goes on until all of my siblings and their spouses have played. Then the board gets passed to Raven’s brother, Riley.
A deep v forms between his brows as he reflects on the list in front of him. Riley raises one eyebrow, a devious look filling his eyes before he shouts, “Who made the first move?”
I hold up a heel.
My sister-in-law Natasha gasps, and Spencer turns around in his chair to view my answer at the same time I spin around to see his. For the first time, our answers deviate.
We stare at each other, disbelief clouding both of our faces.
Raven takes a step back, sipping from her champagne glass, smug accomplishment settling over her perfect features. “Now this just won’t do. Explain yourselves.”
I turn fully in my chair, needing to look Spencer in the eyes. “You don’t really think you made the first move, do you?”
“I know I did,” he retorts, a small laugh rumbling in his chest.
My thoughts race through the beginning of our relationship. The snowball fight and our first kiss. He asked to kiss me, and everything else just melted away. But we were toeing the line of first moves long before that kiss.
The spectators titter with laughter, hiding their smiles behind hands or whatever alcoholic beverage they are drinking. The guests grow noisier as the silence stretches between us.
His stare turns knowing, as he arches an eyebrow at me.
“I was sure I was-,” but I stop speaking when he slowly shakes his head.
