Chapter 93
Aria’s POV
Hearing my words, Aiden’s gaze intensified as he studied my face for a moment. “I see. Wait here, I’ll have something sent up p>
The moment he said this, my face instantly flushed crimson. I nodded weakly. “Oh… thank you p>
Is there anyone more embarrassed than me right now? I seriously doubted it.
I numbly closed the door, leaning against it with a sigh. Everything that had happened tonight felt like some bizarre dream. Not a single thing had gone according to plan.
Ten minutes later, I opened the bathroom door again. The replacement dress was a stunning black number with a hemline that stopped just above my knees. The underwear problem had been discreetly solved-thank God.
With limited time, I’d only managed to half-dry my hair. My makeup, though not completely ruined, had definitely seen better days.
Aiden rose from the sofa as I emerged. “Let’s go,” he said simply.
“What? We’re just leaving?” I asked, surprised. Wouldn’t that be incredibly rude?
“Yes p>
Clearly, with Aiden Carter, social niceties were optional. He didn’t even hesitate as he guided me from the room to the elevator and down to the lobby. His driver was already waiting outside with the car door open.
I slid into the backseat, and seconds later, Aiden settled beside me. As the car pulled away from the hotel, my mind drifted back to the pool incident.
“Aiden, can I ask you something?” I ventured.
He raised an eyebrow, silently giving me permission.
“Claire is there something not quite right with her?” I tapped my temple with my finger. What normal person would do what she just did?
Aiden gave me a measured look. “Next time, don’t engage with her p>
“Right. Of course p>
Lesson learned. I was too impulsive.
Silence fell between us. I turned to stare out the window, suddenly aware that my hair was still damp, especially underneath where the blow dryer couldn’t reach. The car’s air conditioning was blasting, making the wet strands feel ice-cold against my neck.
I instinctively wrapped my arms around myself, trying to suppress a shiver. Aiden, who’d been resting with his eyes closed, looked over at me. “Cold p>
The driver immediately responded, “Mrs. Carter, is the AC too low? I’ll adjust it p>
He reached to turn up the temperature, but Aiden’s voice cut through the car: “Turn off the AC completely. Open the windows instead p>
“No, don’t turn it off,” I protested quickly. “It’s not that cold. Just turning it up a bit would be fine.” It was sweltering outside—we’d be miserable without any air conditioning.
Aiden didn’t reply verbally. Instead, he reached over and took my hand in his. “Not cold p>
My hand was like ice against his warm palm, completely betraying my words.
“It’s just my hands that get cold, I swear,” I said, feeling embarrassed.
Aiden gave me another one of those penetrating looks but didn’t relent. The windows rolled down, letting in the night air—warm, thick, and heavy with summer heat.
As we drove through the city streets, the wind tousled my half-dry hair. I noticed Aiden watching me, his gaze intense enough to make my skin tingle.
“We never finished what we started at the club,” he said, his voice dropping to that deep, velvety register that did something funny to my insides.
My breath caught as memories of that scorching kiss in the VIP room flooded back. His hands in my hair, his body pressing mine, the way his tongue p>
“Are you blushing, Aria p>
I swallowed hard, meeting his eyes. “Are you trying to seduce me, Mr. Carter p>
“Would you like me to?” The corner of his mouth lifted in that barely-there smile that made my heart race.
The air between us felt electric,
charged with something dangerous and exciting. I was suddenly very aware of how little was wearing beneath this dress, and how easy it would be for his hand to slide up my
thigh p>
“I think,” I said carefully, my voice betraying me with a slight tremor, “that you already know the answer to that p>
Aiden’s eyes darkened as he shifted closer to me in the backseat. His fingers traced a featherlight path from my knee upward, stopping just shy of where the dress hem rested against my thigh. “Tell me anyway p>
God, his touch was setting my skin on fire. “You know this is crazy, right?” I whispered, even as I leaned closer to him.
“Crazy would be pretending there isn’t something between us,” he murmured his breath warm against my ear. “I’ve wanted you since the moment saw you in that dress picked for you. I wanted to fuck you hard right then and there p>
“Oh, really?” I tried to sound offended, but it came out breathless as his lips brushed against the sensitive spot just below my ear.
“Yes,” he corrected, and I felt his smile against my skin. His hand slid higher, bunching the fabric of my dress. “Say it, Aria. Tell me you want me too p>
My head fell back as his lips trailed down my neck. “I want you,” I admitted, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “God, Aiden, I want you so much it scares me p>
His mouth found mine in a kiss that was nothing like the controlled possession from the club. This was raw, hungry a claiming. His tongue swept into my mouth as his hand cupped my bare thigh, his fingers digging into my flesh with barely restrained desire.
I moaned into his mouth, forgetting completely about the driver, about where we
were, about everything except the feel of Aiden’s hands on my body.
When he finally pulled back, we were both breathing hard. His eyes were nearly black with desire, his usual composure nowhere to be found.
“When we get home,” he promised, his voice rough with need, “I’m going to take my time with you. Every. Inch p>
The way he said it—like a vow, like a threat, like a promise-made me clench my thighs together, desperately seeking some relief from the ache building between them.
“Is that a promise, Mr. Carter?” I managed to ask, surprised I could still form words at all.
His answer was a smile that was pure sin. “That’s a guarantee, Mrs. Carter p>
The rest of the ride home was the sweetest torture I’d ever experienced.