Chapter 39
Aria’s POV
I exhaled deeply once everyone else had left the private dining room. Finally, just Aiden and me.
But that lipstick stain on his collar kept drawing my attention like a neon sign. The bright red mark was still there, mocking me, reminding me of our awkward moment in the car.
“Um, Aiden?” I hesitated, my voice coming out softer than intended. “Your collar He turned to me, one eyebrow slightly raised. “What about it p>
I gestured vaguely toward his neck, not wanting to directly mention the lipstick. “Could you… maybe bend down a little p>
Aiden studied my face for a moment before leaning down slightly.
My heart hammered in my chest as I reached up, fingers trembling slightly as I adjusted his collar.
I carefully folded it in a way that would hide the lipstick stain, hyper-aware of how close we were standing.
His cologne enveloped me – subtle, expensive, and distinctly him.
From this close, I could see details I’d never noticed before – the barely-there flecks of gold in his dark eyes, the perfect curve of his lips.
Those lips that had been inches from mine in the car earlier.
I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling hot all over. What was wrong with me? This was Aiden Carter, my husband in name only. The man who’d married me for a business deal.
Yet I couldn’t deny how drawn I felt to him in this moment, how easy it would be to lean forward and close that small distance p>
I snapped back to reality, feeling heat rise to my cheeks as I stepped back. “All fixed,” I said, my voice coming out embarrassingly breathless.
“Thank you,” Aiden replied simply, his voice neutral.
The straightforward response helped my racing heartbeat gradually return to normal.
Aiden checked his watch. “It’s getting late. We should head out p>
Without waiting for my response, he placed his hand lightly against the small of my back, guiding me toward the door.
His touch was surprisingly gentle yet firm, steering me out of the room and down the hallway toward the elevators.
As we rounded the corner, a waiter carrying a tray full of dishes appeared suddenly. Aiden reacted instantly, pulling me against him to avoid the collision.
My body slammed against his chest-hard, solid muscle beneath expensive fabric.
The sudden movement brought our faces dangerously close, his lips accidentally grazing mine in a whisper of contact that couldn’t even be called a kiss, yet sent electricity coursing through every nerve in my body.
I gasped, my lips tingling from that fleeting touch, my entire body suddenly hyper- aware of his proximity.
My breasts pressed against his chest, his arm locked firmly around my waist, holding me steady against him.
But Aiden straightened immediately, acting as though nothing had happened. Had he not felt it? Or was he simply that good at maintaining his composure?
He shot the waiter a cold look. “Watch where you’re going p>
“I’m terribly sorry, sir, ma’am!”The waiter went pale, nodded quickly, and hurried away.
Aiden turned back to me, his hand still steady on my back, his voice softer now. “Are you alright p>
I nodded, trying to calm my racing heart. “I’m fine. Thank you for catching me p>
His eyes lingered on mine for a moment, then the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “Anytime p>
We continued walking toward the elevators, as we waited for the elevator, I suddenly heard someone call out.
“Aiden Carter! What a pleasant surprise p>
I turned to see a distinguished older gentleman approaching us, smiling broadly.
Clearly someone from Aiden’s business circle.
“Mr. Donovan,” Aiden greeted him with a slight nod. “How are you p>
“Excellent, excellent,” the man replied, his curious eyes darting between Aiden and
me. The question in his gaze was obvious – who was I?
I braced myself for an awkward introduction or perhaps being completely overlooked. But then Aiden did something that caught me completely off guard.
“This is Aria Jones,” he said, his voice clear and matter-of-fact. “My wife p>
My wife. Not “this is Aria” or some vague introduction that would leave my status ambiguous. He’d claimed me, publicly and without hesitation.
I felt my cheeks warm as Mr. Donovan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise before he quickly composed himself.
“Mrs. Carter! A pleasure to meet you,” he said, extending his hand. “James Donovan, old friend of the Carter Group p>
I shook his hand, hoping mine wasn’t trembling too noticeably. “Nice to meet you too, Mr. Donovan p>
The elevator arrived with a soft ding, saving me from further conversation.
“Well, I won’t keep you two,” Mr. Donovan said, seeming to sense the need for a graceful exit. “Congratulations on your marriage. Perhaps we can all have dinner sometime p>
“Perhaps,” Aiden replied noncommittally as he guided me into the elevator.
As the doors closed, I finally released the breath I’d been holding. That wasn’t so bad. No awkward questions about our sudden marriage, no pointed remarks about my history with Liam.
We reached the lobby quickly, and I saw that Aiden’s driver had already brought the car around to the entrance.
Aiden guided me through the doors with that same gentle pressure at my back, then opened the car door for me himself rather than waiting for the driver.
As I slid into the plush leather seat, my mind kept replaying Aiden’s words: “My wife.” Two simple words that shouldn’t have affected me so strongly.
What did this mean? Aiden had introduced me as his wife without hesitation, almost… proudly?
No, that couldn’t be right. This was just part of our arrangement, wasn’t it?
I snuck a glance at Aiden’s profile as he stared straight ahead at the road. His expression revealed nothing, as usual.
The realization suddenly hit me – someday, we would definitely divorce. That was the agreement. But strangely, I found myself not wanting that anymore. At least not right now.
Lillian’s teasing words from last week echoed in my mind: “If you want to keep him, maybe you should try the oldest trick in the book – seduce him into staying p>
I stole another glance at Aiden, taking in his perfect profile, the strong line of his jaw, those lips p>
God, what was I thinking? Seduce Aiden Carter? I’d probably make a complete fool of myself.
“What are you thinking about?” Aiden asked suddenly, catching me staring at him.
My mouth moved faster than my brain could catch up. “I’m thinking about how to seduce you p>
The words hung in the air between us. My eyes widened in horror as I realized what I’d just blurted out.
The car suddenly felt impossibly small and airless. I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole.