She continued her running monologue until they pulled up in front of the hotel. Aiden helped her out of the car, waited while she thanked Cavanaugh, and then said, “The bill will be zip.”
“What does that mean?” she asked.
As they crossed the lobby, Aiden twice stopped to answer questions from the staff. He inserted his card in the elevator slot, and the doors opened.
“The bill was taken care of,” he said as they entered and the doors closed.
“By whom? Oh no, Aiden. I’m paying for my clothes, not you.”
He was ignoring her while he read a text. She poked him in his chest. “I said—”
“I heard you.”
“All right, then.”
She assumed he had agreed with her. Mollified, she said, “I appreciate the offer. I don’t want you to think I’m not grateful . . . Oh my God, you’re so rude,” she declared, raising her voice. “You shouldn’t text while someone is talking to you.”
Her indignation was short-lived. His smile could melt the hardest of hearts. He put his phone back in his pocket just as the elevator doors opened to their foyer.
“What do you want to eat? You haven’t had dinner,” he said.
“I’m not hungry.” She hurried across the living room to get to her bedroom. “Maybe just a hamburger. That would be nice . . . and French fries. I really shouldn’t have fries . . . and a milk shake. Chocolate, please. I deserve it after the night I’ve had.”
He stood in the middle of the foyer watching her disappear into her room.
“And no cheese,” she called out. “Oh, and pickles, please. Lots of pickles.” As she was closing her door, she said, “That’s a lot to remember. Just wait until I change, and I’ll order.”
Aiden looked around the living room and shook his head. Her scarf was on the back of the sofa. Her purse, which was the size of a suitcase, was on the floor, and her shoes were under a chair. What looked like a tube of lipstick was on the coffee table next to a pair of reading glasses and a leather-bound book he was sure had something to do with chemistry. On the wingback chair was a packet of tissues. Why in God’s name would she leave tissues on a chair? It looked as though a whirlwind had gone through, but it was just clutter, he told himself. And he hated clutter. Yet her clutter didn’t bother him. What was that about?
THIRTEEN
On her way to the bedroom Cordie pulled the pins out of her hair and ran her fingers through the thick strands. She should have taken off the gown before she washed her face, but she couldn’t wait another second. The Spackle Miss Marie called makeup was making her skin itch like mad. She was careful not to get a single drop of water on the gown, and once she had patted her face dry and applied a little moisturizer, she felt so much better. Cinderella was gone, and plain old Cordie was back, which she much preferred. Dressing like a princess took way too much time and work, though she had to admit that walking into the Gallery Ball on Aiden’s arm had been a little bit magical.
Carefully she removed the gown, hung it on the special hanger Miss Marie had provided, then zipped it in the garment bag and put it in the closet. It was chilly in her bedroom, so she slipped into a navy-blue silk nightgown. She didn’t think her clingy silk robe would be appropriate, so she put on one of the thick terry-cloth robes the hotel provided.
Aiden knocked on the door. “Food’s here.”
He wasn’t supposed to have ordered it, but she was glad he had because her stomach was grumbling. She hurried out into the living room. He had changed into a white undershirt and a pair of old jeans. They rode low on his hips, making him look all the more sexy.
Aiden, phone to his ear, pulled the chair from the table for her and handed her a napkin. She didn’t know whom he was talking to, but from his tone of voice she could tell he wasn’t happy with what he was hearing.
“Which leg?” she heard him ask. A few seconds later he said, “Yeah, I’ll tell her hello.”
He disconnected the call, dropped the phone on the table, and sat down across from her. “Spencer says hello.”
“Did he have bad news?” she asked. “You sounded angry.”
“Walker was in another crash.”
“Was anyone hurt?” she asked.
“Just Walker,” he answered. “He broke his right leg and destroyed a two-hundred-thousand-dollar Lamborghini.”
Aiden’s jaw clenched, and she knew the real reason he was so angry. “You don’t care about the car. Walker could have killed himself. That’s why you’re so upset,” she said.
He shrugged. “I’m too angry to be worried. He’s not going to stop until he kills himself or someone else. It’s going to be a disaster. I see it coming, but I can’t . . .”
“Control him.”
He nodded; then he abruptly changed the subject. “What did Liam mean when he said he would see you tomorrow?”
Cordie cut her hamburger in half and said, “This thing is huge. Would you like some?”
“No.”
“You’re just going to eat sushi? That’s not very filling.”
He reached across the table and took half of her hamburger. “Answer my question.”
“While Liam and I were sitting at the table tonight, he asked me if I would like to climb to the top of the Harbour Bridge. It’s a thing here,” she added.
Smiling, he said, “Yes, I know.”
“But you need to go before dawn.”
He nodded again. “I know. I’ve done it. It’s impressive, watching the sun come up over the water.”
“It sounded exciting, but I declined.”
“Why?”
“Climbing to the top of anything doesn’t appeal to me.”
“Are you afraid of heights?”
“Not unreasonably so.”
“If you declined his invitation, why is he calling you tomorrow?”
“To do some sightseeing,” she said. “I didn’t know if I would be available or not.”
“You won’t be,” he said firmly.
“I won’t. Why not?”
“You’ll be going with me.”
His phone rang. He saw who was calling and said, “Sorry, I’ve got to take this.” He stood and crossed the room to the window. Cordie ate half the hamburger and a couple of fries, but she didn’t touch the milk shake. Her stomach hadn’t calmed down as much as she had thought. She drank a bottle of water instead. When she was finished, she went back into her bathroom and brushed her teeth. Her mind was on Walker. He was so different from his brothers, Aiden and Spencer, and his sister. They were all hardworking and responsible. Walker wasn’t. He never had been. He was the ultimate playboy, and she worried he didn’t have any sense of right and wrong. She thought about that while she brushed her hair. How could that have happened with such moral siblings? Regan, especially, was such a kindhearted woman, always thinking about the needs of others. Walker seemed to have room to think only about himself. He had never had to work for anything. And maybe that was the problem. Aiden had always felt a certain responsibility for Walker and, as he did in his dealings with almost everyone, he needed to take charge, to make things right. Maybe it was time for Aiden to step back and take a long, hard look at his relationship with his brother. He needed to see that he couldn’t change Walker . . . or save him from himself. She hated to watch the anxiety cross Aiden’s face whenever his brother made another bad decision, but she wanted him to know she understood.
She went in search of Aiden. His phone was on the coffee table, but he was nowhere in sight. The table with their dinner had already been removed, though she hadn’t heard anyone come in or leave. His bedroom door was open. She knocked and called his name.
“What do you need?” he asked. He was around the corner by the window plugging in his laptop.
She leaned against the doorframe. “Why do you always ask me that? I don’t need anythin
g. I think I’ll start asking you that question every time you say hello. Then you’ll see how irritating it is.”
“Cordelia . . .” He said her name in what she thought was a warning voice.
“You left your phone in the living room.”
“That’s your phone. Mine’s being charged.”
“Oh.” She was about to tell him what she had concluded about Walker, but she was unable to collect her thoughts or speak. He had the most intense look on his face.
Aiden couldn’t stop staring. Was she aware of how provocative she looked? Her robe was open, and she was wearing a sexy low-cut nightgown that didn’t reach her knees. God, she had a good body. No, he thought, it was a great body. He’d been fighting the battle to stay away from her all evening, and damn, it was difficult. If he was being totally honest, the battle had begun on the night he’d kissed her. From that moment on, no matter how hard he tried to forget her and block her from his mind, she kept wandering into his thoughts. Whether he was in a meeting, on a business call, or going about his daily routine, she was there in his head, playing with his concentration. Tonight, when she’d walked out in her ball gown, she’d looked like a gorgeous movie star, and he knew every man would fantasize about her. But now, seeing her stand there with her hair down and wearing no makeup, he was certain he’d never seen a more beautiful or more seductive woman in his life.
He began to walk toward her. She was like a magnet drawing him to her, and the closer he got, the more he wanted her. Her scent aroused him. And her mouth . . . He couldn’t look at her sweet, full lips without thinking about all the ways she could please him.
As Aiden approached, Cordie’s legs went weak. The smoldering lust in his eyes sent shivers down to her toes. He wanted her. The realization nearly overwhelmed her.
“Cordelia?” His voice was rough with his desire.
In a bare whisper she asked him the same question he always asked her. “What do you need, Aiden?”
He was just inches away from her now. “You. I need you.”
“You do?” she whispered. She barely had enough breath to get the words out.
“I do,” he said as he grabbed the lapels of her robe and pulled her toward him. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her tight against him as his mouth came down on hers. He made love to her with his mouth and his tongue, rubbing against hers, desperate for the taste of her again. Touching her had become addictive for him. Her lips were so soft, so sweet, and she was so giving and so damned sexy. All she had to do was look at him and he got hard.
Cordie wasn’t passive. She threaded her fingers through his hair and kissed him just as passionately. She was as ravenous for him as he was for her. She couldn’t get close enough, fast enough. In his arms all the anxiety and fear she’d felt at the ball were wiped away. Aiden made her forget everything but him. All that mattered was his touch.
By the time he ended the kiss, she was shaking with desire. He stepped back and stared into her eyes. He was panting as though he had run a long way. An endless minute passed in silence as tension crackled between them.
“Let me be clear.” His voice shook.
She let out a long, raspy breath. She didn’t know what to say, and so she simply nodded.
“I want you writhing under me, Cordelia. I want you to tell me what you like so I can drive you out of your mind. Am I clear?”
She nodded again. She was so flustered she couldn’t speak. She could barely think.
“I want you clinging to me. I want your nails digging into my shoulders, and I want you screaming my name when you come.”
She felt as though her heart was about to leap out of her chest. She was amazed she was still standing. His voice was so passionate, and the way he was looking at her made her hot . . . very hot.
He pulled his T-shirt over his head and tossed it on the bed. He reached for her robe next. She didn’t resist as he removed it and dropped it on a chair.
“Take your nightgown off.” It wasn’t a request but a command.
She could barely catch her breath. She wanted him to take her into his arms again. The bedroom was cast in shadows, and she was thankful the lights weren’t on, because once she removed her nightgown, she would be vulnerable. Her body wasn’t perfect, and she knew Aiden was used to perfection with his women. She didn’t want him to be disappointed.
“Cordelia, take off your nightgown.”
With unsteady hands she reached for the straps and slowly pulled them down over her arms. She stopped when the material skimmed her breasts.
“Are you sure, Aiden?” She didn’t want him to regret this night. It would kill her if he did.
Had he not been so aroused, he would have laughed. “Yes, I’m sure.”
She took a deep breath and let the nightgown drop to the floor.
His gaze slowly moved down her body. “My God, you’re beautiful.”
Anxious now to hold her, Aiden stripped out of the rest of his clothes and reached for her. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. The sheets were pulled back. He gently placed her on the bed, then came down on top of her with a loud, satisfied growl.
Cordie was reeling from the contact of his hot muscular body on top of hers. He was all male, hard and hot, and oh, he smelled divine. Her senses were overwhelmed by him. He settled between her thighs, and she rubbed her toes against his legs while she stroked his shoulders. She wanted to touch him everywhere. His skin was so warm, but the muscles rolling beneath were hard.
Aiden was savoring the sensation of her pressed against him. He could feel her heart pounding under his. He lifted up, shifting his weight on his arms so he wouldn’t crush her. Looking into her beautiful eyes, he saw the passion, and he took her mouth in a wild, wet kiss that held nothing back. He continued to kiss her again and again while his hands caressed her. When she moved restlessly beneath him, he slowly moved down her body, kissing her full breasts. He took one nipple in his mouth. She arched up and moaned. She was so responsive to his touch. He slid the palm of his hand between her thighs. His fingers teased and tormented until she was begging for release.
“Please. Aiden, please,” she panted.
He slid lower, kissing her silky thighs, then moved between them. He knew the second she came apart. She arched up, clinging to his shoulders and crying his name.
The tremors of her release took Cordie by surprise. Squeezing her eyes shut, she let the waves of pleasure pour over her.
“I like the way you taste.” He had only gotten started driving her out of her mind. Twice more she climaxed before his control shattered. “I need to be inside you.”
“Not yet,” she whispered, her voice shaking with emotion.
She pushed him onto his back and began to drive him wild. She bit his earlobe, smiling when he grunted in reaction. She kissed every inch of his chest, and when she moved down to take him into her mouth, he moaned. He couldn’t wait any longer to be inside her. He grabbed a condom from a drawer, and when he was ready, he rolled her onto her back and once again covered her. He wasn’t gentle with her, but she didn’t want him to be. He slid his arms under her thighs and thrust deep inside. He exhaled a satisfied moan and wanted to slam into her again and again but forced himself to stay still.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he kissed a path down the side of her neck.
Her nails dug into his shoulders. “Oh yes,” she said as she lifted her legs and squeezed him.
The sensation was so intense he almost climaxed then and there. He began to move slowly at first and then faster, thrusting deep each time. He could feel her tightening around him.
Surges of ecstasy ripped through Cordie. She couldn’t stop the orgasm. Clinging to him, she felt a rush she had never felt before, and it seemed to go on and on in waves.
Her climax triggered his. It was unlike anything Aiden had ever experienced, and it was incredible
. He sank deeper and let out a consuming sigh.
He couldn’t move for long minutes. They were both panting. His body was covered with the gleam of perspiration. Making love to Cordelia had taken all he had to give. And then some. He didn’t have to wonder how long it would take for him to want her again. He was already thinking about it.
Aiden didn’t give her any lovey-dovey words of praise, but Cordie didn’t expect that he would. He leaned up on his elbows, kissed her long and thoroughly, then rolled out of bed and went into his bathroom. Aiden was just being Aiden, she reminded herself. Abrupt and in control. She wasn’t sure what to do. He wouldn’t tell her to leave his bed, but he might not expect her to sleep with him either.
She didn’t want it to be awkward. She got out of bed, grabbed her robe, and went back to her bedroom. Her heart was racing. Having sex with Aiden might just kill her if she kept it up. The idea of it made her smile. What a way to go.
After getting ready for bed, she slipped under the sheets, flipped the light off, and closed her eyes, but sleep eluded her. After several minutes of tossing and turning, she heard a phone ring. Another call for Aiden, she guessed.
It took a while, but she finally relaxed. She was just about to drift off when she heard a sound beside her bed. She opened her eyes and saw Aiden in the dim light. He dropped something on the bedside table, pulled the covers back, and lay down next to her. He reached for her and kissed the side of her neck. Cordie glanced over his shoulder to see a package of condoms lying on the table.
“Should I be afraid?” she asked, laughing. He responded by pushing her onto her back and rolling on top of her. “What are you doing?”
She could hear a smile in his voice as he replied. “I told you I like to be on top.”