And I believe him.
Unlike me, Aiden is assertive to a fault. He’s not afraid of admitting what he wants.
He’s free in ways you aren’t. Maybe that’s why you’re attracted to him.
Kim’s words hit me like an unexpected blow.
I waited for you to want me.
I’m not supposed to like you this much.
Those words dig black holes into my defences.
I let my hand travel up from his chest to the rippling tendons of his collarbone. Aiden grabs my hand in his stronger one.
He shakes his head once. “Not so fast.”
“W-what? But why?” Shame at being rejected sinks at the bottom of my stomach.
Isn’t this what he wanted?
“Kiss me,” he says.
“Kiss you,” I repeat, still confused out of my mind.
“This time, I want you to wrap your arms around my neck and kiss me first, Elsa.”
He’s so unfair. I should’ve known that he won’t only take. I should’ve known that he’d eventually want me to give.
He’s not interested in one battle, he wants to win the entire bloody war.
A small voice whispers that I’ll regret this tomorrow, but I don’t care about tomorrow right now.
I retrieve my hand from his and wrap both my arms around his neck.
Then I seal my lips to his.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
My kiss is tentative. Experimental.
It’s the first time I initiate a kiss. The first time I kiss Aiden without him basically forcing it on me.
At first, it’s a slight press of my lips against his firm ones. Then, my tongue darts out and I lick his bottom lip over and over. Gaining more boldness, I pull myself up and slightly nibble on it before trailing soft kisses on the corner of his mouth.
The whole time, Aiden watches me with hooded eyes. Both his arms are taut as he leans his hands on the bed.
He’s not touching me.
My bold phase shrinks a little. Maybe he changed his mind, maybe —
“Fuck this,” Aiden groans as his lips crash to mine.
His kiss is the complete opposite of my gentle ones. Aiden kisses like a madman searching for his sanity. It’s always out of control. My breathing ceases when he thrusts his tongue inside my mouth and devours me.
That’s what Aiden does. He devours. He shreds me apart and strips me bare until he owns every part of me.
Now that he’s taking charge, I feel like I can… let go.