It’s more than physical, and each time I pull back and push in, the façade chips away, and all that’s left is raw, unbridled passion. I can’t help myself but to push in deeper and deeper, harder and faster. Her mouth falls open and she moans, raking her nails up my back. I’m close to coming, and I don’t want to stop, don’t want to pause or slow down.
She grinds her hips into mine, and I know she’s close too. I kiss her, my tongue pushing into her mouth in rhythm with each thrust. Her legs tighten around me and her fingernails dig into the flesh on my back. She stops kissing me, head falling to the side. I slit my eyes open to see her face as she comes. Another moan escapes her lips, and her body goes rigid for a few seconds. I reach down, rubbing her clit in slow circles to draw it out for her. Her body shudders and she clings to me. The moment she’s done, I move my mouth to hers, kissing her deeply as I finish. I never want to let her go. I never want a night to go by that I’m not making love to her. I cling to her as I climax, the pleasure rippling through my entire body.
Panting, I lay on top of her, feeling the lingering pulses of ecstasy go through me. She keeps her arms around me, gently running her fingers through the ends of my hair. We stay like that for a few minutes before I sit up and pull her to me, flipping us over so she’s resting on my chest. I haven’t let her go, and I don’t intend on it anytime soon. She grabs a blanket from the arm of the couch and covers us up.
I have the urge to tell her I love her, which is completely insane, since we aren’t even together officially. Well, not yet. I keep my lips pressed together, not trusting myself to keep those three words inside. I don’t love her—yet. But I just had the most intense sex in my life, which is weird since it was just missionary on a couch. I didn’t even go down on her before, and my dick wasn’t anywhere near her mouth. Yet there was so much to it, so much more I never knew I could feel other than plain lust.
I kiss her forehead and carefully touch the burn on her shoulder. She shivers and moves closer. I turn my head, coughing, and am reminded that I’m sick. She holds onto me, and neither of us speaks. What do you say after something so raw like that? Words fail in comparison to how my heart feels.
All I want to do is keep her safely wrapped in my arms until the sun comes up tomorrow morning. Then I want to make love to her again.
Her phone rings again, jolting us back into reality.
“I should get that now,” she groans.
“You should,” I say.
She twists, her hand landing on my face, and kisses me before getting up. I bite my lip and watch her walk out of the room, admiring her bare arse. She picks up her nickers and shirt on the way out. I take a few breaths before grabbing my boxers and going into the bathroom to throw the condom away.
I catch a glimpse of Haley’s face as I walk through the kitchen. She’s holding her clothes in one hand, and the phone pressed to her ear with the other. Her eyebrows are pushed together and her jaw is tight.
“Okay,” she says. “Where?”
I go into the bathroom, peel the condom off, and glare at the toilet. I hate taking a piss with a boner, but I have to pee. When I’m done, I step into my boxers and come back out. Haley has her panties and shirt on and is leaning over the counter, writing something down. I step behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.
She straightens up, putting one hand over mine and melting into me. “I can be there in two hours,” she says into the phone. “Okay. I’ll see you there.” She hangs up, sets the phone on the counter, and twists in my arms.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, looking into her green eyes.
“That was one of my mom’s friends. There’s a horse…” She trails off and puts her arms around my neck. “It’s wrapped in barbed wire and needs to be taken away now. It might not last much longer. She was going to go get it but can’t get her truck to start.”
“So she asked you.”
Haley nods and closes her eyes, looking guilty. “Aiden,” she starts. “I know this isn’t how you wanted to spend your night, and I—”
I lean down, resting my forehead against hers. “Haley,” I counter, interrupting her. “Let’s go save it.”
Chapter 17
I put on my pants and look at Aiden. “You’re sick. Stay here.”
He bends over and picks up his shirt. It surprises me how much I don’t want him to put it on. “I’m fine,” he says then flashes a grin. “As you know.”
I just smile back. I can still feel him between my legs, and my heart skips a beat when I think about it. There was so much passion, so much emotion in it. It wasn’t just sex. It was something more, and for that time I felt everything good again. Making love to Aiden was better than I thought possible. I lay before him, soul as naked as my body, and surrendered completely. He filled me in more than one way, and I wanted him again. Everything was perfect, everything felt right. It was crazy how a kiss hello turned into so much more in just seconds. I need time to process all of this.
“I don’t want you to risk getting in trouble.”
He raises an eyebrow and pulls his shirt over his head. His dark hair is a mess around his handsome face. It is perfect. “Trouble?”
I pop the button of my jeans in place. “Technically, I’m stealing this horse.” His look lets me know he’s not following. “Legally, the horse still belongs to the original owner. It’s not that easy to get them taken away, and when you go through the legal system, it’s often too late, and the horses die before we get them. So we go in, usually at night or when the owner is away, and take them.”
Aiden stares at me. “You can go to jail for that, right?”
I nod and put my bra on, slipping the straps through the sleeves of my t-shirt. “Yes, you can. But when the full story is exposed, things tend to work in our favor. I’m more worried about getting the horses out before it’s too late, though. I can get out of jail, but if it’s too late, well…”
A smile pulls up his lips, and he looks at me like he wants to lay me down and have his way with me—again. “Then we should get going.”
I smile back, heart fluttering again. I’ve felt more in the last half hour than I have in months. “Yeah. I need to feed my guys dinner then hook up the trailer.” Aiden coughs, hunching his shoulders forward. I hook my bra and go to him, taking his face in my hands.
I can’t help it; I stand on my toes and kiss him. “Stay here and rest.”
He brings me in. “I never do what I’m told,” he says with a smirk. His hands run down my body and our fingers link. I grab the truck keys, put on boots, and step into the garage. My eyes land on the navy blue Chevy and I freeze.
“Haley?” Aiden asks.
I part my lips and let out a shaky breath. “I haven’t been in it since…since that night.”
Aiden’s fingers close around mine, and it’s all I need. I press the unlock button and walk to the driver’s side door. I inhale and open the door.
Everything is exactly the same, and I’m hit with a flashback. Mom and I are talking about graduation. It seems so long ago, even though it wasn’t. I’ve aged so much in the short time she’s been gone.
Then the smoke surrounds me and I’m suffocating. Flames rise in front of me. I twirl around, heart racing. I’m trapped and gasping for air. There is no way out and I’m going to die.
“Haley!” Aiden’s hands land on my shoulders. I blink and suddenly he’s there, in front of me. The fire retreats, and I feel the warmth of Aiden’s skin on mine. My eyes are full of tears and I’m gasping for air.
“Don’t leave me,” I rush out, reaching for him. My trembling fingers curl around his arms.
Then he presses his lips to mine. “I’m right here, Haley. I’ll always be here.”