her off me, gently enough that she doesn’t hit the tile. My eyes skate over her. She’s pink and flushed and dripping wet. I lose my mind thrusting into her, and her whimpers escape as if she can barely contain them.
I let go of her neck and drop my hand between her legs. It drives her crazy. The gentle strokes of my finger have her dragging in quick, ragged breaths. She’s so close, wrapping tight around me, arching her back and leaning her head against the tile. She releases a sharp cry and then I feel her splitting apart, wave after wave of pleasure pulsing through her, and I feel every bit of it.
I want to follow right after her. My body is begging for release, but I can’t end this. I can’t leave the warm shower and wake up to all that’s waiting for us outside the confines of this glass. So I drag it out, kiss her harder, keep my hand between her legs, and continue like that until she’s utterly spent, relaxing in my arms as if she’s about to slip out of my hold. Her eyes flick open and her expression is unguarded and vulnerable. I pull back to get a good look at her, my eyes dragging down her body as I thrust once…twice. Then, with a heavy groan, I give up the battle to stave off release another moment longer. She wraps herself tight around me as I come, waiting for me to say something after my thrusts stop and our heavy breathing overtakes the sound of the shower.
Gently, I set her down, making sure she has her footing before I reach for the body wash. I don’t try to meet her eyes or force her into any conversation as I pump gel onto my hand and use it to lather her up. I rush, and it’s out of necessity. Round one could turn into round two if I’m not careful, and I can already tell Maddie is exhausted. After I’ve washed us both off, I tell her to wait and step out to retrieve two towels. After passing her the first one, I use the second to dry off my hair then wrap it around my hips.
“Aiden.”
That one word is a warning, and I don’t ignore it.
I know by her tone, by the slightly unsettled shake of her voice, that what she has to say might not make me all that happy, so I don’t let her continue.
If she’s going to pick up fighting right where we left off, we can do it in the morning.
I need this night more than she realizes, brushing her teeth beside me, slipping into her pajamas and attempting to sneak off to her own room before I yank her back toward me and walk us back to my bed. I don’t have any nefarious plans for her. I just need her body next to mine underneath the blankets, her knee bumping my thigh, my hand on the dip of her waist as I tug her closer to me.
I kiss her hair and I tell her to close her eyes. I know her mind is whirling. I know she has a million questions she wants to ask, but it’s been a long day and I’ve got everything I want in this bed with me. I don’t want it ruined.
Chapter Twenty
Maddie
“Merry Christmas.”
Those are the first words I hear when I wake up the next morning, blinking my eyes open and turning my head to see Aiden sitting on the edge of his bed. He’s wearing black pajama bottoms and no shirt. His hair is ruffled and messy, and I can’t keep my mouth from dropping open just a little. It’s the early morning sun filtering in through the window, catching on half of his face. Golden light bathes him and my heart loses the battle it’s been waging for what feels like a thousand years.
I think I could live this life and the next life and another after that and I’d always love Aiden. Running from it is futile. Attempting to push him away has only landed me in ridiculous, embarrassing situations.
He hitches up one side of his mouth, waiting for me to make a move or say something or at least blink twice if I still have brain function. I gather the sheet around my chest and push to sit up against the headrest.
I smell coffee—blissful, blissful coffee—and then I spot the spare mug on his nightstand. Right