“Anyway,” Willow went on, telling me about Mia, her mom, how her father was angry about the attack at the academy. She told me how her father had put in a call to…Alexander? Alejandro?Why the hell did that man use two different names?
Anyway, her father had called Rafe’s father, and then assured Willow and her mom that the attack was being thoroughly investigated.
Fifteen minutes later, I finally managed to get off the phone. I stepped into the bathroom and my mouth went dry. Aiden’s bare back faced me, somehow perfectly visible through the steam while he used my pink loofah to wash down his front. His curls were sopping wet just like I’d imagined, trailing down the back of his neck in perfect ringlets.
“You coming in?” he asked, startling me out of my weird horny haze.
I nodded, then realized he couldn’t see. “Yeah,” I replied weakly.
Aiden turned, flashing me a look of concern over his shoulder. “You okay?”
I nodded, fumbling with the hem of my bikini cover before pulling it off. Aiden watched hungrily as I peeled off my still-wet bikini, topthen bottoms. Aiden’s gaze stayed on my face even as my nipples pebbled in the humid air.
“Willow okay?” he asked, his voice slightly deepened.
I nodded, still weirdly speechless. Aiden pulled the shower door open and I stepped into the small space, pressing against him immediately and shuddering as the hot water warmed my cold skin. Aiden wrapped his arms around me before kissing the top of my head.
“Willow said Wyatt isn’t going home,” I whispered, blinking hard as water ran over my face and into my eyes.
“That’s normal,” Aiden replied, wiping my hair back away from my face.
“She thinks he’s with Rafe,” I went on.
“That’s also normal,” Aiden murmured, pressing his lips against my temple. “But you can be worried. It’s understandable.”
“I’m not worried,” I said too quickly.
Aiden pulled back, giving me a dry look.
“I mean, I feel…I don’t know. Guilty?” I tried.
“Still normal,” Aiden said. He pushed my wet hair behind my ears. “Rafe could have followed us if he really wanted to. But it’s probably better he stayed with Wyatt. For Wyatt’s sake, at least. He’s going to need his friend.”
That was also true.
“Why didn’t you tell me you rejected him, Skye?” Aiden murmured the words against my cheek, and I sucked in a ragged breath.
“I was scared,” I said in a small voice. “I think part of me was hoping he’d start acting right and then I wouldn’t have to tell anyone about the rejection. But…that was stupid of me.”
“I get it,” Aiden replied softly. He was quiet for a moment before asking, “Do you trust me?”
“I do,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the water. I turned in his arms, meeting his soft gaze. “I’m so sorry, Aiden. I’ve treated you so wrong.”
“We’ve both fucked up,” Aiden replied with a sigh. “It’s okay. I understand. And I’m not saying we’reevennow or whatever.”
“I’m still so sorry,” I whispered, just holding back a sob.
“It’s okay, baby. I forgive you. Just like you forgave me. It’s over.We’ll do better. Both of us.” Aiden practically cooed at me, running his hands over my shoulders and down my arms as I pressed my face into his warm chest.
After several minutes of sniffling, Aiden began to wash me. He ran my shampoo through my hair, then tilted my head back to rinse. I closed my eyes, allowing him to move me any way he wanted. My loofah ran over my body next, the smell of my apple-honey body wash filling the entire room.
“Anything else you need to tell me?” Aiden murmured, his voice quiet in a way that didn’t cut through the silence. “I…I know you almost said something you didn’t mean to share. When we were on the beach.”
My stomach dropped slightly, but then I sighed. “There’s one more thing. It’s…it’s a big thing.” Then I whispered, “Maybe two things.”
“Bigger than your affinities?” Aiden asked.
“No. But still big.” I replied.
