Aiden’s green eyes still showed concern as he cupped her face with one hand. “You’re alive. You’re safe now.” He kissed her lightly. “I’ll keep you safe.”
When this man said it, she actually believed him. It was dangerous in a way she wasn’t prepared to combat. Charlie needed to be sharp and at the top of her game, and she couldn’t do that while standing in Aiden’s shadow as he took on the role of protector for her the same way he’d done for everyone else around him—whether they wanted it or not. That wasn’t what she’d signed up for, and that wasn’t what he needed her to do.
But maybe it would be okay to allow…just for tonight.
He let his hand drop and stood. “You’re going to want long sleeves so you don’tpull at the bandages.”
“Okay.” She was more than capable of dressing herself, but if she was going to let him take care of her for tonight, that meant she had to relax enough that she wouldn’t fight him every step of the way.
It seemed to make him feel better to fuss—and itdidmake her feel safe, as he’d promised—so she sat there while he found a loose shirt and a pair of sweats—both his—from his dresser. It brought her back to when they’d had sex while she was wearing his shirt and how hot that had made them both. Despite everything that had just happened, her body responded, her thighs clenching and her nipples pebbling.
Aiden turned around and stopped short, his gaze narrowing on her face and then sweeping over her, lingering on her breasts—her nipples easily visible through the lace of her bra—and her thighs pressed together. “Bright eyes…”
“I know.” She stood and crossed to him. “It would make me feel really safe if you’d touch me.” Charlie went up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
“You’re hurt.”
“I didn’t even need stitches.” It had been a close thing, though. She had butterfly bandages on a few of the cuts, but even if they were actual stitches, that wouldn’t be enough to keep her from wanting him. “I need you.”
She didn’t know if there was a single threat under the sun that could keep her from wanting Aiden.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
You will, no matter what you do.She didn’t say it, just like she didn’t say so many things when they were together. All it would do would be to fast-track her heartache. Better to enjoy the time they had to the fullest, and worry about the future when it punched her in the face. “Then be gentle if it will make you feel better.”
He inched one eyebrow up. “If it will makemefeel better? You’re being rather accommodating.”
Despite everything, she smiled. “Considering I’m about to take advantage of you, yes, I am. Now strip.”
“That’s my line.”
“Then say it.” She sat up, careful to keep her expression pain-free, and reached behind her back to undo her bra. It hit the floor, closely followed by her panties. “Oops. Too late.”
The worry disappeared from his face, leaving heat in its wake. “Damn it, bright eyes, you’re making it hard to do right by you.”
That was the thing. She didn’twanthim to do right by her. Her definition of what that entailed and his differed greatly, and she wasn’t about to give him reason to cut her free any sooner than absolutely necessary. “Then just do me.”
Aiden barked out a laugh. “Do you? For Christ’s sake, Charlie, where do you come up with this shit?”
He was trying to get the control to talk her out of it. She could see it on his face. Aiden wanted to take care of her, and as attractive as she found the prospect, if she let him steamroll her right now, she knew he’d try to keep her out of things in the future in order to keep her safe. Like hell was she going to let him.
Charlie gave him a sweet smile. “That’s okay. You don’t have to do me.”
“Now that we’ve got that—”
“I’ll just do myself.” She climbed further onto the bed, knowing damn well that he was watching every move she made, and that his eyes were glued to her ass. She rolled onto her back and ran her hands over her breasts. “Mmm.”
A muscle in his jaw jumped. “You’re playing with fire.”’
In more ways than one.“No, I’m playing with myself.” She slipped a hand between her thighs and stroked her clit. She wasn’t quite primed yet, but it wouldn’t take long with his stare heating her skin. She watched him through half-closed eyes.He looks like he wants to fuck me into submission.He had his arms crossed tightly, as if clinging to the last shreds of his control.We’ll have to do something about that.If he was willing to let himself off the leash now, when she was at her weakest, then he’d be more willing to trust her to do what needed to be done when the time came.
She just needed to push him over the edge and into a free fall.
She spread her legs wider and circled a finger around her opening. It felt good, so she did it again, letting loose a breathless little moan.
The only warning she got was the slightest dip in the mattress, and then Aiden was on top of her. “Goddamn it, bright eyes.” He kissed her, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. She tangled her tongue with his, but he didn’t give her a chance to sink into the sensation. Aiden pushed himself up onto his hands, his green eyes thunderous. “Arms above your head.”
She considered arguing, but she was getting what she wanted. Charlie reached up to grab the headboard with a laugh. “Okay.”
