I shiver. Sleeping is the last thing on my mind when he touches me like this, but I nod. I’m tired, and he’s got to be exhausted, too. He played a game. Took a flight from Las Vegas to Miami in the early hours of the morning, then drove straight from the airport to be with me.
Because he missed me.
Because he considers mehome.
“Okay,” I say, nodding at him. I take his hand and lead him back to my bedroom. He sets his bag on the ground, and I go over to my bed, climbing under the covers once again. I watch Aiden, waiting for him to strip off his sneakers and sweatpants, but he doesn’t. The first thing he does is move over to the chinchilla cage, softly talking to Mochi and Matcha.
My love for Aiden grows as I watch him. I remember on the first night we talked, how before he even said a word to me, I knew he was an animal lover from the care he put into his auction basket. Now Aiden is exhausted, he needs to sleep, but he has to greet my chinchillas before he does anything else.
“I can’t get over how cute they are,” he says, turning over his shoulder and smiling at me.
“Come to bed. They’ll still be cute when you wake up,” I promise.
He flashes me a sheepish smile. “Fair point.”
Aiden slips out of his shoes, followed by his sweatpants. I drink in the view as he pulls off his T-shirt, revealing that beautiful, pale, un-inked skin that is completely cut and chiseled. From his sculpted shoulders to his powerful biceps, through the blue hue of the veins running through his arms, Aiden is the most breathtaking man I’ve ever seen. His legs are muscled and strong, built by skating. He’s wearing nothing but black boxer-briefs, and I’m eager for him to climb into bed next to me.
Aiden comes over to the other side of the bed, sliding underneath my duvet. The first thing he does is slip his hand underneath my camisole, wrapping it around my abdomen and drawing my body closer, so my back is pressed against his chest.
“That’s better,” I say sleepily.
“You’re so warm,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss between my neck and shoulder. “I love feeling your body against mine.”
I melt into him, wrapping myself up in his heat, his scent, his body.
“Scarlett?”
“Hm?”
“I know you can’t be my date for the Manatees family skate next week,” Aiden says quietly. “But I want you to know the entire time we’re there, I’ll be wishing I was with you as your boyfriend.”
I roll over so I’m facing him.
“I just wanted you to know that,” he says.
“I know,” I say, reaching up and touching his face with my hand. He hasn’t shaved, and his stubble feels thick against my palm. “I want to be with you like that, too.”
He reaches for my hand and presses a kiss into my palm. “When do we do this, Scarlett? When do we talk to your parents? I know we talked about doing it around Christmas, but we never set an official date.”
“Christmas Day,” I say. “I think hard launching on Christmas Day makes a very serious statement.”
Aiden stares at me, entwining his fingers with mine and drawing my hand to his chest. “Okay,” he says softly. “We tell your parents on Christmas.”
I nod. “Yes.”
“You’re sure? We can’t undo it once we say it.”
I stare into his earnest face. Aiden’s heart is in his eyes. He wants to make sure I’m ready for the storm that could be headed our way once we announce we’re together.
“Are you?” I ask, squeezing his hand. “You’re the one who is going to be hurt the most by this. You … you could be playing somewhere else.”
“I know. And as long as I know you’ll still be mine, I’ll deal with it.”
Then, as if to make sure I understand, he kisses me. Softly. Gently. Tenderly.
Telling me without any words at all how much he loves me and how much he’s willing to sacrifice for me.
“So we’re doing this,” he says as he pulls back.
