Leila
“God, I needed this.” I drop down on the couch beside Madi.
“That bad?” Gabriella asks.
I shrug. I love modeling, but coming back after is always great. Hanging with my girls, getting shit-faced at some random party, nothing beats it. “It was fun,” I tell them. “But those girls can be draining.”
“Aw,” Gabi coos, blowing me a kiss. “You missed me.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Desperately.”
Madi nudges me on the arm, her brown eyes shining with a mischievous glimmer. “Don’t feed into her ego,” she says. “Her head is already too big.”
A scoff comes from Gabi who’s downing her beer. “You wish you could be me.”
“I really don’t.”
“Here,” Gabi cracks open a can of beer, handing it over to me. “It’s the least I can do since you were so miserable without me.” I take the can from her, taking a sip. The cold liquid drips into my throat, the burn on my throat almost instant. “Better?” she asks.
I nod, taking another sip. “I’ll get there.” I look around the room at the couples cuddled together on the couch, the girls dancing to the music. “Rosie didn’t come out again, huh?”
“Nope,” Gabi says. “She’s an old lady now.”
“I know she has Grayson now, but I just miss her,” I admit with a shrug. “She hasn’t been coming out with us as much.”
“She’s in love,” Madi replies. “You can’t fault her for that.”
I hum, shaking my head. “Of course not. Just because my love life went to shit, doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be happy.”
“Don’t even mention him,” Gabi says, narrowing her eyes at me. “He doesn’t count.”
I let out a laugh, taking another sip of the beer. “He does, unfortunately.”
“Nope. I’m not letting you get sad,” Gabi says, shaking her head. “No more talking about shitty ex-boyfriends. Come on.” She stands up from the couch, holding out her hand for me to take it.
“Where the hell are you taking me now? I’m not playing any more drinking games with you,” I warn her, lifting my brow.
She smirks. “Why? You seemed to have fun last time.”
I glance at Madi who’s got an equally cocky smirk on her face. “I think I need new friends,” I mutter, downing the rest of my beer.
“Oh, come on,” Madi says, crossing her legs when she turns to face me. “You’re acting like it was so awful.” She rolls her eyes. “You know damn well you enjoyed that.”
I shrug, looking down at the empty beer can. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Gabi’s laughter makes my eyes snap to her. “Please,” she says, sitting back down. “You were like half a beer and thirty seconds away from stripping him right there in front of everyone.”
“That’s an exaggeration.” I roll my eyes.
“Was he good?” she asks, lifting her brows.
I bite my lip. Okay, I might have fibbed a little at the party. He wasn’t bad, not even close. But it threw me all the way off, I didn’t want to be the kind of girl who melted in the sheer presence of Aiden, but then his lips landed on mine and… it was better than I expected, to say the least. “He was decent,” I murmur.
Gabi hums. “That means he was very good.” Her eyes shine with intrigue, and I can’t help the flutter in my stomach at the thought that Gabi might actually be interested in him. I mean, who isn’t? My eyebrows lift in shock before I can stop it, and by her reaction, I’m guessing she notices. “Relax,” she says, her lips twitching with amusement. “I’m not interested in him. He’s all yours.”
I feign indifference, lifting my shoulder. “I don’t care. I’m here to drink, not focus on some guy I barely know.”
Especially because, after everything, he didn’t call. Over a week has gone by and… nothing. I really expected him to. He was so persistent, so demanding. I hate to admit how much I liked it. How much I liked having someone work a little to get me, instead of me having to do all the work.
I let out a sigh. “I’m going to the bathroom,” I tell them, standing from the couch.
“Want us to go with you?” Gabi asks.
I shake my head. “I’m good.”
“If you need us, call,” Madi shouts back as I head through the crowd, trying to find a bathroom that doesn’t have a long line.
I find an empty bathroom and shut the door, letting out a breath when I stare at myself in the mirror. I’ve been here countless times before.
I turn my hips, admiring my black dress hugging my figure in the mirror. I have nice hips, full and curvy. I run my hands over my body. “I love my body,” I recite to my reflection. “I love my curves. Every dip, every roll, every stretch mark.”
One day, I’ll believe it. I hope.
I love my friends, love them dearly, but they don’t see that when guys approach us, they don’t approach us, they approach them. I get a weak smile, a pity drink, and maybe a couple of words from the guy who was stuck with me.
They don’t see that when guys talk to them, they get asked out on dates, I get asked back to their rooms for a one-night stand.
I hated being the approachable one, the non-desirable one, so I flipped the switch. I flirted with guys, I approached them, I made the first move, and it worked. I was always in control and I didn’t have hopeless, unrealistic expectations.
Until Aiden.
He came in and everything changed. He pursued me, he asked me out, he goaded me into kissing him. It was new, interesting, fun. But now, he got what he wanted. He won the game, and I made it easy for him.
I fix my hair, glancing at myself one last time before walking out the door. I barely take two steps before being hit with a hard chest of muscles. “Shit, I’m sorry.” I look up and blink.
His hands grip my arm, keeping me in place. “Falling for me already,” Aiden teases, smirking down at me.
I look up at him, my neck straining when I do. I’d never admit this to anyone, but I love how tall he is. I’m used to being the tallest person in the room, it’s nice having him tower over me. “What are you doing here?” I ask him, taking a step back.
He takes a step back too, leaning on the wall opposite me. “Same reason as you,” he says, crossing his arms. “I’m here to have fun.”
I let out a scoff. “My fun stopped the minute you showed up.” Alright fine, I’m a little bitter that he didn’t call. I don’t even know why. I’m not sure I would have answered either way.
Aiden laughs. “So stubborn. Is that why you gave me your number?” he asks, making me freeze. “Because I’m not fun?”
I tilt my head. “I don’t know,” I say with a shrug. “Is that why you didn’t call?” His smile drops, and his face blanches. “Because I’m so fun?”
He frowns a little, a line forming between his brows. “Leila—”
“Just forget it. I don’t care. Lose my number and forget about me.” I step forward, ready to leave this hallway and him behind when his hand captures mine, spinning me around so my back hits the wall.
“I can’t do that, Leila,” Aiden whispers.
My brain is foggy with the scent surrounding me. A mixture of clean soap and a deeper, woody scent blurring my senses and making me aware of his body heat encompassing me.
“I can’t forget about you.” His deep voice rumbles through me, making my skin break out with goosebumps. I try to take a breath, but my heart’s beating so fast. I feel his breath on my skin and my eyes close of their own accord, a whimper escaping my lips.
Fuck. My eyes snap open, looking up at his bright blue eyes, where he’s standing above me, crowding me. His hand reaches up, rubbing the dark brown strands of my hair between his fingers.
I gulp, watching him entranced with my hair; he brushes it back behind my ear and leans in. “I wish I could forget about you. Fuck, I wish I could just let you go, but I can’t do that anymore.”
“I’m sure you’ll find a way,” I manage to say.
He chuckles, his eyes dropping to my lips. “God,” he rasps. “What are you doing to me?”
“Nothing,” I reply, forcing my throat to move. “I don’t even like you.”
He laughs. “Such a liar.” His tongue dips out. Licking his bottom lip, making my eyes drop to his lips. Oh, he is good.
“You say you don’t like me, that you don’t want me, tell me something,” he says. I take that as my opportunity to breathe. “If I put my hand up this dress, what would I find Leila?” His tone is so casual, so simple. “How wet would you be?”
Jesus. He’s not even touching me and I’m weak. I don’t give him the satisfaction though, I stare at him with indifference, squeezing my legs together, trying to ease the ache as I blow out a breath. “Bone dry.”
Another dark chuckle from him that does nothing to stop the lust brewing. “It’s so hot when you put me in my place,” he says, smirking down at me. “But I’d love to see you smile at me like you do with your friends.” His thumb ghosts my lips, barely grazing them. “Just once.”
Holy shit, this man is good. Too good. I shake my head, regaining some control, and force my limbs to move, bringing my hands to his chest, my fingers itching to touch him. The material of his t-shirt a thin barrier between all those hard muscles of his. I lean up into him. “What do you have in mind to make me smile?” I ask him.
He grins, no doubt loving this reaction from me. “I want to kiss you again.”
I almost bunch his t-shirt between my fingers and pull him into me, but I drop my hands instead and sigh. “Pass.”
His brows bunch up. “What are you doing?” he asks. “I know you feel this. You wouldn’t still be here if you didn’t.” He leans down until his blue eyes burn into mine. “If you want me to chase you, just say the word.”
He’s got me there. I want this. Him. I want one night with Aiden. I want to know if the rumors I’ve heard about him in bed are true, I want to be the girl in his bed, even if it’s just for one night. Doesn’t mean I’ll make it easy for him.
I lick my lips. “I’ll tell you what.” His brows lift, intrigue painting his expression. “You can kiss me,” I lean up into him, wrapping my arms around his neck, loving how his breathing accelerates and his hands drop to my waist. I reach up until my lips graze his ear and whisper, “If you find me.”
I drop my arms and head out of the hallway before he can say anything else. I race through the crowd, heading up the stairs, glancing behind me but I don’t see Aiden anywhere. I keep going. If he wants to chase me, then let him chase me.
I look around for an empty bedroom, but the last one I can find is off-limits when a couple walks inside. The bedroom door closes, leaving me out in this empty hallway alone. I bite my lip, wondering where Aiden is. Do I even want him to find me?
Yes.
I might tease and joke around with him, but we both know the attraction is there. I want to kiss him again. I want to feel his lips on mine and pull him into me, hearing every moan and gasp that comes from him. I want to know what one night with him will be like.
I push open the bathroom door, ready to go inside when I feel a hand wrap around my wrist. I don’t even have to look. I know it’s him.
“Looks like I found you,” he whispers, his breath hitting my skin, so close I can almost feel what his lips would be like if he pressed them into the sensitive skin of my neck. He turns me around, a cocky grin on his face. “Do I get my reward now?”
Yes. Fuck yes. Just kiss me. I lick my lips. “That was the deal.”
He smiles, but it drops just as quick when he shakes his head. “I’m not going to kiss you,” he says, making my face drop. “I want to taste your lips again so badly,” he grits out, running a hand down his face. “But I can’t in good conscience kiss you, Leila.”
“Why?” I ask before I can stop myself.
He smirks. “Because, gorgeous,” he says, making my chest pound. “Consent is important to me. I love teasing you, but I’m not going to kiss you unless you tell me you want it.” If he’s trying to make me less attracted to him, it’s having the opposite effect. “I don’t want to push you into anything you don’t want to do,” he says with a shrug. “And if you say you don’t like me, then I can’t kiss you.”
I want it. I want it so bad. I feel the heat and the tension between us, and I just want to rip it apart. I want his lips on mine, his tongue in my mouth, and for him to take me to bed tonight.
I watch as he smirks at me, his eyes dropping as he checks me out. “You look so fucking beautiful.”
I don’t know what to say. I’m stuck in this hallway, watching as he turns around and gets ready to walk away from me.
“Aiden.” He turns back around, his eyebrows lifting, wondering what I’m going to say. But I don’t know either. What do I say? What do I want?
I take two steps forward until I’m right there in front of him, but I say nothing. I stare up at him, wanting him to just read my mind and know how much I want this. Kiss me. Kiss me, Aiden.
“Yes, Leila?” he asks, the edge of his lips curving in a smirk. “Is there anything you want?”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.” I grip the back of his neck and bring him down, crushing my lips to his.
This, I’m good at.
The talking, not so much, but this? This I can do.
I lift onto my tiptoes, brushing my lips with his, feeling his tongue prod the entrance of my lips. I open up for him, welcoming him, wanting him, and he enters.
His tongue swipes over mine, our mouths working together as the kiss gets hotter and deeper. My teeth graze his bottom lip, sucking on it as I pull away and bring my tongue back into his mouth. A groan builds in his throat, but I swallow it down before it can escape. He’s consuming me, in this moment all I can feel is him, all I can taste is him, all I can think of is Aiden.
“God, Leila,” he rasps between kisses and pushes us so I’m pinned against the wall once again. His hand grips my face as he deepens the kiss, making love to my mouth. Fuck. The way his tongue sucks on mine makes my knees wobble and my clit ache, so badly. I involuntarily grind up, making contact with the bulge poking through his jeans.
He pulls back for a second, his dark, lustful eyes burning a hole into mine. His eyes widen as if he doesn’t believe I just did that, but I’m not backing down. I started this, and I’m going to finish it. I’m going to end up in Aiden’s bed tonight.
He dives back in, crushing his mouth back down to mine. His kiss is better than actual fucking. I could do this all night. But I need more.
My hands play with the hem of his t-shirt, letting my fingers span the hot, hard flesh of his stomach. His abs ripple beneath my fingertips. God, he feels so good.
His big hands leave my face, making their way down to my waist. I don’t even care to think of what he’s feeling or if his hands are touching the rolls in my back. I don’t care. He grips my waist with a fervor I can feel in my core every time he touches me.
His lips leave mine, trailing down my jaw and neck. His tongue plays with the skin, licking and sucking, the feeling making me lose control in my legs.
“Aiden,” I whisper, needing him to do something. Anything.
He moans against my skin. “My name sounds so good coming from your lips,” he grunts, thrusting a little, making our crotches align. My head lulls back, consumed with the small pleasure the friction provides.
“I need more,” I gasp when his fingers brush against the hard nipples poking through the thin material of the dress.
He gives me one quick kiss. “You want me to fuck you?” he smiles against my lips. “I’m so close to lifting that dress and feeling how wet you really are for me,” he says, going in for another kiss before he licks my bottom lip.
I don’t answer him, I just bump my hips up, grazing his hard dick once again. “I’d prefer a bed,” I breathe out.
“Fuck,” he whispers. “Come back to my place?” he asks.
I nod. I’m not completely moved into Rosie’s place yet. “What about Grayson and Rosie?” I ask him, letting out a moan when he pushes his erection against me. “I don’t want anyone to know.”
His tongue traces my ear, biting it. “Then we’ll have to be quiet.”
I’m used to that. Being quiet, keeping it a secret. It’s nothing new to me. “Fine. Just go before I really do fuck you in this hallway.” I push him away, fixing my hair and dress.
He chuckles, fixing his cap and adjusting his jeans. My tongue darts out to lick my lips as I look at his crotch. “Don’t worry,” he says. “I’m not finished with you yet.”
