Leila
Knocking on the door is a thing of the past for Aiden.
He doesn’t even hesitate before his arms wrap around my waist from behind, placing his chin on my shoulder. I jump, looking behind my shoulder at him. “You scared me,” I breathe, my heart racing.
His eyes widen when he looks down at the pot in my hand. “You’re cooking?”
I turn back around, letting out a laugh. “I already told you I can cook.”
His hands span the width of my belly, running his hands all over me. I used to hate touching my own stomach, every time my hands touched my skin it would find another thing to hate, to psychoanalyze over, but when Aiden does it, he isn’t examining every roll and curve, he just can’t stop touching me.
His lips press against my shoulder. “What are you making?”
I tilt my head at the watery rice in the pot. “I’m trying to recreate that risotto we had at the restaurant.”
He chuckles against my skin, kissing my neck. “That was so good. We should go back there sometime.”
I shake my head, turning back to face him. “No way, it’s too expensive.” I still remember nearly choking on my water when the bill came. I’m not letting him spend that kind of money on me again.
He lifts his head, gripping my chin. “I already told you to quit worrying about money. I will stop at nothing for you to have everything you could want.”
Every day I fall more and more in love with this man. “But what about your brothers?”
He sighs, unwrapping his arms from around me. “They haven’t called in ages, Leila. I sent them all I had and I’m not sending them anymore any time soon.” He runs his hand down his face. “You have nothing to worry about.”
I can’t help it. Aiden takes care of everyone, works his ass off to then not get anything in return. No one’s looking out for him. I have to.
His gaze drops to my legs, a cocky grin on his lips. “I never thought pajamas could be so sexy.” When he looks back at me, there’s hunger in his eyes. “You’re way too pretty for my head not to be between your legs.”
I let out a laugh, turning back around to mix the rice. I grab a spoon, picking some up. Damn, that’s good. I pick up some more, holding out the spoon to him. “You want some?”
He smiles, stepping closer. “Yeah baby.” He approaches me, trapping me with both of his arms against the counter. “I’ll have anything you give me.”
I raise my brow. “What if it’s poison?”
He sighs, rubbing his thumb over my cheek. “It’ll be the best way to die.”
My cheeks heat. Who knew Aiden Pierce was such a romantic? His lips close around the spoon, swallowing down the risotto, and when his eyes widen, I know he liked it and that he finally believes I know how to cook.
“Good?” I ask him, my lips tipped in amusement.
He leans in, pressing a kiss to my lips. “So good,” he murmurs. “I was wrong.”
“As usual.”
He shakes his head, laughing. “Not about everything. I was right about this.”
“About what?”
“That we’re good together.”
Yeah. He’s right about that. I was so guarded, not wanting him to break my heart that I nearly shut him out and turned away from all of this. I’m so glad I went to that game.
In a matter of seconds, something washes over Aiden and he steps back from me, his smile wiped clean off his face and turns around, burying his head in his hands.
I frown, watching as he groans. He’s been acting weird all week. Especially at the café when he stood up abruptly and walked off without talking to me.
My hands run over his arms, his muscles hard beneath my palms. “Are you okay?” I ask. He almost breaks out of whatever he was thinking, turning around and letting out a breath.
“Yeah,” he says, giving me a smile. “I’m good.” It’s not the usual, easy smile he has though. Something’s wrong. I don’t know what, but I know something is.
When the timer goes off, I turn around, turning off the pot and plating up the risotto. Aiden’s right behind me, grabbing the plates before I can and places them on the table. We both sit down, digging into the food and when I look up, he’s staring at me, intensely, scanning my features.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask him, my face heating under his gaze.
The corner of his lips lifts a little, dropping back down a second later. “I’m ingraining this in my memory.”
I look down at my plate, my smile growing by the second. But when my phone buzzes and I see the name on the screen I freeze, turning it over before Aiden can see and pick up another bite of risotto.
“Who was that?”
Shit. “Just Rosie.” I shove a fork full of food in my mouth, not daring to glance up at him.
“Are you lying to me right now?”
There’s no way out of this. I drop my fork, swallowing harshly when I look up at him and see him frowning at me. “Don’t be mad.”
He scoffs. “Great way to start,” he says, his eyes narrowing. “Who was that?”
I have to tell him. It’s been going on for way too long. “Remember when I said I had slept with one of your teammates freshman year?”
His jaw clenches and my heart starts to race. I hate that I’m doing this right now. “How could I forget?”
“He’s been texting me for a while.”
His jaw tightens even more, his fists curling up by his side. Before he can say anything, I hold my hands up. “I haven’t been answering, I didn’t even give him my number. I don’t know how he got it.” I shrug, hoping he believes me.
He takes a minute to breathe, his muscles tense as he leans forward. “You’re telling me one of my teammates who I’ve had practice with every day has been texting you while we’re together?”
Crap. I wince, fiddling with my hands. “Longer than that.”
His eyebrows lift. “How long, Leila?”
I lift my shoulders. “A few months?” His face turns to stone, I can see the new information running around his head.
“Who?”
That one word makes my stomach drop. I can’t possibly tell Aiden who has betrayed him, who has been texting me knowing we’re together. I open my mouth, shaking my head.
“Who, Leila?”
I press my lips together. I’ve kept this from him for way too long. I let out a breath, knowing this is going to destroy him. “Jordan.”
The silence cuts through me, settling over us as Aiden processes what I’ve just told him. “Jordan?” he repeats after a few minutes. “Jordan Wright?” He shakes his head. “No. No fucking way. Him?”
I don’t know if he doesn’t believe me or if he’s just in shock so I push my phone across the table. “You can check if you want.”
He rolls his eyes, letting out a sigh. “I’m not going to check your phone, Leila.”
“I don’t want you to doubt your trust in me.”
His eyes soften, staring into my eyes. “I trust you. You’re the only person I trust.”
My heart flutters at his words, knowing I’m the only person who truly knows him. But I won’t be able to relax until he knows the whole story. “Just check it, Aiden.” I flip over my phone, inputting the code and open the text chain—the one-sided text chain—from Jordan.
He lets out a sigh and picks up the phone, scanning the screen. I know what he’s going to find there. Endless texts from his best friend and teammate. Some of them talking about repeating the night we had, and others calling me every name under the sun.
“Motherfucker.” He drops my phone back onto the table, standing up and heading towards the door.
Panic washes over me when I realize he’s leaving. “Wait, please.” He halts at the door, turning around to face me. “Don’t leave. I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
He closes his eyes, his shoulder slumping as he grabs onto my face, running his thumb over my cheek. “Baby,” he croons. “You have nothing to apologize for. But I’m not letting him get away with this.”
“No. Don’t.” My tongue darts out to lick my lips. “It’ll just make it worse. It’s not worth it.”
When he looks at me, I see so many emotions running through his head. “You are worth everything.” He presses his lips against mine and in a matter of seconds, he turns around and leaves, closing the door behind him.
