Spark (27 page)

Breakfast in bed. There is coffee, croissants and mini pastries—one with a lit birthday candle.

“When did you have time for this?” I ask, taken off-guard.

“The bakery’s only up the road.”

“I hope you put on more clothes than that,” I tease. He rolls his eyes. “And where did this come from?” I pick up a pale apricot rose from the tray, inhaling its sweet delicate scent.

“The florist wasn’t open, so I had to … improvise.” I giggle. I recognise it from the rose bushes outside the cottage across the street.

“You know, I think breakfast has just become my favourite meal.” I carefully lie down on my side, the tray between us. Aidan swoops in, smacking a big kiss on my lips.

“Happy birthday, baby girl,” he says shyly.
Gorgeous hunk of a man in my bed, with breakfast no less. I’ve truly died and gone to heaven.

“Thank you,” I mutter, eyeing those luscious lips before I dive in for another kiss, careful not to knock the tray.

“You know, I’ll never say no to this,” he mumbles into my mouth, “but it’s time to eat.”

I frown. “Fine,” I grumble, and give him a cheeky smile before blowing out the candle.

“Did you make a wish?”

I nod my head.

“And?” he asks, raising his scarred brow.

“It’s already come true.”

****

After breakfast, we take a walk down by the lake. We’re either hand in hand, or his arm is around me—I’m rarely starved of his touch. Aidan tells me about his trip to Sydney, excited that he’s picked up three sponsors. He’ll be travelling a bit over the next few months, and we make a pact to never go more than ten days without seeing each other. With the long hours he has to work during the week to make up for his travel on weekends, and my uni tutorials, we promise to at least spend one night together a week … minimum. We agree to start running together, although Aidan said he could think of better ways for us to work up a sweat.
Insatiable.

Hot and bothered from our walk in the midday afternoon sun, we take a dip in the pool before
finally
taking a shower together. I’ve been thinking about it since I had to shower by myself this morning. He was right … I’d never want to go back to showering alone.

Water cascades between us, our arms wrapped tight around each other. “Should we waste some more water?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Nah, I’ve got other plans for us,” he says, his tongue running over his bottom lip.
It
drives me insane when he does that … horny insane.

“Like what?” I take the soapy loofah and run it over his chest, my eyes committing to memory the lines of his body, all over again. In all seriousness, I could
not
get tired of this.

“I want to take my time with you. After the wait, last night seemed to go so fast.”
How does he always know exactly what to say?

My heart races, anticipating what is to come. “Sounds perfect.”

Turning off the shower, we dry off quickly.

“Ready for your birthday present?” he says, his biceps flexing as he hooks his arms around me.

“Absolutely.”

****

True to his word, he takes his time. He bathes me in sweet kisses from head to toe, licking in all the right places. Every touch, and each long minute he savours and worships my body fuels my need, my desire for him. I just can’t get enough. I don’t think I’ll
ever
be able to get enough of Aidan, and what he does to me. Inside
and
out. In this moment, nothing else matters. Society could collapse around us, and I wouldn’t care.

Clawing the crisp sheets beneath me, my inner coil tightens as the anticipation and excitement of each touch compounds, so much so that I’m literally shaking in anticipation of release.

“Aidan, please,” I beg.

“Please what?” he asks, his voice low and rough, rubbing the stubble of his chin between my legs before dipping his hot tongue inside me.

“I need you.”
God, do I need you.

He withdraws the heat of his tongue, leaving me teetering on the brink. “Tell me what you want, Eevie … and it’s yours.”

Ah! I want it all, Aidan. All of you. I wanna come so hard I forget my own name. I never thought I’d ever feel this needy, want something physical so, so badly. It’s like I might just die if I can’t have it. Like I’m some kind of animal.

“Fill me … just like you said you would,” I say shyly.

Aidan glances up at me through his lashes, and grins wickedly as he crawls up my body. My breathing is erratic when I hand him a condom, and he tears it open with his teeth. “I was hopin’ you’d say that,” he says, and rolls it on. As if I had a choice. I need him like I need to breathe.

Inch by sweet inch, he slowly fills me. Over and over. Just as he’d promised. And I like a man who keeps his promises.

Aidan moves his hips faster, and I dig my fingers into his back. He groans low in his throat until he throbs deep inside me. His movements slow, but he drives into me deep one more time. I cry out, throwing my head back as we climax together.

That
is what I call an orgasm. An unrelenting, all-consuming, toe-curling orgasm.
Surely
it doesn’t get better than this. If it does, I might have to lock Aidan in my room and quit my job.

With the welcome weight of his body on top of me, our chests desperate for air, a hot tear slips down my cheek. And then another. I stifle a sob.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

Aidan lifts his sweaty head from my neck, brushing his face against my wet cheek. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” With worry in his eyes, he wipes my tears away.

“It’s nothing,” I let out a shuddery breath. “I’m just so … overwhelmed.”

A smile slowly creeps across his face and he kisses me tenderly on the lips. “Yeah, I think I know what ya mean.”

Whatever it is he’s doing to me, my heart has become a pound of mush in my chest … and my head’s still catching up. Unable to stop it, another tear falls. A nervous giggle escapes my mouth. He must think I’m bat-shit crazy.

Aidan’s gentle kisses and comforting hold brings the tears to an end.

Today has been a release … in more ways than one.

****

Famished, I fix us a late lunch with the bread Aidan picked up this morning. I take Aidan’s hand from across the table.

“I’m so glad you came last night. It really means a lot. Thanks.”

“My pleasure. Like I said, I wouldn’t have missed it.”

“Out of all my birthday presents, yours was by
far
the best.” The grin on my face is probably wider than I’d intended.

“Yeah, well I had plenty of time to think about it.”

“Don’t think your efforts have gone unnoticed. You’ve set the bar … perhaps a little too high. At least I’ve got until the end of the year to plan yours.”

“Mmm,” he mumbles. “I can’t believe you didn’t come to my birthday party.”
I kinda had something else on my mind then.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to, I …”

“Why didn’t you, then?”

“That was the day I broke up with Jon. Let’s just say I wouldn’t have been very good company.”

“Oh, sorry,” he says, squeezing my hand. “You know … you never should have gone out with him.”

Don’t I know it.

“And why is that?” I ask, curious to know his thoughts on the topic.

“Because you were meant to be with me.”
The heart skipping a beat thing is back …

I offer him a shy smile. “Aw.”

We eat in silence, if only for a moment.

“It was probably for the best I didn’t go … to your party. I wouldn’t have wanted to see you with your girlfriend.”

“She wasn’t there,” he says flatly.

“Oh.”

Where was she? Was it over by then?
As curious as I am, I’m not curious enough to ask about her.

“Hey … I know you’ve got work early tomorrow, but can you stay tonight?” I ask, begging with my eyes.

“Sure, besides … I’m takin’ you to dinner.”

“This is news. When were you going to tell me?”

“When you needed to know. Don’t pretend like you hate surprises.”

“Only the bad ones.”

****

Later in the evening, we take another shower, and get ready for dinner. At a cosy table for two in a Japanese restaurant a few blocks away, we eat and chat, enjoying a bottle of wine. I don’t think we could ever run out of things to talk about. We have plenty of stories to tell, with both of us having spent some time on a farm while we were growing up.

“Are you looking forward to going back to uni?” Aidan asks, manoeuvring sashimi with his chopsticks.

“I’m kinda nervous, actually. It’s like I’m starting fresh. Most of the friends I made in first year are almost finished.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll be fine,” he assures me.

“At least I’m only starting with one unit this semester … easing my way into it. I think it’s going to be hard to manage with work, but my boss said he was willing to be flexible with my schedule so I can go to lectures during the day, as long as I still made up the minimum hours.”

“If you have any late tutorials over my side of town, we could meet for dinner, or you could stay … just a thought.”

“Maybe you could cook. I can’t really afford to go out to dinner too often. With rent and bills, sometimes money’s a bit tight.”

He frowns and tilts his head to the side. “Am I not allowed to buy you dinner?” he asks.

“No, I didn’t say that, but I don’t expect you to.”

“Well, whether you like it or not, tonight is on me. There’s no way I’m letting you pay for dinner on your birthday.”
What a
sweetheart.

“Okay … thank you. So, can you cook?”

“Of course I can.”
So confident
. As if he
wouldn’t
be able to cook. A vision of him cooking with just an apron on comes to mind, and I can’t hide my smile.

“You know, come to think about it, I’d much rather you cook for me.”

“No worries. I’d be happy to.”

After the most perfect day, it ends in his arms.

I think I’ve just met my new best friend.

****

To me, Valentine’s Day is just another day. Work is as busy as always, but apart from that, it’s never been a time I’ve looked forward to.

The door to the office swings open. An enormous bunch of red roses comes through the door. I can’t see who’s holding them, the bunch is
that
big. There must be at least two dozen flowers in there.

“Cassie,” I call out to her at the desk behind me, “I assume these flowers are for you.” I bury my head back into my work. I’ve never known another woman to get so many special deliveries. As much as I love her, and am happy for her, I’m a tad jealous.

“And why would you assume that?” A deep voice from behind the flowers chips in. My skin prickles all over.

I know that voice.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Aidan looks
very
pleased with himself as he lays the flowers delicately on the edge of my desk.

“Aidan,” I shout, wrapping my arms around him. “They’re beautiful. Thank you. I didn’t think I’d see you until Friday.”
And I’ve been counting down the days
.

“I could’ve had them delivered, but I couldn’t let some delivery guy have all the fun. I wanted to see the look on your face. It was
so
worth it.” He chuckles, and leans down, kissing me softly on the lips, and drawing inquisitive looks from the entire office. With my face on fire, my internal organs threaten to liquefy.
You wanted heat …

He shyly hands me a card, and I dive in to open it. The front of the card reads
Aquarians like it wet
. Mmm.

“Ah, you might want to read that at home,” Aidan says nervously. I quickly stuff the card in the envelope, and put in my desk drawer. I know I won’t be able to wait past lunch.

He’s been working hard by the look of it, wood splinters and dust on his black-and-fluorescent-yellow shirt. Black shorts sit just right on his hips, his toned calf muscles on show above a dusty set of work boots. His scent is a heady mix of sweat, earthy tones of cedar, perhaps, and a hint of spice. Another side of Aidan I’m pleased to see, and smell. Someone should bottle this.

To escape the eyes, I walk him out the front of the office.

“This is Office Eevie, huh?” Aidan says, his eyes drinking me in. I look down at my fitted, white shirt, short, black skirt and heels.

“Yep,” I say simply, smoothing my hands over my hips. I’m so glad I put something nice on today.

“I told you before, you’ve got that sexy librarian thing happening. I’m gonna be hard all day thinkin’ about you.”

“I guess it’s the hair in the bun and glasses that does it.”

“Mmm, I might have to come over one night after work, and undress Office Eevie.”

“Will you do rude things to her?” I run my tongue over the top row of my teeth. His eyes focus on my lips, before moving back up to my mine with a provocative smirk.

“Absolutely.”

Walking to his car, and kissing him goodbye, I’m more desperate than ever for the weekend to arrive.

****

I bubble over with excitement as we drive to Aidan’s place on Friday evening after a quick bite for dinner. I can’t wait to see his house, to see how he lives. I wonder if the place will be littered with pizza boxes and empty beer cans, or if it will be neat and tidy as I’m hoping. Given what I know about him so far, I’m sure it’s the latter.

His flatmate, Connor, who I haven’t met, is away for the weekend. Aidan said he was a truck driver or something, which is why he’s hardly ever home. We’ll have the place all to ourselves, temporarily escaping the paper-thin walls of my apartment. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to keep quiet with Aidan in my bed, and now understand why Crystal has trouble keeping the noise down.

Behind the wheel, Aidan can barely stop smiling. I purposely wore a tight, very short, black skirt for the drive over, and unbeknownst to him, I’m wearing his Valentine’s Day present underneath—a deep purple lacy G-string, and matching bra.
I’m sure he’ll figure out how to unwrap it
. For the small amount of material in the underwear, they should have cost me less; in fact, I might as well be wearing nothing at all. My black singlet top provides more cleavage than usual with the help of the push-up bra. The occasional glance from him tells me he’s noticed.
I wish he’d hurry up and open his present already.