Aria's POV
I scrolled through T*****r instead, noticing Julian's new song had made the trending list. I liked it and browsed a few other topics before getting bored and putting my phone away.
By then, Aiden had emerged from the bathroom with dry hair. I placed my phone on the nightstand and pulled the thin sheet over me, watching him approach.
He turned off the main light, leaving only the soft glow of the bedside lamp. When he slid into bed beside me, I felt the mattress dip under his weight. As it rebounded, his familiar scent enveloped me as he pulled me into his arms.
Looking into his dark, intense eyes, I suddenly remembered last night's unfinished business. My heartbeat immediately quickened.
"Ready to sleep?" he asked, a knowing smile playing on his lips as he noticed my bright eyes.
My ears burned as I nodded. "Mm-hmm." Though sleep was the furthest thing from my mind.
Aiden reached over and switched off the bedside lamp. The room plunged into darkness, making his woody cologne seem even more potent in the blackness.
I swallowed hard. Images from last night—skin against skin, breathless moments—flashed through my mind, sending a wave of heat through my body.
I shifted, trying to push the thin sheet away, but instead accidentally brushed against Aiden's thigh.
We both froze.
"Not tired after all?" His voice had dropped an octave, rough with tension.
My head buzzed with awareness. "I'm just... hot."
He pulled the sheet away from my body. "Better?"
"Yes," I whispered, embarrassed at how breathy my voice sounded.
"Then perhaps Mrs. Carter would like to move her leg?" His voice was a deep rumble in the darkness.
My face flamed as I realized I was still touching him. I quickly pulled my leg back. "Sorry," I mumbled, ducking my head so low my chin nearly touched my chest, despite knowing he couldn't see me clearly.
The hand resting on my waist suddenly tightened, drawing me flush against his hard body.
"If you can't sleep..." His deep voice reverberated through me. "Maybe some bedtime exercise would help?"
His warm palm began to wander, leaving trails of fire across my skin. My face burned hotter, and I formed a fist, intending to protest, but the moment I opened my mouth, his lips captured mine, swallowing my words.
This wasn't our first kiss, but it was the first time I'd felt his emotions so raw and powerful. He kissed me like a starving wolf finally given permission to devour its prey. I trembled in his arms, my toes curling against the sheets as I searched for some anchor in the storm of sensation.
The darkness amplified everything—his increasingly heavy breathing, my soft moans, the rustle of bedding as we moved against each other. His hands were everywhere, sliding under my nightgown to caress my thighs, my waist, my breasts.
"God, I've wanted to touch you all day," he growled against my neck, his stubble creating the most delicious friction against my sensitive skin.
"Then touch me," I whispered boldly, arching into his hands. "I'm yours."
He groaned at my words, his control snapping as he tugged my nightgown over my head and tossed it aside. The cool air kissed my naked skin for only a moment before his warm mouth replaced it, latching onto my breast.
"Touch yourself," he commanded, his voice strained. "I want to feel you come around my cock."
I slid my hand between us, circling my clit in time with his thrusts. The dual sensation was overwhelming, and I felt myself rapidly approaching the edge.
"I'm close," I gasped. "So close—"
"Look at me," Aiden demanded. Though it was dark, my eyes had adjusted enough to make out his intense expression above me. "I want to see your face when you come."
That was all it took. My body tensed, back arching off the bed as waves of pleasure crashed through me. "Aiden! Oh god, yes!"
He continued thrusting through my orgasm, prolonging it until I was trembling and oversensitive. Then his movements became erratic, his breathing harsh.
"Aria," he groaned, burying his face in my neck as he came, pulsing deep inside me.
For several minutes, we lay tangled together, catching our breath. His weight pressed me into the mattress, but I didn't mind. I loved the feeling of being completely surrounded by him.
Eventually, he rolled to the side, keeping me tucked against him. His fingers traced lazy patterns on my back as our breathing returned to normal.
"Still hot?" he murmured into my hair, a smile in his voice.
I laughed softly, feeling satisfied and deliciously worn out. "Not anymore. Now I'm tired."
"Good." He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Sleep, my Aria."

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