Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 326

Aria's POV

I drove home with my mind racing. That casual comment I'd made to Lillian about talking to Aiden suddenly felt like an impossible task. What had seemed straightforward over lunch now felt awkward and uncomfortable as I navigated through traffic.

By the time I entered our neighborhood, my heart was pounding against my ribs. The perfectly manicured lawns and elegant homes of our gated community usually calmed me, but not today.

Ten minutes later, I parked in the garage and walked through our garden toward the main entrance. The autumn flowers were in full bloom, their colors vivid against the perfectly trimmed hedges that Aiden insisted on maintaining.

Lucy poked her head out from the dining area as I entered. "Welcome home, Mrs. Carter!"

I nodded with a tight smile, grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen island, and headed upstairs. Dinner was still a while away, so I changed into more comfortable clothes and, not finding Aiden anywhere, drifted toward the music room. The piano always helped clear my thoughts.

I'd only been playing for about ninety minutes when Aiden appeared in the doorway, announcing dinner was ready. I played the final note, closed the piano lid, and looked up at him.

"Did you go out?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"Just in the study," he replied with that soft expression that made my stomach flip.

Without overthinking it, I walked over and wrapped my arms around his neck, tilting my face up to meet those dark eyes. "I thought you'd gone somewhere."

Aiden's hands found my waist with practiced ease, pulling me closer. "You're home early today."

I felt my cheeks flush. "Lillian said I should come home to have dinner with you."

"So Mrs. Carter didn't want to come home to me on her own?" His voice was teasing, but there was something in his eyes that made my pulse quicken.

"That's not true!" I protested, feeling suddenly defensive.

He just looked at me with that half-smile that always made me feel like he could see right through me. I held his gaze for all of two seconds before looking away, my eyes landing on his lips instead.

Before I could think it through, I acted on impulse and leaned up to kiss him. The height difference meant I had to stand on my tiptoes, and I'd only intended a quick peck.

But Aiden had other ideas.

His arm tightened around my waist, his other hand cradling the back of my head, keeping me from pulling away. His lips parted against mine, teeth grazing my lower lip just enough to send a shiver down my spine. My knees weakened as his tongue slipped past my defenses.

The wet sounds of our kiss filled the quiet room, our breathing growing heavier by the second. My heart hammered in my chest like a wild, frantic drum.

His hand, no longer content to rest at my waist, slid beneath my loose top. Those warm fingers traced my spine before moving around to my front, making me gasp when they brushed against my breast.

"Aiden," I breathed against his mouth as his thumb circled my nipple through the thin fabric of my bra. "We can't... dinner..."

He pressed me against the piano, the keys making a discordant sound that matched the chaos in my mind. "Dinner can wait," he murmured against my neck, his teeth scraping the sensitive skin there.

With tremendous effort, I pushed him back, adjusting my bra and tugging my shirt down. My face felt like it was on fire.

Looking at him—his perfectly composed expression despite the situation—just made me more frustrated. My eyes fixed on the exposed skin at his collar, and I found myself grinding my teeth.

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