Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 66

Aria's POV

I collapsed onto my bed, exhausted but strangely exhilarated after that awkward yet somehow meaningful moment with Aiden. My phone buzzed insistently, and I groaned, fishing it out from under my pillow. Lillian had bombarded me with messages.

[Lillian]: GIRL WHAT IS HAPPENING

[Lillian]: Are you wearing that sexy nightgown I got you for your birthday?

[Lillian]: Please tell me you're finally comforting your hot fake husband 😏

[Lillian]: Making baby Carters yet?

My face instantly heated to approximately the temperature of the sun. I typed back furiously:

[Me]: Seriously?! No! I just fed him some noodles and gave him candy to suck on!

The moment I hit send, I realized the catastrophic double entendre. My phone immediately exploded with laughing emojis.

[Lillian]: OH. MY. GOD.

[Lillian]: YOU DID WHAT NOW?!?!?

[Lillian]: I didn't think you had it in you!!!

"No, no, no!" I groaned aloud, typing so fast my fingers slipped on the screen.

[Me]: INSTANT NOODLES! I COOKED HIM INSTANT NOODLES! And gave him A MANGO CANDY! An ACTUAL candy in a WRAPPER! From a STORE!

It took me a full five minutes of frantic explanations before Lillian finally stopped cackling at my expense.

[Lillian]: Fine, fine. I believe you. But why are you cooking for him and sharing your precious candy stash at midnight? Something happened.

I bit my lip, hesitating before responding:

[Me]: I saw the woman his family wants him to be with tonight. Claire Bennett. She's like a supermodel with a PhD. Perfect for him.

[Lillian]: And this bothers you because...?

[Me]: I don't know. Maybe I'm just... it's complicated.

[Lillian]: It's really not. You're falling for him. Hard.

I stared at her message, my heart doing strange little flips in my chest.

[Me]: That wasn't the deal. We agreed this was temporary.

[Lillian]: Honey, your heart doesn't care about your deals and contracts.

I pressed my face into my pillow and let out a muffled scream. This wasn't supposed to happen. Aiden Carter was supposed to be my revenge strategy, not someone who made my pulse race when he touched my forehead.

[Me]: Fine. Let's say hypothetically I might have some... feelings. How would one hypothetically make him see me as more than a convenient business arrangement?

[Lillian]: Easy. Sleep with him. Men are simple creatures.

[Me]: I'm ending this conversation now. Goodnight.

I tossed my phone aside and headed for the shower, rolling my eyes. As if I would ever attempt to seduce Aiden. As if I even could. The very idea was laughable.

But as the hot water cascaded over me, Lillian's words kept replaying in my mind.

Images formed unbidden - Aiden's intense gaze when he'd examined my forehead, his fingers lingering on my skin, the way his eyes had dropped to my lips...

I slammed the shower off and practically leapt out, wrapping a towel around myself like armor. This was ridiculous. I needed sleep. That's all.

* * *

The dream started innocently enough. I was in the kitchen again, making noodles. But this time when I turned around, Aiden was much closer, his dark eyes burning with an intensity I'd never seen before.

"Is it good?" I asked, my voice coming out breathier than intended.

"Not yet," he replied, taking the bowl and setting it aside. "But it will be."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify