Chapter 323
Aria’s POV
Something soft brushed my cheek—the expensive sheets. The familiar scent of his cologne filled my nostrils before I even opened my eyes. That masculine, woodsy smell that always made my body react in ways I couldn’t control. I must have fallen asleep in his arms after our intense session last night.
“Is Mrs. Carter finally awake?” His deep voice came from above me, that hint of amusement unmistakable.
I instinctively looked up, meeting those dark eyes that seemed to see right through me. The vivid dream I’d been having—where he had me pressed against the wall of our shower, water cascading over our bodies as he-God, I couldn’t even look at him without blushing.
“Good morning,” I mumbled, averting my gaze. “I need to brush my teeth p>
I scrambled out of bed from the opposite side, putting as much distance between us as possible. The cold floor shocked my bare feet, and I realized with embarrassment that my slippers were on Aiden’s side. Shit.
I had to do the walk of shame around the bed, feeling his eyes track every move as I quickly grabbed my slippers and darted into the bathroom. Behind me, I heard him make that little clicking sound with his tongue, followed by a low chuckle. The bastard was enjoying my discomfort.
Neither of us mentioned my running back to my father’s house the other day. Some things were better left unsaid, especially when we both knew I’d come crawling back to him anyway. God, when had I become so predictable? Or worse—when had I started wanting to be predictable for him?
The weekend arrived before I knew it. I’d made plans with Lillian for lunch—finally, some girl time away from Aiden’s overwhelming presence. Though if I was honest with myself, even “overwhelming” was starting to feel like something I craved rather than avoided.
After breakfast with Aiden, where he kept “accidentally” brushing his fingers against mine while passing the salt or coffee, I escaped to my car. The freedom of driving away from our house felt both liberating and oddly empty, like I’d left something essential behind.
Lillian was actually waiting outside her apartment building when I pulled up—a miracle considering she usually made me wait at least twenty minutes.
“You’re up early,” I commented, handing her the breakfast I’d brought along. “What’s the occasion? Did someone replace my perpetually late best friend with a punctual clone p>
She took a sip of milk and choked slightly when she heard my teasing. “Been less busy these past few days,” she managed after a few coughs. “Went to bed early last night, catching up on sleep p>
“Oh? Is your project finished then?” I asked as I pulled back into traffic.
Lillian bit her straw, staring straight ahead with an intensity that seemed unnecessary for such a simple question. “More or less p>
Something was off. Lillian wasn’t usually this evasive, but I decided not to push. We all had our secrets, right? God knows I had plenty of my own these days—like how I’d started looking forward to Aiden’s touch, or how I sometimes found myself staring at his hands during dinner, remembering what they could do to my body.
We chatted about nothing important as I drove. When we stopped at a red light, I noticed Lillian lost in thought, her eyes slightly unfocused as she gazed out the window.
“Lill? What are you thinking about? You’ve gone to another planet p>
She snapped back to reality, blinking rapidly. “Nothing. Just some tricky issues from the last project p>
“I thought you said it was finished?” I raised an eyebrow.
“It is! Not thinking about it anymore!” She switched to a cheerful tone so abruptly it was almost suspicious. “Aria, baby, we haven’t seen each other for over a month, and you’re getting more gorgeous! Love must really be treating you well p>
She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Nothing like good sex to make a woman glow p>
Any other time, I would have immediately denied it, probably thrown something at her for good measure. But memories of Aiden’s mouth on my skin flashed through my mind—the way he’d whispered my name against my throat last night, how his hands had gripped my hips hard enough to leave marks I’d secretly admired in the mirror this morning. I found myself speechless, heat rising to my cheeks.
“Oh my God,” Lillian gasped, pointing at me dramatically. “You’re not denying it! Who are you and what have you done with my friend p>
“Shut up,” I mumbled, grateful for the changing light. “I’m driving p>
The restaurant Lillian had chosen was in a quieter part of town, easy to find but far enough from the usual business lunch spots to offer some privacy. I parked across from it, near a basketball court in the residential area.
The midday October sun was surprisingly intense, beating down on us as we got out of the car. Lillian finished the last of her milk tea before unbuckling her seatbelt. I was already outside with an umbrella open, checking the restaurant’s exact location on my phone.
“Lill, we need to cross the street,” I said, putting my phone away.
“I know. I’ve been here before,” she replied quickly, then seemed to regret her words immediately.
“Company dinner?” I asked, not thinking much of it.
Lillian glanced at me, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Yeah, after finishing that big project p>
I nodded, doing some mental math. “Must have been some project if they brought you to a place that costs $800 per person. Your team leader was feeling generous p>
“It was a one-time thing,” she said, avoiding my eyes in a way that made me wonder what she wasn’t telling me.
Something in her tone made me curious, but I let it go. We all had parts of our lives we kept private-God knows I wasn’t sharing everything about my nights with Aiden. “Well, that’s nice p>
We continued chatting as we
vel
approached the restaurant. Once inside, I understood why it wasn’t located downtown. The place screamed money-crystal chandeliers hanging from vaulted ceilings, plush velvet seating in rich jewel tones, and waitstaff that moved like silent shadows. The kind of place where they probably didn’t even print prices on the menu because if you had to ask, you couldn’t afford it.
Lillian had already reserved a table by the window rather than a private room since it was just the two of us. As the host led us through the main dining area was about to sit down When I spotted a familiar face across the room. I decided to ignore him, taking a sip of water and keeping my head down.
But he’d already seen me. Before I could even unfold my napkin, he walked over
and rapped his knuckles on our table with an entitled confidence that made my jaw
clench.
“Aria p>
The gesture made Lillian look up too, curiosity evident in her expression as she glanced between us.
I reluctantly met Owen Duncan’s gaze, forcing my face into a neutral expression. “Mr. Duncan p>
“Having lunch with a friend?” he asked, his eyes flicking briefly to Lillian with the kind of dismissive glance that rich men give to people they don’t need to remember.
I nodded, hoping he’d leave. Thankfully, after a brief assessment, he seemed to take the hint. “I won’t disturb you then p>
As he walked toward the stairs leading to what I assumed were private dining rooms, Lillian leaned forward, eyes wide. “How do you know Owen Duncan?” she whispered urgently.