“You were thrashing about when I got here. I talked to you. You seemed to settle, but then kissed me. I realised you didn’t know what you were doing and made you stop. You then went back to sleep.”
“Why didn’t you mention it?”
She couldn’t bring herself to look up at him but had to be honest.
“I just didn’t know how to tell you. The next morning it became clear that you didn’t remember. I thought it was best forgotten seeing as you didn’t seem to know what you were doing.”
What now? What was she supposed to do now? Should she gather her clothes up and pretend nothing had happened again?
“Are you alright?” He knew she was awake, he could feel her blinking as she stared at his chest.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Are your legs alright?”
In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Aidan smiled gently.
“They are fine.” He rested his head on the top of hers for a moment and stared absently into the fire as he stroked the fine strands of her luxuriously soft hair.
At some point over the last hour or so all the pins had fallen out leaving her hair to cascade in wild abandon across her shoulders and down her back. Her tresses were so long that he felt certain he could wrap them around his wrist. Curious, he did just that.
“What are you doing?”
“Seeing just how long your hair is,” he replied as he wove the golden strands around his wrist.
“I should go,” she whispered reluctantly.
Aidan yawned but didn’t feel in the least bit sleepy. Instead, when he lifted his hand up he accidentally tugged the covers lowered and revealed the delightful curve of a plump breast to his appreciative gaze. Eyeing the bared flesh hungrily, he leaned purposefully over her.
“Are you alright?”
“You just asked me that,” she replied somewhat shyly, finally looking deeply into his eyes. She hadn’t expected him to be so concerned for her, and she was touched by it.
“I was a little rough,” he murmured apologetically.
“Were you?” She had no idea. She had never done that before, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. She rather suspected he knew already.
“It should be a lot slower,” he murmured suggestively as he trailed one long finger along the edge of the sheet that covered her barely concealed breast.
“Should it?” Her heart hammered wildly. Although she was in a little discomfort, she felt a pool of heat turning molten deep within, ushered along by a wild flurry of renewed excitement. He had shown her things she had never considered her body able to do before, and she was curious to know if he could do the same again so soon.
“Absolutely,” he assured her. “You see, the slower it can be, the better it will get.”
She swallowed and tentatively began to stroke his chest. He
looked down at that delicate hand against his flesh and knew he was lost.
“Let me show you,” he whispered, and proceeded to do just that.
It was gone midnight. Both Petal and Aidan were still wrapped in each other’s arms beneath the covers in his huge bed sound asleep. Neither of them noticed the door open silently. A shadowed figure appeared in the doorway and watched her leave. After a moment’s hesitation, the door quietly closed again.
The clock on the mantel chimed five o’clock when Petal awoke again. Blissfully warm, she sighed in contentment – until the cold wash of reality swept over her when she realised where she was, and what she had done.
Aidan’s slow, steady breathing assured her he was still asleep. Careful not to wake him, she eased out of his arms.
The cold air within the room immediately stole all trace of warmth from her skin and made her shiver. Quickly gathering up her clothes, she winced at the soreness of her protesting body. While she dressed, she tried to blank out everything she had allowed Aidan to do to her last night. It was hardly surprising that she was a little discomforted. Still, she didn’t regret it. Not really. Well, maybe just a bit. It was going to be impossible to forget what they had shared last night. They had done things to each other that usually only married couples shared.
However, did that make her a wanton hussy or just someone determined to enjoy whatever gifts life threw her? Whichever, she took a moment to study him in the shadows of the early morning light before she left.
Unwilling to part with him until she had touched him one last time, she tiptoed over to the bed and drew the covers up. Bending down, she pressed a gentle kiss to his temple then quietly left the room.