Then he stilled.
“What?” I whispered against his lips.
He tilted his head, listening. The warmth in his expression vanished, replaced with sharp focus.
“Footsteps,” he muttered.
Before I could even process, he was sitting up—his fingers digging into my hips as he held me in place.
“Do you think Rook is going to barge right in, screaming?” I whispered, not containing my laughter. “Maybe he already knows and is going to kick your ass.”
Aiden swung his legs over the side of the bed, taking me with him as he stood up.
“What a psycho girl. You think that would be funny?”
“No,” I answered honestly. “But I do think it’s funny you’re still scared of my brother.”
“I’m not scared of him. Not in a ‘oh he’s going to hit me’ way, but you have to remember this life isn’t mine like it is yours. I was born with nothing—no family, no home, no money. I fought to have this life and it can still be taken away from me.”
“No, it can’t,” I said, dropping my legs as he set me down by the door. “Just because you weren’t born into our family doesn’tmean what you and Rook have built is any less yours. This wasn’t an inherited business, Aiden, you two worked yourselves to death to build this life. Why do you think Rook has any more right to it than you do?”
“Because.” Aiden whispered now as he listened for more footsteps. “Rook started this himself and then took a chance on letting me help him. I wasn’t worth a damn and he still let me join in and help with everything.”
“You need to—”
He stood, cutting me off with a look as Regan’s voice rang out.
“Evie, are you here? I need that blue top you borrowed last week,” she yelled through the door.
Aiden stepped back, moving until he was angled inside the closet. I reached past him for the blue top Regan was asking about as she opened the door.
“Evie, are you—” she yelled again, coming in and stopping when she saw me. “Hey, do you have that top?”
I grinned, handing the shirt out to her. “Got a hot date?”
“If you want to call your brother hot that’s on you,” she said, smiling so hard her face had to hurt. I could only grimace in response. “But yes, we are running out for a night ride and hopefully a cookie stop. Which is why I need the shirt, it really helps me convince him.”
“Eww.” I scrunched my nose. “And you say that as if he wouldn’t buy you the entire bakery if you asked.”
Her eyebrows jumped up. “Evie, you are a genius. An endless supply of cookies? I have to go but...” She looked over at the bed. “Did I interrupt something?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, my eyes already darting aroundthe room. It’s not like we had taken any clothes off. Aiden’s phone wasn’t out. Then I landed on the two drinks on my nightstand.
“Oh, no, I’m binge-watching TV and didn’t want to move as much as possible.”
She laughed, eyebrows high, already backing out of the room. “My mistake then, have fun.”
I closed the door behind her, locking it this time, already wondering if I truly heard the knowing tone in her voice.
Aiden stepped out of the closet, already shaking his head.
“You look like you saw a ghost,” I said, letting the teasing tone back in my voice.
“I’d rather deal with a ghost than your brother.”
My hands fisted into the front of his hoodie, pulling him forward. I kept going until I fell back onto the bed and he fell on top of me, catching himself at the last minute.
“Are you sure you want this, Evie?” he whispered, brushing soft kisses along my jaw.
