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“Of course, I wouldn’t leave you to fend for yourself,”he says with a wink, and I let out a sigh of relief.
“Where are we going to sleep? I don’t think you and I would both fit in my hammock or in my sleeping bag.”
“Good thing I brought my hammock and sleeping bag with me then.” It’s only then I notice his discarded backpack. He must have thrown it near the campfire when he stormed in.
I scan my camp for all the places he could set up his hammock. Not looking his way, I whisper, “I would prefer if you were right next to me.”
Aiden gently puts two fingers under my chin and lifts my head to meet his gaze. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He kisses my forehead tenderly before giving my butt a playful slap, making me squeal with surprise.
Then he gets to work; zipping our sleeping bags together to make one big blanket and hanging his hammock next to mine on the same tree.I giggle; hammock spooning—now that will be something.
Aiden helps me climb into mine before hopping in his and covering us with the sleeping bag blanket. The gravity of our bodies pushes the hammocks together, and Aiden’s arm comes around my waist, but I pull it farther up, hugging it tight and resting my face on it.
Now, I feel safe.
“Good night, Ade,” I whisper into the darkness. “Thank you for coming to my rescue.”
“Always, lucida. I’m here for you, always.”
Listening to Aiden’s steady breathing behind me, my eyelids grow heavy. Iamtired.
Not caring anymore that I’m out in the wilderness with a rabid bobcat, I drift off, knowing here in Aiden’s arms I am safe.Thank you, universe.
I wake up the next morning with soft sunlight streaming through the trees. After last night’s excitement I slept like a rock.
Last night… it all comes back to me.
My panic, the bobcat, the kiss…
That kiss!
Just the memory of it has goose bumps race over my skin.
Everything about it felt so right.
And the way he held me… like he never wanted to let me go.
Aiden.
His arm is still snaked around me, and I glance over my shoulder to see he’s still asleep.
Fuck, he’s beautiful!
Warmth swirls in my abdomen, my heart so full of lo…
Oh no! Don’t go there.
I can’t let myself go there.
There’s still Tiero; he would kill Aiden if he found out he touched me.
Heaviness descends upon me… and regret. Shit, I shouldn’t have kissed him. Now that I know what it’s like, it’s going to be twice as hard to stay away from him. But I have to. I can’t risk his life.
I need to talk to him. I need to make him understand this can never happen again… we can’t happen.
It’s for his own good.
And yes, he will tell me he can protect himself and he can protect me, but I don’t want to put him in that situation. This is my drama. He doesn’t deserve to be dragged into it more than he already has been.
