Oh yes. Life with Aiden would be blissful indeed. It wouldn’t always be, I knew that, but I had no doubt in my mind that the good would most certainly outweigh the bad.
I woke up to the sound of a low moan, and I sat up quickly, straining to hear Ben. When I realized he was at my parents’ house, I turned to see Aiden thrashing next to me. He was sweating, and his head bobbed back and forth as he mumbled something about a bomb.
I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath as I thought back to what Dr. Sharpe had told me on the phone. When I told him about Aiden’s dream, he’d said that Aiden had reacted that way because I’d woken him too quickly. He’d felt my panic mixed in with his own. This time, I would be gentle, slow.
“Do not attempt to crawl on him or restrain him in anyway if he’s having a nightmare,” Dr. Sharpe had warned.
I gently placed my hand on Aiden’s chest and moved it slowly across his skin as I leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his arm. I whispered his name and planted another kiss on his chest as I moved my hand up and threaded my fingers through his hair.
“Aiden, baby? Will you make love to me again?” I asked as I kissed him again, this time on his chin, up his jaw, then on his lips. “I love you, Aiden. Make love to me.”
His eyes fluttered open, and I quickly kept talking.
“I love you,” I whispered as I pressed my mouth to his.
He pulled me on top of him in one fluid motion and held me close as his chest rose and fell like he’d just finished a marathon. I could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and my own nearly broke in two.
“I love you, Willa,” he whispered as he rolled us onto our sides. I threw my leg over his and we lay there staring at one another until Aiden’s breathing finally became normal once again.
I ran my fingers through his hair. “Do you want to talk about your dream?”
He shook his head. “Not right now. I’d rather hold you.”
With a nod, I rolled over and backed my body up against his, allowing him to pull me even closer. I stared at the clock for twenty minutes before Aiden’s breathing slowed and evened out, and I knew he was asleep.
I silently thanked God that it had gone the way it had. Patience, it was going to take patience to help Aiden work through his demons. I knew it wouldn’t always go like this, and he might even attempt to push me away, but I wasn’t giving up on him. On us.
I ran my fingers gently over the hand that was still clutching me as I whispered, “You’ll never be alone again, Aiden O’Hara. Never.”
I drifted off to sleep, and it wasn’t until I woke to the sound of Ben’s little laugh that I realized Aiden and I had slept in the same position the rest of the night, his arms around me and my body tucked against his.
“Is that Ben?” Aiden whispered.
“Oh shit! Shit! I hear my father!” I said, springing out of bed. I ran to the dresser, grabbed a sweatshirt, and put it on. Then came a pair of sweats, sans panties.
Turning, I pointed at Aiden. “Do not make a sound. Don’t come out of this room until you hear me call you.”
Aiden rolled over, placed his hands behind his head, and laughed. “I’m sorry, how old are you? You’ve had a child, Willa. I’m pretty sure your dad knows you’ve had sex before.”
I rolled my eyes. “I know that, but we should at least let everyone know we’re dating before they find you in my bed.”
Sitting up, Aiden swung his legs over the side of the bed and searched for his own clothes. “I’m sure your father got the memo when he saw my truck parked in your driveway.”
I froze and closed my eyes. “Crap.”
“Should we go out together or would you like to go first?” he asked with a smirk on his face.
After a moment of chewing on my lip, I shook my head. “We’ll both go together. I’m an adult, I’m allowed to have a sleepover.”
He raised a brow and stalked toward me in a predatory way that instantly had my insides melting with need. “Sleepover? Is that what we had?”
I couldn’t help but grin like a silly fool. “Fine, it was way more than a sleepover. By the way, would you be interested in another one? Say tonight?”
He pushed a lock of hair behind my ear and leaned down to kiss me softly on the lips. “I’d love to.”
I placed my hand on his chest and looked up into those gray eyes of his. They looked different this morning, almost an ice blue. “Maybe you should pack some things to keep over here. You know, your favorite kind of soap, shampoo, toothpaste. Spare clothes.”