Touched (The Untouched Trilogy #2)(93)

“Aria.”

“What? Do you not like it?” I asked.

“Quite the opposite. I love it.” He lifted the Omega watch from the box. It was the Speedmaster Moonwatch Chronograph Black Dial.

“Look at the back,” I said.

It was inscribed with Let’s make time stand still, Love Aria. It was inspired by the words he’d spoken and the same words I’d been thinking when we were lying in bed after the first time he’d made love to me.

He removed the watch he was currently wearing and replaced it with my gift.

“I’ll treasure this always,” he said, standing and reaching for me. He cupped my face and slowly lowered his lips to mine.

“Happy birthday baby,” I said.

“Thank you, Princess.”

“And you say I’m full of surprises. I didn’t expect this,” he said.

“What did you expect exactly?”

“I’m not sure but this is perfect. Just like you.”

“I’m not perfect by any means,” I said.

“Yeah I know but I had to say that ... it kinda fit the moment,” he said, grinning.

“You ass,” I replied, laughing. “Your mother expected me to bring you downstairs a long time ago. Let me clean up and we can join them.”

I walked to the bathroom and he followed. We grabbed a couple of towels and wiped away the signs of sex, both of us looking at the other as we did, neither of us saying a word. I don’t know why but watching him clean up after having f*cked me was so freaking hot.

We finished our quick clean-up and headed downstairs. More guests had obviously arrived because the house was much noisier than it had been when I went upstairs.





CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The room had been slightly transformed within the short span of time that I’d been upstairs. The party was in full swing, even with the absence of the guest of honor, which confirmed my suspicions that this party was more of a Raine event than a celebration of Aiden’s birth. It was very distinguished and elegant; low lights and a band adding another layer to the festive atmosphere. Aiden grabbed me and pulled me to an area that had been designated for dancing and we were instantly lost in the revelry of the music.

The room was filled with the most elite society members. Aiden introduced me to several Raine Industries executives, a few of his friends from college and some old family friends … which was code for prudes. Aiden had applied his mask and fit right in. I too, was able to blend in with the majority of the crowd. His mask volleyed from CEO to Raine elite to my Aiden. I didn’t know how he did it. But as he’d said, everyone does it to a certain extent. He fell into conversation about a game of golf with a college buddy and I excused myself to go in search of my sisters.

There were just too many people; finding them was proving to be difficult. I walked out to the terrace and pulled out my phone to send them a text. The chance of them checking it was slight due to the noise level but since they were teenagers who practically lived on their phones, the chances of them replying were higher than they would have been otherwise. I slid my phone back into my pocket and turned around bumping right into the one bitch I was hoping to avoid … Nadia Lane.

“Oh jeez,” I said, irked simply by her appearance.

“Hello to you too Aria,” she said, a feigned smile on her plastic face.

“Hello Nadia,” I said. “If you’ll excuse me,” I said, stepping past her.

“Aria, don’t rush off. I was hoping to have a chance alone with you – to truly apologize for the rather unfortunate mishap last year.”

Mishap? Bitch please! “You were lying on Aiden’s bed butt ass naked. How the hell was that a mishap?”

She waved my question away as if it were some silly joke. “I don’t get caught up in terminology. But I really wanted to apologize and I hope you’ll forgive me,” she said, oozing of insincerity.

“I’ll accept your apology in the same spirit in which it was delivered,” I said, returning her acerbic smile.

She was all smiles and caught me totally off guard when she hugged me. “I’m so relieved. Thank you, Aria. I was so worried you’d say no,” she gushed.

What the hell? Was this bitch insane? I stepped back from her and watched as she continued her ramblings. I looked at the glass in her hand, making a mental note to avoid whatever she was drinking.

“I know how important it is to Aiden that we get along. I don’t quite understand it but one never does quite understand things like this with Aiden; he’s such a complex person. I suppose that’s why my relationship with him has always been such an oddity … always so complicated.”

“Nadia, give it a rest. If one more person describes your relationship with Aiden as complicated, I think I’ll scream.”

She looked as if I had slapped her across the face but she quickly recovered, reapplying the plastic that accompanied the evil glint in her eyes. “When you carry a man’s child, it does complicate things, don’t you think?” she asked.

I looked at her not knowing how to reply. And she looked at me as though she had just thrown the winning punch.

“I’ve spotted someone that I simply must say hello to. It was delightful seeing you again, Aria,” she said. She smirked and walked past me, leaving me in a tailspin as I tried to interpret what the hell she meant.