Until May (Until Her/Him #11)(46)

I thought for sure that Aiden’s mother couldn’t be as horrible as she sounded over the phone, but boy, oh, boy was I wrong. She totally earned her Jaws theme song ringtone. And his sister? She definitely acted like a bitch, but as I watched her throughout the evening, I started to wonder if her anger had more to do with her “husband” than anything else. And I use the term husband loosely, because I have never seen a man treat his wife with such indifference.

And regardless of what Aiden believes, I could see that his constant flirting with other women right in front of her face did not sit well with her at all. I mean, how could it? Even if you didn’t like your spouse very much, having them show zero concern for your feelings would suck, especially at such a public event. “I’ll wire you the ten grand once you’re able to give me your bank information.”

“No, you won’t.” I lift my arm so I can glare at him with one eye.

“Doll, I’m not letting you spend that kind of cash.”

“I’m not asking you to let me do anything.” I cover my eye back up when the light causes my head to throb. “The money is going to a good cause, and I’ll get a write-off at the end of the year. It’s not a big deal.” All right, that’s a little bit of a lie. It is a big deal, but it’s not money I regret spending. Not even a little.

“May—”

“Aiden,” I cut him off. “Please don’t annoy me with an argument you will not win right now. Especially when I feel like my head has been stomped on by an elephant.”

“All right, I’ll wait until you feel better.”

“I’m not taking any money you try to give me.”

“Okay,” he agrees, and I lift my arm to look at him as he lies down next to me.

“I’m serious.”

“I know you are.” He carefully pulls me over so he can curl his arm around me, and I tip my head back just in time to catch him smile.

“You’re going to really make me mad.”

“How? I’m not doing anything but agreeing with you.” He smooths his finger down my cheek.

“I’m being serious, Aiden.”

“I know you are, baby. Now close your eyes and focus on feeling better. We have dinner with Noah’s family tonight at six.”

“What?” I shove my hand into his stomach as I sit up, hearing him grunt. “I’m not going with you.” I shake my head, then fall back down next to him when it pounds. “I don’t think I can handle another night of drinking, and if I have to deal with more people who hate me, that’s what will happen.”

“First, no one hates you. My family is just fucked up. And second, Rebecca is going to love you, and you’ll love her and Noah’s whole family.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.” He kisses my forehead. “And I know it’s asking a lot of you after last night, but I want you to meet the people I consider my family,” he says quietly, and I wish his soft voice didn’t have an effect on me, but it does. Plus, if I’m honest, I’m curious about the people he spent so much time with when he was young, because he is nothing like his mom or sister, so his good qualities had to come from somewhere. “I already told Rebecca that you’d be there.”

“You’re annoying.”

“You paid for my time. I’m just giving you what you paid for.”

“I hate you,” I whisper, feeling my cheeks get hot with embarrassment.

“No, you don’t, not even a little.”

“Wanna bet?” I grumble, then I gasp as he rolls me to my back and looms over me with his face just inches from mine.

“After I got over being pissed at my sister and mother last night, I realized what you did was the single most beautiful thing I’ve experienced in my life. And I get that we’re just joking right now, but you need to understand what it meant to me.”

“I did it out of jealousy,” I admit, because my motive wasn’t honorable, and I only did it for selfish reasons—because the idea of him spending time with another woman made me feel sick.

“I know.” His finger trails across my forehead, then down the side of my face. “And if the roles had been reversed, I would have done the same thing.”

“It also felt good to see the look on your sister’s smug face when I won, though I probably shouldn’t have started my bid so high.”

“You don’t think I’m worth ten grand?”

“I’m not sure.” I scan my eyes over his face. “You’re all-right-looking, but—”

“Don’t you dare finish that statement.” He tickles me, and I burst into a fit of laughter and try to grab his hands.

“Stop, please,” I beg, and his fingers lace through mine, then he lifts my hands above my head and smiles down at me, looking smug.

“Tell me you think I’m handsome.”

“No.” I laugh, and he leans into me, brushing his nose across mine, then his lips whisper across my cheek to my ear, and he nips my earlobe.

“Aiden.” My core convulses while my back arches off the bed.

“Tell me.” His warm breath against my ear causes a tidal wave of desire to wash over my skin and my nipples to pebble. Whimpering, I lift my leg and press the heel of my foot into the back of his thigh to pull him closer when I feel his cock against my hip through the thin material of his boxers. “Fuck, I love that sound.”