Carved in Stone (The Stone Series) (20 page)

             
And I also happen to be crazy mad in love you.
But… I didn’t add that last bit, partly because I was a big old chicken and mainly because it was taking everything I had to try and keep up with our argument; the guy was giving me whiplash with every word he spoke.

             
“Okay…let me get this straight,” I begin hesitantly inhaling a deep breath to calm myself. “You’re asking me to move in with you and we’ve only been back together for just over a week now. Don’t you think that’s a bit too soon?”

             
“No.” Shifting back in his chair, Aidan folds his arms over his chest, his posture rigid and his chin angled forward in a definitive tilt.

             
“But we’ve only known each other for a couple of months Aidan, surely you can’t possibly think that’s long enough for this kind of commitment?” The squeakiness of my voice reminding me of Alvin’s the chipmunk.

             
“Three months, and yes I do. I told you this is it for us Gabriella, there was no turning back and you agreed.”

             
“Yes, but – ”

             
Cutting me off Aidan sweeps his hand between us in an exasperated wave. “What the fuck do you think it is we’re doing here Gabriella. We’re both not teenagers and this isn’t some fucking casual affair, we’re building a future together so I’m not wasting any more time with the bullshit back and forth. Besides, you said it yourself, living with Mia was a temporary situation until you got more settled here in L.A.”

             
“Yes, but the plan was to live with Mia for six months, she’s in no rush for me to move out.”

             
“But I am. I want you here with me. With my schedule, the hours I keep not to mention all the travelling I do, what time I do have here at home I want it to be spent with you and not trying to figure out who’s damn house we’re meeting up at. I want to wake up in the morning and have you lying in my bed next to me and I want to come home, eat dinner with you, fuck you senseless and go to sleep with you beside me. I gave you fair warning Gabriella, I’m all in - this is not a fucking rehearsal for us baby.”

             
I have to admit Aidan has some good points – the driving back and forth between his place and Mia’s can be annoying but I thought that was the reason behind why he brought me the flipping wardrobe in the first place. And he’s also right - Aidan’s schedule is ridiculously busy, he does travel a lot and every time we’re apart I miss him terribly so it would make sense to not waste what precious time we do have with each other by living together.

             
“I’m all in this too Aidan, but you have to understand my concerns, not only does it feel like we’re moving too quickly by moving in together so soon –”

             
“Gabriella, I make million dollar decisions in mere minutes on a daily basis, three fucking months is not too soon.” He snaps impatiently.

             
“Would you let me finish!” I snap back at him in frustration.

             
Nodding his head in the affirmative, he flicks his hand in gesture as if to say
‘carry on’
but his narrowed glare tells me he’s not happy.

Too bad – I hate being cut off when I’m trying to say something.

              “Thank you.” I say, sarcasm lacing my tone.

Taking a deep calming breath, I soften my voice
in an effort to convey to him my inner vulnerability.

             
“I’m just… a little scared to be honest with you Aidan. The way I…” I pause, pursing my lips together terrified to say the word love knowing Aidan’s abhorrence for the word.

             
“…Feel about you, it’s intense and consuming and I know deep down in my heart that’s not going to change. If anything, my feelings get stronger for you everyday but what concerns me about us is you Aidan, I’m terrified that you don’t feel the same way about me as I do for you.” Taking another deep breath, I feel a sense of relief to finally voice that fear.

             
“Come here Gabriella,” Murmurs Aidan opening his arms for me to sit in his lap. His emerald eyes soften with tenderness, a small smile tugging at the corner of his sensual full lips and as he wraps his arms around me drawing me tight into the warmth of his big strong body, I know in my heart that my true home is right there enveloped in his embrace.

             
“I know what you want to hear from me Gabriella,” he whispers against my mouth, our breaths mingling as one and our foreheads touching together.

“However I need you to trust and give me sometime. I’ve never opened up and shared my life with anyone, I’ve never wanted to but baby since from the very moment I laid eyes on you I’ve wanted nothing more than to have you be mine. This relationship stuff is new to me and I’m sure I’m going to fuck it up at times but I need you to hang in there because I meant every word I’ve said to you. And I promise you button, you’ll hear those words you’ve been waiting for but when I’m ready. Okay?”

             
“Okay Aidan,” I whisper back touching my lips against his.

****

              Mia whistled through her perfectly white teeth as she carried one of the four large cardboard boxes that contained the entire contents of my worldly belongings into Aidan’s house.

             
“We’re not in Kansas any more Toto,” she said dumping the box unceremoniously onto Aidan’s dinning table and walking out towards the back patio.

             
I smiled at her reference to the Wizard of Oz, it was a line that both our moms use to say to us growing up and now as adults, Mia and I tended to say it a lot too.

             
“My God G, the view out here’s amazing.”

             
Putting down the box I was carrying onto the kitchen counter I walked out to join Mia. “It is a spectacular view,” I agreed.

             
The Sunday morning sun was shining brightly, reflecting rays of sparkling light off the crystal blue water of the ocean, the sky was cushioned with cotton-candy clouds and the breeze caressing the scent of saltwater and sunshine against our skin. I was positive no matter how long I saw this view – I’d never get tired of it.

             
After I agreed to move in with Aidan on Friday night, he was supremely smug and triumphant, scooping me up and carrying me to his (now our) bedroom where he proceed to make love to me in a slow, tender, sensual way and lets just say, multiple orgasms were certainly involved.

             
Saturday, we woke up, showered then Aidan surprised me for breakfast by taking me to the quaint little café with the gorgeous garden setting and oriental décor in Santa Monica where we had our first official date several months ago. I remembered how nervous I was that day and now to think we were an official couple and living together – how nuts was that!

             
After taking a long drive along the Pacific Highway where I tried my best not to complain about Aidan’s maniac driving and just sit back and enjoy the coastal ocean views, we headed home picking up dinner on the way. I ended up sprawled in Aidan’s lap watching television while Aidan worked on his laptop, the normalcy of the evening had me confidently optimistic that Aidan and I were the lucky ones – we were going to make it.

             
“Where is Mr. Tall, Dark & Sexy anyway?” Mia asks plopping herself down on one of the wrought iron patio chairs.

             
“Aidan,” I answer, rolling my eyes at her, “has a lunch meeting. He should be back in a few hours.”

             
“You want something to drink?” I asked over my shoulder as I walked back inside.

             
“Yeah please. What have you got?”

             
Mia follows me back into the kitchen and peers over my shoulder as I open the refrigerator door.

             
“Err G, looks like ‘Old Mother Hubbard’s’ cupboards are bare,” quips Mia. We both stare silently at the contents, well lack of contents in the fridge.

             
“I guess I need to go shopping for groceries today.”

             
“Doesn’t Aidan have a housekeeper?”

             
“Yeah he does, but Margot only comes in a few days a week and only to clean. Aidan rarely eats at home, he’s always at work or travelling.”

             
“I guess that’ll be changing now,” she muses.

             
Reaching for the half container of orange juice, I make a mental note to buy some more along with milk and any other staples I might need when I hit the grocery store this afternoon.

             
“OJ okay?” I ask Mia, pulling some glasses out of the cupboard.

             
“Yeah that’s fine, thanks,” she murmurs hopping up on a stool. “Hey Gabby, you sure you’re ready for this? It’s a big step in any relationship to be moving in together and I know you’ve had your doubts about Aidan’s level of commitment. I just want to make sure you know what you’re doing here babe.”

             
Sliding the glass of juice across the breakfast bar to Mia, I lean over resting my weight on my elbows and study my beautiful cousin. Her long blonde hair, sun-kissed skin and thickly lashed sapphire eyes ensures she’s a total knock-out but it’s the affectionately concerned way she’s staring at me confirms why I love Mia to pieces.

             
“I’d be crazy not to have some reservations M, after all three months isn’t a long time and granted some people would consider it too soon but I love him Mia, that’s not going to change. And despite any reservation I might have, Aidan has none at all. He’s adamant that living together is the next step in our relationship and I know Aidan loves me, he’s all but said it over and over again – he just needs time to verbalize the actual words.”

             
Mia gives a short nod, her lips curving in a smile as she reaches out giving my hand a squeeze. “Well let’s get the rest of your boxes from the car and then you can give me the grand tour.”

             
“Oh and by the way Gabby, just giving you some advanced notice, we are so doing cocktails with the girls over here one Friday night – we can make it a pool party. This place is the bomb!”

             
Following Mia out to the driveway, I shake my head at the thought – I wonder what Aidan’s reaction will be to seeing his house invaded by a group of cackling, gossiping woman tipsy on blueberry cosmos and swimming in his pool.

Chapter Eighteen

             
“Hey baby. Something smells good,” says Aidan, throwing his keys down on the kitchen counter and coming up behind me.

             
Wiping my hands, I push the button to start the dishwasher, secretly pleased that I had managed to finish preparing dinner and cleaned up before Aidan arrived back.

             
Pressing his body firmly against mine, he playfully tugs the length of my ponytail then nuzzles his handsome face into my neck trailing soft teasing little kisses down my throat and along the edge of my collarbone. The feather light sensation of his lips on my skin causes tingles to erupt and following the path of his sensual mouth. Sighing, warmth swells deep within my heart – the normalcy of cooking a meal for my boyfriend in the home we now shared is both surreal and exhilarating at the same time. Just the thought of doing this almost everyday with Aidan has me giddy with happiness. I can’t believe it was only just over two weeks ago when I thought I had lost him, lost us forever.

             
“It’s only lasagna, nothing too fancy.” I say inhaling his uniquely intoxicating scent.

             
“Hmm…well if tastes half as good as you baby, I’m sure it’s delicious.” His tongue glides up tracing the shell of my ear.

             
Turning around, I wrap my arms around Aidan’s neck, threading my fingers through his silky chocolate colored hair. “I think you’re a born romantic Mr. Stone.”

             
“Only with you button,” he says brushing his lips across mine.

             
He places a kiss on my nose than draws back slightly to look at me. “You all unpacked?”

             
“Yeah, it didn’t take long especially with Mia helping me. She just left, not too long ago.”

             
Aidan grins, his brows rising as he draws me closer. “Ah, so now I have you all to myself. How long before dinner is ready?”

             
“About half an hour,” I reply kissing him back, my tongue sliding along the seam of his lips. He nips at my bottom lip, his emerald green eyes heating with unconcealed desire.

             
“Good, more than enough time to fool around a little first.” His boyish grin makes me giggle in response.