Heart of Stone (17 page)

“Yep sex on your desk Mr. Stone – one word -
awesome,” I tease tapping the top of his polished mahogany desktop
with my fingernails.

“Hmm… well baby, next time I fuck you, we’ll
try it on my chair,” he smirks sliding his length slowly out from
my body then pulling me up into his arms.

“Come on baby lets get you cleaned up so both
of us can get back to work,” he says adjusting his pants.

Bending down I pick my shredded pink laced
panties. “I still can’t believe you ripped them,” I mumble.

Plucking the panties out of my hand he stuffs
them in his pants pocket, slaps my behind and says, “I’ll buy you
some more baby. Now hurry up. The sooner this days ends the sooner
I can get you home and into my bed.”

Chapter Sixteen.

The sounds of patrons eating their meals and
talking animatedly in the chic café where I sit waiting for Mia to
join me for our lunch, fade into the background as I dreamingly
reminisce of last nights date with Aidan.

A few minutes after six, Aidan arrived to
pick me up from work then in his usual speed possessed mode he
drove me back to Mia’s to grab a change of cloths for work the next
day. The thought of spending another night with Aidan had me giddy
with anticipation and excitement. I loved being in his company and
I yearned to know him more.

Aidan drove us back to his house where Margot
his housekeeper had left us a delicious meal of beef stroganoff in
a warming tray. What can I say – the woman knew how to cook! The
meal was scrumptious and I was ravenous after missing lunch. I idly
wondered if I would get to meet the mysterious Margot one day
soon.

Aidan and I sat eating and casually chatting
about the workday with an ease and intimacy that two people who
care deeply for one another would share. I savored every single
second. After dinner was consumed along with several glasses of
delectable wine I rinsed our plates and stack them in the
dishwasher while Aidan disappeared only to return tens minutes
later to announce we were have a bath together.

Hmm this night was getting better and
better
.

Taking me by the hand Aidan lead me into his
gigantic bathroom. My step faltered at the entrance then I froze
inhaling sharply at the sight of his enormous bathtub filled almost
to the brim with bubbles and the room alight with at least a dozen
candles.

“Baby,” Aidan called tugging my hand and
pulling me into the room. It was the most romantic gesture a man
had ever done for me and it took all my willpower not to shed the
tears that stung the back of my eyes.

Aidan then proceeded to undress me while
alternating between kissing and licking every inch of my neck. In
return I undressed him – slowly, deliberately – exploring every
inch of his neck and chest with my lips and tongue. He pulled my
hair free from its’ tie sifting his fingers through the length.
Then stepping in the bathtub Aidan held his hand out towards me
motioning for me to join him.

With my back to Aidan’s front, his long
muscle legs incasing mine, our fingers entwined and the warm
scented water immersing us both - I laid my head back on his
shoulder relishing the gloriously exquisite sensation of being
cocooned with Aidan in our own little private bubble. I felt safe,
I felt cherished, I felt desired and I was falling helplessly head
over heels in love with him.

Minutes passed as we again fell into easy
conversation with me mainly talking about my family and life back
home in Australia. Aidan never speaks of his family and rarely
mentions anything personal about himself. In contrast, I’m always
an open book, holding nothing back and as the warmth of the bath
water lulled me into a state of sublime relaxation, Aidan’s body
intimately surrounding mine, my curiosity about Aidan’s family got
the better of me.

“What was your father like?”

Aidan’s body froze rock solid and his tone
was icy cold as he answered, “My father was a conceited sadistic
bastard, Gabriella.”

Okay then – note to self – don’t mention
Aidan’s father to him.

Taking a deep breath, I waited for him to say
more but he didn’t nor did his body relax so hesitantly I inquired,
“So… um… you’re not close with any of your family?”

“No Gabriella I am not. And I don’t like
discussing them either so can we please talk about something else,”
he curtly replies.

“But you like Sebastian?” My voice is small
and conciliatory as I try desperately to understand him better and
why he is estranged from his family. The concept is so foreign to
me; I grew up in a very close-nit loving family. Sure we’re a loud,
nosey, opinionated, in your face kinda family but each and every
member of my family would lay their life down in order to save the
other.

And after meeting his stepmom and stepbrother
Blake I can understand him not being close or wanting to talk about
them – they were both vile and absolutely horrid in my onion.

But still my heart hurts for him. Everyone
deserves to be loved unconditionally and family is where that love
should begin.

Aidan’s body relaxes as he sighs loudly.
“Sebastian is… tolerable,” he says dryly but I hear the poorly
concealed affection within his voice.

In response I giggle because reading between
the lines, it’s plain to see Aidan really does like Sebastian and
that means he does at least have one family member and because
Sebastian really is a nice guy so it’s good they have each
other.

“Gabriella,” Aidan sighs, “I’ve been enjoying
our evening together
and
I wish to continue enjoying it, so
can we please discuss something else.” With his tone I know he
isn’t really asking a question but telling me.

“Okay,” I whisper.

After our bath we took turns drying each
other’s body then Aidan lead me to his bedroom where he made love
to me, slowly, sweetly and tenderly. It was awesome! Then falling
asleep wrapped in Aidan’s arms I had the most amazingly restful
sleep ever.

In the morning I awoke supremely aroused and
this was due to the fact that I was awoken with Aidan’s beautiful
mouth suckling on my breast and his oh so talented fingers working
between my legs, which lead to more love making that was not slow,
sweet or tender but was fast, hard and freaking hot.

But the best part of my morning apart from
two really fantastic mind-blowing orgasms was getting ready for
work and eating breakfast together. Aidan let me pick out his tie
after I squealed jumping up and down in delight at the sight of his
wardrobe.

His walk-in wardrobe was seriously a girls’
wet dream. It was massive with floor to ceiling racks on two of the
walls and the back wall had row after row of mahogany shelving for
shoes. Surprisingly the wardrobe was only half used, the other half
was completely empty and I couldn’t help myself fantasizing about
what his wardrobe would look like with my cloths hanging there.

I chose a navy colored tie with thin silver
stripes running diagonally through the length of it which
complimented perfectly against the light blue shirt and dark navy
suit he had put on to wear that day. Aidan’s body was pure
masculine beauty – whether he was dressed in a suit, jeans and a
tee or naked – Aidan was just that beautiful.

And in something so simple, mundane, so
everyday like getting dressed, brushing our teeth and eating toast
together – there was an indubitable level of intimacy between us. I
was feeling giddy, ecstatic, terrified and euphoric all rolled into
one.

The giddy, ecstatic and euphoric emotions
were easy to understand – Aidan being all that is Aidan, he is
gorgeous, smart, romantic, he’s commanding, powerful, competent,
direct, honest, affectionate and so freaking hot! His list of
attributes is endless and I just plain loved being in his company.
But the terrifying feeling I have is foreboding – I sense there is
much more to Aidan than what I see and apart of me still questions
why Aidan would be with a girl like me.

Although my mom always told me to be smart in
life, to always guard my heart and think with my head – I’m afraid
with Aidan I have done the complete opposite.

I frown thinking of that old saying –
‘The
heart wants what the heart wants’
. Love is not logical nor is
it rational so how can you guard yourself from something you cannot
fully understand.

Oh my freaking god
- now I’m sounding
like an old sad cliché.

“Earth to Gabby,” calls Mia drawing me from
my reverie. Mia tosses her cell on the table and sits down across
from me. “I
said
Natalie and Gemma are in for Friday night,”
she says. “Girls night is so going to rock. After work we’ll head
home, get changed grab a bite to eat and everyone is meeting us at
Main at eight. G you are so going to love Main’s Blueberry Cosmos.
They’re to die for.” Mia smacks her lips together smiling.

“Everyone?”

Mia frowns at me, “Keep up Gabby. Where is
your head today? Hello!”

“You, me, Natalie, Gemma, Ebony and of course
Jeremiah is insisting on coming to girls night too. Technically
he’s not a female but he is way more diva then all of us girls put
together. Oh and I got a message from Alisha, she will be there as
well.”

“Ah okay, cool. I like Alisha. Should be a
fun night M.”

Natalie, Gemma and Ebony are Mia’s closest
girlfriends. They all went to college together and have remained
close friends since. Natalie is a nurse at Cedars-Sinai, Gemma is a
grade schoolteacher and Ebony owns her own bakery in Malibu.
They’re a crazy fun bunch of girls who have welcomed me into their
posse with open arms. Alisha is one of Aidan’s PA with her own
brand of crazy so I no doubt she’ll fit into the group well.

The waitress puts our drinks on the table and
Mia and I place our lunch order.

“So G what’s up?” Mia’s full attention is on
me, her eyebrows raised in expectancy.

Signing loudly I look away from Mia’s
examining gaze. She knows me so well – too well sometimes and I
have really been a space cadet today.

“G,” Mia calls, my eyes slide back to hers,
“honey, I’ve known you all my life and I’ve
never
known you
to be so hung up over a guy. What’s going on with you and
Aidan?”

Trust Mia to read me so well.

Dam
.

“I don’t know M, I don’t understand it – he’s
in my thoughts like twenty-four seven.” Glancing at my watch I note
aloud, “It’s hasn’t even been six hours since I last saw him and
he’s already consuming my thoughts. I’ve never felt this way for a
guy before. Aidan’s… um… well he’s intense. He is also amazingly
sweet, very romantic and the sex – Ohmigod M, it’s… well it’s
mind-blowing.”

Smirking Mia rolls her eyes. “Great G, rub it
in honey. You know it’s been months for me,” grumbles Mia.

Signing she continues, “You know I was
worried at first - you moving over, adjusting to living in a new
city, country, new job, missing your mom and all that. Then Aidan
pursuing you…,” Mia pauses taking a deep breath. “He’s kinda had a
bit of a reputation - a different girl every week – if you believe
the rumors and tabloids of course. And the last thing I wanted is
for you to get hurt. You’ve been through so much already this year
but from what I can see he is into you, like really,
really
into you G and I’ve never seen you so taken by a guy. You look
happy Gabby and that makes me happy. You truly deserve that babe.”
Mia reaches over and squeezes my hand.

God I love my cousin
.

“God I love you M,” I whisper placing my
other hand over hers that is still holding mine and giving her my
own affectionate squeeze.

“But seriously Gabby this is good isn’t
it?”

“Yeah,” I tentatively say, “but he’s also
very reserved. He never talks about his family and rarely mentions
anything personal. There’s this outright hostility between him and
his brother Blake not to mention his horrible stepmom. Sebastian is
lovely – he’s really cool M. And you know what I told you about his
mom committing suicide…” I trail off as Mia nods at me
solemnly.

I had already talked to Mia about the night
when Aidan brusquely told me about his mother committing suicide
when he was only five years old and how it was a subject he never
talks about. Something as heartbreakingly tragic like that would
have to leave scar on your soul.

That night in his bed when we spoke of it I
saw pain briefly flash across his face before his customary
impassive mask drew down. My heart physically hurt for him, for his
loss. What a fucked up family he has – no wonder he’s so closed
off.

“And his home is like a display home –
impersonal, stunning but totally void of warmth, any memories and
to be honest I don’t think anyone knows the real Aidan Stone. He’s
enigmatic, controlled; mega rich and I feel incredibly out of my
depth with him. I don’t see what he sees in me when he could have
any woman out there,” I say on a sweep of my hand then lowering my
voice to a whisper I confide my deepest fear. “And Mia for the
first time in my life I’m terrified. Terrified for the feelings I
have for him, terrified he doesn’t feel the same about me and
terrified of getting hurt.”

“Really – Seriously Gabriella!” Snaps Mia
withdrawing her hand from mine, her face turning hard. “Why
wouldn’t Aidan be attracted to you? Gabby your beautiful inside and
out, you’re gorgeous and it makes me mad that you keep questioning
it. The way I see it –
you
are the catch – not Aidan. He
should thank his lucky stars you Gabriella Stevens are attracted
and want to be with him.” Mia face is firm, definite. I know that
look - it’s her momma bear protective mode. “And Gabby honey, love
is terrifying but it’s like that ride we went on when we were
sixteen,” Mia says and my mind flashes back to the memory of when
Mia was visiting me one summer all those years ago.