“That the teacher’s assistant spilled coffee on his tacky button-down this morning.”
He’s silent until we reach the cafeteria, where he pauses and spins me into his chest. I lift my chin to look at him, and a softened gaze comes over his eyes.
“For that sass, li’l miss, you’ll be doing extra problemsby handafter lunch.”
“I don’t have time for this shit, A?—”
“In the library. Let’s eat.” He shoves open the doors and leads us through the lines.
If I grab chips, he puts a salad on the tray. A brownie is replaced with fruit. But he loads up my plate with chicken and rice. Considering me for a moment, he turns and grabs the last brownie and slides it onto his own tray.
Asshole.
Irritated that I can’t eveneatwhat I want, I follow behind him like a good pet, then sit on his lap as I’ve been trained to do. But if I ever give away how much I like it, I’ll die of embarrassment.
The warmth of his palms on my hips. The way he lifts a fork to my mouth with a bite on it and coaxes my lips apart. His firm chest against my back anchors me to the seat. Scent of adventure and the lake at midnight. Without him realizing, Aiden’s thumb strokes over my thigh in one spot continuously as if it’s what’s keeping him together.
Landon sits across from me, but doesn’t speak directly tome. No, the only one who dares is Ryan Cardell. Not even Pippi, his girlfriend and my cousin, addresses me.
“Hello, Ashlyn,” Ryan says, like the punchline to a joke. He leans around to snag Aiden’s gaze, giving him widened eyes. Full of warning.
“Hello,” I respond politely, but Aiden only interrupts.
“Don’t talk to him.”
“She can talk to me if she wants,” Ryan interjects. “Besides…I’m curious about why she’s on your lap.”
“Because I want her there.”
Ryan’s jaw clenches, and he shakes his head slightly. “Dad won’t like it.”
“I don’t give a fuck, Ryan.”
“You? You who gives a fuck about everything doesn’t give a fuck about that? Mm-kay.” His voice is filled with snark.
Aiden, rebelling against the gods himself, turns my head toward him and kisses me. This time, for the first time, it’s gentle. Probing. One hand snakes up the back of my neck and holds me there. His tongue explores my mouth as if he’s curious. And when he breaks apart, he replaces his lip with a bite of brownie.
“Here, baby girl. You earned this. Daddy’s so fucking pleased with you.”
I almost soak my panties as I take off the corner of the sweet.
Aiden watches me chew, then offers another bite. “Good. So fucking good. When you finish, we’ll go to the library. Okay?”
All I can manage is a quick nod, not quite sure of the game he’s playing now. Or what part he’s using me for. But I’m assuming his family knows.
And the way the brownie settles in my stomach like rocks forces me back to reality.
Aiden and I can never be.
I made sure of that a long time ago.
If I thought I could have fun with him without getting my heart ripped wide open until I bled out on the floor…I was wrong.
And it’s way too late.
Tears sting my eyes, but I quickly blink them back. Aiden’s grabbing my hand and escorting me out of the cafeteria.
As carefully as possible, I sip a slow breath in and ask…