Page 240 of Alpha Mates

So I hold it inside with all the other oiled feelings, while I hide in the dark fissure between my bent legs.

“Julian,” he whispers, as his hand settles over my head. He palms it gently, his touch so full of love it makes my heart break. “Julian, I trust you.”

“No, you don’t,” I say, biting my lip to stop it trembling.

“Yes, I do,” he dismisses. “If I didn’t trust you, I never would’ve let you stay when you showed up here. If I didn’t trust you, I would’ve never gotten this far with you … I would’ve never fallen in love with you.”

Leaving the safety of my knees, I peek up at my mate, needing to know those words are true. I look at him, not in his eyes, not yet, butathim.

“I trust you,” he repeats, emphasising each word for me.

My heart swells, trembling in its confines, and my fingers itch to touch him. His hand finds mine before I can muster the courage to reach for him, enveloping it in a protective hold.

“I … I don’t think we’ll ever go back to how we were,” he says carefully, “but I’m hoping we’ll come out of this better.”

The ache in my heart teeters towards something almost hopeful. “What if we don’t?”

Aiden’s eyes flit between mine, and for the first time, I see my own fears reflected back at me. He’s scared too, terrified of things never feeling like they did before, or becoming worse. But Aiden’s never had a problem with being brave.

“I’m trying to think optimistically,” he says with a big grin. “I hear it’s good for the soul or some bullshit.”

A laugh tumbles out of me and his dark eyes glow with pleasure.

“There he is,” he whispers, his smile softening as he releases my hand to cup my face. I lean into the touch, nearly purring at the gentle warmth of his palms.

“I love you,” I say, borrowing his bravery as I try my best to rekindle mine. “I love you so much, Aiden.”

“I love you too, Julian,” he says, leaning forward. “More than anything.”

He presses a soft kiss to my cheek, one that sets my body alight as his fingers slip into my hair.

He touches me gently, lovingly, and I gather my courage with a deep breath before finally leaning in and pressing my lips to his. It’s quick, only a peck, but it still leaves my lips tingling when I pull away.

Aiden’s fingers trace his lips carefully, his expression stunned. My heart hammers against my ribs, matching the erratic tempo of his perfectly.

We’ve done much more in the past, but I’ve never felt a kiss shake me like this, especially not one so short.

Without a word, Aiden straightens to his full height and offers me his hand. I don’t hesitate. My fingers slide into his, and he pulls me up and against his chest. We stay there, eyes locked, breath shared.

Aiden’s the first to move. He steps back and slowly guides me behind him. I’m not sure if he’s afraid to spook me or to break this fragile thing between us, but I follow his every step as he walks us back to his safe haven.

Inside, the cool air rushes over my skin, raising goosebumps. Aiden reaches just beside my waist to shut the door. The resounding click makes me suck in a breath that I immediately lose when that hand grazes along my hip.

Eyes on me, he kicks off his shoes as he backs towards the small bathroom, and I do the same as I blindly follow behind my mate.

For the first time, the bathroom door shuts fully once we’re both inside. It’s almost too quiet as Aiden plucks one of my hair ties from the counter and moves behind me.

I watch him through the small mirror as he wordlessly combs his fingers through my hair, his touch almost reverent. He takes his time, making sure it’s how he wants, before gathering the strands together into a bun.

When he’s satisfied, his hands trail up my arms to rest on my shoulders. The weight of them is familiar and grounding, and I relax against him as his dark eyes find mine in the mirror.

The moment they connect, Aiden leans forward and presses a soft kiss to my shoulder, right on the edge of my mark.

I draw a sharp breath as the sensation surges through me, ecstasy radiating to my fingertips before circling back to that single spot.

My next breath comes faster, in sync with his. Aiden begins unbuttoning my cotton shirt, slow and deliberate, caressing the skin the shifting fabric reveals. He doesn’t look away, not once. And I can barely maintain the contact when it’s so intense and so full of love that my heart feels like it’s on the verge of giving out.

When the shirt falls open, Aiden slides it from my shoulders and lets it drop to the floor. Another kiss lands on the back of my neck, making me shiver as his hands leisurely make their way down my body. He traces my arms, my spine, over my hips—until his fingers dip low enough to unbuckle my pants. He pushes them down the moment they’re loose enough, taking my underwear off too, so that I’m entirely naked.