Page 36 of Lust & Lies

NOELLE

OF COURSE, IT TOOK us forever to get dressed, with Aiden playfully touching me here and there as I put my clothes on. Once we were finally ready, I looked around our room at the clothes scattered across the floor and groaned.

“We need to clean up. I know someone is used to having maids handle it for him, but the maids aren’t here right now. Plus, they didn’t make this mess.” I glanced over at Aiden, who was smirking at me.

“Oh, do you think I don’t know how to clean just because I hire people to do it?” he asked. “You think I’m spoiled or something?”

I tilted my head and shrugged. “I’m just saying... If the shoe fits and all that.”

“Alright then,” he said, rolling up his sleeves. “I’ll show you I can keep a house clean.”

He bent down and started scooping up the trail of clothes from the floor: his shirt, his pants, my panties. It wasn’t like I wanted him to do all the work. I planned to help. It was my mess too.

I let him handle that part while I tugged the sheets back into place on the bed and smoothed them out. I pulled the comforter up and folded the top part back. There, bed made. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Aiden holding my bra while sporting a wicked grin.

“Don’t get distracted,” I warned, fluffing the pillows.

“Too late,” he muttered, adding my bra to his pile of clothes that needed to go in the hamper.

“Behave,” I huffed.

“I’m trying,” he countered, heading to the bathroom.

I moved around the bed to fluff the other pillow, but Aiden stepped in my way.

“What are you doing?” I asked, staring up at him.

“You have to pay the toll if you want to get by,” he told me.

Placing my hands on my hips, I asked, “What’s the toll fee?”

“A forehead kiss.”

This man! I lifted my chin, tilting my head back so he could kiss my forehead.

“Not a forehead kiss from me. A forehead kiss from you.”

“What?” I chuckled.

He leaned down until we were eye level and said, “I liked it when you did it before. Go on. Pay the toll. Kiss my forehead.”

I tried not to smile. I really did. But it was impossible not to with this man. I leaned forward and kissed his forehead sweetly.

“There you go,” I stated. “Toll paid.”

“Here’s your receipt, my lady.” He inched closer and pressed his lips to my forehead.

His silly ass!

My blushing ass!

Damn, I hoped every day was like this with this man. Without another word, he stepped aside and headed to the bathroom to drop the clothes off in the hamper. Still smiling, I walked to the other side of the bed to fluff the pillow and smooth out the comforter.

Once the bedroom was straightened up, we headed to the kitchen. The table was still a mess from our oral breakfast session. However, it didn’t take us long to get it cleaned up. Aiden wiped down the table while I loaded the dishes into the dishwasher.

I hit the start button, the low hum filling the room as we both made our way to the sink. We stood shoulder to shoulder, washing our hands together, his arm brushing mine every so often.

I was rinsing the soap from my hands when his pinky hooked mine. I glanced up at him, catching the smirk he tried to hide.

“You just can’t keep your hands to yourself, can you?” I asked.

“Not for longer than a minute,” he joked, linking our pinkies tighter.

I shook my head, laughing softly. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously crazy about you,” he told me, releasing my pinky.

Still smiling, I dried my hands, eyes on him as he dried his too. I wasn’t the only one changing around here. My husband was, too. He’d grown more relaxed and carefree around me. He smiled more and was less serious than he’d been when I was in the hospital.

“I like you like this,” I told him.

He looked my way. “Like what?”

“Carefree. Relaxed. Happy. Less stuffy and serious,” I told him.

I noted the smile he tried to hide.

“Someone thought I was just a spoiled businessman who didn’t like getting his hands dirty,” he teased.

I chuckled. “You surprised me, husband.”

He leaned closer. “I’m full of surprises, wife.”

“I see. And each one makes me fall more in love with you,” I told him, shocking myself with that admission.

Him too, from the way he was looking at me, eyes wide, mouth ajar. For a long moment, he didn’t say anything, just held my gaze, unable to look away from me. He cupped my cheek, thumb brushing my skin as he peered into my eyes.

“You don’t know what that does to me, hearing you say that.”

My chest tightened, warmth spreading through me. “Get used to it, because I’m going to keep saying it.”

He swallowed. “You make me happy in ways I didn’t even know I could be happy, Noe,” he whispered.

If I smiled any harder, my face would get stuck like this. “I’m just getting started, husband.”

“Careful, wife,” he drawled, voice low. “If you keep talking like that, I’ll never let you out of this house again.”

I laughed, but the serious look in his eyes told me he wasn’t entirely joking.

“Would that be so bad?” I teased, sliding my hand against his chest.

“Not when forever with you is all I want,” he murmured before pulling me into his arms again. “Just you and me. Forever. I don’t need anyone else.”

I hugged him back, my mind drifting to the dream I’d had of us, the one where we’d planned to run away together. I’m sure that was what we were doing right now, running away together.

Though Aiden hadn’t told me that or even hinted at it, I was sure that was his plan for us. The rational part of my brain told me to ask him about it. The love-hazed part told me to go with the flow and enjoy this time together.

I wasn’t a fool. I understood that he was trying to shelter me from people who didn’t want us to be together. But I also knew the past had a way of coming back to haunt you, whether you wanted it to or not.

I’m sure the people we were hiding from would find us, whether they were my family or his. I’m sure I’d have to confront whoever that woman was in my dreams soon. Before that happened, before they tried to corrupt what we had, I wanted a few more days with Aiden.

A few more days of being relaxed, lost in our own little world. I wanted to take a few more days, maybe weeks, to rebuild the foundation of our relationship that my memory loss had stolen from us.

He’d created an oasis for me, a reprieve, a haven. A place where I could heal in peace. A place where we could be alone together and reclaim what we’d lost. Being in his world like this, in the space he’d built for us, made it impossible not to feel claimed, cherished, wanted.

I wouldn’t let his efforts go to waste. In a couple of weeks, I’d get more insistent about knowing things from our past. I’d reveal my dreams to him and ask those questions that were plaguing me. Until then, I would enjoy our little escape. Aiden leaned back and stared down at me.

“Still want to go outside and play in the dirt, or do you want to get dirty in here and...”

“Outside,” I quickly answered.

“You could’ve at least taken a second to think about it,” he complained, frowning.

“Outside,” I said again, not letting him distract me one bit.

His gaze dropped to my mouth, and I could tell he was tempted to test how strong my resolve was. I met his gaze, refusing to give in.

“I guess outside wins,” he sighed, grabbing my hand and leading me from the kitchen. “It’s probably hot outside,” he added.

“I hope so. I want to feel the sun on my skin.”

“There’s going to be bugs out there,” he told me.

“I know. That’s where they live.”

“Smart ass,” he murmured.

I chuckled as we strode through the house, hand in hand, both of us dressed in shorts and t-shirts with flip-flops. We looked ready to play in the garden. His thumb traced slow circles over the back of my hand as we walked.

It seemed I was married to a man who just couldn’t keep his hands to himself. It was giving clingy. And I was loving it. I guess I was a bit clingy myself. Together, we stepped out onto the back patio.

It was a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky. The sun warmed my skin, and the breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and flowers. That alone would’ve been enough to make me smile, but then I spotted the little pink bucket sitting near the patio chairs.

Curious, I walked over and peeked inside. In the little bucket there were two pairs of gloves, two small shovels, and packets of seeds. There was a sticky note taped to one of the gloves. Aiden picked it up and read it.

“I’ve left sticks in the garden so you can know where to plant these. Have fun,” Aiden read. “It’s from Samuel.”

“Aww. How sweet,” I murmured.

There was also a folded note at the bottom of the bucket. I plucked it out and unfolded it, my grin stretching wide as I read.

“Make Aiden get his hands dirty and help you in the garden. Don’t let him stand around watching you do all the work. You’re still healing. Put that husband of yours to work. Love, Gertrude.”

I laughed, already hearing her voice in my head. Aiden leaned over my shoulder, reading with me. His groan rumbled low in his chest.

“That woman needs to mind her own business,” he muttered.

I turned to face him, holding up the note. “This is her minding her business. She’s making sure you don’t weasel out of helping me.”

His eyes narrowed playfully as he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me flush against him.

“You’re my business. Not hers.”

“Did no one teach you to share, Mr. Park?” I joked.

“When it comes to you, that concept doesn’t apply.” He pressed a quick kiss to my jaw.

“Mhmm. Well, Gertrude has spoken,” I told him, tossing the note back into the bucket. “Looks like you’ve got work to do, husband,” I teased, slipping out of his hold before he distracted me all over again.

We carried the bucket to the patch Samuel had prepped for us, marked neatly with labeled sticks in the soil. He was making sure we didn’t mess up the garden. I crouched down, tugging on my gloves.

I glanced over my shoulder at Aiden, who was standing there, arms folded over his chest, staring at me like I was dessert. I swear that man had a stare that could melt cotton panties.

His eyes swept down my body, lingering far too long on my ass before meeting my gaze again. That look alone had heat crawling up my neck.

“You gonna help, or you just gonna watch?” I asked, refusing to fall victim to his smolder.

His grin was sinful. “Watching is pretty damn enjoyable. I like that position you’re in.”

I stared down at myself. I was crouched low, ass facing him. I bet he did like this position.

“I’m telling Gertrude you didn’t help,” I told him.

“Snitch,” he muttered under his breath.

“I’m telling her that too.”

“Fine. Hand me something, boss lady.”

That was more like it. I gave him a shovel, and of course, he turned it in his hand like it was foreign.

“You’re not digging for treasure, Savage. Just loosen the dirt a little.”

He shot me a look. “This isn’t my first time helping you in a garden, wife.”

“Sure, Savage. Sure,” I said sweetly.

“Since you don’t think I know what I’m doing,” he started as he crouched beside me and leaned close, whispering in my ear, “Teach me how to make it loose.” His hand slid across my back before dropping to my ass, which he spanked lightly.

This man! I rolled my eyes, trying not to grin like a fool.

“Pay attention, husband.”

We worked side by side, me dropping seeds into the little holes he made, him covering them with dirt.

He leaned close every chance he got, brushing his arm against mine, lips pressing quick kisses to my temple when I wasn’t paying attention.

As we worked, he told me corny jokes that weren’t funny at all, yet I couldn’t stop laughing.

“I’ve got another one,” he told me.

“Let’s hear it. This one better be funny.”

“It is. Listen. What do you call a group of rabbits walking backward?”

“Um.” I wanted to get this one. I thought hard. “Um...”

“You give up?” he asked.

“No. Give me a second.” What could it be? “Um... backwards bunnies. I don’t know.”

Laughing, he told me, “You call them a receding hairline.”

I burst out laughing at the horrible joke. It wasn’t even that funny, but I had tears running down my cheeks. And my Aiden, he looked so proud of himself, his gaze locked on me, drinking in my reaction as if it was the only thing that mattered.

“How did you learn to be so silly?” I asked, still laughing as I swatted his chest playfully.

He caught my wrist, pressing a kiss to my palm before letting go.

“I’ll be silly every day if it makes you smile, beautiful.”

Aww. My savage.

I swear this man knew just what to say and do to make me happy, to make me swoon. It didn’t matter how dark our past ended up being, I knew that there was nothing but bright days ahead for us.

With a husband like Aiden, how could there not be bright days ahead?