Page 207 of The Compass Series

HAILEE

“ Y ou banged Aiden Walters on the steps leading up to your apartment last night?” Kate gasped as we sat at the front desk of the inn during Kate’s evening break. I’d just finished my shift and was filling Kate in on the craziness of the past twenty-four hours.

“I banged Aiden Walters on the steps leading up to my apartment last night.”

“Oh, my goodness.” Kate sighed, flopping back against the couch. “How romantic. That’s some The Notebook making out in the rain type of love. You two were pulled together like force-packed magnets, and the wind ripped your clothes off, and his Special K accidentally slid into your Lucky Charms.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving, and I’d just finished stocking the cereal for the morning. I really want some Froot Loops.”

“You’re losing focus.”

“What can I say? I’m a Pisces. My mind floats away. Okay. Continue. What happens next between the two of you?”

I shrugged. “I’m still processing it and trying to figure out what this means.”

“What? No, no, no. You two just reconnected in the most romantic way. Now is not the time to be logical!”

“It’s very much more romantic in your mind than it actually was, I think.”

“Hailee Rose Jones. Aiden screwed you on a staircase after telling you that you are his dream come true. You cannot tell me that’s not romantic and sexy.”

“I’ll admit, it was a little bit sexy when he lifted my body up on the railing and, well, railed me. He did it so effortlessly, too. As if I weighed nothing more than a feather.”

“You were light as a feather, and I bet that man was as stiff as a board where it matters most.”

“Kate!”

“I’m just saying!” She narrowed her eyes. “How long was this board of his?”

I felt my cheeks heat as I bit my bottom lip. “I’m not answering that.”

“That means it’s a long, long board.” She smirked. “If you don’t marry this man, I will.”

I stood and shook my head as a slight chuckle left my lips. “I’m done talking to you. I’ll see you later.”

“I hope you run into some Special K on your walk home!” she hollered.

As she shouted that, an elderly woman named Joan overheard, and she said, “I could really go for some Special K.”

“I bet you could, Joan,” Kate agreed. “I bet you could.”

The next few days were a comedy of errors while I tried to avoid Aiden.

Whenever he’d show up at the inn, I’d duck and dive out of his view.

Sometimes we’d make eye contact, he’d smile, and I’d quickly shut my eyes like a paranoid freak.

He didn’t show any annoyance, though. I needed time to process the situation.

I wanted to make sure I was in the right frame of mind to be for Aiden what he needed me to be.

I didn’t want to stumble into a conversation about us without a clear mind.

I did everything in my power to stay out of his way, but when Mr. Lee came up to me and told me that Aiden requested me to take him some towels, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“I feel like you’re lying to me again,” I told him.

“No, really. I need you to take him some towels.”

“Can’t Henry do it? I know he loves working with Aiden,” I urged.

“He’s busy with another task I gave him. Besides, Aiden requested you.” Mr. Lee handed me a stack of towels. “So if you could deliver these, I’d be happy.”

Freaking A, Mr. Lee.

Can’t you tell I’m in the middle of a quarter-life crisis when it comes to seeing Hollywood’s dreamboat?

I smiled and took the towels from my boss. With a stomach packed full of annoyance and nerves, I headed to Aiden’s room. Before I could knock, I noticed the fangirls who’d been staying at the inn for a little too long hanging out near his room with their ears pressed to the wood door.

How were they even affording to stay for so long? I’d be broke.

“Marna, Violet, what are you doing?” I asked.

They looked over, giggling when they saw me. “We think Aiden’s having sex.”

The knot in my stomach tightened as those words left their mouths.

“He’s groaning and moaning.” Marna giggled, covering her mouth.

Was Aiden in there hooking up with another woman? After hooking up with me? I felt like vomiting. Yet I tried my best to keep my composure as I stood straight. “Ladies, if you continue disturbing our other guests, we will have you removed from the inn.”

“What? No! It’s fine. We were just leaving,” Violet explained.

“It’s just funny, is all. The girl must have your name, too.

He keeps saying, ‘Hailee, Hailee, ohhh Hailee.’” She laughed like her friend had been chuckling nonstop.

The two girls walked off in a fit of laughter as I stood there feeling ill.

Was he really screwing someone with my name?

Was it some weird Hailee kink?

Psh. Whatever. I bet she spelled her name like Haley. Or Halee. Or Hailey. Or?—

Why did I care how a woman spelled her name? That had nothing to do with anything. But realistically, if she was spelling her name like Halee, that meant she was trouble, because why?! Anyway. It was none of my business. None of what Aiden Walters did was my business.

Still, I somehow found myself walking over to his door and placing my ear against it to listen in.

Oh my gosh, I deserved to be fired for this.

I was losing my mind. Still, I listened in, and I heard…

nothing. There was no sound. No moaning and groaning.

Especially no other woman’s voice coming through.

“Hey, Hailee, what are you doing?” Henry asked, interrupting my snooping.

“What? Nothing!” I gasped, dropping the towels. I scrambled to pick them up, and Henry walked over to help me.

“Let me give you a hand,” he offered.

“Shhh!” I shushed him, hoping not to draw attention to Aiden inside that room.

Luck wasn’t on my side, though, as the door opened, and I found a shirtless Aiden standing in front of me wearing gray sweatpants.

As I kneeled, my eyes made perfect contact with his crotch, and for some unknown reason, I kept my gaze aimed right there.

Eyes on the prize. I hated how my body became a traitor at that very moment because the thought of the night before on the stairs came flooding back to me as I stared at Aiden’s crotch.

Thoughts of him lifting me in his arms and going to pound town.

I’d never had a man lift me before, and for some reason, that was an odd turn-on for me.

My legs trembled with pleasure from the memories hitting my mind, and my stomach filled with a pool of heat.

“Oh great, you brought the towels,” Aiden said, smiling down at me.

I looked up at him and gave him the meanest look I could muster.

My brows tucked in, my grimace was grimacing to the tenth degree, and I growled at him as I stood—trying to shake off the longing my thighs were feeling for his touch.

“I’ve got it from here, Henry. You can head out,” I told him.

He did as I said and scurried away.

I placed the towels in Aiden’s hands. “You know, before you were telling me not to show up at your door.”

“Funny how one night can change everything. I thought it would be a good way to get us to talk, seeing as how you’ve been avoiding me like the plague.”

“Not like the plague; just like a slightly viral cold.”

He frowned a little. “Are you mad at me for the way I treated you before I knew the details? I owe you a big apology, Hails. You didn’t deserve that—even without the knowledge I’ve learned about the breakup. I’m truly sorry.”

“I appreciate that and accept the apology.”

“Is that why you’ve been staying away?”

“No, not at all. I’m just processing this whole situation.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Did you make a pie chart over the stair incident?”

I huffed and puffed. “No!”

He gave me a knowing smirk. “Are you sure?”

“Only a small one.”

“Hailee—”

“What?! This is a big deal. I still need to figure some things out.”

“Is this like a five-to-ten business day processing situation or…?”

“Tom, you can’t just rush my overthinking.” His grin stretched far. “What? What is it?”

“Nothing…it’s just…you called me Tom.”

I felt my cheeks heating. “I guess I did. Anyway. If you need supplies, you can let housekeeping bring them to you. You don’t have to request me.” I glanced into his room, somewhat hoping to see Haley. Or Hailey. Or Halee. Gosh, I hope it’s not a Halee.

Aiden arched an eyebrow. “What are you looking for?”

“Nothing.”

“You definitely were looking for something.”

“Your groupies were at your door. They said they heard you… um…” I shrugged a little. “You know. With another person.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What does ‘you know’ mean?”

I leaned in closer to whisper. “You know… having the sex with someone.”

“The sex?” He chuckled. I wanted to slug him in the arm for laughing. Stupid jerk. “I wasn’t having the sex with a person. They probably heard me… um…” He shrugged a little, clearly mocking me. “You know. Having the sex with my hand.”

“Oh gross, Aiden. You can keep that to yourself,” I said, shoving his arm.

“Do you want to know who I was thinking about while I did it?”

“Don’t say it.”

Me.

It was me.

Oh gosh.

He held his hands up in surrender. “We should talk about what happened last night,” he urged, “but I won’t rush you. When you’re ready, bring me some towels.”