Page 26 of Vain (Tempest #2)

Chapter Twenty-Six

MATILDA

I wish I could say the days eased up after that, but mostly we just adjusted to the chaos. After months of going at breakneck speed, we’re both ready for a much-needed rest.

Today has felt exceptionally long. I feel I’ve barely had a second to breathe, but that’s what I signed up for.

I wanted to take the least amount of time to film as possible.

That means long hours, but it gives the studio less time to come to its senses and pull out or for us to run into snags elsewhere.

Of course, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and we ended up having a few delays anyway, thanks to a couple of minor issues.

But so far, it’s been nothing I couldn’t handle.

“And cut.” After I say that, a bell rings as people relax and abandon their posts. “Good job, everyone. You’re making this look far too easy.”

I get a couple of chuckles as Aiden heads my way with a hot chocolate from craft services. My budget might be small, but taking care of my cast and crew is important, especially when I’m putting them through their paces.

“Thank you. You don’t know how much I need this.”

“I have no idea how you drink that stuff in this heat.”

“The same way you eat curry or soup,” I tease.

Aiden shakes his head and drinks his bottle of water as my AD comes over to ask me something. I nod along, only half listening. When the AD walks away with a grin, I sigh, wondering what I just agreed to.

“You look dead on your feet. How does a soak in that tub of yours sound? We can see what Marley has rustled up for us and eat in bed.”

“Usually, I hate eating in the bedroom. But right now, food in bed sounds heavenly.”

He leans down and kisses me, neither of us caring who might be watching. Everyone on set knows we’re an item anyway, and after the drama with Lisa, who thankfully has been radio silent since her temper tantrum, everyone has been cool about it.

“Excuse me, Miss Carson?”

I pull away from Aiden and look around him to see a courier heading my way with a bouquet of flowers.

“That’s what the chair says,” I tell him with a smile as I climb out of the chair with a groan. I stretch out the kinks as the guy steps up to us, and my eyes fall on the bouquet. “Um…”

“I don’t ask questions. I just deliver them. Need you to sign this.” He shoves the flowers into my arms before thrusting out a clipboard.

“Dude, they’re dead. What the fuck is she going to do with dead flowers?” Aiden growls.

I sigh and sign the stupid board, ready for the day to be over.

“Thanks. Have a good night.” The courier turns and strolls away as I stare down at the withered and decaying bouquet.

“Just how long have these things been sitting in his van for?” I chuckle, walk over to the trash can, and throw them inside.

“How he managed to keep a straight face is beyond me.”

“I don’t even care. I just want to go home.”

“I got you. Do you need anything from your trailer first?”

“Just my bag.”

“I’ll grab it while you finish up here. Don’t move from this spot.” I salute him. “Smart ass,” he mutters before jogging over to the trailer.

I pack up the bits I need to, say my goodbyes to a few of the crew, and leave the rest to the people hired to set things up for tomorrow.

Once they’re finished, the studio will send down a couple of night guards, mostly to keep an eye on their expensive equipment.

Thankfully, we set up on private property, which I had to get special permission to use, so I’ll call the cops on anyone found here who shouldn’t be.

Aiden heads back over with my bag, slinging one of his arms over my shoulder. “Your chariot awaits.”

I lean into him as he walks us back to the car and climb in when he opens the door for me. He straps me in before I can, making me smile. “You’re too much.”

“I like taking care of you.”

“You’re good at it. I’ve never felt so well looked after.”

“Better get used to it.” He winks before closing the door and walking around to the driver’s seat.

He puts the radio on low and heads for home. I don’t think we even reach the main road before I’m asleep.

I wake up as he carries me into the house.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur, wrapping my arms around his neck and breathing him in.

“You’ve been working nonstop. You’re supposed to be tired,” he muses as he carries me straight up to my bedroom.

Well, I guess it’s our bedroom now. After spending the night together in Tempest, my bed felt empty without him.

I think we lasted a night before we collided on the landing, each of us heading to find the other.

He sits me on the side of the bed before disappearing into the bathroom. The light flickers on, and a moment later, I hear water running. When he walks back in, he’s shirtless. My mouth goes dry at the view, and though I may be tired, I’m not freaking dead.

He gets to his knees in front of me and tugs my boots and socks off before pulling me to my feet. “Arms up.” His deep voice echoes in the room and across my skin as I do as he asks.

I hold my arms up so he can slowly inch my top up and over my head before discarding it on the floor. My bra follows suit with a flick of the wrist before he’s back on his knees, this time looking up at me.

My breath hitches at the smoldering heat banked in his eyes as he slides his fingers into the waistband of my pants and drags them down over my ass and hips, along with my underwear.

Once they reach my ankles, I step out of them, but I don’t go any further.

Aiden’s large hands slide up the backs of my now bare thighs to my ass and hold me in place as he leans forward and presses his nose to my sex and breathes me in.

A strangled gasp escapes me as I think about being rushed off my feet all day. I need to take a shower first before?—

I whimper as he nudges my clit with his nose, all negative thoughts slipping away like smoke when he inhales deeply. His tongue darts out to swipe across the bare lips of my pussy.

I reach for his hair, but before I can grasp hold, I find myself airborne for a moment. I end up lying back on the bed with my legs spread wide.

“Such a pretty fucking sight,” he growls before his mouth is on me. He doesn’t start gentle. He devours me with a hunger that would terrify me if I wasn’t getting swept away in sheer and unadulterated pleasure.

I reach for his hair again, this time finding purchase as I hold him to me, urging him to do his worst. And god, he does.

Each swipe of his tongue makes me feel like I’m being broken and remade.

A swirling mass of want and need twists and coils in my stomach like a snake ready to strike.

Just when I think I can’t take anymore, he nips my clit with his teeth and thrusts three fingers inside me.

The sharp bite of pain and the feeling of being stretched to my limits have me screaming out my release until my voice is hoarse and my fingers are cramped.

I release my hold on his hair, half worried I’ve pulled out clumps. But that worry goes out the window as his expression unfurls around me, dark and all-consuming.

“I want to fuck you bare.”

I swear to god my womb spasms in response.

He pops open the button of his jeans, his eyes moving down my body to my wet pussy.

He shoves his jeans down his legs before pulling off his boots and kicking everything out of the way.

He’s not wearing boxers, so I have an unobstructed view of his hard cock pressing against his stomach.

I swallow, needing him inside me more than I need my next breath.

“You gonna let me fuck you raw, baby?”

I nod rapidly as he strokes his cock.

“Words, Matilda. I need you to say it out loud because there’s no going back after this.”

“Fuck me, Aiden. Make me yours. I want to feel you come inside me.”

He snarls as he positions himself just inside me before slamming home. I moan into his mouth as he bends down and kisses me, my nails scoring a fiery path down his back as he fucks me into the mattress. It doesn’t take long until I feel that pressure building inside me once more.

“You’re gonna come for me again, Tilly. This time all over my cock.”

It’s not a question. It’s an order, one I’m all too happy to obey. The second he plants himself inside me and I feel him come, I give in to the otherworldly connection weaving us together and let him pull me over the edge with him.

I free fall for what feels like both minutes and hours before everything slips back into focus.

He’s still inside me, but his lips have moved to my scarred shoulder.

He kisses me with such tenderness it brings tears to my eyes.

All the reasons I’ve been holding back crumble to dust as I let go, knowing he’ll catch me.

I love him, though I haven’t had the courage yet to say the words out loud.

But it’s more than that. I love who I am when I’m with him.

He encourages and empowers me. Instead of making myself small, I stretch my arms wide, telling the world to give its best shot.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him how I feel as he looks up at me.

The second I open my mouth, he frowns. “I forgot about the bath.” He eases out of me before hurrying to the bathroom.

I stare up at the ceiling and dissolve into fits of giggles.

When the water shuts off, I get to my feet, grimacing at just how messy sex is without a condom. I cup myself and waddle into the bathroom like a penguin, all thoughts of being sexy going out the window. When Aiden catches sight of me, it’s his turn to laugh.

“I was coming back to get you.” He chuckles as I indicate that he should turn around. He does, thankfully, without argument, so I can quickly pee and clean myself up.

Once he hears me washing my hands, he turns around and walks up behind me, pressing my back to his front. He takes us in the reflection of the mirror, a satisfied expression on his face.

“This is one of those snapshot moments.”

“Huh?” I lean back into him as his arms circle me, one at my stomach, one across my chest.

“When I’m having a shit day, or when we’ve been so busy we’ve barely caught a minute together…

Even the times when we argue over stupid shit that, in the grand scheme of things, just won’t matter, this image right here, of me wrapped around you, is one I’ll picture again and again.

I’ll close my eyes, see your soft smile and sexed-up messy hair, and remember just how fucking lucky I am. ”

I turn and wrap my arms around his neck, dragging him down so I can kiss him soundly. Before I can pull back, he swoops me up, making me yelp before gently lowering me into the bubble bath. I take in the lit candles and smile up at him. “You give good boyfriend.”

He winks at me before stepping back, but I grab his wrist.

“Will you take this for me?” I pull the ring off my finger and hand it to him.

He rolls it between his fingers before looking at it. “Pretty.”

“It was my paternal grandmother’s engagement ring. She died when I was still in high school. She was mean as a snake to everyone but me.”

“You miss her?”

“Yeah. I didn’t get to see her much. My mother hated her, and the feeling was mutual. But when I did get to visit, she had this way of making me feel like I was her whole world, you know?”

He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and smiles softly. “Yeah, baby, I know exactly how that feels.”

I swallow as he places the ring on the counter before turning back to me. I try to keep my eyes on his face because staring at his dick steals my ability to hear or speak, but when he calls my name like he’s said it twice already, I fear I might have failed in that endeavor.

He grins. “I’m going to make sure everything is locked up and see what Marley’s left us to eat. You want a glass of wine or something?”

“God, yes, please.”

“You got it,” he calls over his shoulder as he leaves.

“And put on some pants!” I yell out. “If Marley or Greyson walk over, you’ll give them the fright of their life with that thing aiming at them.” I hear him laughing as I lie back, grinning, the bubbles covering my chest.

I take the sponge and lather it up with shower gel before dragging it up my good arm first, swapping hands, and cleaning the scarred one.

As I reach my shoulder, I pause, picturing that image of us together in the mirror’s reflection.

With it comes a moment of clarity that my fear of being rejected and being judged has held me back.

Worse, I didn’t even need others to be mean to me.

I was being mean enough to myself. But when I was staring at the two of us together, not once did I notice my scars.

All this time, I’ve let them consume my thoughts, which is ridiculous.

I’m more than my scars, and yet I let them define me.

They are not who I am. They’re just something I have, visual bookmarks of how far I’ve come in my story.

When I look back, without the veil of fear and panic distorting my journey, I realize I’m miles away from the woman I was.

I can pinpoint the moment everything changed.

It was the day Aiden walked into my life and saw beauty in all the parts of myself I found ugly.

On the days I struggled, I used to hear my mother’s voice talking down to me and making me feel ugly and stupid. Now, all I hear is Aiden calling me a goddess, and I know he means it. I feel the honesty in every whispered word.

“And he thinks he’s the lucky one?”