Chapter 155

Aria

I couldn’t help but grin as I tugged Darren toward the stairs, my fingers wrapped tightly around his. His steps were a little unsteady from the whiskey, and I felt the warmth of his body radiating toward me as we climbed the creaky wooden stairs.

When we reached our bedroom, I nudged the door open with my hip and pulled him inside with both hands. The faint glow of the moon spilled through the window, casting silver streaks across the floorboards.

I turned to face him, and before I could say a word, Darren’s hands were on me, gently guiding me back until the door clicked shut behind us. He reached up over my head and twisted the lock with a soft click, and the sound sent a shiver racing down my spine.

For a moment, we just stood there, breathing each other in. His mismatched eyes locked onto mine, glowing faintly in the dim light, and I felt my own buzzing as they glowed, too. Then his hands slid up to my shoulders, slipping beneath the soft wool of my sweater.

I lifted my arms as he tugged it over my head, the fabric catching briefly on my braid before falling to the floor. His fingers brushed my collarbone, and I shivered again, stepping closer.

I reached for him next, my hands fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. One by one, they popped free, revealing the hard planes of his chest beneath. I shoved the shirt off his shoulders, and it joined my sweater in a crumpled heap.

Our lips crashed together then, hungry and urgent, tasting of whiskey and the sweet wine I’d sipped downstairs. I pressed myself against him, my hands roaming over the warmth of his skin as he worked at the clasp of my bra. It came loose with a snap, and he tossed it aside, his mouth finding mine again.

Piece by piece, we stripped each other bare. My trousers slid down my legs, pooling at my ankles before I kicked them away. His jeans followed, and I couldn’t help but smile against his lips as he stumbled slightly, steadying himself with a hand on my waist. Soon, there was nothing left between us but the heat of our bodies and the faint chill of the night air brushing against my skin.

Darren’s hands found my hips, and before I could catch my breath, he lifted me effortlessly.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, a startled laugh escaping me as he carried me to the bed. He laid me down gently on the cool sheets. His lips brushed mine once more before trailing lower—over my jaw, down my neck, across my collarbone.

I arched beneath him as he kissed his way down my chest, his breath warm against my skin. He lingered between my legs for a long time, feasting on me, his mouth tracing every curve, every sensitive spot, until my fingers clenched in the sheets and my breath came out in ragged gasps.

He began to move up toward me, positioning himself between my legs with the warm, throbbing head of his member pulsing against my entrance, but I wasn’t ready to let him take full control—not yet.

Before he could enter me, I pushed against his shoulders, flipping us so that I was straddling him. He blinked up at me, surprise flashing across his face as I leaned down to kiss him, slow and deliberate.

My lips moved from his mouth to his jaw, then lower, trailing a path down his chest. His skin was warm beneath my touch. I kissed lower still, following the line of his abdomen until I reached the heat of his member, hard and ready beneath my touch.

“Aria, what are you—” Darren started, his words cutting off with a sharp inhale as I pressed a kiss there, then flicked my tongue up the length.

I looked up at him, my braid falling over one shoulder, and offered a wry little smile. “Relax,” I murmured softly. “Just enjoy it.”

Before he could protest, I took him into my mouth, slow and careful at first. His moan was low, rumbling through his chest, and I felt his fingers tangle in my hair. I moved with purpose, tasting him, teasing him, drawing out every sound he tried to stifle.

Eventually, his grip tightened slightly, not guiding but holding on, and I could tell he was close. For a few minutes, I kept him there, right on the edge, until his moans grew softer and just a little more desperate.

Finally, I pulled back, climbing up to straddle his hips once more. His eyes were dark now, his pupils wide and wanting, and I couldn’t help but lean down to kiss him again as I positioned myself above him.

I sank down, taking him in fully. We both groaned at the sensation, the connection electric and overwhelming. My hands braced against his chest as I began to move, setting a rhythm that had us both trembling within moments.

Darren’s hands gripped my hips, guiding me as we moved together, the bed creaking faintly beneath us. The room filled with the sounds of our breathing, our quiet gasps, the occasional whispered curse from his lips.

I lost myself in him, in all of him, and everything else outside that room fell away. We made love like that for what felt like hours, the night stretching out endlessly around us.

When we finally reached the peak, it hit us together. I cried out, my nails digging into his shoulders as waves of pleasure crashed over me. Darren’s hands tightened on my waist, his own release shuddering through him as he pulled me down against him.

We stayed like that for a moment, panting, tangled together as the aftershocks rippled through us.

Eventually, I slid off him, my legs shaky as I stood. “Shower,” I managed to say, my throat dry. I padded toward the en suite bathroom, the cool tile a shock against my bare feet. I didn’t have to look back to know Darren was following me, stalking me like a wolf in heat.

The water was hot when I turned it on, steam curling up around us as we stepped beneath the spray. Darren reached for the soap first, lathering it between his hands before running them over my shoulders. I sighed, leaning into his touch as he washed me.

He traced the lines of my arms, my back, my waist, cleaning away the sweat and the chaos of the day. I returned the favor, my hands sliding over his chest, his broad shoulders, the lean muscles of his thighs.

When we were done, we stepped out of the shower. I grabbed a towel, drying myself off before handing one to Darren. He took it with a small, tired smile. Once we were dry, we climbed back into bed, the sheets still warm from our earlier tryst. I pulled the covers over us, and Darren tugged me close, his chest pressing against my back.

I threw him a faint smirk over my shoulder. “Still mad at me?” I asked softly.

Darren shook his head, pulling me even closer, if that was even possible. “I was never mad at you. I just worry, that’s all. There’s a lot resting on our shoulders right now.”

I sighed, knowing he was right. But before I could say anything else, he leaned over and kissed me again. “No more talking,” he whispered, which I couldn’t argue with.

His lips brushed my shoulder then, peppering me with gentle kisses that made a contented sigh escape my lips. His hand rested on my waist, fingers tracing lazy patterns against my skin. “I love you,” he murmured, his breath warm against my neck.

“I love you, too.” The words slipped out so easily these days, but they were still just as meaningful as the first time we’d said them.

My left hand rested on his arm, and the moonlight caught the moonstone ring on my finger, making it glow faintly.

Darren’s arm tightened around me, his face nuzzling into the crook of my neck. Our legs tangled beneath the sheets, and I felt his breathing slow, matching mine.

Eventually, we fell asleep like that, tangled up beneath the sheets with the moonlight washing over us.