Chapter 12

Aiden

Something wasn’t sitting right with me about Ella Ford and her predicament, but I figured I’d take things much slower and get to know her before I said anything. The fact that her mother had left her without anything was mind-boggling, but then again, I didn’t know the entire situation.

I sat with her on the bench outside on the balcony and looked into her eyes as she glanced up at the stars as if she had a million thoughts in her head and they held the answers. I slipped off my mask, but she left hers in place.

She dropped her chin and glanced in my direction. “What about you, Aiden Prince? What’s your passion?”

The question took me back a bit, but only because no one had ever really asked me. Most people assumed to know me and from they did know, they assumed all I cared about was money and how to spend it.

“You really want to know?” I gave a little chuckle and raked my hand through my hair. “My dad was in real estate, and he used to take my mother’s clients out and show them the island property he had for sale by taking them on plane rides around the island. Every now and then, he’d let me go along. Especially if it was someone I really liked. I met a lot of famous people that way, but then after a while of hearing them talk about what kind of floor tile they want or how many bathrooms, the celebrity wears off, and you realize that they are just like anyone else.”

“So, you stopped going?” She narrowed her eyes as if trying to understand.

“No, but it stopped being about who was with us and more about the planes and the pilots. I met some of the best, and that’s when I decided I wanted to learn how to fly.”

“You want to be a pilot?” Her smile spread so wide I could count all of her teeth. “I’m so scared of those little planes. I would never go on them. My mother used to take me on bigger planes, but I’d throw a fit if we had to board a small one.”

“I am a pilot, actually. I finished my hours right before my father’s death and since I haven’t been up much. I’d like to change that though. And the small ones aren’t that bad. Maybe if I took you up sometime, you’d learn to love them.” I thought about having her in my plane, how intimate of a space it would be, and then I realized I’d never taken a woman up with me, and nobody else had ever cared to know that I could fly a plane, just that I owned one.

“I’m not sure I’d go without sedation,” she said with a laugh. Her laugh was amazing, and before I knew what I was doing, I leaned in and kissed her.

She pulled back and touched her lips and stared at me wide-eyed.

“I’m not going to apologize for that.”

“I don’t expect you to. It was just a bit sudden.” She turned her head and stared at a planter beside us.

“Well, maybe after we talk some more, you’ll let me do it again?”

Laughter bubbled from her, and I couldn’t help but get rock hard when she said, “Okay, maybe next time I’ll kiss you instead.”

I wondered for a moment how Zep was doing upstairs.

“Tell me what you’re thinking?” She turned and met my eyes.

“I was just thinking about my best friend, actually. He’s more like a brother. My mother took him in when we were kids, and I haven’t really been without him much since.”

“Yeah, I always wanted a sibling. I guess every only child does at some point.”

“I wouldn’t know, by the time I could even think about that kind of thing Patricia brought Zep home. But I never resented him. He’s been good to me.”

“His name is Zep? That’s unusual.”

“His father was a rockstar. You know how they all name their kids some weird-ass name. I’ve teased him about it for years. He loves it though, and it fits him.”

“Does he share your same passion for flying?”

“No, he’s supportive though. His passion is more with the ladies.” I couldn’t help but let out a belly laugh at the thought of Zep in the room with those twins and wondering how far he’d gotten with Sadie. My bet was, not far.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Ella, and I wanted to kiss her again but was afraid I’d come off too strong. I didn’t want to scare the poor girl away, but at the same time, she was so hot that I was starting to sweat. I loosened my coat and took it down my arms, letting it fall behind me.

“Are you getting hot?” Her words made me even hotter, but I shrugged it off like it was nothing.

“Tuxes aren’t my thing either, but my mother threatened me and Zep if we showed up in jeans.” She’d put her foot down on my neck if I tried to go against her on the tux and I’d learned to choose my battles.

“Are you and your mother close?”

“Normally I call her by her first name, but for the sake of avoiding confusion, I’m clarifying with mother.”

“Oh, I see.” She looked away, and I wondered if she thought I hated the woman.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love the woman, but she drives me crazy as most mothers do their sons. But she’s okay. It’s different now that my father’s gone. We share the estate, and I think she had hoped it would all be hers. Dad wanted me in control of it all though, not her. He’d had to bail her ass out of the fire a few times with her musicians, and he was afraid of what might happen if he gave her full control. I think she’s a little bitter toward me because of it, but she can’t help but love me since I’m her son.”

“I’d think there were a million reasons to love you.” She pulled her lips in tight and looked away.

I scooted in closer. “Yeah? You think so, huh?” She turned to face me and was only a breath away.

“Yeah, what’s not to love?” She eased toward me, and her lids fluttered as I closed the distance and took her mouth with mine.

She didn’t pull away this time and instead melted toward me, her hands finding my hair as I held her delicate chin.

Suddenly she shifted in her seat, and the kiss deepened, and I found my hand on the small of her back, wanting so desperately to go under her shirt.

The kiss broke for a second and only for long enough to exchange a look and take a breath, then our tongues stroked past one another, mingling together with long hot strokes, and I imagined it working along my cock, which was stiff as a hammer.

Her hand went to my chest, and she leaned away. “Maybe we should go back downstairs.” It wasn’t what my body was telling me to do, but I agreed with her knowing it wouldn’t look good to protest or to make her feel obligated. I liked my women willing.

But I pulled her in for a quick peck, which she accepted with a smile and another one back and then I brushed her loose strands away from her face. “I could get carried away with you, and someday I’d like to.”

“I’d like that too, but you have a whole party down there.” She gave me a look that told me she didn’t want to go any more than I did.

“Promise me you’ll go out with me sometime and accompany me while I play host.”

“I promise. But there might be people down there that take issue with me and you being together.”

“I’ve never cared about what other’s think, why should you?”

“Well, the girls I came here with, they’re pretty vicious, and since I work for them, I don’t want to step on any toes.”

“You won’t. Let’s go down, and if you see your friends, you can introduce me to them.” I gave her another quick peck, and she stood with me, still seeming like she was unsure.

It took all of my willpower to lead her back downstairs and to the party. Zep and the twins were nowhere to be found, and that was a good thing. I wanted to give all of my time to Ella. We walked down the stairs and about halfway down, I took her hand.

She seemed surprised, and a little cautious, but then she smiled and lit up the entire room. She was so amazing, and I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by her. I stopped her, pulling her hand and pulling her close.

I had needed another kiss from her, and my aching cock needed more too. I hadn’t been this infatuated so quickly in years, and I hoped that she was too.

But as quickly as I had kissed her, I noticed someone coming toward us as we hit the last few steps. Ella stiffened beside me as she looked up and saw Zep and the twins, totally overlooking my mother as she dropped my hand and bee-lined for the gruesome twosome twins.