Aidan Read online

  The note of fear in her voice strikes me right in the chest, but I have to be honest with her.

  “Because we’re being followed.”

  5

  Stella

  My blood turns to ice at his words.

  “Followed?” I squeak, hunkering down in my seat. “Why would someone be following us? The guys from the bar?”

  “Yeah,” Aidan says in a terse voice, his jaw muscles flexing as he glances between the road and the rearview mirror. “Look, Stella, I need you to trust me. Think you can do that?”

  I stare out the windshield, my mouth open. The evening has taken so many turns, I don’t know up from down anymore. I asked out my student. I told my student I’m attracted to him. We shared some serious kisses that had my toes curling. Then…three really rough- and tough-looking guys walked into my favorite bar, called Aidan by a different name, and the tension in the air was so thick, you could spread it on a baguette. And now, we’re being followed.

  I’m supposed to trust him?

  But you do.

  A quiet, cool, calm voice in my mind. I don’t know if it’s a voice of reason or not, because right now, that sounds like crazy talk.

  At the same time…

  I do trust him.

  My gut tells me I can. Even though the circumstances are screaming the exact opposite of that. Even though my brain wants me to tell him to pull over and let me out. Even though I’m afraid.

  I do trust him.

  “Yes,” I whisper. “I can do that.”

  He flashes me a deeply grateful look. “Thank you. Now hold on.”

  I grab the oh-shit handle and close my eyes as he suddenly whips the car around a corner. From the blast of horns I hear, I’m assuming it wasn’t an entirely legal turn.

  “Don’t get pulled over,” I say through gritted teeth.

  There’s a heavy, wry note in his voice when he says, “Oh, I’m not worried about that.”

  My eyes pop open. I make a mental note to ask him about that later, when my body isn’t lurching from side to side.

  He takes a few more turns in this fashion, then spares me a glance. “Doing all right over there?”

  “Mm-hmm,” I reply. No. Not in the slightest.

  “Where do you live?”

  I hesitate. “I’m not sure I want to draw whoever’s chasing us to my house.”

  “I promise you, I’m going to lose them before then. But they might know where I live. So your place is safer.”

  I tell him my address and the neighborhood it’s in.

  He nods. “Yep. I know exactly where that’s at. Okay, hang on.”

  I spend the next twelve minutes with my eyes squeezed tightly shut, scrunched down in the seat, wondering if I’m going to die in a car accident or at the hands of the people following us.

  There are a few more sharp turns, and then the car screeches to a halt. When I open my eyes, we’re in my driveway.

  “Let’s get inside,” he says, already opening his door.

  I trot to the front door with him on my heels. My hands are shaking as I fumble with the key.

  “It’s okay,” he says softly. “Let me.”

  I let him take my keys and watch in a shocked daze as he opens the door and ushers me inside.

  “I’m going to pull my car into the garage,” he informs me.

  I just nod.

  A few minutes later, he walks inside as the sound of the automatic garage door thunders down. He walks from room to room, then triple-checks the locks. I’m still standing by the front door where he left me, stunned at the events of the night as my adrenaline wears off and distantly thankful for his decisiveness.

  Aidan heads back toward me, still by the front door, after checking the kitchen. He stops in front of me and runs a finger down my cheek.

  “It’s all right,” he murmurs. “It’s all over.”

  I stare up at him, not sure if I’m going to burst into hysterical laughter or tears. “I—can you hold me?”

  Immediately, he pulls me into his big, strong arms and wraps them tight around me. I lean against his chest and close my eyes, taking deep breaths.

  He rubs my back with sure, gentle hands. “Everything’s all right, Stella. You’re safe.”

  “What,” I say, “happened tonight?”

  He slowly draws back and looks me in the eyes. “What I’m about to tell you…is something I swore I wouldn’t tell anyone. I need you to understand—it could mean my life, in some circumstances.”

  “Your life?” I demand.

  He holds my hands in his. “Stella, I’m an undercover informant for the Ridge City PD.”

  I gape at him, speechless.

  “I’ve gone through most of the training the cops go through. My job is to get in with certain crowds when the cops get a tip about something, uncover intel, and report back so they can move in when the time is right.”

  “And—and those guys tonight…?”

  “Are part of a weapons dealing ring,” he finishes. “Guns. Big guns. Small guns. All illegal, all going for top dollar. I need to find out who’s behind it. But now, I’m afraid those guys tonight are onto me.”

  “How do you know that?” I demand.

  Aidan shakes his head. “I don’t know. I just do.” He gives me a little mirthless half smile. “Call it intuition, I guess.”

  “Well, that’s a big fucking problem,” I exclaim. “If they’re onto you, and they followed us tonight, that means they—they want you dead. Doesn’t it?”

  “Maybe,” he says, and shrugs. “I need to call my contact at the department, fill him in.”

  Suddenly, I can’t stop shaking. My teeth even chatter.

  “Jesus,” Aidan says, his brow dropping with concern. He pulls me close again. “Stella, are you okay?”

  “I don’t know,” I whisper. “No. Yes. No.”

  “Which way’s your room?” he asks tenderly. “You should lie down.”

  I point to the right.

  To my surprise, he lifts me off my feet easily and carries me into my bedroom, then gently lays me down before perching on the bed. He smiles down at me, brushing a lock of hair out of my eyes.

  “Try to get some rest,” he says. “No one’s coming. I checked all around the outside of the house. Inside’s secure. All the doors are locked, and I’ll put chairs under them to be sure.”

  “Do you…do you have a gun?”

  He shakes his head. “I’ve got a record,” he says. “I can’t get a gun until they expunge it.” He’s still toying with my hair, twirling the long strands loosely around his fingers. The tingles shooting over my scalp have a delicious calming effect on me.

  “They can do that? Expunge your record?”

  “It was part of the deal,” he replies. “Join the Program as one of their recruits, and they’ll make all the shit from the past go away. Refuse them, and nothing changes.”

  “Is this worth that?”

  “If I can pull this off, yes, it’ll be worth it.” He chuckles lightly. “It better be, anyway.” He lets my hair flow through his fingers. “I’ll let you get some rest. I’ll be out in the living room if you need me.”

  I watch as he pushes away from the bed, as he stands, as he turns to walk away. At the last second, I grab his hand. He turns slowly to look down at me.

  “Stay,” I whisper. “Please.”

  It’s all I have to say.

  He nods, his eyes shining in the soft, dim light from the lamp on my nightstand. He stands a little way back, watching me watch him, as he slowly pulls his T-shirt over his head. Underneath is better than I ever imagined—eight hard squares of muscle that make up his solid abdomen, his strong, well-developed pecs. His hands drift down to his belt as he undoes his jeans, then pulls them off until he’s left in a pair of snug boxer briefs. So tight, they do nothing to hide the outline of his huge, stiff cock.

  Gently, he takes my hand and pulls me to stand before him, then begins to undress me slowly, pulling off my top, then
reaching for the button on my jeans. I sit back on the bed as he tugs them down over my hips. His gaze slides over me. I’m now wearing only a strapless bra and a lace thong.

  I sit up, gazing up at him. “Thank you,” I whisper, never taking my eyes off his as I reach for the front closure of my bra and open it slowly. His eyes go dark with lust and he grips his lower lip between his teeth. I place his hands on my breasts and he squeezes, gently but eagerly, his thumbs stroking over my nipples. Then I push his hands away and reach for the waistband of his boxer briefs. His thick, heavy erection presses between my breasts as I pull down his underwear. Then I take his long, hard shaft in my hand, stroking it a few times.

  He lets out a low grunt.

  I bring my mouth to his cock, sucking him in slowly, deeply. His skin is hot and velvety smooth. I suck and jack him at the same time in slow, rhythmic strokes until he slides one hand into my hair, grasping a tight fistful as he helps coax my head into a cadence he needs. I thrill at his dominance, his strength, sucking harder, faster.

  Finally, he tugs my head away gently. “You’re gonna make me come,” he says breathlessly.

  “That was the idea,” I murmur to him.

  He bends down, kissing me deeply. “I want to come inside you. Inside that sweet pussy I can’t stop thinking about.”

  I moan against his mouth, my flesh aching and tingling.

  He leans over me, guiding me to my back, and spreads my thighs. “But first, dessert,” he whispers, hooking a finger into the waistband of my thong and tugging it down over my hips.

  I let out a strangled cry as soon as his tongue slides through my soaked slit. It’s hot and soft and wet, and I’ve never felt anything like his mouth before. He grunts softly as he eats my pussy, as if he’s a starving man and I’m a luscious banquet set before him, just for him.

  “So fucking sweet,” he mumbles between licks, then sucks my clit.

  The sensation pushes me over the edge, and I come hard against his tongue, in his mouth.

  “Fuck, that was sexy,” he pants, rising over me. He lowers his mouth to mine again. I can taste myself all over his tongue. “So sweet. Just like I knew you would be.”

  I suck his tongue as he reaches down between my thighs, probing my throbbing slit with large, gentle fingers. He slides one inside me, then another. I gasp at the sensation, my hips rolling immediately.

  “Mm, yeah,” he says into my ear, kissing my neck. “Look at you, fucking my fingers. Do you want my cock, sweetheart?”

  “Yes,” I gasp, his fingers moving faster in me. They push up against my G-spot over and over.

  “I feel you getting tight on my fingers.” He moves them faster. “You gonna come for me again?”

  I shudder violently, lost to the sensations of my body shattering around his touch. I’ve always had a sensitive body, but he’s unlocked a whole new level inside me.

  “Fuck, that was beautiful,” he whispers, then guides my thighs apart. “I need to be deep in that pussy now, sweetheart. I need to make it mine.”

  “It’s yours,” I moan. “It’s been yours since you walked into my classroom, Aidan.”

  He curses softly at that while he sinks slowly, inch by inch, into my pussy. He’s huge, filling and stretching me like I’ve never experienced before until his hips are flush against mine.

  “You’re so deep,” I gasp, sinking my nails into his lower back.

  “I’ll go slow for you,” he murmurs, then kisses me and begins to move.

  His strokes are slow and hard. He bottoms out with each forward thrust, and I lift my hips to meet him each time.

  “Tell me you’re mine,” he breathes in my ear. “Tell me you’re all mine, because I’m all yours. Only yours.”

  “I’m yours,” I gasp, wrapping my legs around him.

  He groans, his lower lip between his teeth, and his hips move faster. He holds himself up on his forearms, his muscles straining, as he pounds into me, harder, faster, deeper.

  “Come for me, baby,” he grunts. “Come for me and take me with you.”

  Just a few more hard thrusts, and I come like a lightning bolt, crying out into his shoulder before sinking my teeth in. Whether it was my wildly clenching pussy, the bite, or both, I’m not sure, but he bears down on me, fucking me so hard the bedframe slams against the wall.

  “Fuck, Stella,” he moans as he pushes himself deep inside me and holds it there. His cock throbs hard as he comes, his body shuddering. He rests on top of me, panting a little. Then he kisses my shoulder, up my neck, and finds my waiting lips. “You’re amazing. You know that? I’ve been crazy for you from the second I saw you.”

  “Same,” I say, smiling sleepily up at him. “This should make for an interesting class next week.”

  He teases my lips with his tongue. “The whole time, I’m going to be thinking about sitting you on your desk and spreading those thighs wide…while I sit in your chair eating your pussy until you come over and over and over.”

  I shiver at the thought, and he jumps a little, laughing. “I felt that. I think you like that idea, huh?”

  “In theory, yes,” I say with a grin, running a hand through his hair. “Pretty sure it’d get me fired, though.”

  “Your office, then.” He lowers his mouth to mine, and we kiss for a long moment, until his cock grows hard inside me. This time he flips me over so he’s on his back, and I fuck him hard and slow until we both come at the same time.

  We lapse into deep sleep, waking only when he decides to pretend my bedroom is my desk on campus. He eats me thoroughly again until I come, then turns me over onto all fours and fucks me from the back.

  Finally, totally exhausted and spent, we collapse on my bed. He pulls me into his arms and holds me protectively until I fall asleep.

  The events of the night—the guys at the bar, the car chase, everything Aidan told me—become almost just a bad dream.

  6

  Aidan

  We stay in bed late into the afternoon, but I’m awake most of the time, staring at the ceiling.

  Last night was the best night of my life, hands down. Waking up to Stella this morning, her eager hands touching me, silently asking for me, felt like something out of a dream. Something I’ve thought about, wanted, for years and never thought I could have. Rolling her onto her back, sliding inside her, making her come—all things I feel like I was built to do for her, with her. Forever.

  I should be on cloud nine. But instead, as I lie in her comfortable bed, listening to her soft, deep breaths, her naked body warm against mine, all I can think of is if I’m about to lose it all.

  I texted Gunner this morning to let him know what’s going on, and he told me to head to HQ that afternoon for a meeting to determine how to proceed. In fact… I glance at my cell phone and stifle a groan. I need to get going now.

  Stella stirs in my arms, lifting her head up and blinking sleepily. “What’s going on?”

  I kiss her nose. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the entire world. That’s what’s going on.”

  She smiles, tracing a finger over my chest. She glances at my phone laying on the nightstand. “I’m guessing it’s time for you to leave.”

  I sigh, much more heavily than I intended. “Yeah. I wish I didn’t have to. But I have to meet with the cops and then…I’m expected tonight.”

  She swallows. “I’m scared.”

  I tilt her chin up and bring her lips to mine. “Don’t be scared. I’m not scared.”

  “You’re not?”

  I absolutely am, but I flash her what I hope is a reassuring smile. “I got the cops on my side for the first time in my life. I’m gonna be fine.”

  Stella gives me a sad look. “Don’t bullshit me.”

  I sigh again. “Yeah. I’m a little scared. But that’s why I’m meeting with them first. They’ll help me out. And if they want to pull me out…they will.”

  “Come back to me,” Stella says softly.

  “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,�
�� I reply, kissing her again.

  I dress quickly, and she walks me to the door. I turn around and sweep her into my arms. “I owe you a real date,” I murmur. “Fancy dinner. Wine. Flowers. The whole nine.”

  She smiles into my cheek. “I’d like that, but I’d settle for you in my bed, me in your arms, watching some movies.”

  “That sounds like heaven.” I cup her face in my hands and kiss her tenderly. “Soon. I promise.”

  “Okay,” she whispers.

  I kiss her once more, then turn to leave, willing myself not to look back.

  I stop by home to shower and change before heading to headquarters. I pull up to the curb across the street from the tall building. As I’m crossing the street, a vehicle about fifty-ish feet up ahead pulls away from the curb and takes off. It’s a black SUV with heavy black tint.

  I stop in my tracks. Is that…?

  Then I shake my head. There’s more than one black SUV in the world, Aidan. The chase last night has me all kinds of paranoid—and distracted. I have to get my shit together.

  During the meeting, with Gunner, a couple of other undercover officers, and the captain over the Program, Leary, I tell them exactly what went down at the bar the previous night.

  Gunner shoots a nervous look at the captain. “I think we need to call it,” he says. “For Aidan’s safety.”

  “Now hold on,” Captain Leary says, lifting a hand. “We’ve spent a lot of time and money training him to do exactly this. Sometimes shit gets hot. We don’t run at the first hint something might be off.”

  “Maybe not actual, seasoned police officers,” Gunner insists. “But Aidan’s still a civilian. He can’t even carry a gun. I think we should pull him.”

  “I want to know what Aidan thinks.” The captain swivels his gaze toward me and folds his hands. “Tell me. Do you want out?”

  I glance from Gunner to him. “How does this affect our agreement?”

  Captain Leary shrugs. “The agreement was you do some work for us and provide us with actionable intelligence that will allow us to nail these bastards to the wall. You’ve done some work, but we don’t have actionable intelligence.”