The Boy Next Door

Chapter 18

Present

Dropping his hand from my waist, Aiden runs his hands down his face while slowly stepping back away from me. I keep my eyes locked on the tile floor, too embarrassed to look at him.

"I-I. . . I'm sorry," I quietly mumble towards the floor, earning a low, humorless laugh in response.

"For what exactly?" He asks, his back leant against the opposite wall. We're at least ten feet apart, and I still feel like it's not enough distance. "I'm still trying to understand why it bothers you."

Yeah, so am I.

"I don't know," I mumble again, this time meeting his brown eyes.

I honestly can't give him an answer, because I'm beyond confused with my own emotions. It's a stupid agreement between us: no strings attacked, so I don't understand why I feel I have this personal hold over him.

"You don't know?" He mocks, laughing. "Well, that's called jealousy, in case you didn't know."

Jealousy?

I pull my bottom lip in, trying to rid my brain of thoughts of me and Aiden together explicitly. I can't like him. There's no strings attached to this 'fuck buddy' or whatever the hell it is we have.

"You're jealous," He states more than asks, fully closing the gap between us.

When did he get over here?

I swallow hard, trying to wash away the lump in my throat. Aiden places his fingers under my chin, guiding me to look at him; my skin starts to tingle from his touch. The pad of his thumb rubs across my jawline ever so slowly, making my knees go weak. I try to contain the shaky breath begging to be released as he quickly picks me up, the cool surface of the counter top connecting with my bottom half. This isn't necessarily what I came over for—not in the slightest—but deep down I was hopeful it would.

God, what is wrong with me?

"You're cute when you're jealous." He says, his seductive tone sending heat all through my body in an instant. Aiden stands in between my parted legs, hungrily looking into my eyes, almost daring me to try and look away.

"I'm not-"

I stop talking as he leans down to be level with my ear, "I'd advise you to not refer to my sister like that again, or there'll be consequences. Got it?"

I try to speak again, but the contact of his lips on the skin below my ear makes me lose my train of thought.

"Got it?" He asks again, seizing his movements.

I restrain from opening my eyes, which I didn't even realize are now closed, despite his purposeful teasing. I nod my head slowly, and soon after I feel his lips move again. With every kiss along my neck, I mentally say 'I'm sorry'. Other than my repeated apology, it's the only logical thought in my head as I wrap my arms around his neck.

I can feel the smirk tugging at Aiden's lips as I quietly moan, his teeth nipping at the delicate skin above my collar bone. Sucking on the same spot, I lean my head back to provide more access. My fingers skim at the nape of his neck as his lips travel back up my neck, finally connecting with my lips. Aiden releases a deep moan as he slips his tongue in; the bulge in his joggers is prominent as it brushes against my core. I move my hands to the side of his face, each palm resting along his structured jawline as he deepens the kiss.

A light whimper escapes me as he breaks away, his dilated eyes hungrily looking into mine as I try to catch my breath. Intently, I watch as he begins to agonizingly walk backwards towards the shower. Turning the dial, I watch the water spray out through the glass of the shower.