Carved in Stone (The Stone Series) (21 page)

****

             
“Give it to me Gabriella,” shouts Aidan hoarsely, driving into my body with long powerfully measured strokes. “Take all me baby.”

             
The gruff carnal grunts he renders with each pounding thrust of his hips urges my own sensual desire to climb higher and higher, the exquisite sensations of pleasure bombarding every cell and fiber of my body. Sweat mists over my skin as I grip the headboard with white-knuckled fists, relishing, savoring the erotic connection of our bodies joining together.

             
After making out like a pair of teenagers earlier in the kitchen, we ate dinner then I showered and watched television while Aidan did some work in his study. I don’t know what time he’d finished but I awoke to being carried in his strong arms, cradled against the warmth of his chest toward the bedroom. Laying me gently down on the bed, Aidan undressed, the sight of him naked with the light of the moon shinning through the window and ghosting over his body highlighting the angles and defined plains of his perfectly tanned abs was enough to rouse me from sleep completely, desire flaring rapidly between my legs.

             
“Come here,” I whispered licking my lips in wanton need. His returning grin was seductively smug and wickedly heated.

             
Aidan kneeled on the bed, his hands coming to rest on each side of my waist caging me in as his head bent down skimming his lips leisurely up the inside of my right thigh then deliberately down the left thigh.

             
“Let’s get you undressed,” he murmured, bunching the hem of my short blue satin negligée and pulling it up and off my body in one swift go.

             
Aidan then proceeded to make love to me slowly and unhurriedly, building, stoking a fire of hunger between us until our touches became frantic, our kisses turned feverish with lust and blistering need for each other.

             
Flipping me roughly over onto my stomach, Aidan pushed my thighs further apart and pulled my knees up higher, plunging into my body in one forceful determined stroke. His groan of unashamed satisfaction was almost drowned out from my loud abashed moan of my pleasure.

             
“Oh God, Oh God, Aidan.” My pleading pants became screams, the sounds of his hips slapping against my flesh on each forceful thrust drove me wild with ecstasy.

             
“That’s it Gabriella, Take it, take all of me. Feel me baby, feel me owning you, every inch of you.”

             
Closing my eyes shut I concentrate on the unrelenting rhythm Aidan has set, every one of my internal muscles clenching and tightening around his huge steel length, holding him to me, gripping him like a vise.

             
“Fuck! Your cunt’s so tight baby, you’re milking my cock on every stroke. That’s it. Give it up for me Gabriella.” His roar of command instantly tears me apart, the wave of my organism rolling over and crashing into me like an unforgivable tsunami of pleasure.

             
Aidan roars again but this time it’s to herald in his own release, thick hot jets of his semen spurt violently into my body. Collapsing onto my forearms, I gently push back meeting each one of his continuing strokes, his pace slowing to a gentle grind of his hips against my core. His hands glide up my hips to wrap tenderly around my waist as he places soft kisses along my spine murmuring my name again and again.

             
“Don’t move,” he whispers in my ear after several minutes of clinging to each other, his breath fanning along my heated cheek. “I’ll go and get a cloth to clean you up baby.”

             
The sudden loss of warmth from his body causes mine to shudder leaving me feeling bereft.

             
After gently cleaning me up and discarding the cloth Aidan slides back into bed pulling me close under one arm and tucking me into his side. Reaching up I trace my fingertips softly down his chest then back up circling over his heart. A contented sigh escapes my lips as I feel his mouth press a kiss to the top of my head, his other arm coming around and squeezing my waist.

             
“Thank you Gabriella,” he whispers placing another kiss to the top of my head. He gently brushes the back of his knuckles over my eyelids. “Sleep baby,” he commands gruffly.

             
Closing my eyes, I allow slumber to pull me under, soothed and completely tranquil in the warm cocoon of Aidan’s embrace.

             
“I love you Aidan,” I murmur, my voice ringing with the heartfelt truth of my soul before I drift off to sleep.

             
Dreamily I note his sudden sharp withdrawal of his breath and the tensing of his body before he hugs me tighter into his embrace.

****

             
“M, I don’t know what to do,” I say to Mia sighing over the phone while nervously twirling a pen in my hand.

             
“And he hasn’t called you once?” Her tone is incredulous and sharp.

             
“No and it’s been three days now. He’s texted every night since he left Tuesday but they all said the same thing: ‘thinking of you and sweet dreams button’.”

             
Monday morning I awoke to a cold and empty bed – no Aidan. I threw on my robe and walked out to the kitchen to see if he was there. He wasn’t but the low hum of his voice indicated Aidan was in his study. Pushing wide open the already partially open door I found Aidan fully dressed for work in charcoal two piece suit, white crisp dress shirt and azure colored tie. Just the sight of him made my heart flutter – I don’t think I would ever get used to his charismatic beauty.

             
He was on his cell phone and studding something on his laptop, a frown line furrowed between his emerald green eyes that were narrowed deep in concentration. I stood their silently staring at my man hard at work even though it was barely six in the morning. After a few minutes, Aidan looked up catching my gaze, our eyes locking onto to each other’s like a magnet.

             
“Hey Mr. Early Bird,” I said grinning at him.

             
He stared back for a beat, his face impassive before his mouth curved up into a slight but forced smile. “Hang on for a moment,” he said briskly to the caller on the other end.

             
“Morning button,” he replied, his smile widening but not reaching his gorgeous eyes.

             
“I’ve had an urgent issue arise and I have to leave for the airport this morning to Chicago. I’ll have Tomas drive you to and from work while I’m away.”

             
His voice sounding strangely tight, distant and preoccupied.

             
Swallowing, I force my own voice to sound neutral and calm, disguising the sudden panic I’m feeling from his remoteness. “Oh…okay. How long will you be gone?”

             
“A couple of days. I’ll be back by Friday at the latest. The Decadence Hotel opening is then so if I don’t get home before Friday morning I’ll meet you there at the party that evening.”

             
Nodding, I hold back the sting of tears that threaten to spill. “Do you have time for breakfast together before you have to leave?”

             
“No sorry Gabriella. I have to finish this call then Tomas is driving me to the airport.”

             
Pushing his laptop aside, he stands and walks towards me. “Will you be okay?” He asks smoothing a lock of my hair behind my ear.

             
“Yes,” I nod, too frighten to say anything further in case my voice cracks and the tears spill out.

             
“Good,” he whispers placing a quick kiss on my forehead. “Sorry button but I have to get back to this,” he says indicating to his cell phone and laptop on top of his desk.

             
Then without so much as another word spoken between us, he turns back picking up his phone and resuming his conversation. As I back slowly out of Aidan study I watch him typing something on the computer before asking the caller a question.

             
The words of his conversation don’t register in my brain over the roaring sound of my blood pumping through my ears. A ball of fear churns furiously in my stomach and a painful knot of dread lodges in my throat.

             
As I walk back to what now is our bedroom, I try to tell myself there is nothing wrong between is, Aidan is just preoccupied with business, which I completely understand. After all, he’s been away before for business and I knew he would travel again and I didn’t have an issue with that. I knew the demands of Aidan’s work and his schedule would include time apart frequently but I could help the nagging fear that this time it wasn’t about him leaving, it was about the way he told me. His standoffish manner, the way he could barely look me in the eye and when he did his face was annoyingly impassive, his gaze aloof and disconnected. I couldn’t help fearing that the change is his demeanor towards me was a sign he was pulling away again and this time I knew why.

             
I walked into the bathroom and stared at my reflection in the mirror, the thud of the front door closing signaled Aidan’s departure, I flinched as the sound echoed through my ears. He had left without even kissing me goodbye – I inhaled sharply then slowly I allowed my tears to fall.

Mia I’m scared. Monday morning he was really distant and withdrawn with me and as much as I’d like to think it’s because of work and this deal he is working on I can’t help but worry it’s about us – our relationship.”

             
“But Gabby it could be about work. Aidan’s the CEO of a huge Corporation, there’s like twenty different companies he ultimately in charge of so you have to expect him to be distracted with business sometimes.”

             
“Yeah, I guess your right but seriously Mia, I’m telling you, things changed between us on Monday morning, I felt it. I knew I shouldn’t have rushed it, I should have waited some more before I told him I loved him.”

             
“Yeah but G, you know the saying –
‘should’ve, would’ve, could’ve’
. You can’t live your life like that and you wouldn’t want to.”

             
“I know.”

The long pause from Mia only heightens my already mounting
anxiety. Finally Mia sighs. “Babe, you know I love you so don’t get mad at me for asking but are you sure you did the right thing moving in with Aidan so soon?”

             
“To be honest, I don’t know anymore Mia. It felt so right at the time and everything was perfect until I opened my big fucking mouth. Aidan told me to be patient and I swear I wasn’t expecting him to say it back – ”

             
“Stop right there, Gabriella Anne Stevens!” Growls Mia harshly. “If Aidan is running shit scared because you told him you loved him then that’s
his
problem and not yours. There is absolute nothing wrong with you expressing your feelings to your boyfriend especially when you’re living with him. That line of thinking is seriously fucked up Gabby and you know it so don’t even go down that path.”

             
Another long pause of silence passes that voices volumes of unspoken words between Mia and I, then in a soft gentle tone Mia nudges, “Gabby do you want to come back home? I can pick you up after work and help you pack up your things.”

             
“No Mia, but thank you for being here for me. I wouldn’t feel right about leaving while Aidan’s out of town besides I could be blowing this all out of proportion. You’re probably right – this could all be about business and the deal he’s working on. Either way I’ll know by tomorrow night. Aidan’s due back tomorrow afternoon and we have the Decadence Hotel opening party tomorrow night so I’ll see him there.”

             
“Okay but G just know I’m always here for you and if you need me, all you have to do is call babe.”

             
“Thanks Mia. I love you.”

             
“Back at ya chick. Hey what time are you heading over to the hotel tomorrow to set up?”

             
“Jeremiah and I will be there from mid-morning onwards and they’ve given us a hotel room for both Jeremiah and I to shower and change clothes before the party starts.”

             
“Cool, well I’ll see you there then unless you want me to come around tonight.”

             
“No I’m all good. I’m working late tonight with Jeremiah to run through all the last minute details then I’m heading home for a long hot bath and hopefully a good night’s sleep.”

             
“Okay but call me if you need me, no matter what the times is. Promise?”

             
“Yeah I promise.”

             
“Good, I’ll hold you to it.”