Chapter 8

Alessia 

I couldn’t get the image out of my mind. All night it had plagued me. 

Aiden kissing that leggy brunette like his life depended on it. And I was raked with jealousy. Not that I had any right to the feelings assaulting me. He had asked me out for dinner that was true but we weren’t in fact dating. He had just done me a favour and been a gentleman. 

Aiden didn’t owe me anything at all so I had no right to be jealous.

I was though. 

And I hated the way it twisted my thoughts and -

A knock , so quiet that I almost missed it sounded from the other end of the room. It was early and Dana was still sound asleep. Glancing at the clock on the nightstand I frowned. It wasn’t even seven am so it was also too early for room service which I had booked for half eight.

Maybe it was just my imagination.

Someone knocked again. Slightly louder this time. With a grumble of Italian under my breath I swept the blankets from over me and padded bare foot towards the door.

Swinging it open a few inches I stared outward. Only there was no one there. The hallway in front was completely clear. 

“Damn it.” Clearly it was my imagination. Sighing loudly I went to close the door and that’s when he stepped forward.

Aiden.

The sigh lodged itself in my throat. My mouth worked. Opening and closing like a fish out of water. The entire time he just stared at me with a smile curling up his full lips. 

“Good morning.” He said like nothing had happened at all. Like I hadn’t been up all night tossing and turning and wondering what he was doing across the hallway. 

It didn’t take a genius to know what he was doing. The real question was why he was now at my door.

“What are you doing here?” My hand tightened on the door and I moved it closed an inch. The last thing I wanted was him to see me in my pjs. Or what I called pjs anyway. 

No doubt the woman he had left in bed would be in something sexy. Satin and lace probably. I didn’t own anything like that. 

And even if I did I wouldn’t want him to see me in them.

“You didn’t pick up your phone. I was worried.” Reaching out he caught the edge of the door and swung it open. “I was shocked-“

“I turned my phone onto silence. I needed to think and I didn’t want to be disturbed.” That was at least half true. My phone had been on silent. With just a few people able to ring through. He wasn’t one of them.

“What are you doing here Aiden?” My voice shook and I hated that for me. I barely knew this man, we had only met yesterday so why did he effect me so badly 

“I was just shocked to see you last night.” Self consciously he ran a hand through his dark hair. 

“I see.” I got it now. He was here because he didn’t want his actual girlfriend to find about us. Straightening my shoulders I forced myself to smile. “You don’t need to worry about it.” Pointedly I looked over his shoulder to his hotel room door. “I’m not going to say anything. If it makes you feel uncomfortable than I can change hotels. I’m sure my dad would have found somewhere else for us to go-“

“Of course he has.” Aiden's voice dropped with sarcasm and darkness flickered into his eyes. There and gone in a blink of an eye. “Look, can we talk? In private.” Loosening his grip on my door, he reached for my hand and tugged me out into the hallway before I could tell him to get lost.

The door swung shut behind me. And he manoeuvred me against it. Trapping me there with his hands on either side of my head.

“Aiden.” Nervously I looked at his door. “You shouldn’t-“ I swallowed hard because he was far to close to me. And his very closeness pickled my brain. How could he smell so good? 

“Why?” Cocking his head to the side, he studied me. 

“Because your girlfriend-“ I started to say and my words died as he reached out and pushed my hair behind my ears. “Wouldn’t want her to come out and see-“

“She’s not in there Alessia.” He said quietly. “And she’s not my girlfriend either. I am single.”

I rolled my eyes. Yeah that’s what they all said.

Catching my look he chuckled. “You don’t believe me?”

“It’s none of my business.” I answered tartly. “Now I should get back to Dana. We have-“

He cut me off with a snarl. His hand slid under my hair to cup the back of my head. Drawing my face up so I had no choice but to stare into his face.

“It is your business because.” He stepped into my space. Pressing his body against mine so I had nowhere else to go.  “I don’t want you to think I am that kind of man. She’s not my girlfriend. Yes I was on a date. The one and only and-“

“I don’t care.” I lied. 

“Yes you do.” His thumb brushed against my lips. “I saw the shocked look on your face. I was shocked at seeing you here as well believe me. If you had picked up my call I would have explained last night.”

I stayed silent. 

“I was set up on a blind date and she got wasted. Nothing happened after I saw you. I gave her a coffee and called her a taxi. We didn’t do anything.” He added again.

“It’s none of my business.” I said again.

“I see.” The smile he flashed my way was forced and strained. “But you see I want it to be your business Alessia. I really want it to be your business but maybe I’m wrong about this thing between us?” His eyes roved over my face and then downward. And when he smiled again it was softer. “At least I get to see what you look like first thing in the morning.” He added silently. “Even if it’s just once.”

“Aiden.” I blushed because no man should be looking at a woman in bear pjs with her hair sticking up in every direction the way he was. I crossed my arms around my chest which just drew his eyes downward to my cleavage.

“Alessia.” He parroted back. “Have breakfast with me.” Smoothing his hand down my arm, he encircled my wrist. “Let me prove to you that there’s no other woman in my hotel room and there won't be. There’s something between us that I want to explore.” He entwined our fingers and brought my hand to his lips. Brushing against the back of my hand softly. My heart skipped a beat. I closed my eyes. 

“It’s the least I can do as I don’t think I can wait to take you out for dinner.”

“No.” My eyes snapped open. “I mean no thank you.” I added with a smile. “I don’t think that is a good idea.”

His eyebrows shot down. “Dinner then? I’ll make a reservation-“

My hand scrambled for the doorknob. “I mean no to all of it.” I added more forcefully. He had given me so many excuses as to who the woman was and why she was there but at the end of the day it didn’t really matter. I had seen his hands on her body and his lips looking for hers hungrily. 

He could lie to me if he wanted to but that didn’t mean I had to believe it. I wasn’t experienced and worldly like Dana but I did have some redeeming qualities and coming from a family like mine I knew when someone was lying to me.

And Aiden was lying.

I was pretty sure he had been lying from the beginning. With his good boy charm and lilting accent.

“Thank you for helping me yesterday Aiden but-“

He took a step forward. Crowding me again. Each breath I took brushed my bra less breasts against the hardness of his chest. 

“You won’t even give me a chance?” Dropping his head , his lips hovered an inch from mine. It took everything I had not to close my eyes and wait for his kiss because I knew that was about to happen.

My brain was screaming at me to push him away, but my heart? My heart wanted to know what his mouth felt like.

“There’s something between us Alessia.”

“I’m sorry but no.” Firmly I pressed my hands against his hard chest and gave him a little shove. Point one for head. “Thank you for everything you did Aiden but I don’t want to have dinner with you. There’s just too much going on in my life right now and I don’t have time for dating on top of that.” Finally my hand found the door knob and twisted. The door swung open and I stumbled backwards into my room. 

I watched as his face morphed into shock. Then pain and what oddly looked like rage before I shut the door on him.

“What the hell was that all about?” Dana asked from the bed.

Taking a deep breath I turned to her. “I honestly have no idea.” I admitted.

“That was the man from yesterday right? Aiden?” She sat up in the bed. “Why is he here? How did he know we were here?”

“Because.” Climbing into bed with her I let my head fall onto her shoulder and told her everything. Well everything apart from the conversation with my parents.

“The fact he is here is just weird. Or maybe it’s fate?” She side eyed me.

“It’s weird.” I said firmly. This whole situation was just weird.