3

        “Are you scared of me?” Aiden suddenly asks as he drives, and I take sometime to think about it before I shake my head no.

     “Why do you think I’m scared of you?” I ask and he turns to stare at me “Why don’t you tell me? You agree to let me drop you off at first then suddenly you start giving excuses.” 

“I panicked.”

        “Huh?” he probes and I sigh.

    “I panicked okay? You’re one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and you’re suddenly showing interest in me because you needed a lighter for your cigarette. After you went back I couldn’t wrap my head over what had happened and I started panicking that I’d come across cheap so I decided to lie so I can preserve my remaining self worth.” I say all in one breath and when I’m done he gives a soft chuckle.

          “You never came across as cheap to me, and yeah I only approached you because I needed a lighter but it’s sure as hell not why I’m driving you home.” He said in a low tone as he reaches for my hand and the sparks I felt before seems stronger and I withdraw my hands quickly once again.

           “So why are you driving me home?” I inquire and he turns to look at me before turning back to the road “Because like I said you’re different and it’s a huge turn on.” He says and I crinkle my nose.

         “So it’s a sexual thing?” I prod and he shakes his head “Not entirely..” he begins “But it’s part because I know that you feel it when we touch, how our bodies respond to each other's.” 

He traces his fingers in slow circles around my tigh and I shiver pressing my legs together as he squeezes them before removing his hand.

      “Don’t.” I say, my voice coming out in short gasps “Don’t do what?” he asks feigning ignorance even as his hands have managed to get under my shirt and is trailing a pattern on it, leaving hot lava wherever he touched.

          “You know there’s something between us..you can’t deny it.” He breaths and I shake my head. He was right, I couldn’t deny it because I knew it from the moment he called me by my name and my legs turned to jello.

       “How old are you?” he suddenly asks changing topics as be drops his hands, “That was suddenly random.” I tease softly and he laughs “it just suddenly occurred when to me that while you probably know mine, I don’t know yours.” He replied.

      “And why would I know yours?” I questioned and he gives a shrug “Well you know who I am..” he begins  “And how does that translate into me knowing how old you are?” I cut him off.

“You could’ve googled it, there are tons of information about me on the internet.” He says simply and I nod.

        “You sound like you might have googled yourself.” I remark and he glares “I have never googled myself, I find it to be a conceited act.” He retorted and I shrug “Concluding that I must’ve browsed about you makes you a conceited ass.” I hiss and he mutters something under his breath.

        “You still haven’t told me how old you are.” He states and I chew on my bottom lip, wondering if I should tell himy real age or not.

"Don’t do that.” He mutters and I turn to stare at him raising a brow in question.

        Rather than replying he takes a finger and runs it over my upper lip before using his hand to free my lower lip from my teeth.

       “You have no idea what seeing you do that does to me do you?” he whispers.

“Twenty three.” And this time it’s his turn to raise a questioning brow “My age.” I whisper still feeling the sensation of his hands on my lips.

       “I’m twenty five.” He says and I nod still as I continue to gather my still scattered wits.  

       “So I’m guessing you’re the owner of Sizzle and Steam right?” he asks and I nod “Just you alone? Because you mentioned a partner?” he prods and I shake my head “I own fifty percent of Sizzle and Steam. Cameron my partner owns the other fifty percent.” I explain.

          “So do you order all those pastries from another store or one of you bakes?” he asks and I shake my head “The pastries come from my pastry shop Lily’s.”  I replied and he nods “So business must be going well for you to have two right?”  he asks and I laugh.

       “Lily’s used to be my grandmother’s, I learnt all I know about pastries from her so when she passed on, I inherited it, but it wasn’t doing well financially and there were notices of foreclosure from the banks, that was when Cam came up with the idea to start cooking for money, people liked it well enough to be rehire and refer us. In essence Sizzle and Steam was established to keep Lily’s afloat. Took lots of time and effort but it’s worth it.” I say and he nods.

      “How about you? Are you now going to be just an actor alone?” I question and he shakes his head “ No..although my musical career began through acting, so when I was offered the acting role James; my manager decided a comeback into the movie industry won’t be such a bad idea.” He responds.

      There’s a bit of silence that’s at the same time both awkward and comforting. After we both catch ourselves stealing glances at each other, Aiden chuckles while I go red.

      Biting my lip, I turn to ask him if I could tune the radio when he growls, “I’ve told you not to do that.” And I quickly release my lip muttering an apology.

        “We’re here.” I mutter seeing the familiar building of my cafe. “You live in your cafe?” he queried and I shake my head quickly, “I live in the loft above it.” I explain and he nods.

       “Thanks for the ride.” I say as I unbuckle my seat belt and grab my bag getting ready to leave. Just as I’m about to open the door and step out, he pulls me back inside.

           “Hadley.” He calls in a voice that makes me quiver, turning around to glance at him, he uses my chin to tilt my head up while his hand has once again found its way into my shirt and was running his fingers down my spine.

      “Hadley.” He calls again in an even huskier tone that has me clamping my legs together, I  can feel his hand leaving my chin and caressing my face before it moves to my head, running through my head.

       His face moves closer to mine and I know what’s going to happen next and before I can move, he does; placing his lips right on mine.

   His lips are pliant and soft moulding perfectly well against mine, letting out a moan, the hand that’s in my hair comes back to my face.

       “Kiss me back.” He murmurs and it’s enough to get me moving. Shifting closer to him, I kiss him back with enough fervour, opening up to him when he bites my lips to let me grant him access inside my mouth.

        Growling, he drags me out of the passenger seat and onto his laps,  as he moves from my mouth and moves down my neck licking and sucking before biting the skin on my neck and sucking on it.

       Releasing a moan, I let my hands roam under his jacket needing to feel him, still not enough I place my hands under his shirt and feel all of him, grinding myself on him while he kneads my breasts.

       I suck in a sharp breath as he rolls my hardened nipples between his fingers, grinding myself harder against him needing more friction between us while he lets his hands roam over every curve.

          I feel like I’m loosing my mind, making out in a car with a man I just met “Don’t think, just feel Hadley.” He says as he kisses me on my neck, sucking on the skin, and I do just that, feel all the wicked pleasure that he’s giving me with his hands and lips, pressing myself closer to him till I feel my bra get unhooked then I start thinking.

       “Hadley?” he calls probably feeling me slipping away “I’ve got to go.” I whisper and he cups my face “Hadley..” he begins but I cut him off removing his hands from my face.

“I’ve got to go now Aiden. Thanks for the ride.” I whisper softly before grabbing my bag and running out of the car.

     He calls after me but all I do is quicken my pace and unlock the door before entering and locking it. After some minutes, his headlights disappear and I let out the breath I’ve been holding.

        What have I just done?