He's Sneaking Into My Room

Aiden's wearing a slouchy, sleeveless hoodie over a thin, long-sleeved shirt that shows the definition on his biceps as he leans against my car.

He looks delicious. And like he might cut someone's throat if they piss him off. Whoa, Watch out, Chase. I'm surprised to find that I mean it.

Chase is irritating as hell, but I don't' want to see him actually hurt. Just . . . away.

I swallow, and smile. Turning my back on Chase, I try to keep my pace slow.

Totally unconcerned, Aiden watches me approach, a predatory glint in his eye that gives me shivers.

"Hey, Beautiful," he says quietly when I'm close enough to hear. He pushes up to stand a hair too close, offering that lazy grin. "I heard you're almost out of jail. Sure you don't want to make a break for it?"

I have to push away a smile. "I'm sure."

I move to the driver's door, unlock the car, then step back to open it, but Aiden's right behind me. He slips a hand on my waist. Startled, I elbow him back a step, glaring and open my mouth to tell him off. But a deep voice calls from near the building, "Get your hands off her, Aiden."

I'd forgotten Chase was there. He's standing on the sidewalk, hands clenched to fists, jaw tight, honed in on Aiden like a laser sight.

"Back off, Chase. I can take care of myself," I snap.

He blinks, his shoulders drop a hair. He shoots another glare at Aiden, but doesn't say anything as he starts down the sidewalk, turning in the opposite direction toward his truck at the other end of the lot.

"Finally," I mutter.

"Right?" Aiden grins, stepping up to press into me again. I nudge him back again with a warning look. He goes easily, not resisting. But not giving up either. That heat flashes in his eyes again and drops his chin like he'll kiss me.

"Not here."

Aiden tips his head. "You don't strike me as someone who cares what other people think."

I roll my eyes. "I don't care if people like me or not, but public displays aren't my thing. And you're being a little . . . assumptive." I give the word a tiny smile so he doesn't take it too hard.

His expression softens to more serious. He glances over my shoulder, at Chase I assume, and something like fear flashes behind his eyes before he looks back to me. "There's a party tonight. Do you want to come? I could sneak you out. Serious question." He goes very still.

For a second I'm tempted. Then I remember, just one more weekend and I'm free. "Not tonight," I sigh. "But next week. I'm in if you can promise there'll be no more problems like last time? Serious question."

Aiden's grin warms with promise and my breath quickens. "I know what the problem was. It won't happen again." His tone turns sly. "Sneak out with me tonight and I'll prove it."

"I can't, Aiden." I'm about to tell him why but my thoughts fade as Aiden leans in, his eyes still on my lips as his fingertips trail up my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.

His voice is deep enough to throb in my ribs. "I'm not pushing to be an asshole, Kate. I know you're thinking about it all the time. Thinking about me." He pauses, catches my eyes. "I'm thinking about you too," he says, unashamed, but not untouched. I see the hint of fear in him. So he is human. I'm tempted to kiss him, but he isn't finished. "Come. Please? Let me show you you don't need to be worried."

The roar of Chase's car breaks across the light babble everyone leaving the youth center. All heads turn, including ours. Chase glares at Aiden as he pulls out of the parking lot too fast. I turn back, exhale a deep breath. I'm so sick of feeling Chase's eyes over my shoulder. Who the hell does he think he is?

Aiden watches Chase until the truck is out of sight. I wait for him to come back to me, and grin. "I promise to not even consider it."

Aiden flashes the wicked grin I love. "Your lips say no. But I know you mean yes. Your car or mine, beautiful?"

"See you later, Aiden." I pretend frustration and get into the car.

He laughs as I drive off.

I might chuckle a little myself.

Later than night I'm reading on my phone in the dark when there's a tiny tap on my window.

My second story window.

I freeze as a shadow the shape of a man's head and shoulders, cuts through the squares of moonlight on my quilt. Heart in my mouth, all the horror stories I've heard of women attacked in their beds and becoming Frontline documentaries zip through my head in the space of a breath.

I suck in air to scream just as a strangled whisper breaks the silence, "Beautiful? You awake?"

Aiden?

I clasp my pounding chest, my entire body thrumming with the adrenaline rush.

"Aiden, you scared the shit out of me!" I whisper-scream, scrambling across the bed to the window to open the large pane and let the chilly night air in. I shove my chin in his face. "Don't ever do that again!"

With the moonlight behind him, his face is mostly shadow. But his eyes make tiny pinpricks of light over a wide smile. "Sorry. I wanted to see you. I was bored at the party and . . ." his eyes widen as they track down from my face, to my bare collarbones, to the little cotton tank and tiny-shorts I wear to bed most nights.

Growling at him, I leap off the bed and yank my robe off the back of my closet door, throw it around me, and tie it off with swift jerks, still scowling at him.

He leans on the sill on one elbow. "Shorts are my new favorite," he smirks.

I grab a magazine from my desk and throw it at him.

Laughing, he ducks, almost loses his balance, and catches himself on the sill.

I gasp. "What are you even doing up there!" I crawl back across the bed to lean over the sill next to him. "You could fall and then my dad would think I asked you to—" I break off, the air squeaking out of my lungs. There's nothing under his feet.

Literally.

Nothing.