Chapter Fourteen
Aidan returned at six to find the hotel suite empty, but Beth’s scent filled the room, which brought a smile to his face. When she got back it would be difficult not to jump right into bed with her, but he would be patient. They would go to Spago for dinner before making love all night. She would need the energy. Aidan smiled smugly as he walked toward the bathroom to shower.
As steam misted the mirror, Aidan was still grinning. He had never been one to overindulge a woman, but Bethany made him want to spoil her endlessly. Her eyes had lit up when he mentioned Spagos.
When seven rolled around, and there was still no word from Bethany, Aidan began pacing worriedly. Beth was from a smaller city and then had moved to an even smaller town. He cursed at himself, wondering if his carelessness had caused her to get lost or, worse, hurt. Then the worst thought of all crossed his mind—what if she had tried to call him on the other phone? He hadn’t brought that phone with him. The hotel room phone rang at half past seven, and he picked it up frantically. “Beth?”
“Sir, there is a woman named Bethany on the line that insists she knows you. I didn’t want to bother you, but she—”
“She does, yes, put her on the phone.”
“Aidan?”
“What happened, luv, where are you?” God, it was great to hear her voice.
“I left several messages on your cell, but when you didn’t answer I thought—”
Aidan paled. “Never mind that now. Where are you, sweetheart?”
“I’m at a coffee shop. There was an accident and―”
“Christ, were you hurt?”
“No, not me. This older woman was almost hit by a car, and I was a witness.”
Aidan’s blood ran cold as Bethany shared the details of her day with him. Why hadn’t he given her his real cell when they were going to Los Angeles together? He rarely carried the other phone. If she had been hurt because of him and his damned selfish behavior, he would never forgive himself.
Aidan took a calming breath, and repeated, “Where are you, Beth?”
“I’m at a coffee shop right off of Santa Monica Boulevard.”
“All right, I’m coming to get you.”
“Don’t be silly, I can walk back to the hotel. I just wanted you to know why I stood you up. It wasn’t on purpose.”
“Please give me the café’s phone number.”
“Oh! Sure,” he heard her murmur in the background. Once she came back on the line, she shared the number and started once again to try to dissuade him from coming to the café.
“Listen to me, Bethany, I’m going to hang up and call back on my cell.?”
“You called me Bethany.”
“Yes, I did,” Aidan said, “I’m going to hang up now, okay?”
“Sure.”
He called back and immediately stepped out of the room. He impatiently eyed the numbers on the elevator bringing him to the lobby as he listened to Beth’s nervous chatter.
“I’m so sorry, Aidan. I just had to help that woman. And you know the driver of the car was not bad at all, he seemed to be so upset, and I wanted to take care of both of them.”
“I know you did, baby,” Aidan soothed as he got in the car. Covering the phone, he said to the driver, “Head to Santa Monica Boulevard, please. I’ll let you know more when I can.”
“Now listen to me, sweetheart,” he murmured, “Santa Monica is a main highway. Do you see a road sign, a crossroad of some kind?”
“I remember seeing North Roxbury nearby.”
“Great, that is great. Now, I want you to look around the café; is there anyone there who you could put on the phone to help us get to you?”
Another voice came on the phone. “You need directions?”
“Yes,” Aidan said, relaxing for the first time, “that would be great, thanks.”
The female voice was clear and concise, and the driver had them at the front door in fifteen minutes. Aidan opened the door of the café. The bells on the door sparked the attention of every patron in the place. He ignored the shocked sounds and gaping mouths and cast his eyes around the retro café. When he spotted Bethany, he breathed a sigh of relief and scooped her up in a big hug.
Bethany smiled up at him, clearly a little shocked by his behavior. “I’m really so—”
Aidan kissed her as he continued to hold her close.
“So, you’re not mad at me.” Bethany sighed and rested her head against his chest.
“How can I be mad at someone who wants to take care of everyone? You are just too sweet for this world, luv.” He began to feel the attention they were causing. Shifting around to look at the audience, Aidan asked, “Who spoke to me on the phone?”
A plump woman dressed all in black came forward, looking stunned. “I did, I never for a minute thought…”
He glanced at her nametag and extended his hand. “I want to thank you, Debbie, for taking care of my friend.”
She pumped his hand with friendly enthusiasm. “Would it be too much trouble to ask for an autograph?”
He smiled at the blushing waitress. “Not for you, it wouldn’t.”
Keeping his hand at Bethany’s waist, he waited while the woman ran to get pen and paper.
“I saw your last movie, I really hope you win that award and get nominated for the Oscar.”
Aidan smiled, signed the paper, pressed a kiss to the woman’s cheek, and said, “Thank you again, Debbie.”
Then with all the class of a Golden Age movie star, he escorted Bethany out of the café and into the waiting limousine.
Bethany rested against Aidan as the car took them back to the hotel. Her body relaxed and her breathing slowed as she started to drift off.
“Don’t go to sleep, Beth, I have plans for you.” Aidan tipped her face up and was struck by the whimsy of this sleepy beauty. She was so different from any woman he had ever met, and he realized he needed her almost painfully. “What about dinner?”
“Room service.” Aidan picked up his phone, called Serena and asked that two lobster tails and champagne be sent to his room. “How’s that?”
“Wow, it’s been years since I’ve had lobster.”
Hugging her close, Aidan asked, “How long?”
“A while,” she said, smiling sweetly.
As they walked out of the limousine, the darkness was suddenly filled with flashing light as several photographers took shots of them making their way to the hotel entrance. Aidan wrapped his arm around her, bringing her face to his chest. Bethany was obviously in a state of shock by the overt attack by the media “Sorry, luv.”
His shirt muffled her voice. “It’s not your fault, Aidan. How can they just do that? You know, attack you with their cameras?”
As the entrance to the hotel drew mercifully close, he muttered, “They have spies everywhere, and photos of stars can bring a high price.”
When they finally reached his suite, he kissed her lightly on the mouth. “Ready for dinner?”
Bethany smiled at him. “I’m more in the mood for…”
“For what?” Aidan asked, a smile on his face.
“You.”
“You got it, Bethany.” A subtle knock sent Aidan to the door. “Sorry, mate,” he said to the steward waiting there, a cart of lobster tails at hand. “Can you come back in a couple of hours? I’ll pay for this meal and the new one, thanks.”
The man nodded without any other reaction and left with the tray.
“Hey, there!” Aidan yelled, calling back the server. “Yes, you. We’ll take the champagne, thanks.” Aidan glanced at Bethany and, with a wicked grin as he closed the door, he said. “You can wait until I open the champagne, right, luv?”
Bethany’s face turned red. “Aidan!” she wailed. “What is that man going to think of me?”
Aidan popped the cork and crossed the room toward her. “He’ll think I’m damn lucky.”
Bethany covered her face with her hand. “I’m so embarrassed.”
Aidan smiled and kissed the hand. “He didn’t see you, Beth, don’t worry about it.”
The look she threw him over the top of her hand clearly called him a liar. “Come on, Beth,” Aidan coaxed. “What will it take to get you back to where you were when you wanted me on the bed, right this minute?”
Bethany eyed the champagne with interest. “A glass of bubbly?”
“You got it.” Aidan poured her a glass, but before he let her have it, he took a bit of the drink for himself. When Beth looked questioningly at him, he pinched her chin, opened her mouth and pressed his lips to hers allowing the champagne to slide down her throat.
“Wow,” she murmured afterward, her voice husky from the kiss. “You are some kind of champagne glass.”
Aidan scooped her up, champagne glass and all, and walked determinedly toward the bed. “And you, Beth, are one hell of a temptation.” Gently, he eased her onto the bed and then kissed her with a voracious hunger. He cupped her breasts lovingly and rubbed her nipples with his thumbs. Bethany moaned at the touch of his hands on her breasts. Aidan made his way down her body and pressed a kiss between her thighs before removing her jeans and panties in a single motion. Bethany dropped the champagne glass on the floor, moaning as Aidan touched and fondled her.
“You’re ready for me, aren’t you, luv? Your panties were soaking wet.” As he made his way back up her body, he made space for himself between her legs, removed her shirt and bra, and sucked strongly on each hardened nipple.
Bethany reached for him, her body rosy from his ministrations. “Hey, you’re still dressed.”
Aidan grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head.
“My God, Aidan, I don’t even know what to say. How many sit ups do you do to maintain…” She stroked his stomach and chest with her fingers.
Aidan groaned. “God, you’re killing me, you know that?” He left her for a moment to remove his jeans and grab a condom from his luggage, and then he was back in her arms, moaning as he made first full-body contact.
Aidan kissed her hard. “No more talking.” He reclaimed her mouth in a slow drugging kiss that worked for him as much as it was meant to seduce her. He used his knee to spread her legs wider, and opened her with his fingers, allowing the head of his cock to slide into her heat.
Bethany was startled by his size. “Aidan?”
He smiled at her as he whispered hoarsely, “I’ll fit, luv, you just have to relax.”
God, she was tight. She was obviously nervous about his size. He would have to get her good and wet to get all the way inside. Looking down at her, he kissed her pretty mouth, her eyes, the tip of her nose and her chin. Slowly, he slid a bit farther, then back out again, repeating the see-saw motion, each time getting a bit closer to home. He murmured lewd things in her ear that had her melting and brought him fully into her wet channel. Beth, he realized, was quite taken by sex talk.
Aidan groaned as he eased his way slowly back out of her and then right back into her molten heat. Her soft gasp followed by a look of awe had him feeling like a world conqueror. He locked his eyes on hers and began to thrust heavily into her, then tore his gaze away to stare at her breasts as they bounced prettily in time with his pounding hips.
Aidan, animalistic in his lust, grabbed her legs and draped them over his shoulders, so he could watch himself as he entered her. “Jesus, look at you,” he muttered hoarsely as he pumped into her body.
Aidan cursed like a sailor as he rocked the bed with the intensity of a minor earthquake. Just one look in her eyes, the startled intensity of her excitement, the evidence of her lack of experience, all caused the caveman in him to take over. He gently touched her too-sensitive clitoris with his finger as he continued to hammer into her, and she broke into a million pieces.
Thank God, Aidan thought as he joined her energetic cries with a growl of completion of his own.
He fell on top of her, groaning in delight. Her heated breasts provided an ample cushion for him to rest his weary head. Aidan sighed, feeling perfectly content. He had been sexually active for years but never had been as relaxed and comfortable afterward as he did this minute. He drifted off to sleep, feeling her gentle hands on his head.