Aiden sits beside me. "I'll sleep in my car. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."
"I'm not uncomfortable. I'm just sad. Spending another night together, being close to you, being held in your arms, is just going to remind me what I can't have when we get back to New York. I don't know why we even started this if we can't be together."
"Sophie, don't say that." He turns me toward him, holding both my hands. "Don't say this was a mistake. My heart was in this long before I even let my head go there. That alone tells me this was never a mistake. You and I were meant to meet, and we'll find a way to be together. We just need more time."
"I don't need more time. You do, and I don't understand why. You keep saying you want to be with me, but then find excuses for why we can't."
"They aren't excuses. I wish I could explain more but I can't."
I get up and go in the bathroom and silently cry for several minutes, feeling like things are ending between Aiden and me. I know he says they're not, but I can't go months without seeing him and still call it a relationship.
I wash my face and brush my teeth, then go back to the room and get into bed. Aiden goes in the bathroom, then joins me in bed and shuts the light off. My back is to him but he slides up behind me, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling my body flush against his.
"I'm sorry," he whispers. "I wish things could be different. But please don't give up on me, Sophie. What we have doesn't come along very often and we may never find it again. So please, just give it more time. That's all I ask."
I keep quiet, my mind going back and forth trying to decide if I should slow things down so I don't keep falling for him, or if I should do as he asks and give it more time.
Even if we slowed things down, took a break from each other, I wouldn't stop falling for him. My heart's already in this. Part of it already belongs to Aiden and I can't get it back. So for now, I'll give it more time.
My alarm goes off at six. It's earlier than I needed to get up but I set it early thinking Aiden and I might want some time in bed to do what we did last night. I don't see that happening now that there's tension between us. I push back the covers and start to get up.
Aiden's arm goes around me, pulling me back to him. "A few more minutes."
"I can't. I have to get ready.
"What time is it?"
"Six."
"You don't have to be there until eight."
"I know, but..." I try to come up with an excuse but none come to mind.
"Stay here with me. Just a little bit longer."
I relax into his arms, my back sinking into his chest. We fit so well together. All night long, no matter where I moved in the bed or how I was positioned, Aiden would find a way to hold me. I can feel how much he cares about me. I care about him too, but that doesn't solve our problem of having to hide this for the next month or two, or however long it takes for him to decide we can tell people.
He moves his hand up and down my arm, softly, tenderly. "I love this so much."
"What?"
"Being with you like this. Holding you."
"I like it too," I say, feeling a tingle of pleasure run through me as his hand continues its path up and down my arm. I press back into his body, craving more of his touch, more of him. Maybe it's wrong given our uncertain future and argument last night, but it doesn't feel wrong, not in the least.
He lowers his hand under the sheet, sliding it up and down my leg, making my breath hitch. I move my hips, feeling the length of him rub against my panties. A low groan escapes him as his hand makes its way to my breast, gently squeezing it as my hips continue their movement, pressing into him more deliberately now.
"Sophie," he whispers, almost like a warning, like if I keep this going it's going to be hard to stop. But I don't want it to stop. I want this, especially if I'll be going all next week without it.
I reach down and slip off my panties, then take his hand from my breast and guide it down to where I want it. He touches me, in just the right spot, with just the right amount of pressure. It takes only minutes for me to come, and after I do, I feel Aiden's body relax, his arm draped over me.
"Aiden," I whisper, thinking he might've fallen asleep.
"Yeah?" he whispers back.
I turn to him. "What are you doing?"
"Holding you," he says, sounding slightly confused.
"Why aren't you...you know, finishing."
"I thought we were finished."
"I'm not. I mean, I am, but I'm up for more." I give him a flirty smile.
His tired eyes pop open. "I didn't think you wanted to."
"I do."
"But last night, you were so angry I thought—"
"Aiden, do you want to do this or not?" I say, sounding impatient but smiling so he knows I'm just kidding.
"Wait here." He races out of bed to the bathroom, then returns, naked and sliding on a condom. He gets back in bed.
"You didn't change your mind, did you?"
"No," I say, laughing.
"Good." He holds my face and kisses me, then looks me in the eye. "I wish you knew how much I want this." He sees my confused look and says, "Not sex. Us. How much I want us
