Chapter 288

Aria's POV Darkness cradled us both, our mingled breaths the only sound between us. Time stretched and contracted until my lips felt parched from our earlier heated exchange. God, I needed water. I shifted slightly against Aiden's solid frame beneath me, instantly feeling him tense. "Baby," he groaned, his voice husky with restraint. "What's wrong?" I heard the unspoken warning in his tone—if I kept squirming against him like this, his impressive self-control would snap. "I'm thirsty," I whispered, feeling the vibration of his chest as he let out a low chuckle. Aiden patted my back gently, signaling me to move. I rolled off him reluctantly, my body still tingling from where we'd been pressed together. He sat up and switched on the bedside lamp, bathing our bedroom in a soft golden glow. "I'll get you some water," he said, sliding out of bed. The mattress rose as his weight left it, and I sat up, pressing my palms against my flushed cheeks. My heart still pounded like I'd run a marathon