Chapter 24

Aria's POV When I stepped outside, the sight of Aiden leaning against his sleek black limousine nearly stopped my heart. The morning sun hit his face at just the right angle, highlighting his sharp jawline and casting shadows that accentuated every perfect feature. He'd removed his suit jacket, rolling up the sleeves of his crisp white shirt to reveal tanned forearms corded with muscle. He looked dangerous. Powerful. Utterly delicious. "Ready?" he asked, pushing himself off the car with casual grace that seemed almost unfair. I nodded, suddenly feeling tongue-tied. As I approached, he opened the passenger door for me—an old-fashioned gesture that shouldn't have affected me as much as it did. The interior of his stretched Lincoln smelled like expensive leather and his cologne—sandalwood with hints of something darker, more primal. As he slid in beside me, the space instantly felt smaller, charged with an energy I couldn't ignore. "Your father seems to approve of our arrangement," he sai