Chapter 28

Aria's POV I forced myself to focus on anything except his half-naked body. "I told her we met at a charity gala when I was still with Liam. That nothing happened then, but after my engagement ended, we reconnected at a business meeting." "And the pursuit?" he prompted, casually running the towel through his hair again, water droplets cascading down his sculpted chest. "I may have embellished a bit," I admitted, keeping my eyes firmly on his face. "Said you sent flowers, surprise lunches... even asked my father's permission to court me properly." Aiden's eyebrows shot up. "You painted me as some lovesick Victorian gentleman?" "It seemed believable at the time," I defended, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "She was asking questions, and I panicked. What was I supposed to say? That we got married because you needed to fulfill your grandmother's dying wish and I wanted revenge on my ex?" He nodded, an amused smirk playing at his lips. The sight of him standing there, half-naked and still g