Chapter 130

Aria's POV Just when I was at a loss for what to do, I suddenly had a flash of inspiration. "Um, I just remembered I have something to take care of..." "Is that so?" Aiden responded, his voice several notes deeper than usual. For some reason, every time I heard him say those two words, I felt like he didn't believe me. This conditioned response immediately made me feel flustered and guilty. "I really, really do have something!" I stammered. "Oh." He made a sound of acknowledgment and released the hand that had been resting on my back, but his left hand on the nape of my neck never withdrew. I could feel him stroking my cervical vertebrae one by one, each touch perfectly calibrated—neither too heavy nor too light, the warmth of his fingertips penetrating through my skin straight to my nerve endings. "You seemed to particularly enjoy it when I touched you before." His voice sounded like he was stating a fact. "I... I don't remember," I replied dryly. "Would you like me to help you recall