Chapter 39

Aria's POV I exhaled deeply once everyone else had left the private dining room. Finally, just Aiden and me. But that lipstick stain on his collar kept drawing my attention like a neon sign. The bright red mark was still there, mocking me, reminding me of our awkward moment in the car. "Um, Aiden?" I hesitated, my voice coming out softer than intended. "Your collar..." He turned to me, one eyebrow slightly raised. "What about it?" I gestured vaguely toward his neck, not wanting to directly mention the lipstick. "Could you... maybe bend down a little?" Aiden studied my face for a moment before leaning down slightly. My heart hammered in my chest as I reached up, fingers trembling slightly as I adjusted his collar. I carefully folded it in a way that would hide the lipstick stain, hyper-aware of how close we were standing. His cologne enveloped me – subtle, expensive, and distinctly him. From this close, I could see details I'd never noticed before – the barely-there flecks of gold in hi