Her Younger Millionaire

Chapter 7

They were in some random boutique hotel in an even more random town in some state that might be Connecticut, but Tina wasn’t too sure. It could just as easily be New York or Massachusetts or even Rhode Island, for all she was paying attention when they’d stopped. Aiden had entered them in a tough mudder; Aiden had fixed it with her boss and now they were on their way back, but the weather’d turned sh*tty overnight, pouring rain and so dark that high noon looked like dusk, so Aiden suggested that they just stay an extra night.

“You sure?” Tina asked, glancing outside. The rain had gotten even heavier; she couldn’t even see Aiden’s SUV, and it was parked, at most, ten feet from the door to their room.

“Sure,” Aiden shrugged. “Mudder’s over, we don’t have to be back before day after tomorrow, and this boutique hotel actually didn’t suck as much as usual.”

Tina switched her gaze from the window to the room. Aiden was right, she had to admit; she hadn’t really noticed last night, too sore and dirt-covered to care much about her surroundings beyond the shower and the bed, but this place was actually decent. It was relatively clean, for one thing, with a good-sized bathroom and a mini-fridge and microwave combo in the corner. There was even a couch in front of the TV, which she was kind of amazed she hadn’t really registered before now. Her bag was even on it, for God’s sake.

“It’s actually pretty nice,” she said out loud.

“Yeah, exactly,” Aiden agreed. He kicked his boots off and dropped down onto the couch, knocking Tina’s bag to the floor in the process. “What do you think? Watch some TV, maybe a movie or two, order in later if the rain lets up?”

“And if it doesn’t?” Tina asked, toeing her own shoes off and joining Aiden on the couch. It was a big leather affair, cracked and worn with age, but surprisingly comfortable.

Aiden shrugged. “I’ve got microwave popcorn and M&Ms.”

Tina rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that sounds like the breakfast of champions.”

Aiden launched one of the cushions at her, smirking. “Better than lettuce and dried carrots or whatever it is you brought.”

Tina caught the cushion inches from her face and threw it back, actually laughing when Aiden failed to duck in time and it smacked right into the center of his forehead. It felt good to laugh, she thought as Aiden mock-swore at her and lunged for her.

She revised that opinion when Aiden started tickling her. “Really?” she gasped before collapsing into helpless laughter. Aiden hadn’t tickled her before. It was completely unfair, because Aiden wasn’t ticklish, even on his feet, and Tina was ticklish practically everywhere, a fact Aiden was making gleeful use of as he scrabbled at Tina’s elbows and ribs.

“Truce!” Tina called a few minutes later, her sides aching. They were both panting and in complete disarray; Tina’s hair was a tangled mess, thanks to Aiden rubbing her head against the leather arm of the couch until she managed to toss him off, and Aiden’s t-shirt was so twisted it was practically on him backward. But they were both laughing, so hard Tina’s actually had tears in her eyes, and it felt so damn good she almost didn’t want to stop. But she was also starving, and even prepared to eat popcorn and M&Ms at this point.

“You just want to stop because you’re losing,” Aiden taunted. He wiggled his fingers at Tina’s abdomen, and Tina started laughing even though Aiden’s fingers were a good two inches away.

“Asshole,” she gasped. “Stop it, we need food.”

“Yeah, whatever, loser,” Aiden scoffed, but it’s with such affection that Tina impulsively sat up and hugged him. Aiden hugged her back, resting his chin on Tina’s shoulder and leaning their cheeks together. “I’ve got granola bars too,” he murmured, his voice rumbling against Tina’s skin. “The ones you like.”

Tina turned her head just enough that her lips grazed Aiden’s cheek. It was rough with stubble, but Tina liked it that way. “Thanks,” she whispered. “Now get them, before I get my revenge.”

Aiden huffed and pulled back. “Fine, fine,” he grumbled. “Ruin the moment, why don’t you.”

Tina leaned forward, pressing their mouths together. Aiden hummed, his lips parting, and Tina slipped her tongue inside, her fingers curling into Aiden’s shirt. Aiden’s hands came up to frame her face, and he pushed Tina against the back of the couch, deepening the kiss, tangling their tongues together. His stubble rubbed across Tina’s face, and Tina wrapped her arms tight around him. She could wait a few more minutes for food, she thought, drinking Aiden in. They hadn’t done anything last night, too worn out from struggling through mud and climbing obstacle courses. They hadn’t even really kissed before falling into bed, though Tina thought she remembered feeling Aiden’s lips on her forehead before she’d dropped off.

This was better.

Just when Tina was considering pulling Aiden’s shirt off, though, Aiden pulled away, breathing hard. He was trembling, Tina realized. “I don’t know about you,” he mumbled against Tina’s lips, “but if we’re gonna do this right, we need to eat first, babe.”

Tina reluctantly unwound her arms from Aiden’s back and sat up, shaking the mess of her hair out of her face. “Yeah,” she agreed as her stomach rumbled.

They turned the TV on and ate three granola bars apiece, then shared Aiden’s M&Ms while they watched some stupid late morning talk show that had Aiden swearing at the screen every two minutes. Tina wasn’t usually big on chocolate and especially not on M&Ms, but something about eating them like this, with the windows dark with rain and nowhere else to be, made them almost taste good.

After their breakfast (of sorts), Aiden flipped through the channels, scowling more and more. “Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t,” he muttered. “All of it’s sh*t.”

“We could—” Tina started to say.

“Hang on,” Aiden said, hauling himself up off the couch and heading back over to his bag, which was spilled out onto the bed from his earlier search for granola bars. “I think I’ve got a movie in here.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, I was gonna — here!” Aiden held up a battered copy of Pulp Fiction.

Tina started to ask if there was even a DVD player, but then she spotted one on the stand under the TV. First a working remote, and now this? This place really was nice, she thought, watching as Aiden slid the disc inside. She had to admire the arch of Aiden’s back as he bent over, and the curve his ass made against his jeans. Aiden should really bend over more often, Tina mused, then grinned as she remembered the last time Aiden bent over for her.

They sat back on the couch to watch. At first just their knees were touching, but by the time Mia Wallace was O’Ding as Vincent Wallace tried to revive her, they were half-lying on each other, with Aiden’s legs across Tina’s lap and Tina’s head pillowed on Aiden’s stomach. Halfway through the movie, Tina experimentally slipped her fingers under the hem of Aiden’s shirt and wiggled them against his abdomen.

“Are you trying to start something?” Aiden asked, grabbing the remote. “‘Cause I could pause it, if you are.”

Tina moved her hand up and over, tickling under Aiden’s arm now. “Nothing?” she asked, tipping her chin up to scrutinize Aiden’s face.

Aiden snorted. “Give it up, Christina.” He ruffled Tina’s hair (Tina grunted when his fingers caught on one of the tangles) and then turned back to the movie.