A Symptom of Love (GERI Labs #1)

24. Wild Fires

24

Wild Fires

“ W hat kind of event is it?” Eleanor asks when they enter the fancy nightclub, stretching her shortish tight cocktail dress—which Alannah insisted she wear—over her thighs. Aiden is holding her hand, like the flawless protective fake boyfriend he’s proving himself to be. And despite knowing it’s part of the show, Eleanor is secretly enjoying it.

After dinner with Oren and Tiffany, they managed to escape back to the hotel and spend a good chunk of the evening eating ice cream in the lobby and working on the puzzle Aiden picked out during their Toys “R” Us date.

“I have no idea. A fancy banquet-style dance party?” Aiden makes his assessment, bringing her back to the moment. His voice and scent are her fix, sending a small shiver down her spine. “You look beautiful!” he admires, even though he doesn’t have to—fake relationship and all.

“Thanks.” She smiles. “And you look handsome!” She gives her man a quick once-over, for the thousandth time tonight, trying to not visibly bite her lip. He’s wearing the same button-down as earlier, with an added black tie, his dark hair combed back. The invitation did say it was a black-tie event.

Damn. This is even better than his drummer looks.

“There’s a high likelihood dancing might be involved,” she concludes, spotting Tiffany chatting away with a few people near one of the side tables.

“I don’t dance,” Aiden says, gaze following hers. “But since your ex-boyfriend is here, I might make an exception.” His eyes carry the conversation to the large, busy dance floor.

When Oren and Tiffany walked in on their puzzle and ice cream moment at the lobby, they just had to ruin it with a will-not-take-no-for-an-answer invitation to join them at this party.

“The night is young,” were Tiffany’s words. And Oren shoved a VIP invitation to Aiden’s hand and whispered something in his ear, which made Aiden say that they’d be there, and prompted Eleanor to pull them both upstairs and change to a more black-tie appropriate attire. That’s how she ended wearing Alannah’s black cocktail dress.

“What did Oren whisper to you earlier that made you want to come here?” Eleanor is curious, shouting over the music.

“That these are your favorite kinds of events. It got me intrigued.”

Eleanor laughs. “That’s a straight-up lie!”

“I’m realizing it now,” Aiden deadpans.

“Well, then, my fake boyfriend, would you like to ask me to dance?”

“As promised. But I have to warn you, I don’t do dancing.” He rubs the back of his neck, face unreadable.

“Even if your fake girlfriend wants to dance with you?” she asks playfully. “And you can’t use any off-rhythm excuses, seeing as I’ve already observed your superb drumming skills.”

“Well, if my fake girlfriend wants to dance, then dancing it is.” An adorable, bashful smile appears on his face. One that Eleanor hasn’t seen before.

Eleanor stands up and tugs his hand. “Come on, it won’t be painful, I promise.” She snakes an arm around his waist, making him follow her into the dancing crowd.

“I thought you said you didn’t like music.” His lips touch her ear when he says it, sending another one of those pleasant shivers through her.

“Correct. And I don’t care too much for dancing either, usually,” she says loudly through the beats. “But for you I’m willing to make an exception.” Eleanor turns to face him, pulling his other hand around her, bringing them tight together, exactly where she wants him to be.

The problem is, the impact of the proximity to this man, coupled with their bodies moving in perfect sync to the rhythm of the music, equals trouble. On like a major scale.

“What floor are you on?” she asks as they enter the elevator together after some dancing and some stolen hot kisses, mostly when Oren or Tiffany were looking, but also when they weren’t. Aiden is on his way to his room, Eleanor to hers. She scans her room key and presses the big circle with the number five on it.

“Fifteen,” he says, scanning his room key as well and pressing the number, their eyes locking.

“That was fun!” she says, noticing the atmosphere is growing tense and heated. Might be her pounding heart—a regular symptom since she met Aiden, but now it’s getting harder to breathe.

“It was,” he agrees. His voice takes on a raspier shade than usual.

“You know,” she dares say, “it’s not really against the rules. Us. ” She motions to the space between them as the elevator lights indicate they’re nearing the fifth floor. “Well, that’s my floor,” she says, before Aiden has a chance to process that last statement, yet hoping he’ll stop her. But since he doesn’t, she just adds, “Goodnight, fake boyfriend,” and gives him a hug. His embrace feels so good she takes a little longer to break it off, secretly enjoying his cologne.

“It is against the rules,” he growls as the elevator doors open.

“ Your rules maybe, not GERI rules. And besides, you said no more rules. ” She pulls him by the tie, studying his expression as his eyes grow darker.

“Don’t test me. I’ve been holding back for so long,” he rasps.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have. Maybe you shouldn’t anymore.”

“Maybe I shouldn't,” he echoes the sentiment. All it takes is a light touch of his lips on hers, a small kiss. Something she has to repay with her own kind of kiss, a fiercer one. This is no longer part of their pretend show for her ex and his girlfriend. And by the time she’s done with her little attack, the doors close again with her still inside. The elevator is now in full swing—relatively speaking, for an old elevator—climbing to the fifteenth floor.

“I think you missed your stop,” he says, his gruff voice vibrating through her.

“Yeah, might have been intentional,” she admits, sliding her hands across his chest. “This saying goodbye thing hasn’t worked so well for us.”

At the airport, at SigmaV, after going coat shopping and visiting his dad. At her doorstep. She was planning to never see him again, but life sometimes has its own plan.

“No, it hasn’t,” he agrees. “Maybe we should stop trying to say goodbye?” His husky tone almost pleading.

“Maybe.”

“Maybe remind me what you were doing in my bed just before your alarm went off?” Hands pull her tight against him.

Vivid memories will themselves into her mind, flooding warmth through her core.

“Oh, you need a reminder?” she laughs. He nods expectantly. “Right after you remind me of what you were doing while poor Alannah walked in on us,” she challenges.

Hmmm… that moment she pulled him into her apartment. Back when she had no idea who he was. And he had no idea who she was. When things were still simple.

“This,” he says, backing her up against the elevator wall, kissing her deeply, rendering them both to a level of breathlessness most likely not compatible with life. Again. “This moment…” His arms pull her up effortlessly, letting her thighs wrap tightly around his waist. “I’ve been thinking about it… Every—” He grunts in between their kisses. “Fucking. Day.”

“Yeah?” she breathes. “You and me both.”

“And your little breaches of our ‘no seduction’ rule were not helping.” His voice a rough whisper as he gently rubs his newly formed stubble over her neck.

And as the elevator doors open onto his floor, Aiden lets her back to her feet.

“I thought you said you had self-control.” She pulls him into the hallway by his tie.

“ Had is the correct term,” he agrees, struggling with his room card, not taking his eyes off her, then pulls her in with him, closing the door behind them. ”I can put out a small flame,” he gruffs, biting gently on her bottom lip. “But with you it’s a whole fucking wildfire.”

“Maybe we should investigate the root cause of the fire,” she says playfully between ravishing his mouth and gasping for air.

“Root cause analysis is very important,” he agrees.

“Very important,” she groans. And at the risk of being a turn-off, she adds, “I should warn you again… I suck at relationships.” Her hands are loosening his tie, peeling his collared shirt off him, marveling at his exposed chest, now all hers to take.

“Seeing as you excel as a fake girlfriend, I’ll take my chances,” he grunts, stepping out of his shoes, sliding his hands beneath her dress, pulling her up against him. His touch is driving her insane.

What is it about him? She just can’t hold back.

When their bodies start moving of their own accord, swaying to a beat only the two of them seem to know, still with their clothes on, she lets herself drift into that sweet cloud of sensations, just for a moment. Until that one second before her wants and needs take over her common sense. Before rational decisions and grown-up responsibilities and ethics have a chance to weigh in. And then she lets those go too, along with his tie and shirt, unbuckling his belt next. Her hands push him onto the hotel bed, ridding him off his pants and boxers, watching him in his full naked glory as he crosses his arms behind his head and lets her do as she pleases. She plants soft kisses on his chest, enjoying the trail of goosebumps she’s provoking in her wake. Excited by the prospect that this bossy man has no problem giving her full control.

She lets herself explore his sensitive spots, pacing herself downward until she reaches that part that makes him groan. “You wanted a reminder?” She smiles widely, slowly circling his shaft with her tongue, letting his hard length sink into her mouth. Sucking, then pulling away before ravishing him again. Matching the pace to his breathing, driving him insane.

“Baby… Not yet,” he strains, pulling her back up, unzipping the dress and deftly stripping her of her last bit of clothes. “My turn now,” he says, turning them in a swift motion so he’s on top. His hands slide up to her breasts, his mouth travels to her nipples, soft bites that make her body squirm with pleasure.

“I can do this all day.” He smiles, letting his kisses trail down her body, slowly reaching that drenched spot between her legs.

“Hmmm…” is all she manages.

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” he teases, letting their eyes connect.

“Don’t mess with me!” she warns.

He spreads her thighs wider, admiring her naked body, letting his tongue explore every inch before reaching her folds, sinking two fingers into her, his tongue relentless, flicking and pressing. Until her body writhes helplessly and her moans get so loud, he has to resume the kissing. “I love the way your body reacts to me,” he husks.

“I don’t know what it is about you,” she says breathless. “I want you inside of me so bad… now .” She can barely recognize the rusty sound of her voice. Hebrew words mix into English. She can’t tell the difference anymore. But Aiden seems to understand this universal language.

“Are you sure?” His gaze meets hers again, and he’s not joking. He must know there’s no way back from here.

“ Now ,” she urges him, possibly in Hebrew. “Please…” Her body’s on fire, on the verge of convulsing. And even if there was a way back from this, she would never choose to take it. Not anymore.

“Wait here,” he says, pulling himself away for a quick second, grabbing a little wrapper from his luggage, tearing it with his teeth.

“I’ll do it.” She snatches the little thing off his hand, rolling it over his glorious self. “Mine,” she smirks as she pulls him in between her thighs, pushing herself up to meet him halfway.

“I think about you every fucking moment,” he rasps as he circles through her opening, slowly sinking into her. “The way your little ass moves when you walk around my lab.” He pulls out torturously, then pushes his way back in, whispering his sentences in between each delicious thrust. “The way you scrunch your nose when you have something provocative to say. The little crinkles by your eyes when you laugh.” His motions and words are driving her wild. “Your cute Israeli accent… The Hebrew words that come out when you’re mad, or excited.” He grunts loudly as she circles her hips. “The way you casually rub into me in the hallway. In my office.” His voice shakes as he sinks deeper. “That stunt you pulled in the darkroom… The way you challenge me. Ellie, you drive me fucking crazy.” He slams into her, finally flush against her. Finally giving her his whole.

“You feel so good,” she whispers, writhing under him, pulsing and pushing and spinning out of control.

“I’ve been wanting to lose myself in you for so long, baby. Lose control with you,” he whispers as he picks up the pace, thrusting and pinning at the most heavenly rhythm, groaning almost as loudly as she does. His hands reach her bottom, angling her to the perfect spot, pressing her tightly against him, his fingers circling around that little spot of pleasure, sending her to what possibly, maybe, is a different dimension.

“I can’t hold it anymore,” she gasps, her nails digging into his skin.

“Then let go baby. Come for me,” he whispers, sensing her sweet point of no return. Commanding her body.

It’s like a domino effect, as if on cue—her body clenches fiercely around him, again and again until he lets go and rides that one heck of explosion with her, wild and feral. Until they collapse, gasping for air, possibly blacking out.

“Mind blowing,” she mumbles into his chest when her ability to use words return to her. “What was that?! This was…”

She’s had good sex before, even great sex, but never THIS incredible, out-of-this-world, fireworks-and-stars and… Well, this makes the entire thing a whole lot more complicated.

“Baby, this was the appetizer. I’m just getting started.” His voice is still hoarse.

“Good, because I’m already addicted,” she says softly, tracing his chest muscles and abs with her fingers.

This makes the marvelous man beside her smile. A big, full-on grin, maybe even a hint of a dimple on his left cheek.

“So that’s what I have to do to get you to smile,” Eleanor says. “But you know, you’ve gotten yourself into a bigger problem,” she warns, winning herself an amused eyebrow curve from him. “I’m ready for my main course now,” she teases.

“Insatiable, are we?” His grin broadens.

“Well, now that I’ve seen the other side.” Her hand slides down his body, feeling him wakening back up for her.

It appears that fake-relationshipping with this guy is her new favorite thing.

“I’m not going anywhere, baby.”

It’s during those early hours of morning, after what may have been the best night of her life, cuddled into this irresistible man beside her, enjoying that post all-night-long-mind-blowing-sex exhaustion, that her brain starts crafting potential ways she could make it work, have it all, science and him. For both to coexist in her life. And when her heart starts to randomly name their unborn children, she decides it may be time to freak out. So she reluctantly slides herself from under the warmth of the sleeping Aiden, gets dressed quietly and grabs a note and a pen. “Sorry I split,” she writes quickly, hoping Aiden will see it when he wakes up and not hold a grudge for her disappearing from his life after their should-be-illegal-to-have-so-many-orgasms night. “I promised Alannah we’ll have breakfast together.” Then she puts the little note on the nightstand closest to Aiden and sneaks out.

She tiptoes into her and Alannah’s room and drags herself to the free bed, careful not to wake up her roommate. Then she stares at that selfie on her phone screen for what seems like forever. Or at least a long, torturous time, before eventually falling asleep. She’s out for probably no longer than ten minutes, because soon Alannah’s voice is all over her head, pulling her back from her sweet-troubled drifting. “Wake up sleepyhead.” She shakes her shoulder gently. “I’m starving.”

“What time is it?” Eleanor’s drowsy voice carries from under the blankets.

“It’s eight-thirty. The breakfast buffet ends in thirty minutes and I’m sure you don’t want to miss the ten o’clock keynote session.”

“Shit,” Eleanor mutters as cognition hits, trying to sit up. Her body is sore, reminding her of their all-night-long extracurricular activities, and she tries to bite down her impending smile.

“I see someone was partying last night,” Alannah says smugly. Eleanor gives her a wary look.

“Don’t worry, whatever happens in Vegas…” Alannah laughs.

“We’re in San Diego,” Eleanor groans.

“Come on, your boyfriend will probably be at the keynote session too.”

“I was actually planning on not seeing him again.”

“That’s going to be challenging.” Alannah rolls her eyes at that ridiculous aspiration. “Seeing as you still work in his lab.”

“Yeah.” Eleanor rubs her eyes sleepily. “I clearly wasn’t thinking it through.”

“Right,” Alannah snorts. “More like overthinking it for months.”

“I better not hang out at the dining room. Maybe we can order room service?”

Yes, avoidance, the best way to evade the consequences of her latest actions.

“Well, from the way you guys were looking at each other last night when you came up to change into the dress, I would never guess you’d want to avoid him.” Alannah’s smile turns serious. “Has he done something wrong?”

Something really really right actually…

“No, that’s not the problem, I just—"

This confusing response bumps up Alannah’s concerns. “Ellie, what has he done to you?”

“Oh, wonderful, incredible things, which you might not want to hear about…” Eleanor can’t help herself.

All traces of panic on Alannah’s face are quickly replaced by a chastising smile. “Okay, you can tell me the PG-13 version over breakfast.” She pulls Eleanor off the bed. It’s decided.

“Please don’t look at me like this.” Eleanor covers her face with her hands when Aiden’s beautiful eyes come into view, right as she was trying to load some scrambled eggs onto her plate. Most people have already finished breakfast. Alannah is waiting patiently at their table. But of course, Eleanor has to find herself at the buffet alone with the one man she was trying to avoid.

“Sex hair looks hot on you,” is his greeting, a teasing smile etched on his face. He looks… happy. Happier than she’s ever seen him. And it’s endearing in a way she didn’t know possible.

“Alannah dragged me out of my bed just now, I haven’t had a chance to—”

“I was hoping to find you in my bed this morning,” he whispers, gently removing her hands from her face, planting a small kiss on her cheek.

“I’ve warned you, me and relationships, a terrible combo,” she says, despite the way his body looks in his button-down that stretches on his chest and those suit pants hang from his waist. Despite the butterflies swarming in her stomach.

Butterflies. All kinds of new species of butterflies. She never signed up for that…

“I disagree,” he says, still smiling. “You’re the best pretend girlfriend I’ve ever had.”

This is exactly it—and it scares the hell out of her—she wasn’t pretending.

“Maybe we should make it a one-time thing,” she offers desperately, loading up her plate distractedly, not even noticing the food items she picks. “I did warn you.”

“A one-time thing?” An eyebrow arch. “Funny,” he says quietly so only she can hear. “I counted more than three before I lost count. You made me go down to the drugstore for supplies, remember?” A ghost of a smile reappears on his lips.

“Yeah, I remember that.” She can’t help the content smile that must be smeared all over her face now. “I don’t recall you objecting.” Unsolicited dreamy thoughts fill her head before she has a chance to chase them away.

“I definitely did not object.” His face turns serious. “My point is—I think we’re passed the one-time thing. And your warning was about you and relationships.”

“Same thing.”

“It’s not the same thing. I didn’t think you were planning on avoiding me later.” He slides a strand of hair off her face and tucks it behind her ear, awakening all of her Aiden symptoms at once.

“Well, that’s part of making sure I don’t fall—” She stops herself, a bit surprised by whatever it is that’s taking over her common sense.

Yeah… Last night was not even close to being enough but will have to do.

“Guys, keep the smut for later, I’m starving.” Alannah walks over and grabs Eleanor’s arm, filling the space with rainbows and sprinkles.