Misguided Heart

Twenty-Nine

Sloan

My night had turned to shit in an instant and I sulked in a corner by myself, waiting for Aston to be ready to go. I told Ariel that I had no problem taking Aston home, so she and Annie could take the limo.

Ariel had helped me orchestrate this whole debacle tonight, so I knew she would be more than willing to help me out one last time. When she agreed, my heart picked up pace and jumped in my chest.

I couldn't explain the draw I had to this woman, but god be damned if I wasn't going to find out. I calculated my moves, waiting for the precise moment to jump in and save her. Not that she needed a man to save her, she had made that perfectly clear, but I couldn't help myself. I needed her to need me, even if it was just for a ride home.

I watched her as she made her way out the door of the club. I knew one of her exes worked the door and that she would most likely stop to say goodbye, so I gave her a five-minute head start.

Damn if I didn't feel like a stalker!

I watched as she grappled with the decision on whether or not to call a cab. You could tell by her reaction to Chandler, the bouncer, that she was definitely not going home with him. Intervening at this point felt wrong, but I needed to feel her next to me for a little bit longer. After arguing with me for a few minutes, she finally agreed to come with. I'm sure it helped her make up her mind when I pointed out what a cab driver would be willing to do, if they had her in their cab.

Okay, maybe that was going a little overboard but it got her to come with me. My arm instinctively wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her into me when I felt her pull away. There was no way I was letting her get away from me, so I just pulled her in a little bit tighter. When her body finally relaxed into mine, I smiled knowing I was slowly getting under her skin, but in a good way.

Aston faded in and out of consciousness as we drove to her house. I had memorized the back roads, to get us there faster, but the ride still seemed to drag. I wasn't complaining. It was more time that I got to look at her beautiful face. When her house came in view, my stomach clenched at the thought of having to leave her.

Her face was looking a little green, and I tried to remember back to how much she had to drink tonight. When my count passed eleven, I gunned it and pulled in her driveway just as she opened the door, spilling the contents of her stomach on the curb. I made my way over to her, pulling her back as she continued to heave. Her hands tried to push mine away a dozen times, but she was no longer in control.

“Stop trying to push me away, Aston. Just let me take care of you, please.”

Her hand dropped from my leg as she slowly gave up. She shook her head and I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. When she was finally done, I swooped her up into my capable arms and carried her inside. She tucked her head under my chin and I finally was able to take a deep breath.

I took the stairs two at a time, just in case she had the sudden urge to throw up again. When I reached the threshold of her bedroom, I waited for her permission to take her all the way inside. With a small nod, I walked over to the bed and began undressing her. I took my time with her heels, admiring every inch of this amazingly beautiful woman. The somewhat gentlemanly side of me stood back and decided to speak.

“I’ll turn around so you can get undressed the rest of the way and get under the covers.”

Her glossy eyes met mine and my heart started to melt. “Stay with me?”

It was a question, not a statement, and I didn't know how to answer. Should I be a gentleman and say no, or do I give in to my heart's desire and jump into the bed beside her? “Are you sure?” I whispered, praying she hadn't changed her mind.

“Yes, I'm very sure.”

I was silently jumping for joy like a prepubescent boy. My hand slipped out in front of her, helping her to stand and undress. I turned my head as she used my shoulder for support. My eyes veered to her, and I caught the smallest glimpse of her naked form. My pants instantly tightened and I silently cursed myself for looking.

Damn it, you horny dick!

My hand went cold as the warmth her hand held disappeared. I quickly turned around to see her safely tucked under her covers. I smiled down at her sleeping form before I grabbed a pillow and made my way back downstairs. Everything in me told me to go back upstairs and curl my body around her small frame. I must have looked at the stairs at least a dozen times before I finally settled in on the couch. There was a small afghan laid across the back of it that was a little too small, but it would do for the night.

I laid flat on my back, staring aimlessly up at the ceiling. I never noticed how intricate the details in her house were. The vaulted ceiling had intricate tiny drawings etched into the plaster. Upon further inspection, I noticed all the details in the paint in her living room also. Her walls weren't just painted, they were well thought out pieces of art. I smiled knowing that my suspicions were being confirmed; she was so much more than what you saw on the outside.

My eyelids became extremely heavy, and I was fighting a losing battle to stay awake. Seconds later, I succumbed to the darkness and fell into a somewhat peaceful sleep.

****

My dream was as realistic as they come. Aston's hands were all over me and she was actually allowing mine to be all over her. My lips slightly touched hers and I was startled awake.

Holy shit! I wasn't dreaming. I took in the sight before me and couldn't help but get a little choked up at the sight of Aston's perfect naked silhouette straddling me.