Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 7

If I Didn't Know Any Better

"What's up, Florida?"

| look up from where I'm watching my toes. I'm leaning back against the wall

beside the door of my first class. Aiden approaches me, an easy smile on his face, his shoulders slanting with

every step.

He's surrounded by sof his teammates and they break off into their own group, talking and laughing, but |

don't listen to them.

All of my attention is taken up by Aiden.

Those amber eyes and wavy hair does something to my nerves. Fuck, I've seen handsguys before but he is

on another level. Like from a movie.

He leans his forearm on the wall above my head, looking down atwith a heated gaze. He smirks, the dimple

in his cheek making an appearance.

| say nothing, too busy studying the soft skin of his cheeks and-

Those lips.

My stomach turns and my heartbeat quickens. | remember the way he kissed Sadie yesterday, the way his hands

held her, the way his fingers dug into her skin.

| would be lying if I said | didn't think about that all day yesterday, especially the way it madefeel.

Hot. It madefeel so hot.

It makeswant him, it makes—

Aiden leans in closer to me, "If | didn't know any better, I'd say you're looking atlike that because you can't

stop thinking about that kiss yesterday."

I swallow and look around to make sure no one is watching us, to make sure no one can hear him. Everyone

seems to be in their own world though, and | return my attention to Aiden.

He cocks his head and grins arrogantly. "Were you wishing it was you?"

My breath hitches.

Yes. Yes. I've never been touched like that, and watching him ignited something inside me. | need to know what

it feels like.

My mouth dries and | shake my head.

He lowers his arm, his hand gripping the back of my neck as he pulls my head back. "You're a horrible liar, Alina,"

He whispers into my ear, making my skin prickle.

He has a girlfriend. | have to remind myself. | lick my lips, pulling away from him and ripping my focus from his

lips to his eyes.

That doesn't helpmuch because his eyes are also devastatingly beautiful.

| twist my head from his hold. "I'm not lying."

A sly, slow smile curls his lips. "Oh, doubling down are we?"

I inhale, looking to his friends, who are watching us with teasing smiles and wide eyes, before looking back at

Aiden.

He was watchingyesterday, he didn't look away from me. He was kissing Sadie, but part offeels like he

was doing it for me. As weird as that sounds.

I inhale, lifting my chin to look at him more directly and whisper, "If | didn't know any better, I'd say you're the

one that's been thinking about kissing me."

His eyes gleam, like a child finally getting the toy they've been wanting. He chuckles, his chest vibrating and he

steps impossibly closer to me, stealing my air, stealing my space. His cologne washes overand | press

myself closer to the wall. Aiden follows, his nose grazing mine.

"And what if | said | have been thinking about it?"

My breath catches in my throat.

"What if | told you that | haven't stopped thinking about you since | saw you in the office?"

My eyes drop down to his lips for a second.

"They way you stood there like you don't have the sexiest little legs I've seen in my entire life."

| blink. "What?"

"Oh, I've been thinking about you, Alina."

"Oh."

"Nonstop."

The smile on his lips slowly disappears, and he leans in closer. | grip the books I'm holding to my chest, my ears

ringing, heat spiraling in my stomach. He grazes his lips against mine and | exhale, waiting for him to press them

against mine, to close the distance completely.

But the bell rings.

The crowd around us moves.

Aiden pulls away, grabbing my hand and leadinginto class, into the sseats we've been sitting in.

| follow him, breathing in short pants. | set my bag down, avoiding his gaze, but when | move to sit, his hands

grip my waist and he setsdown on his lap. | tense. grabbing his wrists.

"Aiden." | look around, seyes on us, most of them wide in shock. They whisper to each other and | lower my

face, trying to hide it beneath my hair.

He chuckles behind me, "What? Have you never sat on someone's lap before?”

| shake my head.

| feel him recoil and he pulls away to look up at me. "Not even your boyfriend's?" My cheeks heat, my toes

tingling.

Aiden clicks his tongue, and he cocks his head, smiling. "Alina Hanson. When was the last tyou had a

boyfriend?"

| twist my lips together and his hands squeeze my waist. | shake my head.

"Don't tellyou've never-"

"My brother was really protective," | blurt.

Aiden stops for a second, his features distorting into a frown. "Was?"

My stomach sinks. "I don't want to talk about it."

His eyes go the scar on my wrist and | hide it in my shirt. He says nothing, doesn't

pry and | thank the universe he isn't like Zaid. He pullscloser to his chest,

keeping his hand on my waist.

"You have a girlfriend, Aiden."

"That's never stoppedbefore."

| scoff, half-laugh from the shock of his confession. "Wow. That doesn't exactly makefeel better."

"I'm just teasing you, Alina." He chuckles, liftingfrom my lap and placingon the chair beside his.

My heart drops into my stomach. Was | reading too much into this? Into the way he watchedwhen he kissed

her? Too much into the way he almost kissedin the hallway? Ugh.