A Promise of Secrets II
Author’s note: I don’t know if it’s acceptable to be turned on by my own writing but I don’t fucking care. NSFW-ish.
Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Human, Party, House Party, Drinking, Swimming Pools, Alternate Universe - After College/University, Teasing, Temptation, Club, Dancing, Sexy
Aelin settled back in her seat and closed her eyes, her lips curving upwards in a small smile. The tension had eased from her shoulders when she was out of sight of that piercing pine-green stare. It wasn’t a bad tension exactly, but Aelin had felt wound so tight that she might combust if there was no release.
And there hadn’t been, at least, not in that sense. Of course, it was a huge assumption to make that Rowan would be interested in her like that.
She had thrown up in his pool, after all.
But the way he tended to her, offering to let her and Lysandra stay because it was safer than going. The burning intensity of his gaze and the promises she’d seen written across his face when he spoke of knowing ones’ limits…
Aelin shook her head and cursed inwardly. She was getting too far ahead of herself. It wasn’t as though she had even gotten Rowan’s number. A stupid move on her part, to leave it so open-ended.
“Earth to Aelin,” a bored voice interrupted her wandering and slightly inappropriate thoughts.
She opened her eyes and gave a halfhearted glare at her cousin who had stopped at a red light and was looking back at her with interest.
“Where did you go just then? I’ve asked you the same question three times.”
Aelin stuck her tongue out and Lysandra answered for her.
“She’s daydreaming of what Rowan’s hands might feel running over her b-“
“Shut it, Lys,” Aelin retorted much too quickly, which caused Lysandra to burst into laughter.
Aedion, protective as ever, merely shook his head in disbelief and mild concern.
“You don’t even know the guy, Aelin. He could be into some freaky shit. What if he’s a sadist? Do you like being humiliated and hurt?”
Aelin glared at her cousin, “Rowan was a perfect gentleman last night when he was taking care of me and you,” she rounded on Lysandra who was suddenly stone-faced now that Aelin’s temper had appeared, “and this morning there were no indications of anything like that!”
She had felt that dominating presence, squirmed under his heavy watchful gaze this morning at breakfast. He hadn’t given anything away but he had been pleasant enough to give her no reason to think he might be a sadist.
She couldn’t speak for anything else, though.
The prospect of that did not frighten her as much as it perhaps should have. A delicious tingle crawled down her spine instead. She wondered indeed what Rowan’s hands might feel like, roving over her body and possibly bringing her to places she didn’t know she was capable of going physically.
She had been with one man before, Chaol, and while it had fell to pieces in the span of a week, Aelin still desired to be worshipped. To be held and touched. But while offers for companionship had come her way over the last several months, no one had piqued her interest quite enough to bring it to that next level.
It was silly, really. Her mind was out of control this morning.
Aedion tapped Aelin’s knee from the front seat.
“Are you even listening?”
Aelin stuck her tongue out again, directing it towards her cousin. Aedion huffed and fell silent. She knew he meant well but he was overreacting based on whatever assumptions he had on where her head was at. It’s not like anything had happened.
“No more arguing. We should go shopping for dresses so we can go to that new club tonight. The one that just opened up. I feel like dancing,” Lysandra said, mercifully easing the tension in the car.
“Don’t you think you partied enough what with last night? You didn’t even make it home.”
“Aedion, why are you always so grumpy? Come on, let your hair down and we’ll get you something pretty to wear,” Aelin teased, trying to let go of the animosity radiating between them.
Aedion sighed heavily in defeat, ‘Fine. Where do you want to go shopping?”
“I know just the place,” Lysandra offered with a wicked grin.
“You call these clothes? I don’t even know if half of this classifies as a shirt let alone a dress.” Aedion was complaining as the girls went through the various displays, pulling different dresses in any shade of colour they could find.
Aelin grinned, holding up a tiny red number that she was certain, even with her lithe form, would not cover much of her at all. “Aedion, this would look just darling on you. Be a dear and go try it on.”
Aedion glared at her before stalking off to find the men’s section, taking the hint.
Lys grabbed Aelin’s arm, careful not to nudge the towering stack of clothing in her arms only to drag her to the changing rooms, clearly deciding that no more options were necessary.
After twenty or so minutes and some grumbling from Aedion, Aelin had finally chosen a dress. When she had shown Lys, her only comment had been, “what is your obsession with gold?”
Aelin chose not to answer, only because she didn’t really have one. It just complimented her features well and she liked looking like liquid gold.
It helped that it was also quite eye-catching.
For the remainder of the day, Aedion and Aelin managed to keep their tongues in check and there were no further arguments. They were able to enjoy their day, eating and lounging at the home they all shared together before they deemed it an appropriate time to get ready and head out.
Aelin, Lysandra and Aedion were deposited by their uber driver in front of the newly opened club. Aelin let out a low whistle as she beheld the classy décor outside of the club. It was simple but obviously high end, given the red velvet ropes corralling what must have been hundreds of people into neat and orderly lines and the bouncers who looked more like body guards, holding and checking their clipboards with the wireless comms decorating their ears.
The name of the club, Mistward, was mounted on the wall, written in a flowing cursive font with a back-light slowly pulsating behind it.
Aelin nudged Lysandra’s hip and cocked a questioning brow.
“This place is fancy. Where did you hear about it?”
Lysandra took in the building too before answering, “I can’t remember, but I feel like I should know… I was probably drunk.”
Lysandra have a playful grin and pulled Aelin after her, Aedion already standing in line with his arms crossed, looking for all the world like he was about to get his teeth pulled out at the dentist.
“Cheer up, cousin. This should be fun,” Aelin offered, patting him on his heavily muscled arm in a mockery of consolation.
Aedion rolled his eyes. “I’m just surprised you can’t think of anything better to do with your time. You were just at a party last night and now you’re here?”
Aelin stuck her tongue out at her cousin, “I certainly do have better things to do but you would miss my stunning personality and my quick wit.”
Aedion finally broke into a grin. “Someone thinks highly of themselves. And that tongue of yours is going to get you in trouble someday.”
“I have to, in order to keep up with your sass and you never mind about my tongue.”
Lysandra linked arms with both Aelin and Aedion, “Enough you two. Let’s just have fun.”
“If we ever get in,” Aedion complained, eyeing the long line ahead of them.
“Maybe we could flash the bouncer,” Lys offered, a mischievous smile gracing her full lips.
“Maybe Aedion should, he could find men attractive, you know.”
“No one is flashing anyone, look.”
The bouncer was coming towards them, an aura of agitation stalking along with him.
“You three,” he snapped, “you’ve been moved to the front of the line.” He then stalked away, taking his aggression with him and not checking to see if they were following.
Aelin’s brows rose and she looked to Aedion and Lys who both wore the same confused expressions on their own faces.
“Well, I suppose we better follow the man.” And Aelin slid under the velvet rope with her companions in tow.
When they reached the door, the man ushered them in and immediately, it was as though they were in another world. The pulsing from the heady beats from the sound system reaching them from even the entrance. The smoky atmosphere from the various fog machines around the dance floor mingled with the coloured strobe lights and Aelin could swear she was drunk off of the sensory assault alone.
They walked down the stairs, the lights glinting off the metallic gold of Aelin’s dress the rested high enough on her thighs that it could be indecent if she bent over.
Could be was the key word, just enough to tease but never enough to be improper.
She fixed the spaghetti straps on her shoulders and stalked down the remainder of the steps, her swagger and confidence taking over from the confusion of their sudden and unexplained admittance.
“Shall we dance or drink first?” Lys asked, taking Aedion’s hand in her own.
Aelin’s eyes glinted, “Like you have to even ask, my love.” She teased, blowing a kiss to her dearest friend.
After having a few shots a piece, the girls and Aedion made their way to the dance floor with Aelin leading the way, fearless as always.
She lost herself to the music, letting it overwhelm and consume her thoughts and desires before she was nothing more but a whisper on the wind, her body no longer bound to the world around her.
When her sweat trickled down her forehead into her eyes, she wiped the moisture away, certain her mascara was running before opening them to take in her surroundings. She saw Aedion and Lysandra a foot away, lost in one another’s movements. Aelin smiled as she beheld the two closest people to her so deeply entwined with one another that there was no room for insecurities or doubts. It was just them.
She closed her eyes and made to spin around but halfway through her spin, she was caught by someone.
As disarmingly attractive and intense as he had been this morning when she had left him, uncertain of when she may see him again.
“Aelin,” he murmured, pulling her vibrating body towards him so his voice caressed her ear.
A whisper of pleasure licked down her spine at the pure dominance he uttered her name with and she pressed her thighs together unabashedly.
Rowan caught the motion, eyes darkening as he took her in.
“Are you who I should be thanking for getting us in here?”
Rowan’s hands settled on Aelin’s hips as he moved seamlessly along with her to the music.
“Perhaps.” His face gave nothing else away.
“How did you swing that?”
Aelin looped her arms around Rowan’s shoulders and pressed closer to him, the hard outlines of his body melding perfectly with her own curves. She felt alive in his arms. She felt like living flame as she writhed against him to the beat of the song.
“So mysterious tonight, Rowan. Why the secrets?”
Rowan’s pine-green eyes bore into her own turquoise and gold ones almost as though he could read straight through to her soul. She felt bare under his scrutiny. Normally, her inner walls were so solid that she never had to worry about anyone seeing the real her.
Her knees quaked slightly as a hand drifted from her waist to cup her chin. He ran a proprietary thumb across her lower lip.
“So many questions tonight.” He merely said.
Aelin’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not playing nice.”
“I never said I did. If you’re looking for nice, then you’ve come to the wrong place.”
Aelin’s mind whirled at the implications. “But last night…”
Rowan cocked his head, running his wandering hand down her neck and over her bare shoulder, setting Aelin shuddering under his warm touch.
“I already told you this morning, you were sick. I wouldn’t leave your safety to chance while under my roof.” He reminded her smoothly.
She knew, it was more of a test for his consistencies but she wanted to know more. Needed to. And the effects of the alcohol combined with the music and dancing had made her brave.
“What isn’t nice about you?” Her voice didn’t falter but it came from a more seductive place within her.
He pulled her closer, a distance she hadn’t realised she had let come between them while she was lost in the velvet smoothness of his words, the utter intensity of his presence.
“Do you want to go somewhere else?” Rowan asked.
“Somewhere more private?” She gave him a sultry little smile.
The sides of his lips quirked up just enough in answer to her question.
“One second,” she stepped away from Rowan towards her cousin and best friend, head dizzy as she left that bubble that had once again formed around them, blocking everything and everyone but them out.
She tapped Aedion’s shoulder and he looked up and away from Lysandra. Aelin pointed to Rowan who stood a few feet away, arms crossed and clearly waiting for her.
“I’m going to go talk to Rowan somewhere I can hear him. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”
Aedion sized up the other man, not sure if he should trust him. Lysandra poked him in the chest.
“No pissing contests tonight, let her go. She’ll be safe.”
Aelin could barely hear over the music but she pecked Aedion on the cheek and hugged Lys before turning back to Rowan. He offered a hand to her and normally she would have swatted it away, citing something about not needing assistance, but she secretly craved the electricity that buzzed between them at his touch.
Rowan led her off the dance floor and up a hidden set of stairs she hadn’t spotted while she had been dancing. The hallway still pulsed with the music but it was more muted, more private and away from prying eyes. He took a key from his pocket when they reached a non-descript door halfway down the hallway. When the door was unlocked and opened, he held it open for her and she slipped by him into the office.
The room was decorated much like Rowan’s home, classy and clean with lovely art bedecking the walls. An oversized sofa took up one of the walls and a desk with a massive chair and computer lined the far wall. He closed the door behind him and allowed her to take in the surroundings.
“So, you do own this place.”
Rowan nodded, face unreadable.
“You’re awfully young to be a business owner.”
He prowled towards where she was standing in the middle of the room and her stomach squirmed as he neared.
“This is what you want to talk about?” Rowan’s voice dominated the small room.
Aelin’s pulse was erratic as he stopped behind her. There was an irrational part of her that thought her heart might stop the next time Rowan touched her but he didn’t. Not yet.
Rowan’s breath tickled the back of her neck and Aelin’s core clenched in an involuntary response. He wasn’t even touching her yet and she could hardly breathe with the need for more.
“What do you want, Aelin?”
His voice was low, guttural but more in control than Aelin herself felt.
She cleared her throat in an attempt to find her own voice.
“You have to tell me,” he murmured, more commanding than she’d yet to see from him, giving her a taste of what was to come before she decided how far she wanted to go.
She had her suspicions about what “not nice” might entail but the reckless and wild part of her craved more regardless. Aelin wanted to know just how not nice he could be.
Her breath faltered as she felt the heat of him close in on her and her desire to touch him again was almost painful. Aelin’s skin felt too tight and she swallowed audibly, refusing to be embarrassed as heat pooled at her centre. She could feel the wetness between her legs already, and there was no part of her that doubted where this encounter might end.
He settled his hands on her shoulders and pulled her close to him, her back snug to the warmth of his chest.
She felt every hardened inch of him pressed against her but his hold on her shoulders tightened as if knowing she was dying to turn to face him, to trace the clearly defined lines of his abdomen with her fingers and explore his body as thoroughly as she wanted him to explore her own.
Rowan ran his hands over her shoulders before leaning down to press a searing kiss on the tender spot between her neck and shoulder. She shivered and a whimper escaped her lips when he grazed his teeth over the same sensitive flesh.
“We cannot move forward if you don’t tell me, Aelin.”
Aelin, mustering whatever senses hadn’t abandoned her when Rowan had prowled towards her in that predatory manner of his, finally spoke.
Rowan’s teeth grazed her skin again and she shivered under his knowing tongue.
What it could do to her already and it wasn’t even near where she desperately craved.
“It’s not as easy as all that, Aelin.”
Gods, the way he said her name should have sent her running but all she wanted to do was jump him. Jump him and fist her hands in the short silver hair, tug him to her and taste him on her own lips.
“Then teach me,” she whispered, breath abandoning her along with her senses.
Rowan groaned low in his throat and she felt the impressive length of him against her backside. She ground into him, cheeks flushing as her blood heated. If she could see herself in a mirror, she knew what she would find.
Rowan spun her towards him, no longer gentle. He pulled her as close as was possible and then set his hands on her rear, pulling Aelin up so her legs wrapped around his waist. Rowan stepped towards the wall and pressed her into it, carrying her as if she was nothing more than feather-light.
Her back chilled as she leaned into the hard, cool wall and her breathing was so heavy she was almost ashamed at her lack of control.
Rowan pressed against her, taking all her air, consuming and dominating the almost non-existent space between them.
His eyes had darkened and his nostrils flared as Aelin’s heated core pressed against him, her hips gyrating selfishly for release from the hedonistic atmosphere.
Rowan took her chin in his hand again and leaned in, close enough that she felt his breath on her lips and then he murmured the one word that shattered the last of her senses.
