Shenaya/Emily’s POV
I sat on my favorite plush couch in Lilah’s store, I fidget with the edge of my dress as I recall the awkward moment in the bedroom with Aiden. Lilah was sitting cross-legged on the other side of the couch, with her chin resting on her palm, listening to me intently.
“So, wait. Let me get this straight,” Lilah said while raising an eyebrow. “You were practically naked, he had you on the bed, and then he just left?”
I nodded, exhaling in frustration.
“Yes! He left me there. Completely turned on. No explanation. Just… gone.”
Lilah squinted her eyes at me in disbelief.
“Are you sure he’s not gay?”
I Laugh while shaking my head. “Lilah, if he were gay, I wouldn’t have given birth to Leo, remember?”
Lilah threw up her hands. “People change! It’s been years, maybe he’s got a new ‘perspective’ on things.” She smirked, but I could tell there was genuine concern hidden behind her playful tone.
Just as I was about to reply, my phone beeped. I glanced at the screen, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw it was a message from Aiden.
Aiden: Where are you, love?
Shenaya: Where I can be satisfied.
Aiden: I’m sorry I left you like that. I’ll tell you why tonight at dinner.
I bit my lip, I was mad at him for leaving me for I was also curious to know why he just left me there.
“Is that Mr. Hot-and-Cold himself?” Lilah teased.
I just smiled and typed away.
Shenaya: I don’t need your explanation.
That was a big lie. A few moments passed before Aiden replied again.
Aiden: I know, but you deserve it. So get ready. I’ll pick you up at eight.
I glanced at the clock, it was six- forty-five. I had less than two hours to get ready, but I wasn’t going to make it easy for him.
Shenaya: I’ll think about it.
Aiden: I sent your dress to your studio.
My smile widened as I read his message. I’m not sure if Aiden knew my style but I’d like to find out what he has in store.
Shenaya: It better be a good dress, or I’m not wearing it.
No reply came after that. My mind buzzed with curiosity about the dress, but before I could dwell on it, Lilah’s voice snapped me back to reality.
“Not you two having sex over the phone!” Lilah exclaimed, mockery evident in her voice.
“Lilah! Don’t be dramatic.” I said
“You’re smiling like a teenage girl texting her first crush!”
“No, I wasn’t smiling,” I rolled her eyes so it would appear I didn’t care, but who was I kidding? It was written all over my face.
“Sure, sure,” Lilah said with a knowing smirk. “Let’s see what dress this man sent before you start planning the wedding.”
I chuckled at Lilah who was being dramatic, I got up from the couch. “Let’s go pick it up. We’ve got three hours before he arrives, and I want to look perfect.”
Lilah clapped her hands together like a happy pup, her face lighting up with mischief.
“Ooooh, let’s go get you ready for the great Alpha Aiden Casaer to devour.”
“It’s just a dinner date, Lilah. Nothing serious,” I warned as we both grabbed our coats and headed out the door.
“Of course, it’s a serious business when the man is sending the dress.” She fired back.
We arrived at my studio to be greeted by Cynthia, my assistant with a bright smile.
“You have a package ma’am,” she said with a smile and handed me a bouquet of roses, a note, and the carefully wrapped dress box.
I couldn’t stop the wide smile that appeared on my face. I mean, I didn’t know he was this sweet and intentional. Even though I wasn’t sure of my true feelings for Aiden yet, I knew this moment felt… right. I wanted it to last. If only time could stop for us to live in this moment forever.
Lilah, of course, was having none of the romance and promptly snatched the note from me.
“Oh, let’s see what Mr. Smooth has to say,” Lilah teased as she unfolded the paper and read out loud.
Shenaya,
You’ve always been breathtaking, but tonight, I want you to be unstoppable. This dress is just a hint of what I see when I look at you-power, beauty, and grace.
Wear it, and know that no one in the room will be able to look away. Not even me.
See you tonight, love.
– Aiden
Lilah finished reading, she dramatically wiped a fake tear from her eye.
“He’s trying so hard, isn’t he?”
I laughed, but my heart was fluttering at the sweetness of the not even though I tried to hide it.
“Unstoppable, huh? He’s laying it on thick,” Lilah teased as she wiggled her eyebrow at me.
“Shut up,” I laughed while gently taking the note back. “Let’s see the dress.”
I opened the box with anticipation and my jaw dropped at the first glance of the masterpiece lying inside the box. She brought it out and tried it on.
It was a sleek, floor-length gown made of shimmering black silk that seemed to shift like liquid when I touched it. The dress had a high neckline with a plunging open back that dipped low. The fabric hugged my waist while flowing elegantly down into a slight train that whispered over the floor when I moved. The sleeves were long and transparent with delicate lace detailing at the cuffs, and the slit at the side ran up my thigh, giving the gown an alluring, yet sophisticated edge.
“Whoa,” Lilah gasped. “Mr. Smooth Slick wants to make a statement. This is smoking hot.”
I nodded because I was speechless for a moment as I took in the full beauty of the dress. It was bold but classy, daring but elegant. Exactly what I needed to feel powerful tonight.
After Lilah styled my hair into loose waves that cascaded down my back, she added a touch of crimson lipstick and dark eyeliner to complete the look. When I finally stepped in front of the full-length mirror, even I was taken shocked at the person staring back at me.
“Wow,” was all I could manage.
“Girl, you look like a goddess. Aiden’s going to lose his mind.” Lilah grinned.
The dress fits like it had been made just for her, it accentuated all my features in the right places. It was more than a dress-it made me feel powerful like I could take on the world.
I Checked the time and it was already eight-thirty, I was thirty minutes late. I peeped through the window and my heart started racing when I saw his car sitting there.
“Wish me luck.”
“Luck? Girl, you don’t need it. He’s the one who needs the luck.”
I chuckled as I descended the stairs. The cool fresh evening breeze blew me the moment I stepped out. I saw Aiden leaning against his car with his usual stoic expression melting the moment while holding a bouquet.
Two flowers in one day, nice. I thought to myself.
I took in his full appearance as I approached him.
His sharp black suit fitted him perfectly, his shirt open at the collar, showing off just enough of his chest to make me want more but it was his eyes that caught my attention. He looked mesmerized, he was frozen in his tracks as if he had forgotten how to move or speak.
Aiden’s jaw clenched slightly as his eyes traced every inch of me as I walked toward him. His gaze was filled with something primal.
“Shenaya…” he breathed out, barely able to contain his awe. “You look… drop-dead gorgeous.”
I smirked and took a step closer, my lips brushing against his ear.
“You’d better make tonight worth it then,” I whispered,
Aiden swallowed hard, his breath catching. “I promise I will.”
****
The night began slowly as the air filled with anticipation. The drive to the restaurant was quiet. The restaurant was located in the heart of the city. As we stepped into the restaurant, I couldn’t help but take in every detail of the Sophistication.
The interior exudes extreme elegance and charm, with soft ambient lighting casting a warm glow over the space. The walls are adorned with tasteful, modern art, and sleek marble floors reflect the soft, golden chandelier lights above. The tables are draped with crisp, white linens, and elegant glassware sparkles atop each setting. The tall, leather-bound chairs add a touch of class.
As we walked to our table, I noticed the diners, everyone impeccably dressed. The men are in classic tailored suits with crisp white shirts and silk ties or bow ties. Well-polished shoes and watches that glitter under the lights complete their look while the women radiate elegance in designer evening gowns. I smiled when I saw my designs on a few people.
The waiters move gracefully between tables, they are dressed in black vests over crisp white shirts, offering wine pairings and gourmet dishes to people. The restaurant was filled with soft conversations, subtle laughs, the clinking of glasses, and the gentle notes of a live pianist playing in the background.
As we got to our table, Aiden pulled out a chair for me.
“After you my lady.” He said with a wink that made my heart flutter. I didn’t say anything, I just sat down quietly and watched him as he took a sit as well.
“You look really beautiful,” Aiden said softly while holding my hands across the table.
“Thank you,” was all I could manage to say replied, my heart fluttering a bit under the weight of his compliment.
Our food was brought in and we started to eat while we had our conversations. The evening started with a light conversation about how life had been lately. We moved to personal matters like how Lucy was doing and most importantly I finally felt safe to tell him about Zoey.
Since he didn’t mention anything about why he left me hanging the other day, I decided to push it.
“So what was your reason for running away like a coward after seeing a pussy.” I asked bluntly. I could tell he wasn’t prepared for the question because of the shock that appeared on his face after the question.
“Wow,” he chuckled “I wasn’t expecting you to call me a coward like that because you know better.”
“People change.” I teased him using Lilah’s line on him “Cut the chase and tell me why.”
“How do you feel about me.” He asked and my breath was caught in my throat. I didn’t know what to say because I hadn’t had the time to think about it.
“What do you feel about me, Aiden?” I pushed the question back to him hoping he would feel trapped like me but no he wasn’t trapped.
“Here’s something you don’t know.” He held my hands again and began “I have always loved you, from that night I saw you dancing in the rain, the days even till the days of me being trapped in Skylar’s nest, all those years I searched for you and till this very moment, your love had been the only thing that kept me going through everything I passed through. I want you, I want to be with you and that will never change.”
His confession left me speechless because I wasn’t sure of what I felt towards him but I knew I wanted him also. I remained silent but he broke the silence.
“Now Shenaya, the question comes back to you. What do you feel towards me?” he asked again and this time I decided to answer him honestly.
“I honestly do not know what I feel towards you. I have forgiven you and I know I want you so bad but I can’t tell if it’s love or lust.”
Something like pain flickered in his eyes before he masked it up with a smile. I wasn’t happy about that but I didn’t push it.
As the night went down, the connection between us had deepened and the air was thick with unspoken emotions. He signaled to the waiter who served us and cleared the bills before we stood up to leave.
I took his arm as we left the restaurant like a couple together. When we got to the car, the silence in the car was surprisingly uncomfortable because of the tension. Our eyes met and before I knew it, our lips crashed and started moving in sync.
It was a soft kiss at first but it quickly spiraled. His hands cradled to my waist pulling me closer and deepened the kiss.
“Shan,” he whispered against my lips, “we should….” I knew what he wanted to say so I cut him off.
“Don’t stop” the urgency was evident in my voice. We kissed for what felt like an eternity before we finally pulled apart because we needed oxygen to survive.
“Let’s go home,” he said and started the car.
The drive to the Packhouse felt like a blur. As soon as we reached Aiden’s quarters, the door barely clicked shut before I jumped on him again. We both stumbled towards the bed and we both laughed. Our hands explored each other and our lips kept on moving in sync.
Aiden pulled my dress up as his hands played around my thighs. I was already dripping wet. He pulled my thin panties off. His eyes darken with lust at the sight of my pussy.
“You are beautiful everywhere,” he said as he knelt right in front of me, he spread my legs apart and buried his head in between my legs. My moan filled the room as his tongue continued to move slowly at first then faster. He kissed me everywhere down there, he ate it as if it was his favorite meal and after a moment of this sweet tongue punishment, my body started shaking but he didn’t stop until my body came to a rest.
He stood up and placed a kiss on my lips.
“You taste like heaven.” He said while still kissing me. I couldn’t help but smile against his lips. My hands started moving to remove his pants but he stopped me.
“Let’s sleep. I won’t fuck you until you decide what you feel towards me.” He said and walked towards the bathroom.