Chapter 99 Butterflies and boredom
Aria’s POV
I lay sprawled across Kane’s couch, my phone held above my face as I scrolled mindlessly through social media.
My leg kicked up and down in the air…a nervous habit I’d never been able to break. Up, down, up, down.I have been here for days now. And I have never felt so cared for and safe in my entire life. I loved this place so much. But I was, completely bored out of my mind.
Kane wouldn’t let me leave. Wouldn’t let me go back to my apartment for clothes. Wouldn’t even let me go to the grocery store. He always got everything I needed without even asking.
“Too dangerous,” he’d said in that calm, infuriating way of his. “They’re looking for you.”
So here I sat. In borrowed clothes that were too big, and the only reason I was wearing his is because I had gotten used to the scent and feel of his shirts and now I don’t want mine anymore .
I tossed my phone aside with a frustrated groan and sat up.
The apartment was quiet except for sounds coming from the kitchen. I could smell something cooking, it was so good it made my stomach rumbled despite my irritation.
I stood and padded toward the kitchen, my bare feet silent on the hardwood floors.
Kane stood at the stove, his back to me, stirring something in a large pot. He’d changed from his usual suit into dark jeans and a fitted black t-shirt that showed off his shoulders and the lines of his back.
I watched him for a moment, noticing the easy confidence in his movements. Like he was as comfortable cooking as he was… whatever else he did. Protecting people. Being dangerous.
The smell hit me fully now and my eyes widened.
Pasta. My favorite pasta. “I’m bored,” I announced, walking into the kitchen and hopping up to sit on the counter. I puffed my cheeks out dramatically. “Extremely, devastatingly bored.”
Kane glanced at me briefly, then returned his attention to the pot.
“You never let me go out with you,” I continued, swinging my legs. “I could help, you know. I can be a bodyguard too. We could both guard Mel together. I’m actually pretty good at self-defense…”
He looked at me again. His expression was completely neutral and Unreadable.
Then he went back to cooking without a word.
“You are not fun,” I said, crossing my arms. “Like, at all. You know that?”
Still nothing. Just the sound of him stirring, the occasional clink of the spoon against the pot.
I pulled out my phone again, pointedly holding it up where he could see it. If he was going to ignore me, I’d ignore him right back.
“Don’t use that close to the gas,” he said without looking up. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”
I paused, surprised he’d spoken. Then I noticed I was indeed sitting right next to the stove.
“Fine,” I muttered, setting the phone aside on the counter behind me.
I leaned over to peek into the pot, curiosity overriding my sulking.
“What are you making? It smells amazing.”
“Cacio e pepe.” His voice was calm, measured. “Your favorite, according to my father.”
My heart did a little flip at that. He’d asked Vincent about me. About what I liked. After Vincent bought my artwork we had gotten really close. He was more like a father to me than my actual father. Finding out Kane was his son was a huge surprise.
“You talked to your dad about me?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.
“I told him you’d be staying with me for a while. He mentioned you prefer this over his usual carbonara.”
I watched him add pasta to the pot,.“He taught you to cook,” I said. Not a question.
“He taught me a lot of things.”
I wanted to ask more…about Vincent, about Kane’s childhood, about why he’d chosen this life…but something in his tone suggested he wouldn’t answer.
So instead, I just sat there watching him cook, my legs swinging idly.
After a few minutes, I got restless again. I hopped down from the counter to get a better look at what he was doing.
“Can I help?” I asked.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’ll burn yourself.”
“I’m not a child, Kane. I can help cook without…”
I stepped closer to peer into the pot and my foot caught on something…maybe the edge of the rug, maybe just my own clumsiness.
I slipped, my arms flailing, the floor rushing up to meet me.
Then suddenly I wasn’t falling anymore.
Kane’s arms were around me, one hand at my waist, the other supporting my back. He’d moved so fast I hadn’t even seen it. One second he was at the stove, the next he was holding me, keeping me from hitting the ground.
We were close. So close I could see the flecks of gold in his dark eyes. Could feel the warmth of his body against mine. Could count each individual eyelash if I wanted to.
His face was inches from mine. His breath was warm on my skin.
Neither of us moved.
I don’t know what possessed me. Maybe it was the adrenaline from almost falling. Maybe it was days of being cooped up together. Maybe it was the way he was looking at me. With so much love and affection I was starving for love. I needed to feel more.
I reached up and tried to pull him down to kiss me.My hand on the back of his neck, gentle pressure, my eyes already closing in anticipation…
He stopped.
I opened my eyes to find him looking at me with that same unreadable expression.
For a moment, I thought he’d reject me completely. Thought he’d set me on my feet and walk away and we’d never speak of this again.
But then, he bent down and picked me up.One arm under my knees, the other around my back, cradling me against his chest like I weighed nothing.
“Kane, what are you…”
“Shh.”
He carried me out of the kitchen, through the living room, toward the stairs that led to the bedroom.
My heart was racing. My hands automatically went to his shoulders for balance.
“The pasta…” I started.
“It won’t burn”
He took the stairs easily, not even breathing hard, his grip on me steady.
When we reached the top, he pushed open his bedroom door with his shoulder and carried me inside.
Then he set me carefully on the bed.And just looked at me.
“Stay here,” he said quietly.
“Why?”
“Because if you come back downstairs right now, I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”
Heat flooded through me at his words. At the promise in his voice.
“Maybe I don’t want you to be responsible,” I whispered.
Something dangerous flashed in his eyes.
“Aria…”
“Maybe I want whatever comes next.”
He stood there for a long moment, Then he turned and walked out, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
I sat there on his bed, my heart still racing, my skin still tingling where he’d touched me.
What just happened?
I fell back onto the mattress, staring at the ceiling.
Kane Rivers was going to drive me absolutely insane.
And the worst part?
I was pretty sure I was going to let him.