Slowly, he lifted his other hand, letting it trail up her arm. Gooseflesh prickled in the paths traced by his fingertips. He touched her shoulder for a moment, at that spot where it met her neck. Then he lightly traced the outline of her jaw and her chin.
The lightness of the touch only magnified what Gwen felt. Her skin, her nerves picked up every little signal. Her body begged for more, begged for greater pressure, more contact. But he didn't stop the tender teasing of his fingers.
The pad of his thumb brushed her cheek, then moved closer to her lips. He traced those as well.
Gwen's eyelids began drifting shut. Aiden's thumb came to rest lightly on her chin. With a tiny amount of pressure, he parted her lips slightly. She could feel the heat of his breath on her skin, could feel him leaning in closer.
Their lips touched so gently at first she barely felt it. His were moist and soft on hers. Her head tilted back, and she was lucky the couch cushion was right there to catch it. Aiden didn't let up, though. His fingers slipped into her hair, threading their way through. He made a fist, tugging lightly at the roots.
Her mouth opened more, their breaths mingling. Aiden tasted sweet.
Gwen's need nearly overpowered her with its sudden appearance. Her body ached for him, deep inside. This, too, was better than the dream. It was real. The fantasy couldn't live up to the reality.
She put her hand on his knee, feeling the heat of his body warming the khakis. Her hand started traveling up his thigh. Aiden's kisses became more insistent the farther her hand went.
The desire to touch and see and taste every last inch of his body overwhelmed her. Her hand moved faster, eager to reach its goal.
But then he stopped her, grabbing her wrist lightly. The kissing stopped, and he pulled back flushed and out of breath.
Gwen's body burned as all that frustrated energy sought release and couldn't find any. She slumped back against the couch, rubbing at her face.
"We shouldn't. We can't..." Aiden said. He stood up. She felt his weight lift off the couch.
"Why?" Gwen said, "Why are you doing this to me?"
"I'm sorry," Aiden replied. He turned away from her, his arms crossed and his shoulders heaving.
"What was that, then? A pity kiss? I really am just another one of your charity cases, aren't I?" Gwen said. If her legs didn't feel like warm jelly, she would have gotten up and left right then. She couldn't go on like this anymore, with the constant mixed messages, the teasing, the fantasies and the unspoken feelings between them.
"No, you're not. I keep telling you that. Why won't you believe me?" Aiden said.
"Because I never know when you're telling the truth. You say one thing, but then behave as though the opposite were true. You pretend that this is just a business deal, but then you do something like this. I don't know who you are. I'm not even sure you know who you are."
That silenced him, at least for a moment. The quiet dragged on, and Gwen couldn't stand it.
"Can't you tell me why you're really doing this? What aren't you saying?" Gwen said.
Aiden started, "It's my father, Henry..."
Gwen threw up her hands, "Of course it is. Everything always comes back to him, doesn't it? Why do you let him have such power over you, Aiden? I know how angry he makes you, but you just never seem to do anything about it. Why? Tell me why... Or we're done. I'll leave right now and you'll never see me again, contract or no."
To illustrate her point, Gwen pushed herself up off the couch. She tried to do it with some dignity, but the loose rubber bands in her legs didn't care about that. She started to topple towards the coffee table.
Aiden saw, and caught her just in time. She beat her hands against his chest. "Stop it! Just let me go! Let go!" He did. Gwen started to sway again, and he reached out. She held up a warning finger and backed away. The heat of her anger and frustration soon burned away the slack in her muscles.
Aiden started to speak, but she interrupted him, "No more deflections, or saying something that means nothing. Don't tell me it's none of my concern, or that it doesn't matter. Give me a straight answer, for once. I'm a grown-up; I can handle it." Gwen crossed her arms, hugging herself tightly.
Aiden's shoulders slumped, but he nodded. He sat down on the couch again, then motioned for her to do the same. She didn't.
"Please just sit," he said.
She wasn't going to at first, but relented. Anger can only keep your back straight and your legs rigid for so long. It will give me a chance to get my strength back, she told herself.
"I will, but only because I want to. Not because you asked," she said.
Aiden knew better than to argue the point. She sat at the opposite end of the couch from him, leaning against the armrest. There was a gap almost the length of the center cushion between them.