I'd never written this fast in my life.
Pages flipped, notes were scribbled, and my brain was working on overdrive. Every now and then, I'd glance sideways, just to see Aiden lounging in the chair like he hadn't just flipped my entire system upside down.
He was scrolling through his phone now, relaxed, calm. Meanwhile, I was sweating through my shirt like I was taking the SATs in hell.
"Why are you staring at me?" he asked, without even looking up.
"I'm not," I lied, eyes snapping back to my notes.
"Hmm," he hummed, the sound smug and knowing.
I cleared my throat, desperate to focus. "So, uh… this stats stuff. It's not that bad."
"You've literally written the formula backward twice," he said, peeking over at my paper.
"Shut up."
He laughed and got up from his seat, walking behind me. His fingers brushed my shoulder, and my pen halted instantly. I could feel him hovering there, the heat of him at my back.
"Relax, genius," he murmured. "You're getting there."
His voice was softer now, less teasing. Almost... proud?
And I—I was holding on to my pen like it was the only thing keeping me upright.
He walked around and leaned on the edge of the desk, facing me now. His legs brushed against my knees. He was so close, I could count the faint freckles along his collarbone. His hair fell a little over his face, and his lips—
"Almost done?" he asked.
I nodded, barely able to speak. My mouth was dry.
"Good," he said, then took the pen from my hand and set it down.
"Aiden…?" My voice cracked embarrassingly.
He smirked. "You've earned a reward."
My heart did a somersault. "You mean… the bed?"
He stepped back, stretching his arms out with an exaggerated yawn. "Nope."
"What?! You promised!"
He laughed—actually laughed—tucking his hair behind his ear "I meant a break, drama queen."
I felt, betrayed, flustered, and stupidly turned on. "You're evil."
"Maybe," he said,
I stayed sitting, breath still shallow, staring up at Aiden like he was some kind of celestial being. My arms moved on instinct—looping around his neck, pulling him closer until our foreheads brushed. His eyes were darker now, lips parted slightly like he was fighting the same storm brewing in my chest.
Then he kissed me.
Slow at first. Testing. Tasting.
But when he leaned into me, my body melted. I fell back into my seat, dragging him with me, my hand curling around his waist as I pressed him down against me. The kiss deepened, all heat and hunger, his tongue teasing the edge of my lips, asking—no, demanding—entry. I let him in, willingly. Eagerly.
His mouth was soft but urgent, like he needed this as badly as I did.
My hands roamed without thinking, tracing the curve of his back before slipping beneath his shirt. Skin on skin. Warm and smooth. He gasped—sharp and sudden—when I grazed a spot just above his hip. Jackpot.
I didn't stop. Couldn't. I trailed kisses down the side of his neck, feeling his breath stutter against my cheek. He was unraveling, and I knew it. This whole game had been his idea—but now? Now I was the one in control.
At least… for a moment.
Then Aiden pulled away.
Abruptly.
He turned red, covering his mouth with one hand like that could somehow erase what just happened.
"I think you've had enough, Almasi," he muttered, refusing to meet my eyes. "Get back to work."
"What? Come on, just a little more," I pleaded, my voice lower than I expected, full of want.
Instead, he grabbed the nearest book and smacked it onto my face. "No."
I blinked from behind it, heart racing, lips tingling, still trying to process the whiplash.
Aiden was already pacing, one hand running through his hair, the other stuffed into his pocket. "I need to catch a breather. You—just—keep studying."
I groaned like a kicked puppy, watching him avoid every glance I threw his way. He was trying so hard to look composed. Stoic, even. But I saw the crack in his armor. The pink in his cheeks. The way his fingers trembled slightly when he picked up a random object from my shelf and pretended to be interested in it.
A slow smile tugged at my lips.
Finally.
He felt it.
What I'd been feeling all this time—every moment we were together, every second he teased, every glance that lingered just a bit too long. Now it was real. Tangible. Mutual.
I turned back to my books, grin still plastered across my face. If that was a milestone reward, then damn… I couldn't wait to see what happened when I actually finished.
And just like that, I was motivated as hell.
It didn't take long.
I tossed my pen down like it had personally offended me and slumped in my chair, letting out the most dramatic groan of my life. "Finished, finally," I cried, stretching every muscle like I'd just climbed Mount Everest.
Honestly, it wasn't hard—it was just draining. Soul-sucking, even. Nothing about stats or probability sparked joy. The only reason I even put up with it?
Aiden.
I jumped to my feet, ready for my reward—only to realize the room had gone oddly quiet. Aiden wasn't in his usual spot. He wasn't laughing. No teasing comment.
He was standing across the room, still as a statue, completely zoned out.
"Aiden?" I called, but he didn't respond. Just stood there, staring at something on the wall.
Weird.
I crept up behind him—well, as stealthily as someone like me could—and threw my arms around his waist, chin landing on his shoulder. He didn't flinch. Just raised one eyebrow like I was mildly annoying background noise.
"What?" he muttered.
I blinked. "What? That's all I get? I sneak up on you like a damn ninja and that's your reaction?"
He tilted his head just a little. "It's literally impossible to sneak up on me. Especially for someone as loud and clumsy as you."
Ouch.
My pride took a hit, not gonna lie.
"Okay, savage," I mumbled, then followed his gaze. "What are you even—"
Oh.
Oh shit.
The board.
I had completely forgotten it was still up—my personal little obsession project. A messy collage of pictures, clues, blurry faces, and sticky notes. The stuff I'd collected while trying to track down him. My mystery first love.
Aiden was staring at it like it had personally offended him. Or maybe like it was something sacred.
"Oh… that," I said quickly. "It's not important."
"You gonna tell me what it is?" he asked, voice calm but firm.
I sighed. "Do you really want to hear me rant about another guy while I've got my arms wrapped around you?"
That got his attention. He stiffened slightly. "You were looking for someone?"
I squeezed him tighter, not liking where this was going. "Aiden, just drop it. I gave up on that ages ago."
"Then why is it still up?"
"I forgot, alright?" I grumbled. "I'll take it down later, I promise."
He didn't say anything right away. Just stood there, like he was thinking about something else entirely. Then he said softly, "I'm not mad. I just… I feel —"
"Yeah, yeah," I cut him off, because I couldn't take one more second of this stupid emotional suspense. I scooped him up—because yes, I'm dramatic like that—and tossed him straight onto the bed.
He landed with a bounce and a startled yelp. "Isaaq!"
I grinned, standing over him. "So you do know my name."
He glared. "You're unbelievable."
"And you're stalling," I said, climbing over him until I was straddling his hips. "Remember that deal we made? You promised me a reward."
He opened his mouth, probably to protest again, but I was faster. My lips met his, and just like that, the room went still again—but for a much better reason.
He pulled away just enough to whisper, "Listen to me when I'm talking—"
I smirked. "Fine. What were you saying?" I asked, while casually letting my fingers drift down to that spot on his waist—the one that made him twitch earlier. I ran over it again, slower this time.
"Fuuuuuuck…"
Yeah, there it was.
He grabbed me, hard, pulling me back into another kiss. This time he didn't stop.
And I couldn't help but smile against his lips.
Finally.