Crossing lines (Noah and Aiden) novel Chapter 136

Chapter 136

By the time dawn crept through the window, I had nearly convinced myself that the whole idea was brilliant. I won’t lie—there was something intoxicating about the thought of gaining popularity among my friends and snagging a sponsorship from a big name. The idea kept swirling in my head, tempting me with its promise.

But then, I felt Aiden’s hard length pressing firmly against my back. His warmth enveloped me like a protective shield, and his familiar scent filled my lungs, grounding me instantly.

In that moment, all the thoughts I’d had about Lexie vanished as if they’d never existed. My body ignited with a fierce heat, my cock sprang to life, and everything I could think about boiled down to one urgent need.

We had to find a solution before I lost my mind. And honestly, I really needed to get laid.

Saturday had been nothing short of perfect—stupidly perfect, even. We ran errands side by side, me slyly slipping chocolate bars into the cart while Aiden sighed, pretending he didn’t notice. We attempted to make eggs Benedict together, which quickly turned into me nearly setting the kitchen on fire while he scraped hollandaise sauce off the floor. We laughed until tears nearly spilled—well, mostly me laughing, but I caught his lips twitching in amusement a few times.

It felt… normal. Domestic. Like we were just any other couple, content and at ease in each other’s company.

Which is exactly why, when he called me into his office later that day, my stomach dropped straight through the floor.

“Sit,” he commanded.

I tried to play it cool as I lowered myself into the chair. “Jeez… am I about to get a lecture or a business proposal, Sir?”

“A little bit of both,” he replied, and just like that, my smirk faded. Especially when he pulled a contract from his drawer and placed it carefully on the desk between us.

My heart hammered so loudly I was sure he could hear it. My throat went dry as dust.

Fuck.

I struggled to breathe.

“Think it through, Noah,” he said, his voice calm but sharp enough to cut me open. “If we stay as we are, then you don’t touch Lexie. Not her. Not anyone. Break that, and it’s over. Done for good.”

My chest felt like it was collapsing inward, but he didn’t give me a moment to respond.

“The only way you could pursue her—or even have a one-night stand to keep your reputation, as you called it—without losing me is if we change the rules before you break them.”

He leaned back, final, like a judge delivering a verdict. “Take a walk. Go for a swim. You’ve got free time now. But I’ll need your answer before dinner.”

And just like that, the ground disappeared beneath me.