Crossing lines (Noah and Aiden) novel Chapter 155

Chapter 155

Aiden

The morning light filtered softly through the curtains as I woke, my body tangled with his. The undeniable warmth of his skin pressed against me, and the undeniable hardness against his back was an agonizing temptation. Every fiber of me wanted to lose myself—whether by taking him into my mouth or sliding deep inside him until his voice broke, calling out my name. But not today. Not yet. We had responsibilities waiting, and tonight would tell a very different story.

Instead, I leaned in and kissed him gently awake, slow and possessive, trailing my lips down to his ear and nibbling until he stirred, mumbling unintelligible words into the pillow. “Time to get up, baby boy,” I whispered softly. “We’ve got a full day ahead of us.”

The morning unfolded in a familiar rhythm—coffee brewing, breakfast on the table, bags being packed. I sent him upstairs to straighten the room while I cleared the dishes and loaded the dishwasher. We had to hit the road by one o’clock sharp, and I wanted everything perfectly in order before we left.

As I slid a plate into the rack, my phone buzzed. The caller ID showed an unknown number. Wiping my hands on a towel, I answered cautiously.

“Coach Aiden Mercer?”

The voice was smooth—too smooth. I felt my jaw clench. “Speaking.”

“This is William Hart.”

Every suspicion I’d ever held about that man flared up instantly.

“I had the pleasure of meeting one of your players, Noah Blake, at the donors’ night and again after Thursday’s game,” he continued, his tone silky. “An impressive young man, full of potential. I was so impressed that I invited him to a dinner party at my home. A remarkable opportunity—one that could truly change the course of his future.”

My grip on the phone tightened until my knuckles whitened.

“He was excited, looking forward to it, until he canceled last night. Said he had commitments under his contract and didn’t want to leave you stranded after your event. Admirable loyalty, really.”

A slow ache spread through my chest, cutting through the anger. Noah had told him. He’d put me first.

William’s voice slid on like silk. “I wanted to extend the invitation to both of you instead. You could come after your event. I’d be delighted to have you. After all, we both want what’s best for Noah, don’t we?”

I fought the urge to growl that Noah’s best interests were already being handled, that I didn’t need some wealthy opportunist dangling false promises in front of him. Instead, I forced my voice to remain calm and professional.

“We’ll be there.”

“Excellent. I’ll text you the address. Black tie affair. Nine o’clock. So glad you can join us.”

The call ended, but I stood frozen, the phone heavy in my hand, every muscle buzzing with rage. He was trying to snatch my boy right from beneath my nose—and doing it with a smile. Worst of all, Noah had lied to me. He’d planned to attend this party, kept it secret, and then sent them a message behind my back, blaming it on not wanting to ditch his coach for a flashier benefactor and his tempting daughter.

He held his own, speaking confidently about the game, his role as quarterback, his dedication to practice. When reporters tried to pry into his personal life—girlfriends, family, nightlife—I cut in smoothly every time. “He’s here to talk football. That’s where his focus is.” No one argued. My glare usually took care of that.

By the end, Noah had relaxed, even joked once or twice. His laugh echoed across the room, easy and charming. I noticed the scouts leaning in, taking notes. He was magnetic, and I felt a swell of pride so strong it nearly choked me.

Noah would be stolen from our team soon enough. No doubt about it. I just hoped I could find a way to stay part of it.

After the last handshake and final photo, we slipped out into the night. The ballroom lights dimmed behind us, and Noah practically vibrated with excitement—his head full of questions, dreams, and that cocky grin that made him look half boy, half star.

He thought we were headed to the hotel. I let him believe it.

Once we hit the highway and the city lights faded in the rearview mirror, he finally turned to me, confusion flickering across his face.

“Wait… I thought we were spending the night. You and me. In a hotel.”

I kept my gaze steady on the road, voice calm and unreadable.

“Change of plans, baby boy.”