#snacmc every other weekend

[snelbz]

Every Other Weekend {3}

Summary: Rowan was just looking for a night of fun after his divorce. Aelin was looking for one last reckless moment before selling her soul to her everyday grind of 9-5. Neither had any idea of just how much one night could change somebody’s life.

Warnings: Mature content throughout. Language, sex, drinking, etc. Explicitly NSFW will be labelled at the beginning of chapters containing NSFW content. 

A collab with @theladyofdeath

It was three o’clock and Aelin and Lysandra were flipping through the racks at Aelin’s favorite boutique. She had four hours until Rowan would be picking her up and still had to get ready.

And, according to Lysandra, she needed a new dress.

“I really don’t understand why I can’t wear something I already own,” Aelin protested as Lysandra pulled out a red polka dotted skater dress. “I have so many cute dresses that would be great for tonight.”

“Because, in my family, it’s tradition. If you go on a first date, you have to wear something to new to signify the beginning of a new chapter in your life,” she explained, putting the dress back and moving on. “And, because I’ll be marrying your cousin one day, that makes you family. So you’re following the tradition.”

Aelin rolled her eyes but continued looking through the racks.

“What kind of look should I go for?” She mused, inspecting a short, white, gauzy number.

“Something sexy,” Lysandra said, simply. “You already captured his heart, now it’s time to make his mind not function.” 

Aelin rolled her eyes but kept sifting through the racks. “You don’t think this is a mistake?”

It was a question that Aelin had asked herself a hundred times over the last week, but she kept having different reactions. Was she prepared for Rowan Whitethorn? For his life as a single dad? As an ex-husband? It was a lot to handle.

Yet, Aelin couldn’t deny that she was captivated by the man. 

“No,” Lysandra said, and it wasn’t the first time. “It’s good for you. You’ll never know unless you try, Ace. And this guy…you’re smitten by him, I can tell.”

Aelin nodded, knowing she was right. It was then that she pulled out a black, tight-fitted dress, with lace framing the neckline and hem of the skirt, and held it up. “What about this?”

Lysandra eyed it before saying, “Try it on.” She also pulled a series of other dresses and Aelin eventually settled on a hunter green, sparkly long-sleeved dress that reached her mid-thigh. 

It was form-fitting enough that the long sleeves didn’t seem prudish.

Lysandra found a set of heels that completed the outfit and they were off, heading to Aelin’s house to get her ready.

The perks of having a best friend who was hair stylist? Aelin’s hair looked great for every important event of her life.

Including a second date with her drunken hookup.

Aelin could handle her own makeup and with fifteen minutes to spare, she was standing in front of the mirror, appreciating her reflection.

She looked pretty damn good.

A little slutty, if she was being honest, but in a fun, teasing way. A way she hadn’t dressed since college.

Lysandra whistled. “If you don’t get laid tonight, I want a refund.”

Rolling her eyes, Aelin asked, “You don’t think it’s…too much?”

Without missing a beat, Lysandra replied, “Ace, he’s literally already seen you naked.”

Aelin laughed, shaking her head as her cheeks turned pink. She wasn’t known for blushing. Rowan Whitethorn already had her in the palm of his hand, it seemed. 

“Maybe so, but I prefer that he likes what he sees when my clothes are on, too.”

Lysandra grinned and her head fell to the side as she watched Aelin. “You seem happy. Excited.”

Aelin’s smile faltered. “I am. Nervous, though, which is weird. I’ve never been nervous to go on a date, not since high school.” 

“You’re smitten,” Lysandra crooned. “Well, I hope you have fun, and if he’s being a dick for some reason, you call me right away. Me and Aedion will come down and you both can watch while I kick his ass.”

“You act like I’m not capable of kicking ass myself,” Aelin said, turning to meet her friend’s amused expression.

“Oh, I know you can,” Lysandra said, with no hesitation. “But I like to get in on the action sometimes, too, and Aedion doesn’t give me reason to kick his ass much anymore.”

“He’d better not,” Aelin said, knowing full well that her cousin treated her best friend like the queen she was. 

Lysandra handed Aelin a matching clutch and then they were waiting. They didn’t have to wait long, though, because a knock came to her door soon enough. For a moment, Aelin didn’t move, but then Lysandra raised a brow. “Aren’t you going to answer it? I wanna see this guy.” 

“I don’t want to seem too eager,” Aelin said, and when Lysandra chuckled she made her way to the door and threw it open. 

The bouquet of pale pink and white flowers in Rowan’s hand dropped as suddenly as his smile did. Aelin was about to ask what was wrong when he breathed, “Holy hell.”

And she was blushing again. Brilliant.

“You look…” His eyes began to dip down below the hem of her dress, but he stopped himself and reconnected with her own. “Gorgeous.”

“Thanks.” Her voice was high, breathy, flirty.

What the hell was wrong with her? She was acting like a teenage girl who’s crush had just asked her to prom.

He cleared his throat and said, “These are for you. Wanted to make up for…last time.” Aelin took them, but he must have read the confused look on her face. “Because it wasn’t technically a date. Didn’t start as one, but ended like one.”

“How you’d like this one to end?” Aelin asked, letting him come inside as she carried the bouquet into the kitchen.

“No, I mean- Yes, that would be nice, but it’s not expected.” He was flustered. Aelin thought it was cute. “What I meant was-.”

He froze in the doorway to her kitchen. Lysandra sat at her kitchen table and waved. “Hi, Rowan.”

“Hi… I’m afraid I don’t know your name,” he said, looking between the two of them.

“Lysandra,” she said, eyeing him. “The best friend.”

“Ah,” Rowan said, rocking on his heels. “Nice to meet you.”

Lysandra swept up from the table and took the vase Aelin had just gotten out of the counter. “I’ve got this under control. You two go have fun.”

Aelin looked at Lysandra suspiciously. “I can-.”

Lysandra had already taken control of the flower situation and Rowan, amused, held out his hand. “Well? Ready?”

Aelin nodded and took his hand, warm in hers. “Let’s go.”

“You two have fun now,” Lysandra called, her voice taking on a suspicious southern accent it hadn’t had a moment before. “Be safe, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“That isn’t saying much,” Aelin called back, rolling her eyes. She grabbed her clutch off the side table. “Lock up when you leave, please.”

“Love you, bitch.” Rowan could hear the laughter in Lysandra’s voice as he closed the door behind them.

Aelin was shaking her head as they walked down the pathway towards his car. “Sorry about her,” Aelin sighed, looking up at him. “She can be a bit…overprotective.”

Rowan chuckled. “That’s a good thing. It means you’re well taken care of.” He opened the car door for her.

Aelin thanked him and slipped in, buckling her seatbelt. Rowan was getting in the car and a moment later, they were on their way.

“If you could do anything, what would be your perfect date?” He asked, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

Glancing over at him, she laughed softly. “I hope you at least planned something and aren’t basing tonight off my answer.”

“Oh, absolutely, we have reservations at Emrys’ in…” she watched as his eyes darted down to the clock, “thirty-one minutes.”

Aelin choked. “Emrys’?”

One of the oldest and nicest restaurants in Orynth, Aelin had only been to Emrys a handful of times when she was younger, always accompanied by either her parents or uncle.

Rowan hesitated. “Is that okay? We can go somewhere-.”

“No,” Aelin interrupted. “I mean, yes, that sounds amazing. I haven’t been there in a long time.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “As for my perfect date, it doesn’t really matter where I am, as long as I’m with someone I can be myself around.”

Wow, what a cheesy answer, Aelin, she thought. Idiot.

But Rowan said, “I like that.” As Aelin smiled, he followed his comment with, “Am I someone you think you can be yourself around?”

“I sure hope so,” she answered. “I was myself perfectly fine last time.” Rowan’s half-grin made her stomach fill with butterflies. “What about you? What’s your perfect date?”

After taking a moment to think about it, he said, “Honestly? Not to make myself sound like a total catch, but I haven’t been on a date since college. I’m just happy to be going out on a date with a beautiful woman. One that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about all week.”

“You’ve been on my mind, too,” Aelin admitted and added, “Granted, I’m looking at a tiny version of you for most of the day.”

Rowan chuckled. “True. I hear about Miss Aelin all night after I get home from work though. He was a particular fan of the All About Me board he got to make.”

“Somehow I knew your kid would’ve been a video game kid,” she said, shaking her head.

“Nothing wrong with video games,” he defended.

“The picture of the two of you on the board was pretty damn cute,” Aelin noted, after a moment. Rowan smiled. Oliver’s mom hadn’t been a fan, considering she wasn’t in the picture, but Aelin didn’t bother mentioning that part. “Where is he tonight? With his mom?”

“No,” Rowan said, simply. “He, uh, only goes there every other weekend and once during the week. Tonight he’s with my friend, Lorcan, and his fiancée. He’s an uncle of sorts. I was an only child, so he’s the closest thing Ollie will ever have to an uncle, anyway. They have a good bond, though. He was excited to go there and have a sleepover tonight. And get sugared up, no doubt.”

Aelin chuckled. “Every five year old’s dream.”

“True,” Rowan agreed. 

A few minutes later, they were pulling up to the valet stand at the front of the restaurant. An employee opened Aelin’s door and she got out, meeting Rowan on the sidewalk and looping her arm through his. They walked into the restaurant and Rowan told his name to the hostess. They were instantly seated.

The building was beautiful with its original brick walls and high ceilings. There were massive windows looking out over the city skyline and a full bar that ran along the far wall. Rowan and Aelin sat beneath the biggest crystal chandelier she had ever seen.

“Your waiter will be with you shortly,” the hostess said and dismissed herself as they sat on opposite sides of a white table-clothed, candlelit table.

Aelin opened the menu, but continued to stare out at the city skyline, all the way to the Staghorn Mountains beyond.

“You really do look beautiful tonight.”

She looked back over at him. He was already watching her. She could feel her cheeks heating, but she said, “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“This old thing?” Rowan asked, gesturing to his navy suit, which was very clearly not old at all, and cut perfectly to his toned body. “Pulled it out of the back of the closet.”

Truth be told, the man looked like sex on legs and she had wanted to tell Lysandra to get the hell out of her kitchen so he could fuck her on the counter.

But going on an actual date seemed like a good idea, one that Aelin was actually looking forward to.

Aelin cleared her throat, thankful that he was unable to read her mind. “So what’s good here?” She asked, flipping through the menu.

He leaned back in his seat, opening his own menu and hummed. Aelin felt his foot brush against hers. There was a wicked gleam in his eye as glanced up at her and back down at the menu. “The glazed chicken is good. As is the seared salmon and the ribeye. Depending on what you like.”

“Sounds like you come here a lot,” Aelin noted.

“Every now and then,” Rowan said. “Important clients that pay a lot. That’s in the afternoon, though. The ambiance is a lot better at night.”

“How so?” Aelin asked, curiously.

“Far more romantic,” Rowan said.

Aelin chuckled and nodded.

“Care for wine?” he asked. “Or another drink?”

“Wine is perfect,” Aelin said.

“White or red?” he asked.

Aelin thought for a moment. “White.”

He nodded, and when the waiter returned a moment later, he ordered a bottle. After ordering their salads and main courses, it was only each other that they had to keep themselves occupied. 

“So, tell me something about yourself,” Rowan began. “I know you’re a teacher, and you have a crazy best friend that spends too much time at your house.” Aelin laughed and he went on, “What else?”

Aelin let out a breath. “I like music. I love to play the piano. I was trained in classical piano growing up, but now I just play for fun. It’s an outlet, for sure.”

Rowan had arched a brow. “Really? I’d love to hear you play.”

Aelin grinned. “I don’t play for many people, not anymore. You’ll have to prove yourself worthy first.”

“Prove myself worthy?” he repeated, and Aelin couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, fair enough. I’ll be sure to work on that.”

“Good,” Aelin said, unable to break her eyes away from his. “What about you? What do you like to do in your free time?”

He released a breath that was close to a laugh. “I’m a single dad with a five-year-old. I don’t have a lot in the way of free time. But I like to read. And I like music, too, but I don’t play any instruments. Lorcan and I used to go to little local shows by the river during the summer. I like to hike and camp, though I don’t remember the last time I did either.”

“Sounds like we have a todo list then,” she said, smiling as the server brought their wine. Waiting until their wine was poured and they were alone again, Aelin took a drink and asked, “How did you end up with someone like Ollie’s mom?”

Rowan cringed slightly. “You don’t dance around the conversation, do you?”

She smiled and he was glad to see it was still genuine. “I find it easier to get right to the point.”

“Right,” he agreed and sighed. “The short and sweet story is she was a college hook up that resulted in the best thing that ever happened to me. But it also resulted in a loveless marriage that wasted three years of my life that I’ll never get back.”

Aelin nodded and waited for him to go on, but when he didn’t she said, “I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “It’s alright. What happened has happened and I’ve learned to deal with what’s come after it.”

“You two don’t get along?” she asked.

Rowan didn’t need to ask who she was talking about. “No, not so much. She’s kind of a hot mess, if I’m being honest. It’s why I have custody and she only sees him a handful of days a month.” 

“Well, after getting to know Ollie this week, I can tell that he’s very well taken care of,” Aelin said, and watched as Rowan’s eyes lit up. “You’re a good dad, it seems.”

“Thanks,” he said, smiling softly. “I try.”

Their salads came and soon after that, and their main courses weren’t far behind. 

The conversation flowed as easily as the wine did and Aelin found herself wanting to learn as much about Rowan as she could. She offered up just as much of herself, and before they knew it, the server was back with the bill and Rowan was taking Aelin’s hand and leading her through the restaurant.

Aelin was looking out at the Orynth skyline while they were waiting for the valet to return with Rowan’s car, when she felt his gaze on her. She turned towards him, but hardly had the chance to ask, “What are you—?” before his lips were on hers.

His thumb brushed over her cheek as he deepened the kiss and then he pulled away just as quickly as it had begun. “Sorry,” he whispered, breathing heavily. “I’ve been thinking about doing that all night.”

He left Aelin feeling breathless. She wanted to grab him by his collar and bring his mouth right back to hers, but she didn’t. His car was pulled up to the curb and, once again, he held open her door for him and she slid inside.

Once he was behind the wheel, they were off. He reached across the middle console and took her hand, their fingers fitting perfectly together. 

“I’ve had a good time tonight,” he said, the radio playing quietly in the background. 

“Me too,” Aelin agreed. “I’m not ready for it to end quite yet.”

Rowan raised a brow. “What is it you had in mind?”

“We can go back to my place, have a drink,” she suggested, quietly, her voice low. “Or yours.”

“Mine is…” he hesitated and laughed, but went on, “a bit of a mess. Ollie had to pack his favorites to take with him tonight and tore the entire house apart looking for his Yoshi stuffed animal.”

“Oh no,” she laughed, covering her mouth.

“Don’t worry, he was found in the backseat,” Rowan sighed, rolling his eyes. “Right where he left him when he left for school today.”

Aelin chuckled quietly. “Well, we can always go to my place again. You know it’s private.”

“You sure?” He asked, smirking over at her. “Lysandra won’t be around?”

“She went home, though I’m sure she’ll be texting to ask how my night went first thing in the morning,” Aelin replied, Rowan’s finger tightening in hers.

“And what are you going to say?” He asked, brushing their joined fingers along her bare thigh.

“I guess it depends,” she cooed.

He dared a glance over at her again. “On what?”

“Whether or not you stay the night.”

Rowan shifted in the driver’s seat as the corners of his lips twisted. “Well, I guess it depends,” he said, repeating her previous statement.

Aelin glanced sideways at him. “On what?”

“Whether or not you ask me to,” he said, and pulled into her driveway. 

As he put his car in the park, they looked at one another. Aelin’s head fell to the side. “Are you always such a gentleman?”

Rowan’s jaw twitched and he said, in a low voice, “If you’ll remember our time together last week, you’d know that I’m not always a gentleman.”

Aelin’s cheeks heated as she sucked in her bottom lip.

Rowan opened the door for her and locked his car behind him as they made their way up the front porch steps. 

Their mouths were on each other’s before they crossed the threshold. 

There no illusions about their night would be ending. It had been clear from the beginning, and throughout the night, Aelin’s need for Rowan only built. She was near frantic as she worked on the buttons of his jacket, then his white dress shirt. He’d foregone the tie tonight, and Aelin was absolutely fine with it as she pushed the fabric over his shoulders and backed him into her living room. His legs hit the arm of the couch and he pulled back to ask if they should go to her room, but Aelin’s lips found his jaw, then his neck and chest, and then she was on her knees in front of him and every thought in his head disappeared.

“Hmm?” She kissed his stomach and then his hips. “Were you going to say something?”

As her fingers curled around the waistband of his slacks and her lips pressed against the spot above the button holding them together, Rowan blinked down at her, trying to remember how to speak. “Bedroom,” he managed to get out. Why did it sound like he’d been gargling with gravel? “Shouldn’t we go to your bedroom?”

“I think right here is just fine, don’t you?” She asked, popping open the button and sliding down the zipper.

Rowan held his breath.

The last time he and Aelin had fucked, it had been quick, wild, like animals charging at one another for a quick release.

They’d gone three rounds, and they all happened in a whiskey-hazed blur.

This time, though, Aelin would take her time with him. She had a feeling that he wouldn’t mind. 

With a tug on his boxer briefs, she was seeing every glorious inch of him, already hard for her.

She glanced up at his face once more, wetting her lips as she wrapped a hand around his cock. She squeezed him gently and he hissed, shifting his hip forward.

“So impatient,” she cooed, bringing her lips to the tip and pressing a kiss there.

Rowan had to suppress a groan as her tongue began to swirl around the swollen head. She had no idea just how patient he was being. After two years with no sex, the week before had been amazing, but now he was like a drug addict who had freshly relapsed. He would do anything for that next hit and having Aelin on her knees before him was a special kind of pleasurable torture. Sure, he wanted her mouth on him, wanted to watch as her lips wrapped around his cock, but that was just a tease for what he really wanted.

And that was to be buried as deep inside of her as he could be while she came on his cock, screaming his name.

He knew that was likely in his future though, so he’d enjoy every torturously amazing moment of having Aelin’s warm, wet mouth wrapped around him. He tightened his fingers in Aelin’s hair as she started to bob her head, not even sure how his hand had ended up on the back of her head.

She moaned, the sound vibrating against his sensitive skin. He breathed her name and it only made her head bob faster.

“Let me see you,” he begged, quietly, and Aelin didn’t hesitate. She slid the sleeves of her dress down, the low back making it easy to do so. When the green, sparkly fabric laid around her waist, she looked up to see his reaction through her long, dark lashes. His eyes were dark as they swept across her breasts. Aelin had never thought she was so gifted in that area, thought her tits were decent at best, but the way Rowan was looking at them made her think otherwise.

With her spare hand, she reached up, giving one a squeeze and she could have sworn she heard Rowan growl.

It filled her with more satisfaction than it should have.

She quickened her pace, closing her eyes and enjoying the sound of him groaning, falling to pieces in her hands.

She relished in the sound of her name falling from his lips.

“I’m close,” he grunted, and Aelin knew it was his way of warning her. But she wouldn’t stop, not like he was asking her to. She wanted him to lose control, wanted his release, wanted to feel him cum into the back of her throat.

She felt the most beautiful then, knowing there was nothing he could’ve done to stop the pleasure coursing through his body.

Aelin sucked harder, moved faster, squeezed tighter, and at the first gentle skim of her teeth against his shaft, he was groaning, unable to stop the orgasm from slamming into him.

Aelin took him all in, all of his release, didn’t stop until his moaning had stopped and the hand tightened in her hair loosened. 

She swallowed and looked up at him.

His tattooed chest still heaved, and his eyes, full of lust, watched her. As she slowly stood, her hands grazed up his abdomen. 

“How was that?” she asked, quietly.

His response was a curse, nearly inaudible but filthy. 

“I didn’t realize you were so…” 

His words trailed off but Aelin supplied, “Naughty?”

Rowan laughed quietly as she reached full height. He took her dress, still draped around her waist, and pushed it down until it was on the floor. His arms snaked around her. “Naughty.”

“That sounds like a compliment,” Aelin crooned, arms going around his neck.

His forehead laid against hers as he said, “Oh, it is. It most definitely is.”

She was almost surprised when he caught her mouth with his, his kiss devouring her again. Suddenly, she found herself falling and her back was pressed against the couch cushions and his fingers were hooking into the waistband of her thong. Looking down at him, she found his eyes on her, dark and full of sensual lust.

“May I reciprocate?” He asked, kissing the inside of her thigh.

She nodded. “I was hoping you’d ask.”

Rowan slipped her thong down her legs and tossed it aside. As he spread her legs wide and settled between them, he studied her sex intensely before even making a move toward it. Aelin was about to ask him what was so interesting, but then he ran his finger between her folds. Aelin settled back onto the couch cushions and her eyes fluttered shut as his tongue followed the same path. At the taste of her, Rowan groaned. Grabbing her ass, he pulled her closer into him, her ass perched on the edge of the couch,  and took her clit between his lips, circling it with his tongue. 

“Ro,” she breathed, and he liked the nickname. 

He feasted on her, slowly, tauntingly, until her hips began to shift and her body began to writhe beneath him. 

He held her hips down to keep her in place and she moaned so loudly that Rowan felt his cock twitch. It only made him hungrier. 

Those sweet, little sounds coming out of Aelin’s mouth grew louder and her nails dug into his shoulders. She would surely be leaving marks that he would wear with honor. 

As she fell over the edge, her legs wrapped around his head and she groaned, drawing his name out low and slow. She gasped as her back arched and Rowan’s broad hand laid over her abdomen, drawing her orgasm out as long as he could.

When she came back down from her high, she was breathing heavily and riding on ecstasy. Rowan sat up to lay atop her, but she caught his shoulders and flipped them, her lips crashing into his. His back hit the cushions and he was seated on the couch, Aelin straddling him.

She reached between them, positioning him at her entrance and began to sink down.

They both moaned together.

A moment of clarity hit Rowan through his lust. “Condom?” He asked. He hoped he’d asked last time. He could remember pretty much everything about that night, except whether he’d worn a condom.

Way to go, dumbass, he told himself.

“I’m on the pill,” she breathed.

They only looked at each other for a moment before Rowan cursed and said, “Good.”

Aelin continued her way down his cock, only stopping when she was seated to the hilt. Rowan’s hands found her hips, and her body fit perfectly into his hands.

Her hips rocked back and forth and all that could be heard in the silence of Aelin’s living room were their heavy breaths and their quiet curses, the sound of skin on skin.

Rowan’s eyes nearly shut but he forced them to stay open, forced himself to keep watching the goddess riding him. His jaw clenched as he took in her beauty. Her palms were placed flat against his chest. Her head was tilted back, her long, golden hair hanging loosely down her back. 

Her lips were parted. At the start of the night, they had been painted pink, but they had been wiped clean. Now, they were swollen, which Rowan found a hell of a lot more attractive. 

Rowan’s fingers tightened around her hips and he thrust himself up into her.

Aelin gasped, and her eyes snapped to Rowan’s. He pulled her face down to meet his and he kissed her, meeting each roll of her hips with a thrust. She cried out and he swallowed each moan and groan until he could feel her quivering around him.

He squeezed her ass once before standing, lifting her and flipping her over until she was pinned beneath him on the couch.

The new angle has his cock reaching a new angle and Aelin was seeing stars.

Their lips parted and she buried her face in the crook of his neck. Rowan was gripping the cushions on both sides of her head, having a hard time keeping himself up off of her as his movements grew jagged. 

“Fuck,” he breathed before he groaned, unable to hold himself back much longer.

Aelin’s legs were shaking around his hips. She grabbed onto his wrists and squeezed as she came around him.

A feeling that had Rowan ready to combust. 

For the second time that night, Rowan fell over the edge. His thrusts became slower and slower as he rode out his orgasm, and by the time he was done his body was covered, damp with sweat. 

Aelin wrapped her arms around him as he fell down onto her.

They were silent until their breathing evened out, and even then, neither of them moved for a moment. 

Aelin lifted her head to look at Rowan, who looked like a man who had been destroyed and rebuilt, a man who could take on the world.

He captured her lips in his and made love to her long into the night.

[snelbz]

Every Other Weekend {7}

Summary: Rowan was just looking for a night of fun after his divorce. Aelin was looking for one last reckless moment before selling her soul to her everyday grind of 9-5. Neither had any idea of just how much one night could change somebody’s life.

Warnings: Mature content throughout. Language, sex, drinking, etc. Explicitly NSFW will be labelled at the beginning of chapters containing NSFW content. 

A collab with @theladyofdeath

Aelin was packing up for the day when Phillipa, the principal and, more importantly, Aelin’s boss, peeked her head around the corner. 

“Busy tonight?” She asked. Aelin couldn’t tell if it was a loaded question or not, if it was business or pleasure.

“No,” Aelin answered, hesitantly.

“Good. The PTA has asked that you attend tonight’s meeting at six.”

Aelin blinked, still not having moved from her original spot. “The PTA?”

Phillipa shrugged. “Wouldn’t hurt to get to know some of the school’s parents a little more. I’ve heard good things about this group. Might even be fun.”

Aelin doubted it, but agreed nonetheless. She had three hours until six, three hours to unwind and wait anxiously to find out what this group of rich parents wanted from her.

She felt like she was going to throw up.

Glancing at the clock, Aelin knew that there was no way Rowan and Ollie had made it home yet.

Fitting the phone between her ear and shoulder, she sat down in her chair and flipped through the drawings her class had down at the end of the day. She had just found Oliver’s rendition of a puppy and was chuckling softly when Rowan answered.

“Hey, beautiful. You on the way home?”

“Not quite,” she sighed. “Don’t order me anything for dinner tonight. Principal Spindlehead just asked me to stay for the PTA meeting tonight.”

There was a beat of silence before Rowan asked, “Why?”

“I’m not sure,” Aelin replied, flipping each drawing over and re-writing each students’ name on the back and dating it. “But I don’t know how late they go, so I-.”

“You’ll be out at seven-thirty, at the latest,” Rowan interrupted.

That took Aelin back. “How do you know?”

“Because Maeve is on the PTA. She has been since we enrolled Ollie there in preschool.

Oh gods.

“Belittling people is something she’s good at, she joined the PTA at the first opportunity given.”

Aelin was certain she was going to be sick now.

“Hey,” he went on after a minute, when it was clear she wasn’t going to respond. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“Yeah,” Aelin said, uncertainly. “I’m sure you’re right. Not exactly how I want to spend my night, though. I’d rather be snuggled up with you boys on the couch watching a movie.”

“Yeah, we’ve gotten used to you around here,” Rowan said, and she knew he was smiling.

Since Maeve found out they were dating, they’d gotten even closer. It had been a few weeks since the fiasco, but Aelin had stayed at Rowan’s, Oliver knowing and all.

And she was pretty damn happy.

“I’ve gotten pretty used to being there,” she said. 

“I’ll still order you food, yeah? I’ll keep it in the fridge until you’re done. Call me when you’re on the way home.” Aelin smiled at the word, but Rowan was clearing his throat. “To my…you know…house. We’re not…just call me when you’re done.”

Aelin laughed quietly. “I will.”

They said their goodbyes, Ollie hollering his from the backseat, and Aelin hung up.

Which left her to do nothing but wonder and worry until the meeting started.

She tried to keep her mind busy, went ahead and got her holiday lesson plans organized for the upcoming few weeks. It was almost winter solstice, and Aelin couldn’t wait to decorate her classroom,  couldn’t wait to celebrate with her kids.

Or with Rowan.

They’d decided they would take a long weekend as their gifts to each other. He was going to ask Maeve to keep Oliver the night before her scheduled weekend and go up into the mountains to Allsbrook. The small mountain town was lit up during the holidays and Aelin had always wanted to visit.

After re-organizing her classroom, Aelin checked the clock, finding it was nearly 5:45. She took a deep breath and grabbed her purse, heading for the auditorium.

It was already full of people, mostly women, dressed to impress and huddled into groups. Aelin spotted Maeve near the stage but pretended not to as she sat near the back and waited.

A few minutes passed before the president of the PTA sat on the stage behind a desk and a mic and called the meeting to order. Everyone else sat near the stage but they didn’t seem to mind Aelin being off on her own.

If anyone else even noticed. 

They talked about a few miniscule things before diving right into the list she had before her. 

“We’ve been asked to do a fundraiser for the Winter ball…” 

Aelin tuned out again. She didn’t care much about the ball. Fourth and fifth grades went every year with a parent as their date, but Aelin’s students were a few years off from that yet. 

“Now to bring up the concern of some parents in the kindergarten class.” Aelin’s eyes snapped up. “Maeve, you’d like to lead this discussion?”

Aelin watched as Maeve stood and made her way up onto the stage. When she was before the mic, her eyes went straight to Aelin.

“It’s come to the attention of a few members that some of our kindergartners aren’t being taught proper manners and respect, as laid out in Staghorn Prep’s handbook,” she said, folding her hands in front of her. 

There were a few murmurs from some of the parents but Maeve went on. “Miss Galathynius has been having the students refer to her as something other than her last name, and a few of the parents find that inappropriate. Which, of course, isn’t even the most inappropriate thing Miss Galathynius has done.”

Aelin wanted to melt into her seat as the auditorium turned as one to look at her.

Maeve was trying to single handedly turn the entire school against her.

“What, exactly, has Miss Galathynius done that is so inappropriate, Ms. Mallory?” the president asked, eyebrows raised as she looked between Maeve and Aelin.

Maeve didn’t bat an eye. “Miss Galathynius is having inappropriate relations with a parent of one of her students.”

The president raised her brows. “And how do you know of this?”

“Because he is the father of my son,” Maeve replied, simply.

For a moment, the auditorium was silent, but then the president said, “This seems like a personal matter, Ms. Mallory, considering there’s nothing in the handbook about parents dating teachers. Changing her name, however-.”

Maeve’s lips thinned. “Are you truly telling me that her name is worse than the fact that she’s dating a father-.”

“This is not the situation we discussed prior to this meeting,” the president said.

Philippa stood, and Aelin was glad she’d befriended the woman in her first few weeks in town. “Miss Galathynius and Ms. Mallory’s ex-husband have both spoken to me and the headmaster personally about the relationship. I’ve also spoken to Oliver, as well, which I’m sure you’re aware of, Ms. Mallory. They were both up front about their relationship and Oliver is not being given any preferential treatment.”

The murmuring around the room started anew, but Aelin couldn't tell if it was a good or a bad thing.

“Right,” the president nodded towards Aelin in the back. “Miss Galathynius, would you like to say anything?”

There were quite a few things she wanted to say to Maeve, but she would keep them to herself for now. She nodded and stood, stepping into the aisle and walking towards the front so nobody would have to crane their necks to see her. Pausing in front of everyone, Aelin cleared her throat.

“As Ms. Mallory said, my boyfriend is one of my students’ fathers. We met prior to the school year, and I wasn’t even aware he had a son before he walked into my classroom on the first day of school. I’d be willing to sit down with anyone who has any questions or concerns, should you wish to seek me out.”

Short, sweet, and to the point. She swore she could see Phillippa smirking from where she sat.

The president nodded. “And, regarding what you have your students call you?”

Rolling her eyes, Aelin looked directly at Maeve. “My students call me Miss Aelin.”

“And why don’t they call you Miss Galathynius?” She asked.

Snorting, Aelin turned to the president. “You try to teach ten five-year-olds how to say Galathynius.”

She heard more than a few chuckles from throughout the auditorium, but the only thing Aelin noticed was Maeve’s icy stare on her.

“Fair enough,” the president said, trying to hide a smile of her own. “Is there anything else you’d like to bring up, Ms. Mallory?”

Maeve gave the room a tight lipped shake of her head as she went off the stage and took a seat.

Aelin left, fuming.

She could count on her hand how many times she had been so furious throughout her life. She had been humiliated. Maeve had tried to bring her down in front of her place of employment, a school that she loved.

And she had no fucking right.

Aelin loved Rowan, loved him wholly and in a different way than she had ever loved anyone else, but the thought of dealing with Maeve forever? The thought pissed her off even more.

She would do it, of course.

For Rowan.

For Oliver.

But it didn’t mean that she wouldn’t express her frustration, wouldn’t stand up for herself and not be used and abused by a woman she hardly knew.

For a moment, Aelin considered waiting for Maeve to come out, to finally have the conversation they should have had weeks ago, woman to woman. But Maeve had been ignoring her, wouldn’t respond to her emails requesting a time to sit down, would walk right past her when she was picking up Oliver. She couldn’t ignore her if she waited by her car, but she knew Maeve would twist that into how she somehow felt threatened by Aelin. So instead, she got in her car, sent Rowan a text letting him know she’d be there soon, and sped off, stopping by her house to change.

On the drive to Rowan’s, she called Lysandra, who picked up on the second ring. “Hellooo, bestie.”

Aelin answered with a dramatic groan.

“Your day went that well, huh?”

“I don’t even know where to begin telling you about how my day went,” Aelin said, then realized that was the whole reason she had called her best friend to begin with. “Maeve.”

“Ah,” Lysandra replied, as if the name alone made it all made sense. “Tell me when and where and I'll kick her ass.”

“You threaten to kick a lot of ass but I’ve never seen you swat a fly,” Aelin said, chuckling. Lysandra laughed, but Aelin was shaking her head. “I just…don’t know what to do.”

“About Maeve?”

“Yeah,” she said, simply. “I love Rowan, Lys, but I cannot stand this woman.”

“In your defense, I don’t think anyone can stand that woman,” Lysandra responded. “Are you having second guesses because of it?”

Aelin hated herself for hesitating. “No. I want to be with Ro and I want to be there for Ollie. I just don’t know how to do all this. Not with her. It’s still new territory.”

Lysandra sighed and Aelin could practically see the way Lysandra was idly twirling her long, dark hair around a finger. “Unfortunately, Ace, I don’t think there’s a magic fix for this one. You’re dating a guy with a kid. Short of a genie and three wishes, there’s going to be an unhappy ex waiting in the wings.”

As she merged off of the interstate, Aelin gave Lysandra an overly dramatic sigh. “Why are you literally always the voice of reason?”

“Because I love you and want what’s best for you,” she quipped. “And Rowan is definitely what’s best for you. He also, coincidentally, loves you almost as much as I do. So ignore Maeve, pretend she doesn’t exist, or let me know when we’re TPing her house, but no matter what, remember that he chose you, not her.”

They hung up as Aelin was pulling into Rowan’s driveway and he was at the door before she could even knock. “Hey, how was it?”

Smiling even though she still didn’t quite feel like it, she said, “Hi.”

Rowan pressed a kiss to her cheek as she walked in and then her legs were being squeezed as Ollie ran to her. “Hi, Miss Aelin!”

Maeve’s words from the meeting clanged through her. Proper manners and respect. Inappropriate.

“Hi, Ollie.” She’d hesitated, but he didn’t notice before running back into the living room.

Rowan, it seemed, had. “What happened?”

They walked into the kitchen, where Aelin made a beeline for the fridge. She opened the doors and found not only a bottle of her favorite wine, but also a bottle of whiskey, bless him.

He shrugged when she glanced at him over a shoulder. “I wasn’t sure what kind of mood you’d be in after the meeting, so I wanted to be prepared.”

Shaking her head, Aelin reached for the bottle of wine and got a glass from the cabinet before opening the bottle and pouring a glass.

Rowan hummed and said, “So it couldn’t have been that bad if you’re choosing wine over whiskey.”

She took a large drink, exhaling before she said, “Maeve brought up our relationship in front of the entire PTA and Principal Spindlehead.”

Rowan stilled and asked, “She did what?”

“She told the PTA that our relationship was inappropriate and I had to defend us,” Aelin said, taking another long drink. She continued to give Rowan a recap of the whole thing and for the entirety of it, he remained quiet but she could tell he was filled with anger with every word she spoke.

“I don’t want you to worry about it,” Aelin added when she was done. “Don’t bring it up, don’t retaliate. I just…it was embarrassing.”

“Honestly, you can’t expect me not to do anything,” he replied, green eyes simmering.

“I expect you to do exactly that.” She drained her wine and sat the glass down, turning towards the counter. “Because calling her, yelling at her, that’s exactly what she wants you to do, Ro. She’s trying to get a rise out of us-.”

“She’s trying to make you lose your job!” he interrupted.

“But we won’t let her win,” she went on, pretending he hadn’t even spoken. “She can’t win if we refuse to play her game.”

Rowan could see it then, that he wasn’t the only one livid about the events that occurred at the PTA meeting.

He should have been there, should have assumed that Maeve was going to pull some bullshit like this. The timing of the meeting was too perfect to be coincidental. She’d been too quiet the past few weeks, had hardly even acknowledged that either of them existed.

He should have seen this coming.

“Besides,” Aelin began, cupping Rowan’s face in her hands. At her touch, he began to relax. “Things are good with the three of us.” She nodded to Oliver playing with his trucks on the living room rug. “I don’t want him to be put in the middle again. We saw how that went last time.”

Rowan closed his eyes as he nodded. “I know. I get it. You just don’t deserve to be treated like this.”

“I can handle it,” Aelin promised. “If she’s our only obstacle, we’ve got nothing to worry about. We’ll be just fine.”

Rowan nodded again before turning his face to plant a kiss in the middle of her palm. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she breathed, and she was beginning to realize that she had never meant those words more than she did when she said them to Rowan. “Now, what did you get me for dinner?”

Despite himself, Rowan laughed. He went to the fridge and pulled out a to-go box from Luca’s and opened it up.

“You know me so well,” she smiled, taking the box from him.

While she heated her chicken parmesan up, Rowan began setting up a movie, knowing it wasn’t long before Ollie would be dozing off. She ate in the kitchen, listening as Ollie gave Rowan his running commentary on how he thought Simba would do as king one day. Chuckling as she rinsed her plate, Aelin listened for a few more minutes before joining them. She sat down on the other side of Rowan on the couch, but Ollie was climbing over him to wedge himself between the two. Rowan could only shake his head as he wrapped his arm around Aelin’s shoulder, pulling them both in tightly against his side. Out of his peripheral, he could see Oliver holding Aelin’s hand. His thumb was idly bushing back and forth over her palm, and her head was resting against Rowan’s shoulder.

She was right. What they had going was good, damn near perfect, and he wasn’t about to let Maeve ruin that for them. Rowan pressed a kiss to the top of Aelin’s head and basked in the moment.

The movie was just about over when Rowan glanced down and found Ollie’s eyes closed. He nudged Aelin, who glanced down, eyes softened and smiled. Scooting over just a bit, Rowan softly shook Ollie’s shoulder. “Hey, buddy, time to go to bed, okay?’

His dark eyes opened and he nodded, leaning heavily onto Aelin. Rowan chuckled, but rubbed his back. “Let’s go upstairs and get ready for bed and tucked in.”

With sleepy eyes he looked up at Aelin and then back to his father. “Can Miss Aelin tuck me in?”

Rowan looked to Aelin, deciding to let her answer for herself. She looked from Rowan to Oliver and smiled. 

“Sure. Come on, buddy.”

She picked up the sleepy boy bb and carried him up the stairs to his bedroom. By the time she walked into his room, he was asleep on her shoulder.

“You know,” Aelin said, into his ear. “I’m pretty sure you still need to go potty, brush your teeth, and put on your pajamas.”

Oliver groaned. “Too sleepy.”

“Dad's rules,” she crooned.

Oliver sighed and wiggled until he was on the ground, groggily walking across the hall to the bathroom. He came back a moment later with an empty bladder and clean teeth. Aelin helped him pick out his pajamas before excusing herself to give him some privacy while he changed.

A moment later, Aelin was sitting on the edge of Oliver’s bed with a book in her hand.

“Ready?” She asked.

With a yawn, he nodded. 

She went with one of her classic favorites, one she was delighted to see on his book shelf.

Opening the book, she began, “If you give a mouse a cookie, he will ask you for some milk…”

Not even ten minutes later, she was walking down the stairs. Rowan had changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt and was wearing a telltale headset that Aelin knew connected him to Lorcan.  He was focused on the television in front of him, not even noticing Aelin as she headed into his bedroom down the hall. She changed into comfy clothes of her own, a pair of sleep shorts and one of Rowan’s University of Wendlyn sweatshirts and padded back into the living.

At the sight of Aelin’s bare legs, Rowan’s eyes flicked between the television and his girlfriend. “Hey, I gotta get off after this game.”

Aelin assumed Lorcan must have said something about how he had just gotten online, because Rowan sighed and promised he’d get on earlier the following evening.

At the end of the match, true to his word and to Lorcan’s dismay, Rowan did shut down the game console and wrap Aelin in his arms. “Ollie fast asleep?”

“Didn’t even make it to the mouse’s nap,” she replied, resting her cheek against his chest.

Rowan chuckled, spreading out his long legs on the couch, Aelin’s legs draped over his. “He’s always been a good sleeper.”

“Well, you sleep like the dead, so that doesn’t surprise me.”

Rowan’s laughter huffed along the top of her head. “He really likes you, you know. Talks about you all the time, how much he loves having you around. He’s lucky to have you. We both are.”

Aelin didn’t know why tears were forming in her eyes, but they were. She whispered, “I’m the lucky one.”

His arms around her tightened as he laid his cheek on the top of her head. His fingers swept through her hair, relaxing her more and more until she had fallen into a deep sleep, her body wrapped around his.

All night, even after such an eventful day, all she could dream about was just how lucky she really was.

[snelbz]

Every Other Weekend {9}

Summary: Rowan was just looking for a night of fun after his divorce. Aelin was looking for one last reckless moment before selling her soul to her everyday grind of 9-5. Neither had any idea of just how much one night could change somebody’s life.

Warnings: Mature content throughout. Language, sex, drinking, etc. Explicitly NSFW will be labelled at the beginning of chapters containing NSFW content. 

A collab with @theladyofdeath

TW: Trauma, death, grief.

It had taken nearly an hour for Oliver to settle after Rowan had left with Maeve. Aelin explained to him as best she could that his mommy was okay, she just needed help getting home. It was so much worse than that, but she didn’t let herself think about that, not as she tucked him back into bed, staying with him until his breathing evened out. She cracked his door and tiptoed back downstairs, retrieving her phone from the bedroom. With a sigh, she saw that Rowan’s own phone was still on his nightstand, forgotten there as he was leaving with Maeve.

It was almost three in the morning as she made her way back out into the living room, the sparkling tree in the corner shining in multicolored hues. Peeking out the window, she saw that the snow had begun to pile up. If it kept up through the following day, Aelin knew there was a good chance she’d be out of school on Monday. She silently urged it to keep snowing, wanting nothing more than a day to be snowed in with her boys.

Curling up on the couch with a blanket, Aelin turned the television on, turning on a movie and aimlessly scrolling through her social media pages.

Before she knew it, she awoke with a jolt, not having realized she dozed off. Aelin sat up, looking around the house. “Rowan?”

She didn’t hear an answer, but she got up regardless and headed into the bedroom. The bed was empty, the sheets exactly how’d they’d been left when Maeve had interrupted the most amazing orgasm Aelin had had in a while.

But that was the last thing on her mind currently.

Rushing to the bathroom, she flipped on the light switch, finding the room empty as well.

Panic began to build as Aelin glimpsed the clock and saw that it was fifteen minutes until five.

Rowan should have been back a long time ago.

With a curse, Aelin began to pace the floor.

It wasn’t that she was worried about his devotion tonher. She wasn’t worried about cheating, wasn’t worried about him making a move on Maeve. She was however worried about the snow, worried about the slick roads, worried about the chaos that could occur when a winter storm hit. She was worried about his anger, worried about his mindset when he had a left, when he had begun to drive her home. She did not know a lot about their past relationship, but she knew Rowan. She knew that he felt with his whole heart and nothing more. With Oliver asleep, she was left to drown in her thoughts alone. 

Half an hour passed, then another.

She called Lorcan.

Four rings passed before he answered, and when he did, his voice was sleepy. “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Aelin. I’m sorry to bother you, but… Rowan took Maeve home and hasn’t come back,” She said, without a breath. “I’m getting worried.”

She heard a soft voice in the background and Lorcan murmured, “No, I’ll be right back,” before he addressed Aelin again. “Let me guess. She was drunk off her ass?”

Aelin nodded and then remembered she actually needed to respond for him to hear her. “Yeah, she had passed out before they even left.” She gnawed on her lip. “He forgot his phone here. I’m worried.”

“If I’ve told him once, I’ve told him a hundred times. He needs to get a restraining order for her on the house.” He sighed and added, “I’ve got a buddy on patrol in that area tonight. I’ll have him stop by and make sure everything is okay.”

“Thank you, Lorcan,” she replied, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Where is Oliver?” He asked, and his voice had taken on a slightly panicked tone.

“He’s here, with me. Sound asleep in his bed.”

“Good. Good.” It was quiet for a second. “Give me a few minutes, Aelin. I’ll call you back after I talk to the officer in that area.”

They hung up and Aelin sat back down on the couch. There was no going back to sleep, not until she knew Rowan was okay, not until he was safe and sound next to her.

She waited for Lorcan to call her back in the dead silence. As the time passed, Aelin meandered back into Rowan’s bedroom.

She sat on the bed and wondered about the horror that was going on.

Rowan had acted like it wasn’t a big deal, like it had happened a hundred times before. She knew Rowan was the kind of man that would take a woman home that couldn’t drive herself. She loved him for that but it didn’t make it any easier.

When Aelin was drifting away, her phone finally vibrated. 

“Hello?” She answered.

“Aelin,” Lorcan responded, and his voice was broken.

It instantly had Aelin sitting up. “What’s wrong?”

There was a beat of silence. “There… I need you to meet me at the hospital.”

No.

“What happened?” She was up, shoving her feet into the first pair of shoes she found.

Another heavy silence and Aelin could have sworn she heard the man on the other sniffling. As if he were…crying.

“Lorcan, what happened?” Aelin pushed, hurrying through the living room, heading for her purse by the door.

He said, “He’s- There was an accident.”

Aelin froze. She was instantly transported back to another place, another time, but a sinking feeling all the same. “Is he dead?”

Her voice sounded hollow, far away.

“No, thank the gods,” he breathed and Aelin heard genuine relief there, though it was still edged in fear. “He’s in surgery. He’s…in bad shape.”

She continued the path to her purse but froze at the door. “Ollie. Lorcan, I can’t leave Ollie.”

“Elide is on the way there, she should be there any minute.”

Aelin nodded and continued to hold the phone up to her ear, although she didn’t say anything. Neither did Lorcan, although his shaky breaths continued to come through the line. He stayed with her, though, on the phone in the silence until Aelin saw Elide’s car pull into the snowy driveway. She kept it running and hurried up the front porch steps.

“She’s here,” Aelin said, quietly. “See you soon.”

They said their goodbyes as Aelin opened the door. Elide had been crying, her eyes were red, and Aelin hadn’t even realized that she had been crying until Elide pulled her into a tight hug.

“Take my car,” she said. “It’s already warm and my tires are new.”

Aelin didn’t protest. She told her new friend thank you before getting behind the wheel and slowly driving the two miles in the snow storm to the hospital. When she arrived, Lorcan was waiting for her just inside the door.

They walked through the halls together and Lorcan filled her in on what he had been told. Once the ambulances arrived on the scene, they rushed Rowan and Maeve to the emergency room and they were both quickly rushed into surgery. Lorcan didn’t know a lot about Maeve’s current condition, but he knew Rowan was fighting for his life.

Rowan hadn’t been the one to lose control of the car, but a truck had been coming the opposite direction. The truck hit a slick spot and hit Maeve’s car head on. Rowan had suffered a shattered brow bone that left him with not only unbearable pain, Aelin was certain, but a concussion. His shoulder was broken, too, according to the doctor Lorcan had spoken with, but they weren’t too worried about that. Broken bones would heal with time.

He was currently undergoing surgery for the bleeding in his brain. 

“They won’t know the severity of how it will affect him until he wakes up, but if the surgery is successful, the doctor said he would hopefully be waking up soon after.”

“And if it’s not successful?” Aelin had asked.

Lorcan didn’t answer, but his grim expression was enough.

And so they sat in silence in the waiting room. At one point, Lorcan left without saying much, returning a few moments later with coffee from the hospital cafeteria. When Aelin softly began to cry, Lorcan put a comforting arm around her. There was nothing romantic in the gesture, just two people sharing strength in the face of a devastating tragedy.

A doctor in a pair of dark scrubs, mask still over his face, stepped out into the waiting area and Aelin’s entire body filled with dread as his eyes searched the room, landing on them.

“Stay here,” Lorcan whispered and stood, crossing the room and pausing in front of the man.

They spoke in hushed tones, the doctor nodding his head as he responded to Lorcan’s questions. After a few moments, Lorcan shook the man’s hand and he went back through the swinging double doors behind them.

Yet Lorcan didn’t move. He stood there, staring at the closed door, as if he could see all the way to wherever Rowan was. She heard him clear his throat before he headed across the room back to her.

His face was unreadable, wearing the mask of the officer who had to give and receive bad news all day long. She opened her mouth to try and speak, but found her voice was gone.

Sitting down, Lorcan finally said, “Rowan is still in surgery. They were able to relieve the pressure on his brain and staunch the bleeding. They’re finishing up the procedure now and he’ll be moving to a recovery room shortly.”

A whoosh of air left Aelin. “Thank god.” She looked at him then and noticed Lorcan was still tense, still had the haunted look in his eye he was trying so hard to hide. “What’s wrong? I thought that was good news.”

“It is, he’s…he’s going to be fine,” Lorcan said, closing his eyes and taking a breath. “Maeve’s injuries were too severe. They did everything they could, but…she’s gone, Aelin.”

Aelin blinked. “She’s…dead?”

Lorcan nodded.

“Oh, gods,” she breathed, tears welling in her eyes.

They never would have been in this situation, she and Rowan would have been in bed asleep right now, had Maeve not shown up drunk on the front porch. Rowan would have never had to take her home. All of this was a product of what Maeve had done.

Yet Aelin couldn't stop the tears as they ran down her face.

Her own feelings of Maeve aside, the anger and resentment she had towards the woman, she had been a mother. Oliver had loved her as a son should love his mother. She prayed that his memory of the night before would be forgotten, that he was too tired to absorb the situation. That was not the way that a child should remember his mother for the last time. 

Aelin had lost her mom. Oliver was too young to bear such pain.

She’d also lost her dad, too. She lost them both, in the same way Ollie had almost his. But by the grace of the gods, Rowan was going to be okay.

Lorcan remained silent, staring at his hands in his lap. She knew he was having all the same thoughts, there was no need to voice them. 

So they sat, and they waited, and when Aelin felt like she was going to explode from the way that time was moving agonizingly slow, she stood and paced around the waiting room. Lorcan went to refill his coffee twice, talking to Elide as he came back the second time. He hung up when he reached Aelin, who was now leaning against one of the far walls.

“Oliver’s awake, eating breakfast,” he said, quietly. “Wondered where you two were this morning.”

“What did Elide tell him?” Aelin asked.

“The truth,” Lorcan admitted, sighing. “Although, she didn’t get into how bad it really is. Just let him know that Ro is here, and a doctor is helping him feel better.”

Aelin frowned, wondering if Oliver had asked about Maeve at all, wondered if he remembered that she had been present the night before. If not, that was a blessing in itself. 

It was a little after nine when the same doctor as before appeared and began walking towards where the pair was waiting. As he did so, Aelin swore she wasn’t breathing. 

“He’s out of surgery and has been put in a recovery room,” he explained, gently. “He’s still asleep, but all of his vitals are exactly where they should be.”

Aelin let out a breath and a sob all at once, and Lorcan’s hand reached for hers to give her balance. 

“You may go see him now,” the doctor continued. “If you’re ready, I’ll show you to his room.”

Aelin was moving before he finished his sentence. 

He paused before a closed door, explaining to them what they were about to see.

It still didn’t prepare Aelin as he quietly pushed the door open and let them inside.

The soft sob that tore from her was as much as she allowed as she looked at Rowan lying in the hospital bed. She was thankful for Lorcan’s hand still in hers, because she was fairly certain she would have fallen to her knees if he weren’t there beside her.

There was little of the handsome face she loved visible beneath the bruising, stitches, and swelling. He was nearly unrecognizable, a bandage wrapping around his head and down over his left eye.

The doctor excused himself and Aelin slowly walked in and sat in a chair by the window, afraid to get too close. She hadn’t been in a hospital in years, and the last time she had still haunted her, just as she knew this experience would. 

Lorcan walked to the foot of the bed, though, and crossed his arms. 

“Fuck,” he breathed, and swallowed before walking around to Rowan’s side. He took Rowan’s limp hand in his and stood there for a moment before gently laying it back down on top of Rowan’s abdomen. “Will you, uh, keep me posted? If anything changes, I’ll come right back. I’m gonna go see Oliver and El.”

Aelin nodded. “Of course.”

Lorcan watched Rowan for another minute before patting Aelin on the shoulder and leaving.

When it was just the two of them, the monitor beeping in the background, Aelin got the courage to move her chair to his bedside.

As she took his hand in hers, Aelin suppressed the urge to cry again. She knew they were far from being the last tears she cried over everything happening.

“I doubt you can hear me,” she breathed, rubbing her thumb back and forth along the back of his hand. “But I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. Ollie is-.” Her voice broke as she imagined the news Lorcan and Elide were going to have to break to Oliver. Selfishly, she was glad she wasn’t the one to tell him about Maeve’s death.

In the back of her mind, she wondered who would be the one to tell Cairn, then she realized she had too much else to worry about. He wasn’t her concern.

“You’re going to be fine,” she whispered, and she honestly wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince his unconscious form or herself. With shaking fingers, she reached out and skimmed her fingers along his cheekbone. It was bruised, like every other part of him. “We’ve got a long road ahead of us, but I’ll be there all the way. I love you.”

She was crying again, but she knew there was no shame in her tears. The more she thought about it, about how close she came to losing Rowan, her sobs grew heavier and heavier until her face was buried in the mattress next to his sleeping body.

She must have fallen asleep there, because the next thing she knew, her shoulder was being shaken gently and she was up on her feet.

The nurse held up her hands in a placating gesture. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I just need to check his blood pressure and other vitals.”

Trying to calm her racing heart, she nodded and moved back to a chair by the window. The nurse moved around his bed, checking charts and monitors, adjusting his IV’s and dosing out more new medicine.

Aelin realized the nurse was talking to her just in time to have no idea what she’d said. She shook her head, trying to clear it, to make room for some clarity in her jumbled mess of thoughts. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

She smiled softly. “I said that my name was Sorscha, and if you need anything, to ask for me personally. I’ll be sending a cot up so you have somewhere to sleep if you need it.”

The gratitude Aelin felt was nearly overwhelming. “Thank you, I-.” She swallowed roughly. “Thank you.”

Sorscha gave her another smile and was gone.

Aelin looked at the clock on the wall. It was nearing three in the afternoon.

She realized she’d never called Lysandra or Aedion, or even Principal Spindlehead, to let them know what was going on.

She did that as she waited, calling them all one by one. First Principal Spindlehead, then Aedion, and lastly Lysandra, who talked with her for half an hour and listened as she sobbed. Lastly, she called Lorcan, just to check in. It was almost four by the time Aelin finished making her calls. She took a seat next to Rowan, yet again, and took his hand in hers. She leaned down and pressed her lips softly to the back of his hand, then to each of his fingers.

“Aelin.”

It was hardly a whisper and for a moment, Aelin just thought she was sleep deprived and imagined it.

When she looked up, though, she met Rowan’s tired gaze through his one swollen eye.

Aelin’s hand went over her mouth and she sobbed. He watched her, his breathing still shallow but even. 

“Ro,” she cried, and kissed his hand again and again. His fingers tightened around hers.

“I heard you,” he whispered. “I love you, too.”

She hurriedly pressed the button to alert Sorscha that he had woken, but she didn’t take her eyes off of him. After helping him to a few sips of water, she was holding his hand once again.

“What happened?” He asked, voice still quiet, scratchy, as if every word hurt.

“You don’t remember?” She asked, brushing his hair off his forehead.

For a moment, he didn’t reply but then she saw the recognition in his eye.

“Maeve?” He asked.

Aelin swallowed hard as she shook her head.

A thousand emotions rushed through Rowan’s eye, and Aelin reached up to gently brush away the tear that had fallen down his cheek.

“Is Ollie-?” He frantically tried to look around the room.

“He’s at home,” Aelin said, bringing his gaze back to her. “Lorcan and Elide are with him.”

His next words were heavier. “Does he know?”

She closed her eyes against the tears threatening to spill over again. “Elide told him what happened when he woke up this morning and we weren’t there.” She paused to collect herself and her eyes dropped to their joined hands. “Lorcan was going to tell him about Maeve when he got to the house.”

Rowan’s lips pressed firmly together as he closed his eyes. “I want to see him.”

Aelin was about to tell him that maybe that wasn’t such a good idea, but before she could, Sorscha came in.

“Glad to see you awake,” she said, smiling in way of greeting. “I’m just going to do a quick check up then I’ll answer any questions you have.”

Rowan didn’t say anything as she checked his vitals and when she was done, he answered her questions as plainly as possible.

It was still another full day before Rowan was able to have any more visitors. He still was battered and bruised, but he thankfully looked more normal than he had when Aelin had first seen him by the time a soft knock sounded on his door just before dinner time. Rowan looked towards the door as Aelin hurried to the door and slipped out.

She was met with Lorcan, Elide, and a teary-eyed Oliver. Before she could stop herself, Aelin dropped to her knees and wrapped him up. His tiny arms wrapped around her and she felt him bury his face in her neck.

After a minute, he pulled away, those dark eyes full of tears, he asked, “Is my daddy okay?”

Aelin gave him a sad smile. “He’s okay, buddy. He’s hurt pretty bad, so we have to be careful with him, but he’ll be okay.”

Oliver sniffled and nodded as Aelin opened the door and carried him inside. The second they walked in, Rowan was smiling.

“Hey, buddy.”

Aelin set him on the floor but Oliver moved toward the bed hesitantly, looking around at the machines that were beeping around Rowan.

“It’s okay,” Rowan said, softly, and held out his hand. 

Another tear slid down Oliver’s cheek as he approached the bed and hugged his father. Rowan softly rubbed his back, even though Aelin could tell every movement hurt him. 

The sight broke Aelin’s heart and she could hardly bear watching it, but she did nonetheless. Elide and Lorcan stood just inside the doorway, his arm around her.

Oliver cried about his mom, and Rowan had told him that it was okay to be sad, to miss her. He walked Oliver through all of his injuries, and told him how long each of them would take to heal. As time went on, Oliver’s tears dried and he eventually fell asleep on the bed next to Rowan. Neither of them had the heart to move him, not when he needed strength only his father could give him.

It wasn’t much longer that Lorcan and Elide left, the latter having brought Aelin a bag of clothes and toiletries. She thanked her and hugged both she and Lorcan, not expecting the bond that had formed between herself and Rowan’s stoic best friend. They’d been through hell together that night though, had been each other’s support system as they both waited.

And then it was just Aelin and Rowan, Oliver still out cold tucked against his father’s side. Neither of them knew what to say, neither of them knew what to do.

But nonetheless, Aelin took Rowan’s free hand, careful of the IV taped to the back, and pressed a kiss to it.

The next few months would be hard, there was no doubt about that. Rowan had a long road to recovery and Oliver had a grieving process he’d have to go down, and they’d help him every step of the way.

They didn’t know what the future might hold, but they were certain of one thing.

They would have each other.

[snelbz]

Every Other Weekend {1}

Summary: Rowan was just looking for a night of fun after his divorce. Aelin was looking for one last reckless moment before selling her soul to her everyday grind of 9-5. Neither had any idea of just how much one night could change somebody’s life.

Warnings: Mature content throughout. Language, sex, drinking, etc. Explicitly NSFW will be labelled at the beginning of chapters containing NSFW content. 

A collab with @theladyofdeath

Rowan slammed the door of his car so loudly that he was certain it alarmed the neighbors.

He didn’t care, though.

They weren’t his neighbors.

Forgetting to look behind him, he put his car in reverse and hauled ass out of her driveway, thankfully not hitting anyone or anything as he sped down the road and out of her neighborhood.

He should care for her, even if only a little bit, should have a minuscule ounce of respect for her, but he didn’t. His ex-wife was the worst of the worst and the only good thing that had ever come out of their relationship was just left at the bitch’s house.

Rowan felt sick every time he had to leave his son there, but by law, he had to every other weekend. 

And if nothing else, Rowan obeyed the law.

With the exception of now, when he was driving fifteen over the speed limit.

His phone vibrated from where it hung on the dashboard and he slid across the screen, where Lorcan’s name had popped up.

“Where the hell are you?” Lorcan asked, in a way of greeting.

“On my way,” Rowan grumbled. “Had trouble leaving.” 

“Well, hurry up,” Lorcan replied, and Rowan knew he’d be asking for all the details as soon as he arrived. “I’m two drinks in. You’ve got catching up to do.”

It had been a day from Hell itself. He’d had two separate clients that just didn’t show up and the third he’d met with gave him a case he was sure he’d lose, but he’d try his hardest to work with what he had. Then at lunch, his ex-wife had decided she was too busy to come pick their son up, as previously agreed, and now he had to drop him off.

That would have been fine, if he hadn’t already had plans.

That would have been fine, if he hadn’t known she was going to fuck with him in any way she could.

That would have been fine, if her piece of shit boyfriend hadn’t been there to try and start a fight.

It took everything in Rowan to leave Oliver there, only knowing Maeve, regardless of how she treated him, really did love their son.

So instead, Rowan was hauling ass across town, only to end up at a bar that was two blocks from his office, that he should have been at two hours ago.

When he walked in, he shouldn’t have been surprised to find Fenrys on Lorcan’s other side, hitting on a blonde that was so far out of his league, it was commendable that he was even trying.

“Sorry I’m late,” he muttered, sliding onto the stool by Lorcan.

“Nice of you to show up,” he said, throwing a glance over at the back of Fenrys' head.

“You know Maeve,” he grumbled, flagging the bartender down for a whiskey neat. “If she’s not busting my balls or ruining my life, what else would she be doing?”

“Running Hell, I’m sure,” Lorcan muttered. 

Fenrys looked over then and, for the first time, realized that Rowan had arrived. He gave his friend a lopsided grin and nodded towards the blonde. “This is Asterin.” The glaze in Fenrys’ eyes told Rowan that his friend had far more to drink than Lorcan did at this point, which is probably why Fenrys would end up making a fool of himself with such a beautiful, poised woman.

It wasn’t that Fenrys was unattractive. Actually, he was known to be the most attractive of their group of friends. However, he was a sloppy drunk which tended to turn most women off. 

Rowan mustered his best smile at Asterin before thanking the bartender for his drink and taking a giant gulp.

Lorcan watched Rowan do so before asking, “It’s going to be a night of sleeping in your office so you don’t have to drive home drunk, isn’t it?”

Rowan snorted but didn’t correct him. He wasn’t sure yet. 

“So tell me all about it,” Lorcan said, waving for a new drink. “What has the Grand Bitch of Orynth done this time?”

Rowan took another drink before sighing. “I don’t know. She just pisses me off. She already made me mad by changing the schedule, then I get there and that dickwad of a boyfriend of hers is there and telling me how I was late. He literally told me that I was dropping my son off late when I wasn’t even supposed to be dropping him off in the first place. So, naturally, I told him to mind his own fucking business, and do you know what he said to that? You don’t order me around in my own house.” A humorless laugh escaped him. “Apparently, he moved in with Maeve, so now that prick is going to be around my son every other weekend, too. I about kicked his ass. If Maeve hadn’t thrown me out, I would have.” 

“And what did Oliver have to say about your little encounter with his new step-daddy?” Lorcan asked.

Rowan shot him an exasperated look before rubbing his temples. “I’d already told him bye. He was upstairs in his room, unpacking his bag.” 

Because Maeve didn’t have any clothes for him. Rowan always packed a bag, and he always got a bag full of wadded up, dirty clothes back. 

It wasn’t that Maeve couldn’t afford clothes, but in her words, If he’s only here four days a month, what’s the point? You make plenty of money.

Rowan didn’t fight it. At least he knew he would have what he needed if he always packed Oliver’s bag himself. 

After a moment, Lorcan asked, “You know what you need?”

“An ex-wife that’s not a piece of shit?” he mumbled.

“No,” Lorcan said, clapping Rowan on the back. “That’s just wishful thinking. Pointless. You need to get laid.”

Rowan drained his glass and asked for another before saying, “I think a few drinks will do the trick.”

Lorcan, the bad influence he was, was not known for giving up. “When was the last time you got your dick wet?”

Rowan thanked the bartender for his newly filled glass before saying, “Must you talk so inappropriately while we’re out in public?”

“You talk far worse,” Lorcan noted. “At least, you used to. Now you’re a working father, too classy for us lowlifes.” 

Rowan couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re a pain in the ass. Remind me why we’re friends.”

“Once you’re friends for twenty years, it makes it a little more difficult to get rid of people,” Lorcan said, and leaned on the bartop with his elbows. “I mean it. It’ll do you a little good, getting out there. Even if it’s nothing serious. Remind yourself what it’s like to have fun, for once. Relieves the stress.”

Rowan considered for a moment, but shook his head. “It would complicate things.”

Lorcan rolled his eyes. “It would do the opposite of complicating things. It would take your mind off of how shitty things are for a while.”

Sighing, Rowan tossed the rest of his drink back. “I’m not the kind for hookups. Look at what happened last time.”

Lorcan looked inclined to agree, but Asterin had apparently gone to the bathroom and Fenrys had finally picked up on what they were talking about.

“The last time you hooked up with someone was when you made Ollie?”

Rowan sighed. “Yes, Fen.”

“Wasn’t that like…” He did a quick tally on his fingers. “Five. He’s five. Max is six.”

“Very observant of you. Glad you know how old your own son is, too,” Lorcan replied, pulling the nearly full beer out from in front of him when he wasn’t looking. He slid it down until it was in front of Rowan.

“You didn’t hook up with anyone after?” He persisted, ignoring Lorcan.

“No,” Rowan snapped.

Even Lorcan was surprised. “You haven’t had sex with anyone since your divorce?”

Rowan huffed and drank from Fenrys’ beer bottle, which was now his, thanks to Lorcan. He wouldn’t complain about the free drink. “I’ve been a little busy the past two years, in case you haven’t noticed.” 

“But five years without sex?” Fenrys asked, still oblivious that he was missing a drink. “Two years,” Rowan corrected. “Me and Maeve may have hated one another, but fucking was the only thing we did right in our marriage.”

The rough, sadistic coupling Maeve liked could only be called fucking, Rowan had never made love to her once in their sham of marriage. He hated it, hated that he had to treat her like shit for her to get off, that she wanted to treat him the same way.

Lorcan whistled. “Still. Two years, no sex? No wonder you’re always acting like you’ve got a stick shoved up your ass.”

“I came here to wind down and you two are stressing me out,” Rowan mumbled, and downed the rest of the beer before asking for another whiskey. “I don’t need sex. I’m fine.”

“Tell that to your hand,” Lorcan muttered. “I’m sure it’s raw and tired by now.”

Fenrys grinned but then Asterin was back and he was back to obnoxiously flirting in that drunken way of his. It seemed she was a fan of it if the smiles she gave him were any indication.

Rowan shoved Lorcan so hard that he nearly fell off his barstool. 

The bastard was grinning. “Surely you’ve missed it.”

Rowan didn’t respond. Of course, he missed it. He was a man, he was human. There were very few things more thrilling than being so intimate with another person, and it had been a long, long time. In college, he’d had his fair share of women after he’d lost Lyria, but that ended when he got Maeve pregnant. Two months later, they were at the courthouse signing their marriage certificate, and seven months after that, they were bringing Oliver into the world. 

“Come on,” Lorcan pushed, and turned towards the room, leaning back against the bar. “What about…her?”

Just to humor him, Rowan followed Lorcan’s line of sight and found a beautiful, red-headed woman on the dance floor. She was beautiful, but Rowan just shook his head. “She’s so drunk her boobs are about to come out of her dress.” 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Lorcan said, before continuing to scan the horizon. He paused and pointed to a girl who’s dark skin was shining under the neon lights at the bar. “Her?”

Rowan sighed and said, “She looks like she’s seventeen, I’m not even sure she’s old enough to be in here.” He continued to look around the bar, his eyes skimming over each person, even if he had no intention of taking any of them home tonight.

“You have to be twenty-one to even get in,” Lorcan defended, but apparently had given up on his hunt for Rowan’s next hookup. He turned and got each of them a new drink, setting Rowan’s in front of him. He gave a dramatic sigh and said, in a voice dripping with sarcasm, “Fine, go home by yourself and continue to be miserable, I guess. Don’t say I didn’t try to help you.”

He smirked and threw a glance to his oldest friend, but he found Rowan staring across the bar, at a group of people sitting around the high top tables, laughing and having a great time.

Rowan said nothing, he didn’t even indicate he’d heard Lorcan speak.

He scooted the glass over a bit more and said, “Here you go, man.”

Rowan was still focused on the table

across the room.

“Ro?” Lorcan tried again, giving him a little nudge.

Blinking, Rowan turned towards his friends. “Sorry, what were you saying?”

Lorcan followed where his gaze had been across the room and scoped out the group. “Which one caught your eye? The brunette?”

“No,” he answered. Then added, “None of them. I was just looking around.”

Lorcan studied them more and said, “It was the blonde, wasn’t it?”

Rowan said nothing, just sipped from his glass.

With a look over at Rowan, Lorcan pulled out his wallet and flagged down the bartender again. “See that blonde by the dart boards? He’s buying her another drink. Whatever she’s having.”

He handed cash to the bartender, who smirked, having heard quite a bit of their conversation, before going to fulfill Lorcan’s request.

“Fuck you,” Rowan scoffed, nearly shoving Lorcan off his stool again.

Lorcan drank from his glass and said, “You’re welcome.”

Sighing, Rowan turned to glance back over his shoulder at the table he’d been watching before.

He found a pair of eyes on him, just as they had been from across the bar when he’d been looking before. The bartender appeared then, setting a glass in front of her, and murmured something in the girl’s ear. Rowan watched as the smile on her lips bloomed into a full blown grin.

Her eyes found his again. He knew he should have turned around and pretended Lorcan bought her the drink - which he technically had - but there was something that captivated him from across the room.

Fuck it, he decided. If Lorcan thought he needed to get laid so bad, maybe he would. Lorcan may have been right.

Instead of doing the smart thing, instead of finishing his drink and heading home, Rowan grabbed his whiskey, sipping it, and turned around so he was facing the room, rather than the bar.

Except she was gone.

He tried to pretend not to react to that little fact, but at his confusion, Lorcan was chuckling and nudging Rowan in the ribs. 

His head jerked right and there she was, walking towards him. Her drink was in her hand and she was sipping from it lazily.

Her face had been beautiful, of course. It was what caught his eye in the first place, her beauty, but the dress she wore definitely complimented every inch of her tall, lean body. 

He remembered how to act like a normal human being, barely, as she approached him.

“Hey,” he said, as Lorcan slowly turned away to mind his own business.

“Hey,” she said, her voice cool. She raised her glass. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” he said, attempting to lounge against the bar in a smooth, no-stick-up-the-ass kind of way. “Looked like you needed another.”

“I like a man that pays attention,” she agreed. “I’m Aelin.”

“Rowan,” he said, and hated himself for already being so turned on. Two years without sex and she was by far the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

She grinned, like she could read every thought that crossed his mind. Inclining her head towards the open stool next to him, she asked, “Is that seat taken?”

“What about your friends?” He asked, and then cursed himself for even caring.

Looking over at them over his shoulder, Aelin shrugged and sat down on the stool next to him. “They’re big kids, I think they can handle themselves,” she said, stirring her drink as she sat it down on the bar in front of them. “Besides, I think I’d rather be over here.”

Aelin smiled and he swore, she was somehow even more beautiful up close.

“I like you over here, too,” Rowan replied, finishing off his whiskey. “I’ve never seen you in here before.”

“And this is your go-to spot?” She asked, looking up at him. He nodded and she explained, “I actually just moved back into the city. My family moved to Adarlan when I was fifteen.”

“You made friends fast,” Rowan replied, looking back at the group she’d left. He resisted the urge to look over at his own friends. All two of them.

Her laughter washed over him and he looked back at her, finding those unique eyes on him. “I kept in touch while I was in Rifthold. Easy to make friends when you already have them.”

“That’s fair.” He found himself wanting to touch her, wanting to put his hands on her. He could only think of one way he could do that without seeming like a creep. “Would you maybe want to dance?”

Aelin glanced at the dance floor before setting her drink down. “Sure.”

He took her hand and swept her onto the floor as the live band played. Typically, he wouldn’t dance at all, but he needed to feel her curves under his hands. Thankfully, dancing with her was easy.

Their bodies moved together to the beat, and at one point her hands fell from his shoulders to his chest. Her palms pressed flat against him had him pulling her closer.

When the first song finished, they continued to the next, and the next, and then Rowan was leaning down and whispering into her ear, “Want to get some fresh air?”

It was not an original line, but it was one that did not leave any room for curiosity about what he was thinking, what he was intending. 

Her eyes lit up as she nodded. “I could use some fresh air.”

Her tone was playful, but her steps were quick as she took his hand and they made their way to one of the back doors that went out to the patio.

It was a warm, summer evening in Orynth, and for that reason, the patio was almost as full as the bar itself. Thanks to Rowan’s height, they were able to find an open spot against the railing.

It was cozy, not that Rowan was complaining.

Aelin reached up and tugged on Rowan’s tie. “Full suit and tie. So fancy. What do you do for fun?”

Rowan opened his mouth to answer but paused. He had been positive she was going to ask what he did for a living and he was about to attempt to make being a lawyer far more exciting than it actually was. The question drew him up short

“Well?” She asked, and tugged on his tie again.

“I…” Rowan was struck with hesitation as he realized he didn’t know what he did for fun. Any and all of his free time went to Oliver, not that he didn’t love it.

Oliver was the best thing that had ever happened to him, regardless of being tied to Maeve for the rest of his life.

“I read,” he said, at last, and scratched his chin. “I hang out with my friends. I don’t know,” he laughed. “What do you do for fun?”

She took a moment to think about it as she watched him, that light in her eyes remaining. “I also hang out with my friends and read,” she said, then added, “I love to read, actually. I hang out with my dog. She’s pretty great. In the summers, I travel a lot. I teach, though, so that takes up most of my time between August and May.”

“Fair enough,” Rowan said. “Teaching, that’s a good profession.”

Aelin nodded. “What do you do, suit and tie?”

Rowan snorted. “Lawyer.”

“A lawyer?” Aelin repeated. “Wow. Impressive.”

Rowan shrugged, knowing full well how impressive it was. Getting his degree had been a pain in the ass, especially supporting Oliver and Maeve, who’d dropped out of college after getting pregnant. He didn’t want to talk about that, though.

“You’re very beautiful,” Rowan said, and brushed her hair back behind her ear. “I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful.”

Aelin rolled her eyes but her cheeks turned a darker shade of pink. “Is this what you tell all the girls you want to take home?”

Rowan arched a brow. “And how do you know I want to take you home?”

“Because you made a point to get me away from your friends.” At Rowan’s blank look, she added,

“No one wants their friends to see them get rejected.”

He blinked. “Does that mean you’re rejecting me?”

Grabbing that tie again, she tugged him down until her lips were crashing against his. After a moment of surprise, Rowan stepped closer, his tongue sweeping into her mouth as his arm slipped around her waist. Her hand tightened on his chest and she tasted like sunshine and honey and the first day of summer.

Pulling back, she asked, “Did that feel rejection?”

Rowan was breathless. “Not at all.”

“Good,” she crooned and took a few steps towards the doors that would lead back into the bar. Rowan stood there, staring like an idiot. Glancing back at him, she gestured for him to follow her. He didn’t need to be told twice.

“I need to tell my friends I’m leaving,” she said, as they paused just inside.

He nodded. “I need to close out my tab.”

“I’ll wait for you out front,” she promised, and grabbed his face, bringing his lips to meet hers.

And just like that, she was gone, leaving Rowan wondering if he’d imagined her.

He found his spot still unoccupied at the bar, most likely due to Lorcan’s constant state of brooding.

“Where’s your new friend?” He asked, sucking on a piece of ice from his glass.

“Saying goodbye to her friends,” Rowan replied as nonchalantly as possible, pulling out his card and handing it to the bartender.

Lorcan clapped a hand on his shoulder. “That’s my boy.”

Rowan chuckled but said nothing more as the bartender handed him back his card, he signed his bill, and was out.

He was the first one outside and for a moment, he thought he may have been getting set up. Then, Aelin walked out the door, a clutch in her hand, and she asked Rowan, “My place or yours?”

Rowan nearly stumbled. “I’m on the other side of town. Where do you live?”

“A few blocks down on Maple,” she replied, and grinned at him as she gestured to the car-filled parking lot. “Please tell me you drove, because I rode with my friends.”

Rowan nodded, taking only a moment to remember what he was about to do, where he was. “Yeah, follow me.”

He led her to his car and opened the passenger door before making his way to his own. She slid in effortlessly, making herself right at home adjusting the radio as he got behind the wheel.

“Don’t like my music?” he asked, putting the car into drive.

“It’s not the 1980s,” she replied, shaking her head and chuckling. It was cute as hell. “You’ve got to listen to something a little more modern.” 

“Modern music is trash,” he mumbled, but let her change the station, nonetheless.

She gave him directions to her house and as they drove they talked about all the different types of music they liked.

Rowan wouldn’t hear that Metallica sucked, and Aelin stood by her love of both Blink-182 and 5 Seconds of Summer. 

“5 Seconds of who?” he asked, as he took a turn onto the street she had ordered him to. 

“Summer,” she laughed. “Seriously? How old are you?”

Rowan grinned. “I didn’t think that much older than you, but now I’m getting worried.” 

“Well, I’m twenty-five,” she said. “I feel that should be validated before you walk through my front door.”

“Fair,” Rowan said, and she pointed at her house. “I’m only two years older.”

“Good,” Aelin said, and he could feel her eyes on him as he pulled into her driveway and put his car in park.

“Nice place,” he said, killing the engine.

She laughed, quietly. “You haven’t even seen what it looks like on the inside.”

“I’m going to be honest,” he breathed, reaching across the car and sliding his fingers into her hair at the base of her head, pulling her towards him. “I really couldn’t give a fuck what it looks like inside.”

He kissed her and he swore he heard her whimper softly. She pulled away and said, “Well come see anyways,” before winking at him and opening the car door.

He was out of his own in a matter of seconds.

Admittedly, they were in a nice part of town, not far from his office. Most of the houses were older, had been here for years, but were well maintained. Aelin’s was no different. Summer flowers filled the flower beds and climbing ivy was beneath each window of the two story home. The shutters were painted a cheery, bright blue and she had a porch swing our front, but that was all he got to see before she was taking his hand and tugging him up the front steps.

She unlocked the door and he heard nails clicking on hardwood headed for them. She murmured, “Incoming.”

A golden retriever bounded into the entry way from what he assumed was the living room but froze upon seeing him.

“Come here, say hi,” Aelin said, squatting down into the dog’s level. She was immediately hurrying for her owner. She attacked her with kisses and affection and excitement. “This is Fleetfoot,” she laughed, looking up at Rowan.

Rowan welcomed the dog openly. Or, at least he tried to. 

He had never been a fan of pets. Not because he didn’t like animals, but because he preferred his personal space and pets didn’t seem to grant anyone personal space. 

Nonetheless, he petted Fleetfoot’s head before making his way inside of the house. 

“She’s sweet,” Rowan muttered.

“She’s perfect,” Aelin agreed. As she closed the door behind them, she said, “Make yourself at home.”

Rowan wasn’t sure how to do that, but he nodded, nonetheless. Aelin kicked off her heels and tossed her clutch on her counter before turning to Rowan. “Drink?”

“What do you have?” he asked, meandering into the kitchen.

“Wine,” she said. “Vodka.”

“I’ll have what you’re having,” he conceded. 

“Vodka it is,” she said, grinning as she took two glasses out of the cabinet by the stove. She filled them each halfway with a vodka, splashing in just enough orange juice to make it palatable, and handed one to Rowan. 

Rowan sipped from his glass before saying, “I have to admit that I don’t do this often.”

“Do what?” Aelin asked, although he knew she knew what he was implying. 

Rowan just chuckled and shook his head. “This.” 

“That’s okay,” Aelin said, quietly. “I don’t, either.”

Rowan nodded and before he knew it Aelin was setting her glass down and walking towards him. “Would you like a tour?”

“Sure,” he said, but she was stopping in front of him and he blinked as he looked down at her.

“So this is the kitchen,” she murmured, leaning up on her tiptoes to brush her lips against his again. It was a whisper of a kiss, but it had Rowan craving more. “And I have a few other rooms that I’m pretty sure you couldn’t care less about. But I also have a bedroom. A couple of them, actually, but I have one that’s a little better than the rest. That one’s mine.”

“I care about that one,” he breathed, his hand finding her ass and squeezing. “I definitely care about that one.”

“Then let’s go,” she replied, tugging on his tie once again. She dropped it and took his hand. He followed obediently behind her, doing his best not to stare at the way the dress she was wearing hugged every curve on her body.

The second they entered her room, Aelin turned towards him and started taking off his tie.

“You sure you want to take that off?” He asked as she pulled it loose and it slipped from his collar. “You’ve been enjoying it so far.”

“Something tells me I’ll enjoy what’s beneath far more,” she grinned, starting with the buttons of his white shirt. As more and more of his skin was exposed, her grin grew.

He’d make sure she enjoyed herself.

“I like your tattoos,” she said, rubbing her fingers along the dark ink on his left pectoral. It snaked up his neck and down his arm.

“Thanks,” he said, although he swore his voice hardly worked as she worked on the buttons of his shirt.

“What do they mean?” she asked, her fingers working smoothly as they undid button after button. 

“A lot of things,” he confessed, completely forgetting what each and every one of the marks permanently inked onto his body meant. Didn’t really give a shit either as her lithe fingers danced along the waistband of his pants. His voice was guttural. “Do you have any tattoos?”

“Why don’t you find out?” she asked, quietly, as she pushed the sleeves down his arms and threw his shirt aside.

Once his shirt was tossed in the corner of her room, Aelin took a step back and pulled down the strap of her dress, then the other. Before he knew it, he was looking at Aelin.

All of Aelin.

Her dress was in a pool around her feet and she wore nothing but her bra and panties. 

They were gold, and Rowan couldn’t think of anything other than the fact that Aelin looked fantastic in gold.

From what he could tell, she only had one. Something in script on her ribs. He couldn’t tell what it said, but he also didn’t care at that moment.

She motioned for him to come closer to her, which he happily did. “Do you have any more tattoos?” She asked, glancing down at his slacks. 

He did, one he was not proud of thanks to a night out with Lorcan in college. He had nearly forgotten about the hawk on his ass until now, when she would surely be seeing it. “Unfortunately, that’s for you to find out, too.”

She arched a brow and laughed quietly, but Rowan’s thumb was brushing against the tattoo on her ribs. Her smile faded and her body shuddered as his hands snaked around to the back of her and released her bra.

She’d barely gotten his belt undone before they were on the bed and he was burying himself deep inside of her.