Aiden gently lowered Claire to the floor.
Although he wanted nothing more than to continue enjoying what they were doing, there was a little mini version of her waiting in the bathroom all by herself. He looked down at her and chuckled. "I guess I'll have Aurora bring a change of clothes for you too then."
Claire didn't understand what he meant until she looked down at herself. Her shirt and jeans were now smeared with frosting after being pressed against him. She laughed with Aiden for a moment as he wiped her cheek clean of some more evidence of their earlier make out session.
"And here I was trying very hard to not to ruin your clothes." Aiden smirked while he licked the frosting he wiped off her.
"It's fine." Claire replied as she tip toed to peck his lips one more time. She turned around and stepped into the bathroom, but before she closed it she said one last thing. "Oh and by the way, you taste as yummy as you look." She winked at him and closed the door.
Aiden closed his eyes, took a deep breath and leaned his head against the bathroom door. Letting a deep sigh out, he smirked even wider than before. "Oh you are seriously playing with fire Angel." He opened his eyes and turned to leave the room. As he did, Aurora opened the door just as he was about to reach for it.
"I've brought some clothes for Miss Lily as you asked Master Aiden." Aurora told him. She couldn't help but grin at him due to how silly he looked covered in that candied mess.
"Thanks." Aiden grinned with her as he understood he was the reason behind her entertained expression. "Would you mind getting Claire a change of clothes too? She ended up getting stained as well." He said as he started to walk down the hallway to another room to take a very needed cold shower.
"I wonder how that happened." Aurora chuckled as she watched him go. She said it loud enough for him to hear causing him to chuckle as well..
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Claire helped Lily put on the clothes Aurora had brought them. The fact that they were her exact size didn't faze her in the least. Seeing as the Villan brothers had gone far enough to remodel a kitchen for her and dedicate an entire room for Lily to play in after only a few days of knowing them, was enough to understand that they were beyond detailed. And not to mention excessive when it came to pampering the ones they held dearly. They truly were an all or nothing couple of siblings.
After they both showered, Lily changed into a pair of flamingo pink sweatpants with a long sleeved gray shirt. In the middle of it was was the drawing of a baby flamingo wearing a crown and the word 'Princess' written in pink glitter. Aurora had also brought her some fuzzy socks to wear with a pair of flamingo slippers. All in all, the outfit screamed of two overbearingly doting men's doing.
In Claire's case, Aurora had brought her a pair of tight yoga pants with a long sleeved sweater that reached her mid thigh. Since it was getting colder by the day, both outfits were for them to keep warm. Claire also received a pair of fuzzy socks and some flamingo slippers that matched with Lily's. She couldn't help but smile at the thought that Aiden kept remembering to incorporate her silly little quirks into the things he constantly got for her.
With both of their heads wrapped in towels due to their wet hair, Claire walked out of the bathroom and into Aiden's room were he was already waiting for them.
Aiden was laying on the small sofa in front of the fireplace while reading a book. Once he heard the bathroom door open, he looked up to find the cutest two girls looking back at him. He smiled at them as he placed the book down and got up to walk towards them. "I can't believe you get cuter by the minute Princess." He said as he reached to carry Lily. After he did, he turned and gave Claire a kiss on the forehead. "And so do you Angel."
Lily tapped on Aiden's shoulder for his attention so she could talk. 'Did you pick out my clothes? They are very pretty.' She pointed at the flamingo on her shirt before she did the same with her slippers.
"Actually Lucas did. Are you comfy?" Aiden asked as he unwrapped the towel on her head while moving to sit back down in the same spot as before. Lily nodded to his question. She was very warm and comfortable. "How about yours Angel?" He asked Claire as he started to help Lily dry her hair.
Claire had also unwrapped the towel around her head and had started to do the same. "They're perfect. I'll also have to thank Lucas." She said to tease him.
"Very funny." He replied. The fact that she knew he was the one to pick out her clothes was written all over her face.
As he finished rubbing the towel into Lily's hair, he made a mental note to buy some hairdryers. Since he didn't use one he didn't have one. But anything he saw his girls could need or want, he would get. "But speaking of Lucas, he said you two had a date tonight. Do you know what he meant by that?" He asked Lily.
As if she had just remembered, Lily's eyes widened. 'Yes! Uncle Lucas said we could watch some movies!' She signed happily. As she finished saying so, the bedroom door opened and in came Lucas. It was as if he were waiting by the door to make a grand entrance after being mentioned.
"I'm here to pick up my date." Lucas said as he made his way towards them. He was wearing gray sweatpants with a pink hoodie which made both Claire and Aiden hold back their laughter. He was so whipped by Lily that he was even starting to match her.
"How about we meet you guys downstairs after Claire finishes drying her hair." Aiden said as Lucas picked Lily up in his arms.
"Maybe some other time Bro." Lucas said as he grinned at him. "This is a private event." He looked at Claire before he continued. "Since you've finally stepped out of that excruciatingly boring office life of yours, how about you two have a little movie night of your own." He winked at her and without waiting for a response he left with Lily. Closing the door behind them.
Aiden and Claire looked at the door in silence for a moment. They were both a bit shocked by what had just happened. Although for two entirely different reasons.
Aiden was somewhat irked by how Lucas was making it a habit of doing as he pleased when it came to Lily. A line he wasn't sure he should be crossing so easily. Sure Claire had been trusting with them, but seeing as in reality her daughter was always her top priority, he didn't want his sometimes idiot brother to push her more than she was willing to go.
Claire on the other hand was baffled. She had thought that Lily had taken such a liking to Aiden so quickly because of the way she also felt around him. But seeing her leave without even asking her, first blew her out of the water. It made her realize that maybe the reason behind her little flower's sudden change in behavior had nothing to do with her original assumption. Something she would have to look into.
Aiden sighed as he looked over to Claire who was still looking at the door while being absent minded. "I'm sorry about him. He was never very good at respecting boundaries. I'll talk to him." He said as he ran his hand through his hair.
Claire looked back at Aiden with a pensive expression before she walked over to him and sat down. "Thank you, but it's okay actually."
"Your face says otherwise." Aiden replied as he took the towel from her hands and continued drying her hair for her. Since it was still rather wet, it was a darker than her usual strawberry red color. It made her dark green eyes stand out even more.
Since Aiden already had one of his legs laid on top of the sofa, Claire was sitting between both his legs. Similar to the way they had sat inside his car when she first decided to give their relationship a shot. A memory that popped into her head along side many others as she tried to pin point the reason behind Lily's change in behavior.
"No really. It's fine." She said as she looked at the flames dancing inside the lit fireplace. "I know that Lucas is a good guy. He may be pushy, but it isn't in a bad way."
"Then why the long face?" He was paying close attention to her, but a the same time, he was enjoying the way it felt to touch her hair so freely. She really didn't have many reserves when it came to relaxing around him.
"Well, it's about Lily. She has never been as approachable or willing to let people in like she has been these past few weeks." She began to freely express her thoughts while Aiden continued to massage her head with the towel.
"At the beginning I just thought that she had grown fond of you because you were some kind of exception to her. But seeing how quickly she's come to befriend Aurora, Lucas and even the guys at the stables, has made me think otherwise." Claire leaned more into Aiden's chest as he continued with his gentle touch on her scalp. It was truly soothing. "For a moment I thought that maybe she had outgrown the timid side of her personality, but Colton and I have tried countless times to have her socialize with a few of the people around us. Not once has she been so quick to create bonds with others as she has with the ones that surround you. Maybe she just doesn't like the others."
Aiden finished drying her hair and threw the towel to one of the lounge chairs. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to his chest. Nuzzling his head in her neck, he closed his eyes and relished in the fact that her scent was now mixed with his own. Something that he liked more than he had expected he would. "I may not be an expert on the matter, but I don't think that's the case Angel."
"What do you mean?" Claire placed her arms over his as she too enjoyed in his embrace.
"Well based on what you've told me, and everything that I've seen for myself, she really is timid and reserved." He leaned back in his seat while he told her his theory. "I just think that unlike the times you and Colton have tried to get her to feel at ease around others, this time she can see you genuinely feel okay with having us in your life."
Claire shifted so she could see his face as he talked. "Lily is very smart. And when it comes to you she's especially perceptive. I don't find it that odd that she would rather get attached to the people around you that involve the you that's relaxed and happy, than with those who follow you under a chain of command. I think that in her mind, she relates the people at the base with the you who is always on alert. So trying to have her feel comfortable around them will certainly be more challenging than with us who are connected to you because of reasons she deems to be better. Homier even."
Claire felt as if she were struck by realization. She had been so into her attempts to make Lily feel at ease, that she didn't notice that what Aiden just told her could be true. Nobody knew how her Lily was especially in tune with her surroundings more than her. So the fact that she didn't take into consideration something so obvious made her feel blind.
Aiden felt Claire staring at him so her looked down at her. The look in her eyes was one he couldn't understand. "What? You think I'm too off?"
Claire smiled. "Not at all. I actually think you might be exactly right."