Page 23 of Hockey Boy
Aiden knocks his knee against mine and grins. “Nah, it’s just you and me today.”
A shiver slides up my spine. “Jill doesn’t want to pick out the cake?”
“Jill doesn’t eat cake,” he says matter-of-factly. He tears off another enormous bite of his sandwich. “How are you liking living in Sara’s old apartment?”
The way he turns the conversation from his fiancée to me so easily should raise alarm bells. With any other man, I’d be concerned he was hitting on me, be concerned he’s a cheater, but none of those bells are ringing.
Because this is Aiden. ThoughthisAiden is mostly a stranger, there’s no doubt that he is an honorable man at his core. So instead of questioning his motives, I relax and take a bite of my sandwich.
Leaning back, I enjoy the warmth of the sun against my skin. “Honestly, it’s amazing. It’s like being in college again. Sara is always around. Her friends have become my friends. They’re the best. There are always people to work out with in the building’s gym. And the eye candy—” I nudge Aiden’s shoulder and waggle my brows. “It’s an all-around good time.”
He huffs out a laugh. “Usually, I’m all for sugar, but you should steer clear of that particular candy.”
“I’m more of a sampler, anyway. Just a lick here or there will hold me over. I don’t have a sweet tooth like you.”
Aiden sucks in a sharp inhale and proceeds to choke on his sandwich. Face turning red, he coughs and pounds his chest. “You cannot,” he says, gasping, “hook up with the guys on my team.”
Nerves skitter through me at the demand. “What?”
“By eye candy, you mean the guys in the building, right? They’re all players.”
I break out in a wicked grin. “I know. They play for the Bolts.”
“Lennox,” he groans, his face still red, beads of sweat forming at his hairline.
“Wow, pulling out the full name.”
Aiden sets his sandwich down on its bag and runs a palm over his face. “Unless you want me to beat up every single guy I play with, you have to promise me that you won’t go near them.”
“Aiden,” I laugh, even as a thread of unease curls through me. Why does he sound like he’s jealous? Why does the thought that he would be make me dizzy?
“Lex,” he says, his expression more serious than I’ve ever seen. “Promise me.”
I glance away. Shit. If we continue down this path, I’m liable to mount him. “I don’t sleep around, Aiden. I won’t go near your players, promise.”
“That’s not—” He sighs. “I wasn’t saying that you do.”
I plaster on a fake smile, ready to move on from this conversation. “I forgot to tell you—I signed you and Jill up for dance classes. The first one is tomorrow.”
Aiden frowns, his brows pulling together. “Lex, I’m sorry if?—”
Dammit. Why can’t he just let it go? With a hand on his arm, I give it a slight squeeze. “It’s fine. I know. This is a little awkward, huh?”
Aiden’s focus lowers to my hand, and I immediately let go.
His voice comes out a bit raspy when he replies. “Not awkward, just different.”
“It’s been over ten years. It’d be weird if it wasn’t a little strange, right?” I say lightly. At least I hope it comes out lightly. Nothing feels all that light right now.
As we sit side by side like this, it’s like time is unraveling. The years apart are revealing themselves through every word spoken.
When his brown eyes settle on me, I’m eighteen again.
Aiden angles closer and swipes a thumb over my bottom lip, his skin warm and rough. “You had a little chocolate,” he murmurs. With his attention fixed on me, he brings that thumb to his mouth and slides his tongue against it.
My entire body warms in a way that surely has my face and chest burning as pink as my hair.
“So you were saying something about dance lessons?”