Without me asking, he grabbed some vanilla ice cream from the freezer, and we ate in silence until he said, “Are you staying?” halfway finished with his plate.
It was a loaded question. “Yes. Though I think we need that moat.”
That was my way of setting the rules. I wanted Aiden for sure. I didn’t think it was the right time for us to act on our mutual physical attraction. We were friends and I didn’t want to lose that with one night of stellar sex, if the rumors about his abilities were true.
“One bed and one moat coming up.”
When the leftover pie was put away and the dishes done, I followed him up the stairs. With each step I wondered if this was what it would be like to cohabitate with the man.
With Evan I feared that we wouldn’t last living together. We were so different that way. I had a feeling that it would be easy with Aiden. It felt easy now.
Without asking, he handed me a pair of boxers. I kicked off my jeans and didn’t ask him to turn around. I didn’t fear him. I trusted him. Besides, the LAPD shirt of his I wore was practically a dress, longer than some. I pulled up the boxers and had to roll them several times.
He just stood there.
“Don’t be shy on my account. Sleep how you normally do. I don’t want to ruin your routine.”
What he said next threw a monkey wrench into that plan. “I sleep naked.”
If my inward self could come out, I would try to pry whatever hands were around my neck strangling me because naked, really. Naked.
“I’ll just leave my boxers on,” he said.
I didn’t have words, I tell you, as I watched him pull his shirt over his head. Then he pulled off his shorts. He wore boxers underneath but not the kind he’d given me to wear that were more traditional. The ones he had on molded to his ass and his package. Holy moly he’d been given the lottery winner of DNA mix.
He pulled the sheets back and I forced myself to slip underneath. There wasn’t a moat, but we laid there.
“Do you want the pillows?” he finally asked after a long moment of silence.
“I’m good,” I said, not sure what to do next.
He did. His arm came out and he pulled me to him. It felt right to curl up to his side. I rested my head on his chest and listened to him breath. Eventually, I was lulled into sleep. When I woke, we were on our sides with my back to his chest. I lay there for a while listening to his soft breathing and wondered why I never felt this way with Evan, the only other man I’d shared a bed with in this way.
I eased away from him and onto my feet. I stretched my body needing my morning run. Though I could drive home and run. It seemed stupid.
So I put on my sneakers and left Aiden’s house at a slow jog. It was different running here. The houses were widely spaced apart and there was nothing but the view of the mountains on the other side of the road. I found myself enjoying this better than running through town.
I nearly made it back when a car behind me slowed. A quick glance over my shoulder and I slowed too.
“Miss Hattie. Miss Hazel,” I said when we all stopped, and Hazel had rolled the window down.
“Emma Hawkins, what are you doing way out here?” Hazel asked.
“Enjoying the view,” I said, hoping they’d leave it at that.
Their blue and cherry red hair, respectively, shinned in the bright morning light.
“Did you know Aiden lives there?” Hattie asked.
They pointed to his house. I was grateful I hadn’t parked my car right out front.
“Nice old house,” I said, not committing to a firm answer.
They weren’t buying it. “You know Aiden worked for the LAPD.”
Crap. I was wearing his clothes. “Oh, this is my Love All People Dearly shirt. It’s a PSA for kindness,” I managed to say with a straight face.
“Lovely message. We have to go. We have a morning meeting at the church,” Hazel said before driving off, but slowly.
I stopped at my car and pretended to stretch because I didn’t have my keys. I waited until they rounded the corner before running into Aiden’s house and grabbing my purse. I couldn’t take the chance of them coming back to see my car still parked there.
Before I left, I had a moment of disappointment. I’d enjoyed my time with Aiden. Even if we were only friends, it had felt nice not to feel sad for a few hours.
I drove home in time to catch Miley who’d been at my door with a bouquet. She worked at Sadie’s mom’s flower shop, Blossom’s Florist.