“Where are you taking me?”
Aiden reaches across the center console of his car and takes my hand. “Have you always been this impatient?”
“Just give me a hint.”
He kisses my knuckles. “No.”
We drive through town, and when I think he’s going to merge left onto the interstate and head toward the city, he surprises me by turning right.
“Please? You know how much I hate surprises.” I give him my biggest puppy dog eyes, and he folds.
“Fine, one hint, and then you have to promise never to look at me like that again.”
I laugh. “Just give me the damn hint.”
“I’m taking you to the place we first met.”
“You’re taking me to my parents’ house?”
Aiden glances at me like I’m crazy. “You really think I’d take you to your parents’ house on our first date?”
“It’s the first place we met.”
“Actually, it’s not. Think a little harder, Ms. Donovan.”
“Fine, your parents’ house?”
“Nope.”
“Yes.”
“Nope.”
I roll my eyes, and he laughs. “We first met when I moved in next door to you.”
He shakes his head. “No, we didn’t.”
“Yes, we did. You were in the driveway trying to play basketball. You took a shot and missed. Your ball rolled into our yard, and I grabbed it.”
“That was the second time we met.”
Is he crazy? “No, I’m pretty sure—”
“Look.” Aiden pulls into a parking lot and nods toward the front of the car. I’d been so busy arguing with him that I didn’t realize we’d made it to our destination.
I turn in my seat, and when I see the giant grey building, I laugh and shake my head. “Oh, no. Hell, no.”
“Yes.” Aiden smiles, puts the car in park, and gets out. I turn around, watch him grab a duffle bag, and when he stops outside of the passenger door, I hit the lock.
“You do realize that I have the keys, right?” he says through the glass.
“Why are you doing this to me?” I fake whine.
He reaches into his pocket, and a second later, the doors unlock, and he opens mine. “Because this is where our friendship started,” he says, holding out his hand. I slip my fingers around his and let him help me from the car. “It’s only fitting that it’s where our relationship starts.”
“Or ends. I’ll probably kill myself in there.”
He laughs. “Haven’t you learned by now?”
“Learned what? That I suck at this? Yes, yes I have.”
Aiden wraps an arm around my shoulders and leads me to the front door. “That I’ll never let anything bad happen to you.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Wallace.”
He kisses the side of my head and opens the door to the building. “Trust me.”
Fifteen minutes later, Aiden has laced up my ice skates as well as his own. He pulls a black beanie over my head and hands me a coat and gloves.
“You thought of everything, didn’t you?”
Aiden blushes. “It was Millie. If it weren’t for her, we’d probably already be frozen.”
“No joke,” I say, watching my breath dissipate in the cold air.
I thought it was odd when Aiden asked me to wear jeans on our date. It’s summer and hot, and I was about to put on a dress or something equally as cute.
“Ready?”
“No.”
Aiden doesn’t listen. He takes my hand and guides me to the rink. A few kids are skating around like pros, each one dressed in their favorite hockey jersey, and an older woman is hunched over a walker as it glides her across the ice.
“I need one of those.”
“That’s what you have me for.”
Aiden steps onto the ice, pushes off, and does some fancy turn before stopping in front of me.
“Showoff.”
His answering smile warms me from the inside out. Once again, he holds his hand out.
“You better not let me fall,” I say, stepping carefully over the ledge. My left foot goes wonky, but Aiden steadies me.
“Never.”
Slowly, he starts skating backward, pulling me along with him. A few kids whizz by us, laughing and carrying on.
“I feel like a toddler. Those boys are probably making fun of me.”
“Doubtful. I’d bet anything they’re checking out how good your ass looks in those jeans.”
“You think my ass looks good?”
“Phenomenal.”
“I was going to wear a dress until you called.”
Aiden’s eyes smolder when he looks at me and groans. “I love it when you wear a dress.”
I grin.
“Save it for our next date?”
“Already planning our next outing?”
Aiden looks at me, his eyes swirling with warmth and love. I’d give anything to be able to read his mind.
“I am.”
“Okay, so, what’s next?”
“Well, after this, I’m going to take you to dinner and then drop you off at home.”
“My home or yours?”
“Yours.”
I frown. “What if I want to go back to yours?”
“Not tonight. I don’t have enough willpower to hold you in my arms again and not rip your clothes off.”
My body tingles at his words. “I could get down with that.”
“Good to know.” Aiden grins. “But that’s not how this relationship is going to start.”
“Why not? I like the idea of you ripping my clothes off.”
I squeal when Aiden grips my arms and whirls us around until I’m pressed against the glass. He dips his head and captures my mouth in a kiss that is probably way inappropriate for public consumption. I moan into his mouth, and Aiden growls.
“You’re killing me.”
“Because I want you to rip my clothes off?”
He smiles against my lips. “I’m trying to do this right.”
And I love that he’s trying to do this right, which is why I straighten up and get serious. “Okay, so you’re going to drop me off at home with a chaste kiss and—”
“No one said anything about a chaste kiss.”
“Keep going.”
“You’ll invite me in—"
“To get my clothes? I have more laundry.”
Aiden throws his head back and laughs, somehow keeping us balanced in the process. I didn’t realize how sexy a man’s laugh could be, but I’ll be damned if his doesn’t have me wanting to strip down right here on the ice.
When Aiden’s gaze connects with mine, his laugh fades into a sexy smile. “What are you thinking right now?”
“That you have the best laugh I’ve ever heard.”
“You’ve heard me laugh a million times.”
“Yes, but I’ve never felt it. I feel your laugh, Aiden. It warms me, it makes me happy.” I lower my voice. “It makes me ache in the best way.”
Aiden groans. “Scratch what I said earlier, I won’t be able to come in tonight.”
I push my body against his to show him exactly what his laugh does to me. His erection presses against my belly. His eyes hood, and I take a breath. “I know you want me as badly as I want you.”
I swear I’m not a whore, and I never sleep with a man as quickly as I want to sleep with Aiden, but Aiden isn’t just any man. He’s my best friend, my confidant, and now, my boyfriend. But more than that, I want him to be my lover.
His expression is intense as he studies my face. “You’re right, I want you. But anticipation is the best foreplay, and I really want to get this right,” he says, his voice low and deep. “After this, we’re going to have dinner, and then I’ll drop you off at your door where you’ll agree to have a day date with me next Saturday.”
“Wait, Emily asked me to have dinner with her and Jonathan next Saturday. But you can come with me.”
“Perfect. Double date Saturday, and then you’re going to agree to be my date to Calvin’s wedding, after which I’ll bring you back to my apartment and happily rip your clothes off.”
For a moment, I can’t speak or breathe. His words and the thoughts they provoke sparks excitement in my belly.
What will it be like to have Aiden undress me? Will he be gentle or ravenous? Will he take his time, or fuck me into oblivion first and then come back for sweet seconds? I’d be amenable to both options.
“Say something,” he whispers against my mouth.
“Is Calvin’s wedding over yet?”
Aiden pushes back, gliding away from me, only to pick up speed and come right back, crowding me against the wall. “You’re going to be the death of me.” He kisses me again, this time gentle and sweet, much more appropriate for the young eyes in the room.
Taking my hand, he guides us away from the wall, skating beside me rather than in front.
“Hey,” I say, unsteady as my free hand wails through the air.
“You’re fine. Keep gliding, like this.” He shows me how to push my feet, making it look so easy. “It’s like rollerblading.”
“I suck at that, too.”
“You don’t suck at this. You’re already getting better.”
We keep going, around and around, and after who knows how much time, I garner enough confidence to let go of Aiden’s hand.
“See, look at you!” He spins, skating backward in front of me, my own knight in shining armor, waiting to rescue me if I fall.
“I’m doing it.” I laugh while watching my feet, my arms spread wide at my sides.
“You’re doing great. Look up at me.” I do, and Aiden smiles.
“Let me show you how to stop.”
“Nah, I’m good. I don’t need to stop.”
He laughs. “You might need to stop.”
“Nope, I’ll just keep going forward, and when I want to stop, I’ll ram into the wall.”
“I don’t want you ramming into anything. Just watch.” Aiden pushes both feet out and comes to a smooth stop.
“That looks easy,” I say.
Except it’s not. I try to push my skates out like Aiden, only they keep going—in opposite directions. Oh shit, I’m going down. I reach out to brace my fall against the cold, hard ice, only it never comes. Instead, I’m scooped into a warm set of strong arms.
I lean in to kiss Aiden, a thank you for saving me, but we’re still moving, and I’m still not steady. Instead of kissing him, I knock us backward. Aiden goes down first, with me landing on top of him.
We’re both laughing.
“Looks can be deceiving. Stopping is hard.” A chunk of my hair falls out from beneath my hat, and I use my gloved hand to push it away.
“Keep practicing. You’ll get it,” he huffs, making me realize that I’m still all up on him.
“Doubtful.” I try to crawl off of him, but Aiden wraps an arm around my back, pinning me against him.
“This is how we first met. Do you remember?” he asks.
I furrow my brow and look at him, and then it hits me. “I was here for my cousin’s birthday party.”
Aiden rests his hand against the side of my neck. “You busted your ass. All the other boys kept skating by, but I stopped to help you.”
“Why?”
“Because you were the prettiest girl I’d ever seen.”
“We were six.”
He grins. “What can I say? I started young.”
I laugh.
“Little did I know that a week later, your parents would move next door to mine.”
“Best move ever.” I lower my head. Our lips brush once, twice, and a third time before a shadow descends upon us.
A throat clears, and Aiden and I look up to see a teenage girl wearing a Skate Guard jacket glaring down at us.
“There are little kids here.”
Aiden manages to pull us both up and steadies me with a hand on my hip.
“I saw you two kissing earlier. If it happens again, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
“It won’t,” I assure her.
She gives us a look and then turns and glides leisurely across the rink.
“It might,” Aiden whispers in my ear before nipping my lobe. “I can’t keep my hands off of you.”
“Try.” I squirm and try to get away when his hands glide down my sides, tickling me. “You’re going to make me fall.”
“I like it when you fall. It means I get to catch you.”
I tilt my head and watch Aiden. “Who are you, and what’ve you done with my friend Aiden?”
He captures my hand and pulls me against him. “You mean boyfriend?”
My heart leaps for joy. Most men I date don’t get boyfriend status until three dates, but I’d break all of my rules for Aiden. “Is that what you are?”
“It’s what I want to be.”
My cheeks heat, and I lower my head, a small smile tickling my lips. I’ve waited so long for this, and it’s finally happening. Aiden places a finger under my chin and lifts my head.
“Lizzie?”
“Yes.”
“I’d like very much to be your boyfriend.”
“I’d like that, too.”
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” Aiden replies, lowering his head for one more kiss. He’s already had about thirty, but as long as he keeps coming back for more, I’ll dole them out.
As promised, after skating, he took me to dinner. Nothing fancy, just the two of us at our favorite pizza place in our favorite booth with our regular order of a medium meat lover’s pizza and breadsticks. The only difference is that instead of sitting across from me in the booth, he sat beside me, holding my hand while whispering the sweetest words into my ear.
And now, here we are, standing in the hallway against my apartment door, making out like teenagers.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come in?” I ask for the fifth time. He keeps telling me no, but I figure if I keep asking, he’ll eventually cave.
He shakes his head and smiles against my mouth. “What did I tell you? Anticipation is everything,” he says, sliding a knee between my legs. His thigh presses against my core, and I suck in a breath.
“Aiden,” I breathe.
Arousal pulses through me. I’ve never been more aware of my body in my entire life. The easy look on Aiden’s face transforms. His hungry eyes drop to my chest. With each labored breath, my breasts brush against him.
My nipples are hard, my breasts so swollen and sensitive that if he slid his hand up my shirt and freed them, I wouldn’t protest.
“Lizzie?”
I pull my eyes up his body. Aiden is staring at me like he wants to devour me. Just so he knows we’re on the same page, I arch my back, rubbing myself against him.
“You have no idea what it does to me when you say my name.”
“And you, Aiden, have no idea what it does to me when I can feel your cock pressed against my belly.”
His jaw clenches, eyes drifting shut as he pulls me in for another kiss. “You’re evil,” he whispers when we come up for air.
I reach for him, ready to show him how evil I can be, when he takes a step back. “Saturday.”
“You’re the evil one, Aiden.”
He groans.
I wink.
Lizzie – 1. Aiden – 0.