Page 21 of The Expiration Date

“You don’t have to say anything.” I clear my throat. “Anyway, I thought everything was going great and then, maybe a couple of months after she started that vampire show, she told me she wanted to break up. I was completely shocked. We had just taken a vacation together and she seemed happy. I guess I’m not as good at reading people as I thought. Now, she is with that guy, Isaac something-or-other.” I look down. I know his name. It’s Isaac Sommers. I’m just being petty about it. “It hurt and I wanted to block out the noise. The media. The critics. I wanted to lose myself for a little bit. I realized that even if you do all the right things, treat people exactly the way they should be treated – in her case like a fucking queen – it doesn’t matter. People are going to hurt you no matter what.”

I feel a hand on my cheek now. “It does matter.” I look into her eyes. There are gold flecks in her dark brown eyes. Twice. That’s how many times I’ve had the privilege of witnessing this beautiful trait about her. Her eyes are my favorite thing about her. Second to her being an absolute sweetheart.

She repeats, “It does matter. What you say and do matters. Not just because you are the center of attention in this world right now. Not just because you are one of the most famous actors on the planet. Not just because you are my boss and I am trying to butter you up right now.” She smiles, and so do I. Her hand is still on my cheek and she leans in closer. The closest she’s ever been without anyone being around to document it. I feel this pull in my gut that I haven’t felt in a woman’s presence in a long time. The feeling of anticipation. “But just as a regular human being, it matters. Trust me.” I reach up and touch her hand that is still on my cheek. “And just for the record, I never thought much of Natasha. You deserve better, Aidan.”

The knots in my stomach are getting bigger and harder to stifle now. Since Natasha, I have kissed a shit-ton of women and not once have I been as nervous in their presence as Haley is making me feel right now. Ever since Haley kissed me at the premiere afterparty, I have wanted to put my lips back on hers. Desperately. I have wanted to run my hands through her hair and kiss her soft lips over and over again. But I don’t know if she feels the same. And the last thing I want to do is take advantage or make assumptions.

Then I notice her eyes are fixated on my own lips and she is biting her bottom lip. As if she wants me to kiss me. I hope to god that I am right. I lean in. Her breath hitches and her eyes flutter shut. I am mere millimeters from her lips… when suddenly the lights come back on.

Damn it.

12

Was Aidan about to kiss me?

In his apartment?

Without the paparazzi taking our photos or anyone else around to witness it?

Maybe he just wanted to practice. I do still get a little jumpy any time he touches me. Granted, I was the one who kissed him at the premiere afterparty, but that’s only because Natasha was doubting the validity of our relationship. I had to. Right?

Now, I can’t help but feel a little ache when his hand leaves mine and he backs away.

He reaches for the remote on the coffee table and hands it to me as he gets up from the couch. “Here, go ahead and pick something for us to watch. I’m gonna make some popcorn. You down?”

Still flummoxed by the almost-kiss, I warily say, “Sure.” My hand brushes against his in the remote hand-off and my body is electrified. “You don’t care?”

“Nope. Whatever you want. Maybe a Nora Ephron one. She’s your favorite writer, right?”

I nod. He remembered? I recall sharing that fun fact about me back when I first got the job, and it never came up again. And why would it? We were strictly business. He was my boss. I was his employee. That was it. Up until about a week and a half ago.

Aidan rummages through his pantry for the microwave popcorn. He bends down to look on the bottom shelf and I catch myself staring at him. He is rocking some gray sweatpants that accentuate his sculpted…Haley, snap out of it! What is wrong with me? We are not really together. He is your BOSS! It’s all a ruse. It’s not for real.

But then why does it feel like it's real?

I shoo away the butterflies infiltrating my stomach, turn on his Roku TV and select the Netflix app. I type in the search bar When Harry Met Sally–my personal favorite. You’ve Got Mail is a close second. There are loud pops coming from the microwave and the smell of buttery goodness.

“Water?” Aidan calls.

“Sure! I should probably switch to that if I ever want to sleep tonight. Speaking of sleep, it actually looks like the rain has died down and now that the lights are back on, maybe I should head back to the–”

“You’re not going anywhere, Hales,” he says. More like demands. He brings over a large bowl of popcorn and a glass of water. “I don’t want you to be wandering around the city at night.”

“You do know I’m a big girl, right? Plus, I’m practically from here, so I’m not scared of the city at night. I know my way around.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant– I want to make sure you’re safe. You're staying.” He sits on the couch and places the bowl of popcorn in between us. He winks at me. “That’s an order, Swann.”

“Oh, you’re ordering me around now? I thought we are taking a pause with the whole me-being-your-assistant-thing during this fake-dating period.” I grab a handful of popcorn and shove it in my mouth.

“We are…pausing.”

Is Aidan Stone flirting with me? A tiny part of me wants to reciprocate (the part that hasn’t been in a romantic relationship in a bit and needs to brush up on her flirting skills) but I brush it off and say, “Well, I was going to stay whether or not you told me to or not. I love this movie. Any opportunity to watch it, I take it immediately. You’ve seen this, right?” I scoot all the way over to the end of the couch and pull the blanket over my body.

“Do you think I live under a rock? Of course I’ve seen this movie. This is probably my favorite romantic comedy of all time. Billy Crystal. Meg Ryan. The storyline. The directing. The acting. Brilliant.”

My mouth is agape.

He looks over at me and starts laughing before he puts his own fistful of popcorn in his mouth. “Why are you looking at me like that, you goof?”

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