Page 48 of Protected By the Billionaire Ex-SEAL

I stare at the hand, then at Raven, who’s studiously not looking at us. I can’t read her expression. Aimee doesn’t notice, braced for my reply…and her hand is still on my knee.

“It’s great.”

Is this how it’s been before? Did she make the move on me or did I make the move on her? For the first time, I’m unsure of my stance and wonder if I did something to make her think that I’m looking for more with her.

But the last time we got together was last year. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, and this is just a friendly gesture.

But it doesn’t feel like one, and I definitely don’t like her doing it in front of Raven.

Aimee starts talking about people we know, while Raven digs into her piece. I can tell she’s listening. She nods but just lets Aimee ramble on, smiling vaguely. That smile vanishes, however, when Aimee begins to put her hand back on my thigh and leaves it there.

I let out a loud cough at her boldness, trying to shake her hand off me, but she gives me a concerned look and pats me on the back.

“You all right?” she says, raising her eyebrows. “Need some water?”

“I got it.” I reach for a glass on the tray Raven brought out and take a drink. Well, at least she took her hand off me. Raven doesn’t look any more pleased.

“Aimee, how are your parents?” I’m desperate to get her attention off me.

She beams and starts going on about them. I try my best to evade her physical contact while still being polite and asking about her friends and family.

But as we talk, her hand inches its way back to my thigh. This time, she starts rubbing it lightly back and forth.

Desperate to get the point across, I blurt out, “I heard Betty’s holding a speed dating event next month. You should join it for fun. Who knows? You might even meet someone you like.”

Her face falls at my light suggestion while Raven glares at me when Aimee leans forward to get her own glass.

I’ll admit that I’m usually a lot smoother than this, but I’ve never been in this situation before. It’s always been easygoing encounters, an understanding that it was nothing serious. The couple times I was with Aimee, it was for one night, and then we parted ways in the morning.

I shoot Raven a wide-eyed look over Aimee’s head. Pressing her lips together, Raven just gives me an annoyed look before turning back to our guest.

“Aimee, do you want another slice?” Raven asks.

Aimee nods her head, deliberately looking anywhere but at me. Raven excuses herself back to the kitchen while shooting me another look, and I think I get it now. She wants me to be honest and let her down. I brace myself when Aimee sidles closer again.

I guess my suggestion of speed dating didn’t do the trick because she says, “You should join, too. Or we can skip it and drive to Nashville. I have some free time after training, and I think we’ll have fun…if you know what I mean.”

Only an idiot wouldn’t know what she means. I note her expression, bold and just a bit eager—and yes, I won’t deny that at one point, I was susceptible to it and would have easily agreed, no harm done. But that seems like ages ago, another life.

It’s just awkward now.

“That’s…” I clear my throat. “Nice, Aimee, but I don’t think I can make it.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not in the market for a relationship right now.”

“I didn’t say a relationship.”

“I’m not in the market for that, either,“ I say carefully.

I wait for the rejection to register, ready with words of comfort about how it’s not her, it’s me. Which is true. I’m stunned instead when her hand slides higher until it’s near my crotch.

“Oh, come on, now. We’ve had some fun times. I bet it’ll be fun again and?—”

“No.”

Aimee blinks when she realizes I’m no longer beside her. She looks up, incredulous, then rises from the couch, too.

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