Page 28 of The Sky Between Us

My lips curled up into a smile as I observed his cute puppy face and his glimmering blue eyes. I was probably making the biggest mistake of my life, but I wanted to feel normal. Just for a night.

“I want to go on a date with you.”

Aiden’s face completely changed. A full-blown grin stretched across it, and he reached out to hug me. I buried my face in his shoulder, taking in his pine scent, the one I spent all night dreaming about.

He told me what his plan was and which day, but I couldn’t hear him over my roaming thoughts. One date and that’s it. I pretend to be just like everyone else for one night and then I end this. All I had to do was stop this, whatever this was, before it got too late.

Yet, it felt like it was too late, because I was already too invested.

A knock woke me up from my daydreaming and Elliot’s messy head popped up in the door.

“Come on, lovebirds! Let’s get some food!”

“You have way too much energy for someone with a hangover,” Aiden muttered standing up from the bed and eyeing me.

Arching a brow, I followed him. “Do you think you can get me my dress? Don’t want to walk around half naked.”

“Just grab some pants from the third drawer, and wear your dress later. I mean… it’s so short my clothes will cover you up more,” he joked and I punched him in the arm. “Au.”

Electricity buzzed through my hand, where I touched him, but I quickly ignored him.

Breathe Hazel. It was just a little skin.

Aiden grinned at me and headed for the door. “See you downstairs.”

“Sure,” I said, still shaken up, before I threw myself back on the bed and groaned into the pillow. “What did I get myself into?”

Chapter 7

Monday morning came in a blink of an eye and I found myself uneasy. I didn’t know what to expect and it didn’t sit well with me. I tossed and turned all night, anticipation burning my insides. For a guy who always had a plan and always knew what comes next, this was the worst ever. Hazel never reached out to me after the weekend and despite my best effort to throw myself in practicing, working out and watching tapes, my mind kept going back to her. And once the night fell, I found myself aching for her. Her smell lingered on my pillow and crawled under my skin wanting me to want her. My body was addicted to her past presence and all I could imagine was her body pressed up to mine, her smooth and soft skin under my fingertips, our lips connecting and our tongues dancing just like at the party. Her moves flashed in my mind, making it very hard to fall asleep. Until I gave in to her spell and touched myself, thinking of her. I’ve never come that hard and for that long in my life. But it wasn’t enough. I wanted to know how it would feel if she was the one touching me. My brain and body went crazy and I blamed the sleepless nights on it. I needed to get my shit together.

Rubbing my eyes, I suppressed a yawn and walked into the Starbucks. A punch to my stomach welcomed me as I laid eyes on Hazel, who arrived early. Her long brown hair was up in a ponytail, exposing her sleek neck. She was back to wearing my favorite high waisted skinny jeans that hugged her body perfectly, and a cropped sweater under her apron. She stood with her back to me, dancing in one space as she brewed the coffee. Despite the strong scent of coffee beans, I could smell her perfume as I took a deep breath.

“Good morning,” I greeted her, making my presence known. She was either going to be back to her ice queen self or back to the girl I grew to like. It was like spinning the wheel of fortune.

Hazel’s dancing movements stopped as her entire body grew rigid, before turning toward me. It felt like I was watching the scene in slow motion. Her ponytail swung and a small, but genuine smile sat on her beautiful face. The upward curve on her face made me want to rush over and kiss her, but I knew better than to act on it.

“How are you feeling today?” I risked asking.

“Sleepy, but good,” she nodded her eyes scanning my face, looking for some kind of clue where I was taking this conversation.

Tearing my own eyes from her, with quick moves I tied the apron around me.

“Listen, about Saturday,” she spoke up, filling the silence between us. “I should have reached out, and I wanted to call you, but I didn’t have your number.”

I arched a brow. “That doesn’t sound like an apology.”

“It was more like a request for your phone number,” she shot back without missing a beat. “You know, so next time, I can actually apologize.”

“Next time?” I teased her as a carefree smile broke across my face.

Hazel rolled her eyes. “Maybe.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “You are incorrigible.”

“You mean incredible,” she corrected me, smirking.

I shook my head and watched as she turned back towards the coffee in amusement. I could take this Hazel. She wasn’t quite as comfortable and vulnerable as the girl on Friday, but she definitely wasn’t the bitchy ice queen I first met. This in between could have been a good start, an ideal foundation to build on. If things went well.

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