Page 66 of Winning the Nightcap

Bec:Honestly, same.

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It’s been almost two weeks since Aiden left for Spring Training. Thankfully, between training classes and my time spent at New Hope, I’ve been plenty busy. If I wasn’t falling into bed exhausted every night from overworking, I might have more time to think about Aiden and how much I miss him. I can’t hide from my own feelings forever, and as much as I’d like to avoid getting attached to a new relationship too quickly, I know he’s dug in deep already with how often my thoughts are fixated on him in the rare moments of quiet.

Is he thinking about me too? Does he miss me the way I miss him? Is he losing interest with the distance between us?

If I’m not racking my brain with questions fueled by insecurities, then I’m snapping myself out of flashbacks of him looking up at me from between my thighs with a smirk on his lips, or looking down at me with a hooded, hungry stare as his hands wander all over my body. It’s enough to distract me, and despite the embarrassinglyveryregular use of my vibrator, I’m still left unsatisfied. After only a few nights together, I’m completely addicted to Aiden Price.

I’m sitting at the front of the training room, my eyes unfocused on the clipboard in my hand, lost again in thoughts of Aiden, while I wait for the next class to arrive. Hopper and Aiden’s class. They won’t be here of course. I know Aiden made other arrangements for Hopper while he’s away, and I’m trying not to take it personally that he didn’t ask me to watch him. I really did love having a dog around the apartment again.

When I catch myself in another daydream of what Aiden could be doing at this very moment, I look up to find all of the families and their pets seated and ready to begin. Ten minutes later, we’ve discussed the new skill for the week and I’m now making my rounds to assist as the attendees work on the cue for the first time.

The door flies open, catching my attention, and I watch as Hopper bounds into the training room, his leash trailing behind on the groundlike a snake. He does a large circle and greets two dogs before spotting me and running to lie in front of me, presenting his belly for scratches.

“Please promise not to tell Aiden how much I let Hop get away with while he’s gone.” I recognize Aiden’s sister from the restaurant and immediately feel better knowing he asked her to watch Hopper and he didn’t choose a dog boarder over asking me.

“Your secret is safe with me. I’m Bec. Evie, right?” I ask.

“Yep, the most obnoxious dog aunt you’ll probably ever meet. And also, the least punctual. Sorry we’re late. Hop got a hold of one of my shoes and it turned into an all-out battle in my living room.”

“Been there…” I mutter to myself, not thinking.

“He destroyed your shoes too?”

“Uh, yeah, something like that.” I nod, tuck my hair behind my ear, and quickly change the subject. Not really a story I want to revisit with Aiden’s sister. “No worries about the time, we just got started a little bit ago. I’m glad you and Hopper were able to make it to class today. Aiden didn’t mention you’d be in.”

“He doesn’t know,” she says with a devious look on her face. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to introduce myself and see if you’d be interested in teaming up for a little…surprise.”

“What kind of surprise?”

“Want to meet for a coffee later? We can get to scheming.” She shoots me a wicked grin, and I know that Aiden isn’t ready for whatever Evie has planned.

* * *

An hour later, I’m sitting on the heated patio at the coffee shop next door. Hopper is lying underneath the table between Evie and me, exhausted from his class. I guess ignoring Evie’s instructions for an hour zapped the energy right out of him.

“Congrats on the adoption event. Aiden told me it went well. Almost cleared the shelter of all the animals needing homes, right?” Evie asks before sipping her drink.

“He mentioned that?”

“Are you kidding? He went on and on and on about it. He begged me to come and adopt a dog. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it. Like I told him, I’m ready for the responsibility of a dogaunt, not dogmom. He was trying to describe some kind of board or something that you made? He went on for like five minutes before he remembered he took a picture and showed me that instead. Zoomed in on all the details and then spent another five minutes telling me about the dogs he met.”

My shock must show on my face hearing how much Aiden has told Evie. Like the day meant as much to him as it does to me. The thought warms me from the inside.

“He and his teammates sure drew a crowd. It wouldn’t have been nearly as successful if they hadn’t shown up,” I say.

“My brother is pretty smitten. And by smitten, I mean he’s acting obsessed and driving me nuts.”

We both break out into laughter, mine sounding a little nervous and hers genuine and unreserved. I feel my stomach flip at the thought of Aiden driving his sister crazy talking aboutus.

“So, you want to surprise the hell out of him?” Evie asks.

“What’d you have in mind?”

“Come with me to Arizona. Aiden has a preseason game next Saturday. We can take a quick flight out there, stay the night, and fly back the next day.”

“I don’t know…won’t he be annoyed if I show up unannounced and uninvited? Can friends even go to those games?”

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