Page 30 of Reclaimed

I amnotgoing to cry over fucking coffee. Not in front of Aiden Powell, at the very least, but preferably not at all.

To my great misfortune, Aiden doesn’t miss the shift. He steps unwisely closer.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. Just the coffee. I still think you’re a great person.” The corner of his mouth twitches.

I bite back a choked whimper. “Shut up, Powell.”

His brows snap together. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” A shudder runs through me as I fight to keep it together. This is the most irrational I’ve felt in my entire life.

“Seriously, Isla. You’re freaking me out a little. What happened?” He closes the gap between us. Chevy turns and bats at the edge of his towel.

“Nothing happened. It’s been a heavy few days, and I’m protective about my choices.”

The worry lines ease on his forehead. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t.”

“But I have to say that I’m going to buy some real coffee or else I won’t survive this arrangement.”

“No. I’ve changed my mind. I can’t do this with you.”

He gives me a look somewhere between amused and confused. “You draw the line at coffee?”

“Yep. I’m sorry. I thought it was a good idea, but I can’t get past this.”

Aiden bites his lower lip and raises his palms toward me. “I can see you’re really having a hard time with this. I’ll compromise and will only get my morning cup in the drive through.”

My body gives an involuntary sniff. “You promise?”

“I swear.” He holds out his pinky.

I wrap my pinky around his.

“Anything other hard limits I need to know?”

“No other girls. This might be fake but I won’t be made out to be a fool.”

He scoffs. “That’s a given.”

“No coming home drunk.”

He groans. “Obviously. At least make it something worth pinky swearing on.”

“You can’t cook anything with onions.”

“For real?”

“I hate the smell.” I actually love onions, but since getting pregnant they make me nauseous. I don’t tell him that.

“Hmm. Now you’re getting tough.”

“Deal breaker?”

Aiden grins. “Not a chance.”

“What would be a deal breaker?”

---