Page 60 of Unmasking Love
“Shit.” I curse under my breath. I pinch my eye closed and walk to the bathroom. It’s not ideal but a little water should at least help me get it back in so I’m not blind as I try to leave Aiden’s later.
Gosh, how unsexy is this.
I laugh to myself because I know Wes will love this story. Make some pirate joke about me.
When I turn on the light in the bathroom I make out the shape of a travel bottle of contact solution and a case sitting on the counter. These things were not here when I washed up last night.
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially when my eyeballs hurt, I quickly open the container and take my contacts out. Just fifteen minutes in the solution will be amazing. When I step back into Aiden’s room he’s awake and sitting up against the headboard. I can’t see details but the outline of him is still plenty delicious.
“Morning,” I smile and hook a thumb over my shoulder to ask him about the eyecare that magically appeared.
“Is that the right stuff?” He asks before I can. “For your contacts?” He clarifies.
“Oh, yeah, it was actually. When did you–. Umm, thanks.”
“No problem, I’m glad it worked.” I can’t quite connect with his eyes but his subtle head movements indicate he is taking me in. “You hungry?”
“Yeah, but I can just get dressed and go. Get out of your way.”
“Nonsense,” he dismisses. “Here, catch.” And suddenly my head is covered in dark fabric. He starts laughing. “Sorry! I forgot about the impaired vision thing.”
I pull the t-shirt off my face and give him a saccharine smile. But as I slip it over my head I catch his smokey pine scent in the cotton and I’m washed back to being with him last night. To his arm around me as I drifted off to sleep. How he resettled me in the blankets halfway through the night and kept a hand on my hip. My body warms anew with the memories.
He slips past me into the bathroom and I turn and sit on the edge of the bed. My fingers play with the hem of the Renegades t-shirt and my mind reels.
I’ve never slept with someone on the first date before.
Was last night even a date?
It kind of felt like it, but also it felt spontaneous.
I’ve never experienced that level of lust.
Is that all this is?
When the bathroom door opens I spring upright. I’m not sure if this was a date or just a hookup but either way I’m not sure how to act. I don’t want him to regret this and, honestly I’d be willing to see where it goes between us, but that’s too much to share with him after one night together.
Onenight in bed but not on a date.
“How do you like your coffee, Harper?” Aiden asks as he walks out of the room.
“Oh, however you make it is fine.” I tell him with a smile. I follow him out to the kitchen and start to get my bearings. I squint and make out my shirt folded on the arm of the sofa and there is a delivery bag from the supermarket on the counter.
“I’ve got a fancy espresso machine and I mostly use it to pull shots. You don’t strike me as a straight espresso kind of girl, so what’ll it be Harper? I’ve got half and half, almond milk and oat milk and some local honey I can drizzle in for a little sweetness.”
“Wow, fancy. I’m not picky so make what you want.” I think I could drink wet cement if the view involved shirtless Aiden. Even without my contacts in, my memory fills in the blanks.
“Mhmm,” he hums and then pulls his phone out of the pocket of his joggers. After sending a text he looks back up to me. “And I usually have a protein shake for breakfast but I got the fixings for-”
“A shake is fine for me. And, I can, you know, head out whenever.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “I was planning to drive you home and return Felix’s car after breakfast. Maybe take a shower first.”
“That works but I can also call a Lyft. It’s no trouble.” I assure him. Why is he making me make so many choices? I don’t know what he wants me to say! This feels like a pop quiz and I hate feeling unprepared.
“What do you want to do, Harper?” I catch a break when his phone buzzes and he looks down to read the text. He types out a quick reply and then starts to work at the espresso machine. My lucky streak continues when I hear my phone ringing in my purse.
“Hi, Wes,” I say and walk back into Aiden’s bedroom.
