Page 43 of Firestorm
Aiden quickly shook off his sad expression, replacing it with one of his signature grins.
“Skye, come on. What makes you think I’m just trying to get you into bed?”
“Hi, Aiden!” A random feminine voice called out, perfectly on cue as we passed by.
“Oh, hey, uh…” Aiden trailed off, furrowing his brow when he looked the girl over.
Good Lord. He was the actual worst.
I strode away from him as quickly as possible without running for it. Aiden scrambled after me.
“Skye, come on. You catch me in the worst situations. I swear I’m not a man-whore.” Aiden said, laughing nervously.
“That sounds exactly like something a man-whore would say,” I replied.
Aiden gulped. “Anyway, where were we? Coffee? Tomorrow?”
“Don’t know,” I drawled. “Maybe you’ll be getting high tomorrow instead.”
“I– no way. No, Skye. I don’t do that every day. Wait, are you not down with that? I can keep it away from you–”
Another girl said hi to Aiden as she passed, and he stared at her for a moment, barely recognizing her.
Could he be any worse? I couldn’t believe girls actually fell for this shit.
Aiden jogged after me, then called out, “Wait, Skye!”
He was too close, calling out too loudly, and I flinched to cover my ears. I stopped in the hall, embarrassed over what I’d just done. A few people looked at me, while most were looking at him.
“Skye? Hey, I’m really sorry.” Aiden’s voice was much softer as he came to my side. “I didn’t mean to yell in your ear like that.”
“It’s fine,” I breathed, striding away from him.
Aiden jogged after me, still keeping his voice low. “Skye, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’m kind of a man-whore, but I swear you’re not some conquest for me. I like you. You’re really cool. I understand why you’re so hesitant, but just give me a chance. I can change your mind. Just give me dinner.”
I stopped in an alcove and blew out a breath. Aiden’s warm eyes were wide, imploring me to understand him.
And I did. I really did.
“Skye,” Aiden murmured, taking my hand. “I’m really sorry, Skye. I hate that I hurt you. Give me another chance. Please.”
I groaned.
“How many chances do I have to give you, Aiden?” I asked.
Aiden sucked in a breath. “Hopefully just this one.”
I rolled my eyes, moving to pull away but Aiden’s grip tightened on my forearm, holding me to him. I stiffened, my hands itching as my affinity prepared to lash out. But…nothing happened.
Great time to chill, affinity.
“Skye, I…I like you a lot. I’m sorry stupid shit keeps happening, but I like you, and I would like another chance. I can’t lie to you either. I might need more than one chance. I’m only human. I’m going to fuck up again. But I promise I’ll keep trying to make it right.”
I chewed my lip, watching his sad brown eyes as they darted across my face. The frown on his pretty lips really didn’t look right, same as the line between his eyebrows that formed when he was frustrated.
This was crazy. I couldn’t seriously be considering this. I’d been telling myself for as long as I could remember that I didn’t want a real boyfriend. But as I watched Aiden’s frown grow deeper, his eyes shutter with resignation…my mind started to change.
Would it be so bad to be friends with Aiden? To go to dinner with him, and see where things went? I already knew it wasn’t healthy topine after a man who had literally run away after kissing me, but I still couldn’t stop thinking about Wyatt. Wildly attracted as we were to each other, he’drunfrom me. He didn’t want me. Meanwhile, here was Aiden, literally chasing me down the hall and apologizing after a fuck up. He wasn’t lying, knowing he probably would mess up again. But he promised to keep apologizing. To keep trying.
