Page 7 of Swipe Right on the Alpha
“Only an allergy to bad food and boring company,” Aiden replied, following Dylan into the kitchen where multiple pots simmered on an impressive professional-grade range. “Wow, you actually cook. I assumed ‘come over for dinner’ meant ordering in.”
Dylan looked genuinely confused. “Why would I invite you over just to order food?”
“Because that’s what people in the city do?” Aiden hopped onto one of the bar stools at the kitchen island, watching as Dylan moved confidently around the space. “They ‘cook dinner’ which means opening Uber Eats and transferring takeout onto real plates.”
Dylan shook his head, opening the wine Aiden had brought. “My m—” he paused, then continued, “My mother would be horrified. She taught us all to cook from scratch.”
“Big family?” Aiden asked, accepting the glass Dylan offered.
A shadow passed over Dylan’s face. “You could say that. Close-knit. Sometimes too close.”
Something about his tone suggested complexity beyond his words. Aiden found himself genuinely curious rather than just collecting content. “Complicated family dynamics? Now that’s something I understand.”
Dylan seemed to relax slightly. “They mean well. They just have… traditional expectations.”
“Let me guess—settled down, married, kids, carrying on the family wildlife management tradition?” Aiden suggested.
“Something like that,” Dylan agreed, stirring something that smelled heavenly. “What about your family? Do they follow your… content?”
Aiden laughed. “My sister’s my biggest fan. My parents are supportively confused. ‘Very proud of you, dear, though we don’t understand why people want to hear about your dating problems.’” He mimicked his mother’s voice perfectly.
Dylan’s laugh was rich and warm, doing funny things to Aiden’s insides. “Dinner’s ready if you’re hungry.”
“Starving,” Aiden admitted. “I was too nervous to eat lunch.”
“You were nervous?” Dylan looked genuinely surprised as he carried dishes to the table.
“Don’t let the confident social media persona fool you,” Aiden said, following with their wine glasses. “I spent an hour choosing this outfit and changed my mind three times about coming.”
“Why?” Dylan asked, pulling out Aiden’s chair in an old-fashioned gesture that should have felt cheesy but somehow didn’t.
Aiden waited until Dylan was seated across from him before answering honestly. “Because you’re different. You don’t seem to care about my follower count or want to be featured in my stories. It’s… refreshing. And terrifying.”
Dylan’s intense gaze held his. “I care about you, not your online persona.”
“You barely know me,” Aiden pointed out, though his heart raced at the sincerity in Dylan’s voice.
“I know enough to want to know more,” Dylan replied simply.
The meal was delicious—hearty comfort food expertly prepared—but Aiden found himself more engaged in the conversation than the food. Dylan was still somewhat reserved, but more relaxed in his own space, sharing stories aboutgrowing up in a “close-knit community” in the forest and asking thoughtful questions about Aiden’s life and work.
As they finished eating, Aiden noticed Dylan becoming increasingly fidgety, checking his watch and glancing occasionally toward the windows where darkness had fallen.
“Hot date after this one?” Aiden teased, though a twinge of insecurity colored his voice.
Dylan’s head snapped up. “What? No! Sorry, I just…” He hesitated. “The full moon makes me restless sometimes.”
Aiden glanced out at the perfect circle of light visible through the trees. “The full moon? Are you into astronomy or something?”
“Or something,” Dylan muttered. “Would you like to see the rest of the place?”
The tour was brief—the cabin was beautiful but not large, with a master bedroom, guest room, and office comprising the private spaces. What struck Aiden was the connection to the outdoors; every room had large windows or glass doors leading to porches or small private decks.
“You really love nature, huh?” Aiden said as they ended up back in the living room, where Dylan added another log to the fire.
“It’s in my blood,” Dylan replied, a strange intensity in his voice. He seemed to be struggling with something, his movements more agitated than earlier. “Sorry, I’m a bit… off tonight. The full moon—”
“Makes you restless, you mentioned that.” Aiden moved closer, drawn to Dylan despite the man’s odd behavior. “Is that why you keep looking outside? Planning to howl at it later?” he joked.
