Page 26 of The Vow We Made
His eyes widen while rolling his amused lips together. “I thought I'd call in, just on the off chance you were free, but this is clearly a bad time.”
“No, not at all.” Taking a step back, I open the door wider. “Please come in.” His voice sounds uncertain when he asks, “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” I swallow hard, close my eyes and grin to myself before he makes his way into the hall.What the hell am I doing?
My lips flicker to a brief smile while pulling my robe together at the neck. I don't want to appear too slutty.
“Please,” I gesture straight ahead, “take a seat in the sitting room and make yourself comfortable. I’ll just be a few minutes.” I don’t give him time to reply but catch his slight smirk as I bound back up the stairs.
The tips of my dried prune fingers, tug desperately at the black leggings I'm trying to pull over my damp skin. Once I've thrown on a bra and t-shirt, I comb my short, dark hair out of my face and place a thick black hairband over the front. This is as good as I get in three seconds and there's no time for make-up. I feel naked, but if I'm going to scare him off at any point, it might as well be now.
I hurry back to Aiden but when I get to the bottom of the stairs, I take a few seconds to stop, breathe and gain some control over my stupid grin. Once that’s done, I head confidently to where he waits.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” He instantly stands from his seat when I enter the room causing my heart to skip a beat. His smile is enough to melt me into a gooey mess until I notice he's removed his coat to reveal more of his muscled, slim outline. I find myself wishing he’d press that body next to mine, then quickly snap out of it when I realise I’m ogling him.
“I wanted to clear the air about the other night.” I concentrate on his beautiful full lips saying the words without really taking them in, which is why he adds, “The girl you saw me with? It wasn’t what you think.”
I may have spent too much time dreaming of him while in the bath, so I shake myself too and take a seat on the sofa, next to where he stands. Once I’m fully settled, he sits so close, our knees brush together.
“How do you know I was thinking anything?” I ask him, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach every time our knee’s touch.
“Will.”
“Ahh. Okay. Well, whatever you want to tell me Aiden, is completely up to you. Don’t feel you have to justify yourself to me; a girl you’ve just met.”
He exhales, clasping his hands in front of him. “I think we should start without any misunderstanding between us. If there’s doubt in your mind, I want to clear it up before I take you out.”
“Okay.” I feel my back stiffen as I shift in my seat.
“The other night at The Critique Club, I thought we clicked, but when you didn’t make it back—”
“I had a good reason,” I state firmly and probably too quickly. I'm not doing an excellent job of masking my disappointment at seeing him with another woman.
“I realise that now Victoria, but at the time, I didn't have a clue. If things had gone the way I'd wanted them to, I'd be holding you in that moment, but instead, I was saying hi to one of my oldest friends.”
“The blonde girl you were flirting with after I left,” I state, just to make it clear.
“Did you think I was flirting?” he asks as I shrug with uncertainty and bite my bottom lip. “I can assure you, it’s not like that between us. I’ve known her for years. Georgie is a good and very old friend.”
“I see.” I shift a little uncomfortably in my chair. I wonder if I’d be pushing my luck to ask, “A good friend you sleep with?” but I say it before I can stop myself.
“Victoria, Georgie isnota friend with benefits. Nothing has ever happened between us and nothing ever will. She's my best mate's sister. If anything, she's more like a little sister to me too.”
His sincere expression doesn't change, leaving me no reason to disbelieve him. In fact, I shouldn't question him at all. Who the hell do I think I am?
“Victoria, give me your hand.”
I hesitate a little, not because I don't want to, but because I'm embarrassed at the way I’ve pushed him when my intention was to play it cool.
When his hand firmly cradles mine, his thumb brushes over my skin; igniting a thrill all the way up my arm and straight to my heart. How the hell can he make me feel this way? It’s distracting and wonderful all at the same time although I have no option but to stay focused on his brown eyes which now pierce my own.
“If you'd taken the time, you might have noticed a six-foot-three-inch beefcake who was also standing by her side. That's Marcus, herverysignificant other and I'd be surprised if you missed him. He's never more than an inch away from Georgie.”
“Oh.” I smile awkwardly as warmth spreads over my face once again.
“Believe me when I tell you, no one else gets a look in.”
“Did youwantto get a look in?” I’m half joking. Half not. “When you first met her?” I can’t seem to stop myself.
