Page 26 of Perfect Storm
Aidan was going to do the right thing, if it killed him. And considering what he’d spent a fraction of the last month fantasizing about, itmight.
Sure,he texted back to Landry,of course he can stay with me.Aidan hesitated some more. He should switch over to his convo with Levi and askhimthis directly, but he wanted to come armed with more info, if he was going to talk to Levi.
Whenhe was going to talk to Levi.
Why was Levi weird about talking to me?he sent to Landry.Did he not think I’d be fucking thrilled to have him on my team?
Something about overstepping,Landry texted back.But I’m gonna let you work it out.
It was right there, between the lines. Landry being a fucking adult, just like Aidan knew he could be—mature and full of honest communication—telling him without telling him,you’d better work this out, bud.
And Aidan was going to goddamn try.
First, he gave himself a very firm talking-to.
You will be normal. You will be friendly. But not too friendly. No mentions of beds, other than the guest room bed at your condo that he’s going to sleep in, alone.
No flirting. No kissing. And definitely, not under any circumstances, any mention of sex. Now or a year from now.
Then Aidan opened his texts with Levi. Ignored the last thing he’d sent. Ignored the last thingLevihad sent. That string of emojis that made it so clear they’d both had the same thing on their minds.
Hey,he said instead, calling on his many years of NFL captain behavior,I heard the great news that you’re coming to Toronto. Couldn’t be more excited. My guest room is all yours for as long as you need it.
Aidan decided that was clear enough. The last thing he’d sent Levi had hinted that the next time they saw each other, they’d share a bed. But now? It was not happening.
Not now, anyway.
Levi replied almost immediately. A single thumbs-up emoji. That was it.
Aidan flopped back on the bed. Annoyed and additionally annoyed with himself for being annoyed.
He had enough shit on his plate, he did not need Levi to twist him up in circles.
If that was even what he was doing.
But before Aidan could work up a good head of steam, another text arrived.
Camp is gonna be so sick. Flynn-Banks FTW!
It made him feel better and somehow also worse.
Because the other Flynn-Banks was Riley and Landry and they totally kicked ass on andoffthe field, and Aidan didn’t want that, of course. He was still in love with Mo. But heknewthat wasn’t what Levi meant.
He shouldn’t even want Levi to mean it that way.
But he was afraid he kinda did.
Aidan rolled over, groaning.
The next six weeks were gonna pass way too slowly.
Chapter 5
Six weeks later
Of course Aidan lived at the top of this enormous building. In the fucking penthouse, no less.
Most of his stuff was in a pod, heading to a storage facility outside Toronto, for when Levi figured his shit out and found a place of his own.
