Page 31 of Take My Breath Away
I tear my attention away from Aiden to James. His smile, still friendly, still guarded, remains stuck to his face, but it’s his voice that causes my pulse to pick up the pace. There’s an undertone, a warning, and it’s edged with danger.
If Aiden’s noticed, it doesn’t show as his smile widens.
“Other things. Yes, I remember you saying. But we shouldn’t let all thoseother thingsget in the way. We really should make arrangements to meet up again, and soon.”
James, still smiling, still guarded, gives a barely there shrug.
“Let me introduce Perry.”
Aiden turns his attention to me, his smile still in place. Even though it’s broad and bright, and I’m exposed to the full sunshine of it, there’s a subtle change. It’s the hard, bright sun of winter.
“James’ friend.”
I can’t decide whether or not he lays a slight emphasis on the wordfriendbut I’ve no time to consider it as he carries on. “James said, last time we spoke, he had somebody staying with him. You’re in a bit of a fix, apparently.”
Aiden, tall, muscular and gorgeous, stares down at me. His smile’s dropped away a little, and he’s waiting for me to stumble out a response, tripping up as I go.
Fuck you.
I return his smile, lounging back in the seat with an easy, relaxed confidence I’m not exactly feeling.
“I was, but James has been brilliant. I’m living with him.”
Shock widens Aiden’s eyes, just for a moment. He covers it well, but a bitchy little thrill sparks in my blood.
Perry One, Aiden Nil.
Aiden considers me for a moment longer before he turns back to James.
Their gazes lock, all their focus on each other, leaving me forgotten and nothing more than a spectator relegated to the sidelines. Something unsaid passes between them, so strong and tangible I can almost touch it, taste it, smell it. I force myself to look away.
“I should be going. Nice to have met you Perry. I’m sure we’ll meet again. James, what do you reckon?”
Aiden’s voice, like his lips, barely holds back a smirk. I throw a glance at James. His expression’s neutral, but it doesn’t hide the stiffness in his jaw or the chill in his eyes.
“Unlikely.” James may as well have saidnot in this lifetimefor all the promise in his tone, but if Aiden notices he doesn’t care as he gives a low chuckle.
Without another word Aiden turns and leaves, and both James and I follow him with our eyes. The door closes behind him, and I sag forward onto the table, almost knocking over the fresh coffee I didn’t see the waiter bring over and set down.
“Perry?” James’ voice is soft, all the hard edge of the last few seconds, minutes, hours or however long it’s been, gone. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, why shouldn’t I be?”
“I feel I should explain—”
“There’s nothing to explain.”
“There is. Aiden’s somebody I’ve known for a long—”
“So he’s a former boyfriend.”Oh, Christ.I don’t want to know, even though I already know… That’s complete crap, because I want James to tell me exactly who and what Aiden is.
James stares at me before he shakes his head hard. “No. Not my boyfriend. He’s not, and never has been, my boyfriend. We had what you might call an arrangement. It was mutually beneficial.”
A mutually beneficial arrangement.
Of course…
Begins with Fuck and ends with Buddy. It’s not difficult to figure, because James has made it clear he doesn’t have boyfriends and relationships.
