Hide And Keep (2 page)

“Yet here you are, about to eat the worst food in the world.” He said as he gestured toward the counter and the lovestruck high school girl waiting to take Aiden’s order. Aiden shrugged as he turned to her.

“Two cheeseburger meal, plain with medium fries and a medium Sprite.” Aiden said and handed her his bank card. Once she returned his card he stood back and looked at Lane. “Are you going to eat?” He asked. Lane shook his head.

“Fuck, no.” He replied as he crossed his arms and waited. “Eating this garbage will kill you.” Lane added and Aiden shrugged again before he went to the counter to get his food.

Lane led Aiden to a table by the window so he could keep an eye on his car. Lane noticed Aiden’s hands shake as he unwrapped his first cheeseburger and took a bite. Aiden rocked rhythmically as he chewed. Lane’s brows rose as Aiden mowed through the first burger.

“You’re really hungry.” He said and Aiden paused. He finished chewing a mouthful of burger and swallowed slowly. He took a long sip from his soda and took a deep breath before he nodded.

“The line at the airport McDonald’s was too long this morning, there wasn’t time for me to eat breakfast.” Aiden mumbled before he started his second cheeseburger.

Aiden took a bite and rocked twice then frowned as he forced his body into a very stiff, upright posture. Lane sat back and made his eyes travel the dining room slowly. He sensed that he’d made Aiden self conscious about the way he was eating. Every now and then, he’d casually glance at Aiden to see him quickly chewing through a french fry. He ate them one at a time, without ketchup. As soon as they were gone and his soda empty, Aiden jumped to his feet. Lane looked up and raised a brow.

“Better?” He asked. Aiden nodded as he went off to dump his tray. Lane shook his head as he went to the door and waited for Aiden.

“Can we go to the mall now?” Aiden asked impatiently. Lane shook his head in disbelief as they went to the car.

“Your level of excitement about the mall rivals that of a teenage girl.” He said as they got in the car. Aiden frowned at Lane.

“I’m tired, detective. I’d like to get my clothes and toiletries, shower and change as soon as possible.” Aiden explained. Lane grinned as he stared at Aiden.

“You could have saved yourself a lot of shopping if you brought your clothes and toiletries with you, like people usually do when they travel.” He suggested. Aiden shook his head as he went back to looking out the window.

“I’m always traveling. I don’t do laundry or pack. If I did, I’d be doing it all the time. That sounds incredibly tedious.” He explained. Lane blinked in confusion as he tried to make sense of Aiden’s logic.

“Right. Because this isn’t tedious.” He mumbled and Aiden shrugged.

Their visit to the mall was blessedly brief. Aiden went straight to The Gap and a platinum blonde twink practically tripped as he rushed to Aiden’s side to assist him. Lane wasn’t impressed with the obvious flirting or his own reaction. Why the hell was he jealous? Aiden seemed unaware or not in the mood to acknowledge his eager new assistant as he asked for six pairs of the exact jeans he was wearing, six hoodies just like the one he had on, six pairs of grey boxer briefs, six pairs of sweat pants, six pairs of athletic socks and six pairs of black socks. He quickly picked six t-shirts and paid. On the way out of the mall, Aiden bought a pair of running shoes. They ran into a Walgreens as they left Chicago and Aiden purchased Pantene shampoo, Lever soap, Degree deodorant, Crest toothpaste and a toothbrush. Once they were back in the car, Aiden mumbled “Thank You” before he leaned his head against the window and fell asleep.

Lane used the hour back to Lake Cliff to try and make sense of Aiden Sharp. He was definitely… unique. He chuckled softly as he tried to guess what Clark’s reaction was going to be when he realized his expert witness might be insane. Lane took pleasure in the fact that he’d have a front row seat. He took advantage of Aiden’s unconsciousness and studied him as he drove. Lane couldn’t deny that Aiden was beautiful. Especially when he was asleep. It was unfortunate that his beauty was quickly eclipsed by his personality when he was awake. He seemed innately demanding and oblivious to the basics of human interaction. Lane wasn’t sure how much of it was to do with his status as a world renowned expert in his field or his having Asperger’s. Which had Lane making a mental note to research Asperger’s and find out what exactly that meant. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to effect Aiden physically. Despite his ridiculous diet, Aiden’s tall, broad shouldered and narrow waisted physique was taut and muscular, from what Lane was able to observe so far. Lane had to shift in his seat as his trousers tightened when he tried to imagine what Aiden looked like under his clothes.

Getting aroused at the idea of Aiden naked filled Lane with a combination of lust and shame. After Aiden’s earlier declaration, Lane was certain Aiden would welcome his advances, if he made them. The idea of something easy and uncomplicated with someone that wasn’t Clark was seriously tempting for Lane. But the idea of that someone having some sort of disability that Lane didn’t really understand felt a little immoral. While Aiden was clearly intelligent in certain respects, he wasn’t quite right in other ways. He already admitted to not being able to understand certain aspects of communication. Lane had witnessed Aiden’s confusion over sarcasm and slang. The Gap twink’s use of ‘bae’ and ‘on fleek’ had Aiden almost paralyzed. Did Aiden’s lack of understanding extend to sex and relationships? Lane wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he led on and took advantage of a disabled person.
Best to just leave this one alone, even if he is seriously hot,
Lane decided.

As he made up his mind, the exit for Lake Cliff came up. Lane reached over and shook Aiden’s shoulder. He jumped, disoriented and panicked as his eyes swept restlessly around him. Lane frowned as he waited for Aiden to collect himself. Aiden’s chest rose and fell rapidly as he pulled his phone out and checked it.

“We’re almost to Lake Cliff. Which hotel are you staying at?” Lane asked gently and Aiden shook his head.

“I can’t stay at a hotel. Just take me to the police station.” He replied as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. Lane’s head pulled back in confusion.

“You can’t stay at the station.” He responded and Aiden’s eyes flared.

“I usually do. They almost always have showers and lockers. Sometimes a small gym.” He argued and Lane shook his head.

“I know but there won’t be any beds.” Lane pointed out and Aiden raised a shoulder and stretched his neck.

“I’m sure there’s a couch. Sometimes, there isn’t but I can sleep at a desk.” He assured Lane as he pulled his arm across his chest, stretching. “Is there a gym at your station? I need to run.” Lane shook his head and Aiden groaned as he looked back out the window. Lane sighed as his conscience tugged at him. Aiden looked genuinely exhausted and his entire being screamed stiff and sore from spending most of the day on an airplane or in cars.

“You’re not staying at the station.” He said firmly and Aiden’s head swung back toward Lane. He looked panicked again.

“I can’t stay in a hotel, detective.” Aiden repeated. Lane shook his head.

“You’re staying at my house so you might as well call me Lane.” He replied as he took the off ramp. Aiden looked as if he wanted to argue and Lane stared, daring him. Aiden bit his lip for a moment as he eyed Lane warily.

“Do you have firearms and a security system?” He asked and Lane chuckled as he sped past Lake Cliff. He lived about fifteen minutes from town on an isolated 26 acre lakefront property on Lake Michigan.

“I have a security system and firearms. And it’s a really quiet neighborhood.” He grinned as he looked at Aiden. He seemed to relax slightly.

“I have to run before I can go to bed.” Aiden stipulated. Lane shrugged.

“My house is conveniently situated in the middle of the outside. You can run as much as you like.” He teased and Aiden shook his head wildly.

“I can’t run outside.” He declared and Lane rolled his eyes.

“I have a treadmill.” He replied and Aiden practically melted into his seat in relief.

“Thank you, Lane.” He said softly as he looked back out the window. “For everything.” He added quietly. Lane nodded as he turned down the rural road that would eventually end at his property.

“Its fine.” Lane insisted as he pulled into his driveway. “What kind of person would I be if I let you sleep at the station?” He asked as he shut off the car. Aiden yawned as he stretched again.

“Typical? No one else has ever had a problem with it.” He said as he opened the door and got out. Lane stared after him and he couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for Aiden Sharp.

Chapter 2

Aiden’s eyes widened as they took in the exterior of Lane’s house. It was a very modern two story structure of glass and brick. Mostly glass. And in the middle of nowhere. Aiden frowned as he turned and surveyed the area around them. They were really isolated. He looked at Lane and felt safer. Aiden turned his attention back to the house.

“A detective definitely can’t afford this.” He said as he followed Lane to the front door. Lane shook his head and snorted.

“You know, it’s not polite to discuss a person’s income and what they can and can’t afford, right?” He scolded as he pushed the door open. Aiden nodded.

“I know. How can you afford this house and the car?” He asked as he took in the interior. It was retro modern, yet masculine. Aiden turned and looked at Lane expectantly. Lane laughed softly as he gestured toward the stairs and went up. Aiden followed.

“My family has money. They’re in oil. My parents live in Oklahoma and bought this as an investment property. The car was a gift when I graduated from college. Aside from the house and the car, I live on my meager salary.” He winked as he pushed open the door on the right.

Aiden nodded absently as he looked around the room. He almost wept with joy at the sight of the king size bed and the crisp, light blue sheets and thick duvet. The leather lounge chair and ottoman and fireplace seemed almost decadent. Lane went to the fireplace and flipped a switch on the wall. A moment later, a fire leapt to life.

“It’s going to be cold once the sun sets.” He explained as he crossed the room and opened a door. “You’ve got a full bathroom in here. There are towels in the cabinet. If you need anything else, let me know.” Lane said as he went to the door. Aiden took a deep breath as he waited for his emotions to settle. He wasn’t sure what they were, his chest and his brain felt like fuzzy smeared dripping colors. Aiden took another deep breath as he set his bags on the dresser.

“I haven’t slept in a bed in almost three years. Thank you, Lane.” He whispered before he turned around. Lane’s brows pulled together and the muscle in his jaw twitched before he ducked his head.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m going to go cook dinner. You can rest until it's ready.” He said as he turned to leave. Aiden frowned as he went after him.

“Please don’t cook for me! Can you just take me to McDonald’s?” He asked and Lane turned and crossed his arms over his chest as he shook his head.

“No. You’re not eating that shit again. Not to mention, I’m not driving you all the way to town and back tonight.” He declared. Aiden felt his stomach clench nervously and he chewed on his fingernail.

“I usually have chicken nuggets, fries and a Sprite for dinner, Lane.” He argued gently as he searched Lane’s face. Lane’s lips tightened and he shook his head again.

“You can’t seriously eat like that every day.” He said incredulously and Aiden nodded.

“I don’t like to eat anything else unless I absolutely have to. Or, I just don’t eat.” He explained and Lane’s eyes widened in shock.

“Why?” He gasped. Aiden struggled to find some way to explain that wouldn’t sound irrational.

“Everywhere you go, the food is always the same. If I order chicken nuggets in Denver, they’re exactly the same as they are in Los Angeles.”
There. That should make sense,
Aiden thought as he waited for Lane to agree. Instead, his hand clapped over his mouth and squeezed as he stared at Aiden before he removed it and exhaled loudly.

“You realize that’s a bad thing, don’t you?” Lane asked. Aiden shrugged.

“Not to me.” He countered. Lane narrowed his eyes and let them sweep over Aiden from head to toe before he shook his head.

“No. You’re going to eat real food while you’re here.” He announced and Aiden stopped himself from groaning.

“Is it too late to go to the station?” He asked sheepishly and Lane’s head cocked as he glared back.

“Yes. You’ve got about an hour. Entertain yourself.” Lane said as he turned to go. Aiden squeezed his eyes shut and begged himself to let it go. Lane was giving him a bed and a private shower.

“Where is the treadmill?” Aiden asked. He would use running to sublimate his disappointment and chicken nugget rage. Lane turned and leaned against the door frame.

“How can you think of running right now? You look dead on your feet, Aiden.” He asked. Aiden agreed silently as he pulled a pair of sweat pants from one of the bags.

“I won’t be able to fall asleep if I don’t run. My brain just won’t transition. I have to… purge the tension from my system or else I’ll be too restless.” He said as he started pulling the paper from inside the running shoes. He heard Lane sigh but didn’t look up. Aiden knew he’d see something like pity or confusion that he wouldn’t be able to accurately decipher.

“It’s downstairs in the study off of the living room.” Lane said before he left Aiden to change.

Ten minutes later, Aiden stepped cautiously down the stairs. Lane looked over the counter and pointed across the wide, open layout of the downstairs to a room in the back corner. Aiden nodded weakly as he passed and his neck craned as he tried to see what Lane was doing. He saw potatoes and relaxed slightly. Aiden liked potatoes. Mostly as french fries but he could handle them mashed if they were plain. And baked, if they were plain. Lane gave him a hard glare before his head jerked toward the study. Aiden’s shoulders sagged as he took himself off to the treadmill. In the study, he forced his mind away from dinner and let the soothing presence of the treadmill calm him. He liked that it faced the window and he could watch the sun setting on the lake. Aiden pulled on his headphones, selected a Sia album and hit Shuffle before he set down his phone.

As soon as his feet were swiftly striding and his heart was pounding, the tension started to leave Aiden’s body and his brain began to untangle as he pondered the possibility of an elastic heart. His sight stretched out past the glass and his vision unfocused as his mind turned to Lane. He felt his lips tilting softly as his body became warmer and he knew it wasn’t just the running. Aiden wanted Lane. It was rare for Aiden to feel such a strong sexual attraction to someone but it had been instantaneous. Cabbot had sent a picture but it didn’t do Lane any justice. In person, he was stunningly handsome and potently masculine. Lane reminded Aiden of a Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger ad. He had that all American, clean cut jock look with his light gold blonde hair, tanned skin and chiseled features. His eyes were hazel but Aiden noticed that they were deep green at the edge of the iris and gold around the pupils. In his sleek shirt and trousers, Aiden could tell that Lane was in very good shape, lean and muscular, not bodybuilder bulky. Aiden didn’t like when men were too large and their muscles were forced to exaggerated proportions.

Food smells that Aiden couldn’t identify tickled his nose and he turned up the volume on the music and ignored them. He focused on Lane’s completely unexpected invitation (though it was not presented as an option) to stay with him. Despite his hostility toward Aiden, he knew that Lane was a man of integrity and strong character. The house was confirmation. Lane came from money, he could have settled into an easy life. Instead, he went to college and then into law enforcement. Clearly, he felt compelled to serve the public. He was motivated by things more noble than wealth but was sensible enough to accept his family’s assistance and live more comfortably. Lane would have been a boring cliche if he had insisted on living solely on his income and hid the fact that his family was wealthy.

Aiden couldn’t tell if Lane was going to accept his offer to have sex. There was no doubt that Lane found Aiden attractive. Aiden had seen more than enough physical indicators but he wasn’t stupid enough to underestimate how annoying he could be. It wouldn’t be the first time Aiden’s personality was a turn off for potential partners. Usually, Aiden didn’t care. This time, he knew he’d be very disappointed if Lane declined.

The rest of the run was spent obsessively analyzing Lane’s every remark and facial gesture over the course of the afternoon as Aiden tried to predict the likelihood that they’d have sex.