More With You (8 page)

Hailey starts us off.  That girl always pulls deep into the archives.  She makes us work for it.  We all love music, but Hales is an ‘I love all genres, and I can kick your ass in name that tune’ kind of music lover.  She thrives on stumping us.  Just something else I love about her.  We usually know the song and can even sing along most of the time; however, in this game you have to name the artist.

She starts to play her chosen song, and I immediately recognize it as “Your Love.”
“The Outfield,” I blurt out. Hales looks at me and smiles.

“Why, Aiden, have you been brushing up on your artist recognition?” she asks in shock.

“You love that song,” I tell her with a wink. This seems to shock her even more than me actually knowing who sings it.  She opens and closes her mouth a couple times.  She settles on closed as Allie declares that it’s her turn.  I know so much about her.  I know she loves the beach.  I know that when she loves something, it’s with everything inside of her.  I know she loves photography and the pictures she takes are amazing.  I know I want her to be mine, and I can’t have her.

Allison plays the clip of her song and we all laugh as we hear “Rock and Roll” by Avril Lavigne blare from her phone. Before we can get the name out, both Allison and Hailey are singing their favorite line of the song at the top of their lungs…

“I am the motherfucking princess,” they both sing as loud as they can. Rocking out and shaking the Pathfinder.

Liam and I burst out laughing, both shaking our heads.  They love this song and that line particularly.  These girls are crazy, but we wouldn’t change them for the world.  God, I’m gonna miss this girl.  She has become such a huge part of my life.  Not seeing her every day, well…it just might kill me.

The remainder of the drive is much of the same.  The girls give us a live rolling karaoke show while Liam and I laugh at their antics.  I watch as Liam always has to be touching Allison.  His hand on her leg, his fingers laced with hers, kissing the back of her hand.  For all the shit I give him about being whipped, I’m also envious.

Liam pulls into the local grocery store, and we all climb out and stretch our legs.  The girls head inside to stock up on supplies while Liam and I hang out by the car.

“Hey, man.  Can I ask you a favor?” Liam asks with a serious expression on his face.

“Anything,” I reply, because really, he didn’t need to ask that. He knows I have his back. 

“Earlier today, I heard what the girls were talking about before my tickle fest with Allie,” he tells me.

I’m intrigued. He looks concerned.

“I overheard them talking about some skimpy bikini and Hales hooking up with some dude,” he says as if he’s pained that the words even cross his lips.

I tighten my fists at my sides. Just thinking about her with anyone else…it pisses me the fuck off. “What exactly do you need me to do?” I ask, hoping my voice doesn’t reveal the anger I feel coursing through me.

“I don’t know, man.” Liam runs his hands across his face.  “Distract her, maybe?  Look, I know she’s gonna meet someone, and I'm going to have to deal with it, but not like this.  I don’t want her first time to be some two week fling in the summer.  She deserves better than that.  I just want her safe.”

She’s still a virgin! I had my suspicions, but it isn’t my place to ask those kinds of questions. “I can’t stop her from hooking up,” I tell him through gritted teeth. I could, oh hell yes, I could.  But that would be wrong.  Hales isn’t mine.  No matter how much I want her, I have no right to keep her from finding someone else.  I chose to not act on these feelings I have for her to make sure she would always be a part of my life.  Now I need to man up and accept that she’ll be with someone else, and by the sound of it, a hell of a lot sooner than I was prepared to see.

Liam loudly exhales. “I know you can’t stop her, but try and distract her.  I know I tend to lose myself in Allie, and I’ll try to not let that happen, but if you can just hang out with her, you know?  Don’t give her the chance to go searching for someone.  Maybe we can at least protect her from a fling for her first time,” his voice is desperate.  I see it eating him up inside at the thought. 

If he only knew what his words were doing to me.  The anger coursing through my veins at the thought of my Hailey with someone else, someone who doesn’t love and respect her. 
Yeah, I’m pissed all right.

I hear the girls laughing as they push their loaded down cart out of the store.  Liam and I rush to them and take over, loading everything in the Pathfinder.  I return the cart to the corral and slide in next to Hailey.  I am sitting a little closer to the middle than I should, but I suddenly need to feel close to her.  I need to get the image of her and some no-name douche bag out of my head. I swear, if anyone tries to hurt her… I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts and calm down.

Aiden seems to be acting off. I can’t really put my finger on it. I don’t know what could have happened while Allie and I were in the store, but I can feel the tension coming off him in waves. He slides in, sitting a little closer than he normally does.  I inch closer to him and rest my hand on his leg.

“Hey, you all right?” I whisper softly.

His stares at my hand on his leg, I start to pull away, but he places his on top of mine.  He gently strokes his thumb across my knuckles.  He leans down in the seat so our shoulders are touching, never taking his eyes off our hands. He releases a heavy breath. “Yeah, I’m good, angel,” he whispers back.

I melt. Every damn time he calls me angel, I melt. I don’t try to make conversation. I don’t really want to say anything that I might regret, or that Allison and Liam can overhear. I adjust my position, rest my head on his shoulder, and close my eyes.  I want to climb in his lap and demand he tell me what’s wrong, but I can’t.  So instead, I touch him as much as I can get away with. We have a good thirty minutes until we reach the beach house, so I’ll pretend to be napping until then. I feel his head rest against mine as he whispers, “Rest, angel.”

My plan of pretending to sleep?  Well, I did actually fall asleep.  It was worth it though, because of how I am woken up.  I hear Aiden whisper, “Wake up, angel.  We’re here.” I open my eyes and see that he is close, so close.  He lifts his hand and cups my cheek.  “Sorry to wake you, baby, but we made it.”

I nod, because, holy shit, speaking is not something that my brain can handle at the moment.  Aiden has been treating me differently. The last few months we have flirted more, but he has never called me baby.  And just recently he has started calling me angel. I like it a lot.  Is my mind playing tricks on me?  Is this really happening?

Aiden leans up and places a tender kiss on my forehead. He opens his door and climbs out,  leaving me in my seat unable to speak, unable to comprehend what just happened.  It feels important, like our relationship is changing. I know I tend to let my imagination wander and pretend that he wants me.  Shit!  I may have to break down and talk to Allison about this.  I know she will be supportive. I just do not want Liam to find out.  I need to talk to my best friend.  I know she hates to keep anything from Liam, but surely best friend and future sister-in-law code can trump that on some things.  Things like me being in love with their best friend.

I jump at the sound of knocking on my window. It’s Allison. “Hey, lazy bones, let get moving,” she speaks through the glass. Taking one last deep breath to calm my racing heart, I open the door and climb out.

It only takes a couple of trips to get everything unloaded.  The guys carry triple what we do, so yeah, that helps.  The beach house has five bedrooms.  My parents have the master suite downstairs and there are four additional rooms upstairs.  Liam carries all of his and Allie’s things into the room he always uses.  I choose the room I always claim as mine, and Aiden takes one of the spares. 
I wish he was sharing with me. 

By the time we finish unpacking and fix something to eat, it’s evening.  Liam builds a fire in the pit.  Aiden brings the chairs out of the storage shed while Allison and I stock up a cooler with beer and wine coolers, of course.  The guys had bought the drinks yesterday, preparing for our trip.  They even bought us our favorite “girly” drink, Grape Smirnoff.
Yum
.  We carry the cooler down and place it behind one of the chairs away from the fire.  Allison runs to Liam, and he catches her easily in his arms, swinging her in circles.  I, however, slowly lower myself into a lounge chair watching the fire.  I peer out of the corner of my eye as Aiden lowers himself in the chair next to mine.  I notice that there are two chairs on the other side of the fire. I wonder if he set them up that way on purpose.  GAH!  I need to stop thinking that he is trying to get closer!  I need to just S-T-O-P!

“Tired?” he asks softly.

“Not too bad. My catnap on the way here helped.” I turn my head and smile at him.

He’s staring at me, but turns his head once he realizes that he’s been busted.

“They’re really happy,” he says, tilting his head towards Liam and Allison.

“Yeah, they really are. I’m happy for them,” I say.

“Me too,” he replies quietly.

Aiden and I sit in silence as we watch the fire. Liam and Allison are curled up on a lounger across from us. All of us are quiet, just enjoying the sounds of the ocean and the cracking of the fire.  We remain this way for what seems like hours.  Liam and Allie rise and say they are heading in for the night. 

“I’m surprised they lasted this long,” Aiden says, laughing softly.

I can’t help but chuckle. “Me either. They held out longer than I would have.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. Shit. Shit. Shit. Hopefully Aiden will let it go and not try to dig deeper into the meaning of what I said.

“Do tell,” he says with a smirk. He turns on his side in the lounger to face me.

Yep, so not that lucky.

I turn on my side to face him as well. “You really want to know?” I ask him.

“Yes.”

My eyes find his. I feel like something monumental is happening. I just can’t put my finger on it. I decide to let my word-vomit flow. I can’t scare him away; he’s not even mine.

“Like I said, they held out longer than I would have.  I would give anything to have that kind of connection with someone.  To always feel loved, safe, and secure.  Knowing that at the end of the day, no matter how good or how shitty it was, that one person was there waiting to wrap his arms around me, tell me he loves me, and make love to me.” I feel my face blush on that one. I’m glad that it’s dark, and hopefully the glow of the fire will mask my embarrassment.

Aiden sits quietly, watching me with those chocolate eyes of his.  I watch him watching me.  He stands up, scoots his lounger closer to mine, and lays back down facing me.  We are so close I could reach out and touch him.  I don’t get the chance because Aiden cups my face with the palm of his hand.  He gently takes his thumb and strokes underneath my eye. 

“Do you not feel safe, angel? Did someone hurt you?” he asks with a mix of concern and anger in his voice.

“No,” I say in a strained voice, shaking my head. “It’s not that, it’s just…”

“It’s what?”

“I just want to know what it feels like to be the center of someone’s universe.  Someone who chose me to be that person for them.  Not my parents or my older brother.  But someone who chooses me to share everything intimate in their life.  I wish I had someone who loves me and I, in turn, love them, the way that Liam and Allison love each other, is all.” I rush to get the words out to explain.  “I just want that connection, to be someone’s more.” I must sound crazy to him.

Aiden sits up and pulls me onto his lounger and into his arms. He pulls me tight against his chest. “You are more; you deserve all of that and more. Please, don’t ever settle for less.”

I feel him kiss the top of my head. I snuggle deeper into his embrace. “You deserve that too, Aiden,” I whisper.

“Maybe so,” he says. “But you are the motherfucking princess, remember?” he says with a chuckle.

I elbow him in the ribs.

“Hey! Take it easy. I’m just messing with you.” He laughs.

“Serves you right, Mister. Don’t mess with me,” I say, trying to hold back my laughter.

“The fire’s about burnt out. Let’s get you to bed,” he says, releasing me from his embrace.