Hard to Handle litb-2 Page 8

  “A buffer.” Aiden finished.

  She bit her lip. The definition of irony was asking Aiden to be a buffer when Aiden was the one she needed a buffer for. She nodded.

  Hand still on her car, Aiden leaned his head through the open window. Sadie held her breath, watching his lips draw closer to hers. He stopped short of brushing her nose with his and she licked her bottom lip.

  His voice was a low rasp when he spoke. “Why didn’t you say so?”

  Before she’d succeeded to pull air into her deflated lungs, Aiden was in the car, belt buckled. “I’ll even let you drive,” he said with a wink.

  Sadie pulled onto the street, utterly distracted by the heat emanating off her passenger. Woodsy-smelling, toothpaste-commercial-worthy Aiden Downey. Right next to her. Her hands grew damp on the steering wheel. He was sitting too close, was too distracting. Operating the gas pedal and steering wheel simultaneously wasn’t normally an issue she struggled with.

  Maybe she should let him drive.

  His bare arm brushed hers as he turned down the radio, sending goose bumps to the surface of her skin and her thoughts into dangerous territory. She jerked her arm, nearly veering into a cornfield.

  “I was planning on taking the bike out,” he said, sounding terribly calm. Being near her hadn’t robbed him of his faculties. “It’s the perfect night for doing something outside.” He glanced her direction. “I’m glad you invited me.”

  Sadie flinched. She could picture him weaving along a dark ribbon of unlit road on his motorcycle. She refused to get on one. That hadn’t changed since last year.

  “I can’t believe you still hate Sheila,” he teased, picking up on her thoughts. Or maybe he noticed her absently rubbing her arm with her free hand.

  “If she weren’t lethal, I might give her a chance,” Sadie mumbled.

  “Maybe you should give her a chance anyway.”

  She spared him as long a glance as she could before returning her eyes to the road. His loaded statement seemed to be about more than her motorcycle phobia.

  When Sadie knew she was getting close to Rick’s house she pulled out her cell and studied the GPS on the screen. They passed a sign, then another, but Sadie couldn’t read the street names despite her squinting, straining, and bending over the steering wheel.

  “Keep hunching like that and I’ll have to find you a bell tower to live in.”

  She sat up. “You’re hilarious.”

  He grinned over at her, attractive even in the eerie blue lights emanating from the dashboard. Her pulse skittered. “Did you consider asking for my help?” he asked.

  She hadn’t. And it wasn’t like she could forget she had a copilot. His presence clogged the very air she breathed. But asking for help hadn’t occurred to her. Not once. Why was that? Because I never ask for help came the swift but sure answer.

  Rather than examine the reasons behind her actions, she handed him the phone. “Here.”

  Aiden dropped it in the cup holder. “You have a ways to go.”

  “You know where we are?”

  “Friend of mine used to live out here—Peachpine Road.”

  “Peachpine?” She wrinkled her nose. “Berrymaple? What kind of weird neighborhood is this?” His chuckle sent another wave of goose bumps over her arms. She liked talking to him. Even about nothing.

  “All the lanes back here are a mash-up of fruit and tree names,” he told her.

  “Nuh-uh.”

  “Yes-huh. There’s Grapewillow, Raisinfir, and Cantaloupe…uh, Dogwood.”

  His hesitation gave him away. “You made that last one up,” she said, swatting him playfully. He caught her hand and didn’t let it go.

  “You got me,” he said softly. A moment later, he pointed. “Berrymaple.”

  Sadie took her hand back. The slide of his fingers against hers made her want to sigh. She turned down the long lane, missing his touch already.

  “Spooky,” Aiden said, checking out their surroundings.

  It was, a little. Tall trees shrouded the lane in darkness, their fading leaves waving overhead and blocking out the stars. They parted to a massive field where silhouettes circled a huge bonfire burning in a clearing. Sadie angled her car into the grass and parked. Hers was one of few four-wheeled vehicles, the rest of the space littered with motorcycles.

  “You didn’t tell me it was a biker party. I would have brought Sheila.”

  “Yeah, well, I didn’t think of it,” she lied.

  Aiden tsked. “She’s gonna be mad when she hears about this.”

  “You have an unhealthy relationship with that bike,” Sadie said, dropping her keys into the pocket of her hoodie.

  “Yeah, I have a weakness for gorgeous ladies,” Aiden quipped, adding a long-lashed wink. Sadie was glad the interior of the car was dark so he couldn’t see her face grow warm. On Aiden, something as simple as a wink packed enough innuendo to bring the female population to their knees. And she was already showing her weakness for him tonight.

  Sadie retrieved a six-pack of beer from the backseat and got out. Aiden took the beer and caught her hand with his free one.

  She looked down at their linked arms, Aiden’s tanned one resting against her fairer skin. “This okay?” he asked, his voice gentle.

  She nodded and he gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze as they walked. At least it felt reassuring to her. Yes, he made her pulse jump-start, conjured up goose bumps, and heated her cheeks, but something about him also calmed her. Always had.

  They broached the outer rim of the party, and a few people turned to watch them. She pictured what they must see: Sadie, with a tall, buff, dark-blond-haired guy. A guy holding her close to him, claiming her. She liked that much more than she should.

  “Sadie!” someone behind her squealed.

  “Jade, hi!” Sadie caught the tattooed twentysomething against her in a tight hug. Jade held on a little too tight—maybe for support. She smelled like a distillery.

  “I meant to text you,” Jade slurred. Every year they promised to catch up between Summer’s Passing parties. It never happened. Sadie doubted they had much more in common than the yearly shindig.

  “This year. We’ll do it this year,” Sadie assured her.

  “For sure.” She held up a water bottle filled with a brownish liquid and shook it. “I started way early.” She seemed to notice Aiden and stuck her hand out, wobbling slightly in a pair of wedge sandals. “Hi. Jade.”

  “Aiden.”

  Jade held his hand longer than the social norm, then turned to Sadie and blurted, “He’s superhot.”

  Aiden’s deep chuckle near Sadie’s ear caused the fine hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end.

  Jade beamed up at him. “That wasn’t a whisper, was it?”

  He shook his head. “Afraid not.”

  Before Jade could embarrass herself further, another “Sadie!” interrupted them. Sadie turned to greet more once-a-year friends and introduce Aiden to everyone in as vague a manner as possible. This is Aiden. He works at Axle’s. Almost everyone knew the place, and had good things to say about the store, and about Axle. Sadie watched in awe as Aiden answered questions patiently. The man did not know a stranger. They had that in common. She hoped he ended up with Axle’s. He deserved something good in his life. Her smile faded. So did she, for that matter. They both did.

  “Sadie, hey.”

  She turned toward Rick’s voice. He approached, a bottle of beer in each hand. “Brought you a Yuengling,” he said, his smile hopeful. Too hopeful.

  She heard Aiden finish up his conversation before slipping his hand into hers.

  Rick blinked, out of surprise, at their linked fingers. He weighed the bottles in his hand. “I guess…I brought beers for both of you,” he said, his smile tight.

  “No, thanks, brought my own,” Aiden said, pointing out the six-pack at his feet.

  Sadie’s heart hammered. “I’ll have one,” she said out of guilt. Oh, the guilt.

  He nodded a
t Aiden. “I’m Rick.”

  “Aiden.” He was taller than Rick, his thick hair making a mockery of Rick’s thinning scalp. His everything made a mockery of their host. Aiden was a great-looking guy. She shut her eyes and reminded herself not to compare. Still, it was hard to accept that she was standing with the last two men she’d kissed.

  There was no comparison. Aiden won that battle hands-down. At the thought of his hands, her mind wandered off. She caught it by the tail and dragged it back before it got too far.

  “Aiden and I are…” She hadn’t meant to start the introduction that way, and had no words to finish the sentence. What were they? Friends? Coworkers? She smiled thinly.

  Aiden picked up the slack. And choked her with it. “Getting married.”

  He did not just tell Rick Hammond they were getting married. Only he did. She recovered on the outside, or at least she hoped she did. The false smile on her face felt as if it might crack and fall to her feet at any second.

  “Well.” Rick looked from Aiden to Sadie. “I guess congratulations,” he said, trying to mask the hurt she could see on his face. “Sadie always told me she was never getting married.”

  Aiden squeezed her hand. Curiously, the part of Sadie that wanted to slap him had surrendered to the part of her enjoying the warmth of his palm. “She told me the same thing, didn’t you, sweetheart?”

  Sweetheart? That might be pushing it. Sadie gave Aiden a warning glare. He ignored it.

  “How long did it take?” Aiden asked her. “Two, three weeks to wear you down?” Keeping their hands intertwined, Aiden wrapped her arm behind her back and pulled her to him. “She couldn’t resist me.”

  He really did smell good, she thought as he brought her against the wall of his strong chest. Wait. She was supposed to be upset. Or something.

  She inched away from him when Rick offered a generic “Guess when you know, you know.” His smile was tight. Sadie remembered their handful of dates in January and February and felt another pang of guilt. Using someone to salve her wounds, when she knew he felt something for her, was reprehensible. Sadie should have broken it off early, or never gone out with him at all. Rick was a nice guy. A really nice guy. And she hated hurting him. But, nice or not, he hadn’t made her pulse shake like a pair of maracas.

  Not like Aiden.

  Rick pointed out the food tables and tubs of ice where they could stow their beers and took his leave. Sadie blew out a breath, feeling like a dirty liar.

  Aiden chuckled softly.

  Sadie glared up at him. “‘Sweetheart’?”

  “Yes, dear?” He beamed down at her.

  “You shouldn’t rub it in his face. What was all that about?” She pulled her hand out of his.

  “I’m buffering.” Aiden rubbed his hands together. “As requested.”

  “But married, Aiden? Really?”

  Aiden’s eyes narrowed. “He seemed pretty upset to hear about our engagement. I thought you said things weren’t serious between you two.”

  She took in Aiden’s stiff posture, the intense look on his face, the frown lines bracketing his mouth. Was he…jealous? Of Rick? And why did she feel a rush of exhilaration at the idea? “I—”

  “There she is!”

  Oh no.

  Perry. He strode through the grass in loafers, sliding a hand down his ugly maroon tie. A tie and khakis. Always on the clock. Perry may have been good at sales, but he was crap at reading body language.

  He ignored Aiden, a virtual wall of tension by her side, and said, “So. Did you ‘close the deal’ with Rick yet? If you know what I mean.” He rolled his eyes, then seemed to notice Aiden. “Hey. Perry Bradford. I work at Midwest with Sadie. You in the business?”

  Aiden stood, hands at his sides, and glared at Perry. “Aiden Downey, manager, Axle’s,” he announced, his voice as rigid as his body.

  “Oh-ho!” Perry got in Sadie’s face. “My God, you do get around.”

  She’d barely had time to get offended when Aiden reached past her and wound a fist around Perry’s tie. They were the same height, but Aiden had the benefit of brawn and somehow still managed to look down at Perry. “Say it again,” Aiden said as calmly as if discussing the weather. But he wasn’t calm. His nostrils flared. A muscle in his jaw jumped.

  Aiden looked mad.

  And hot.

  Perry attempted to pull away, sloshing beer onto his shoes in the process. He clasped on to Aiden’s wrist, his teeth drawn back in a grimace. He forced a shaky smile. “Easy, buddy. She knows I’m joking.”

  Aiden tightened his hold and hauled Perry half an inch closer. “Yeah, but I don’t.” He released Perry a moment later. Perry stumbled, straightening his shirt with one jittery movement after the other. He stalked off, muttering something incomprehensible as he did. When he got far enough away, he threw the word asshole over his shoulder.

  Sadie winced, worrying Aiden might tear after him and break his nose. Worrying more how she might like to see that play out. But Aiden’s face had lost all rage, and he laughed lightly, his easy smile sliding across his lips as if it’d been just under the surface the whole time.

  “There,” he said. “That ought to help.”

  Sadie didn’t think she’d ever had someone stand up for her honor before. Stand up for her at all, actually. She rose to her tiptoes and grasped Aiden’s neck and kissed him. Just a brief press of lips, and not nearly long enough for her taste. She lowered to her heels.

  Aiden’s lips were still pursed when she drew away. His hands landed on her hips. “What was that for?” he asked, his voice rough.

  She couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t take the dark intensity in his eyes. But she did anyway. “Thank you.”

  His infallible smile returned, the intensity in his eyes replaced with impishness. “What do I get if I punch him?”

  An hour later they found a pair of empty lawn chairs. Sadie collapsed into one while Aiden went to grab her another beer. Jade flopped down into the chair next to her and leaned over the arm, nearly tipping it over.

  Sadie held out a hand to help but Jade righted the chair with an awkward splay of one leg. “Hottie with a body is your fiancé?” Sadie guessed she was attempting a whisper. She didn’t quite make it. Sadie sent an apologetic smile to a few people hovering nearby.

  “Wow, word travels fast,” Sadie said.

  “Yeah.” She glanced at the fire. The flames were no longer two stories high, making it safer to sit close. “Perry is trying to take Rick’s account out from under you,” Jade said with a sloppy wave. “But I heard Rick say he wasn’t going to sign with that bag of dicks.”

  Sadie chuckled. “Did he, now?”

  Jade let out a sharp laugh. “He may not have used that exact terminology.”

  Sadie felt Aiden before she heard him. A tingling on the back of her neck like static electricity. “Hi, Jade.”

  “Hi, hottie,” Jade said with an exaggerated wink. “Have you two set a date yet?”

  Aiden didn’t hesitate. “Well, I would get married tomorrow, but Sadie wants a huge wedding. Massive. One that trumps the royals.”

  ”No way, you should go to Jamaica.” Jade shoved Sadie, bringing her back from blankly staring into the flames. She gave her an impatient smile. Thankfully, Jade said nothing more on the subject after that, excusing herself and clambering out of the chair. She nearly spilled out of her top in the process.

  Aiden sat, eyes wide, looking shell-shocked. “Could have gone my whole life without seeing that,” he joked. He handed over Sadie’s beer and took a drink from his own.

  Sadie didn’t laugh.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Nothing. Everything. “I don’t want a huge wedding,” she said.

  “No?” Aiden shrugged with his mouth. “What’ll it be, then? Courthouse? Vegas? Jamaica?”

  She didn’t feel like playing any longer. “I don’t want a wedding at all.”

  “Well, don’t I feel the fool.”

  “Stop joking about this,
okay?” Sadie wasn’t sure where that came from, but suddenly her patience was very thin. She guzzled down a few swallows of beer.

  Aiden leaned in and forced her to acknowledge him. “I’m sorry if I took things too far. I didn’t know.”

  And she was overreacting. “It’s fine.” She raked a hand through her hair.

  After a moment, Aiden asked, “You really don’t see yourself ever getting married?”

  She thought of the wedding she’d planned. The caterer she’d booked. Invitations she’d ordered, then subsequently shredded into tiny pieces. The flowers she’d debated over. The chicken-or-steak option she’d been sure to include on the RSVP cards. It’d all been for naught. Wasted time, wasted hopes.

  “Never,” she said.

  “That’s too bad.”

  Sadie turned to see Aiden tip his beer to his lips. A wave of melancholy washed over her, almost like she regretted giving such a final answer on the subject. So change the subject. “What do you think about putting a second motorcycle in the display window?”

  Aiden turned to her, a puzzled look on his face. “You really don’t think I could talk you into marrying me?”

  Sadie nearly choked on her beer. All the blood rushed from her face to her toes, making her brain temporarily seize. No, of course not. Just say it. No way, Jose. But she didn’t. She just sat there, staring at him, eyes as round as a pair of Harley Daymaker headlamps.

  “Yeah,” Aiden sighed. “Rick probably didn’t buy it, either.” He spared her a glance. “Think I jumped the shark? Want me to tell him I lied? That I’m a client who has no friends, so you invited me out of pity?”

  His careless smile was intact, but Sadie could see a dab of sadness in his eyes. She knew he’d lost his best friend when he found out Daniel slept with Aiden’s then-wife. She wondered how many people he’d alienated in the process of walking away from his and Daniel’s business. She wondered if she counted as his friend. If she wanted to…

  She put a palm on his arm. “You have friends. You made two or three friends within five minutes of being here. And I’m fairly sure Jade would have your babies if you asked nicely.”