Ayden

by Melissa Belle

  Huh. “Thanks for the tip,” I say. “I’m not going to think about my life in twenty years just yet. I have a hard enough time figuring out what will be happening tomorrow.”

  “I’m a planner,” Trey says as the Ferris wheel mercifully comes to a stop at the bottom, and we climb out. “I like to think about every detail of my future, so I make sure I accomplish everything I want. I don’t want to have any regrets on my deathbed, you know?”

  I look past him at Ayden and Jenny headed toward us from the moonwalk. Ayden’s eyes don’t leave mine as Jenny chatters away to him.

  “No regrets,” I repeat. “That’s a good motto.”

  I never thought the Lucky Bay Clam Festival was especially large, but this year, it feels like we walk for hours from one part of the fair to the other. By the time we reach the live music tent, I’m exhausted.

  Tari and Peter are at a table, and they call to us enthusiastically. Tari’s long hair is up in a top bun, and her head’s resting on Peter’s shoulder. I take a seat next to her, and Trey joins me on my other side. Jenny and Ayden sit across from us.

  Trey, Jenny, and Ayden get wrapped up in a conversation about the band on stage that’s currently playing a cover of a popular country song. Tari and Peter take full advantage of the distraction as they both turn to me and lean in conspiratorially.

  “How’s the hot double date going?” Peter says in a teasing tone.

  “Yeah, fill us in,” Tari whispers.

  I shrug. “I may cut out early.”

  Tari’s eyes shine with sympathy. “Oh, Bella. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine,” I say quickly.

  “I swear we tried to stay out of your way today so we wouldn’t crash your double date,” Tari says to me. “We didn’t plan to run into you, and that was partly how we ended up in the live music tent. I guess I assumed you wouldn’t want to come here. I mean not that I should have assumed or anything. I just figured with the music and all…”

  I touch her arm. “Tar, don’t worry about it. I’ve been doing okay with all of that, actually.”

  Tari’s eyes widen. “That’s so great!”

  “Are you thinking of getting back into music again, Bella?” Peter asks curiously, leaning across Tari.

  Before I can answer him, a ruckus across the table gets our attention. Jenny’s tugging at the brim of Ayden’s cap, trying to get him to take it off.

  “No,” he tells her firmly. “This stays put.”

  She teasingly reaches up to pull off his hat. Ayden puts one hand on his head to keep his hat in place and his other hand on Jenny’s shoulder. Then, he leans in and blows on her neck until she moans.

  Oh my God.

  Even though he clearly did it to distract her from grabbing at his most important possession, I still wince like I’m in pain.

  But the worst part?

  Ayden shifts in his seat until his eyes find mine.

  And he locks eyes with me.

  The entire time he blows on Jenny’s neck, he stares at me. He’s so goddamn talented the way he uses his mouth, and the look in his eyes as he watches me watch him is one hundred percent sexual.

  He’s not even trying to hide it.

  My thighs clench together, and I shudder. Because right now I don’t want Ayden like a best friend.

  Right now, I want to climb across the table that’s between us and beg him to please get me off. My hormones are screaming SOS. And the guy next to me—my date—isn’t even on my body’s radar.

  I vaguely hear Tari let out a squeak of surprise, but I can’t take my eyes off of Ayden. His cheeks flush, and his eyes darken with obvious heat—I feel like he’s blowing on my neck. And I’m so hot I feel like I need to rip my clothes off.

  Then, just when I think things can’t possibly get worse, they do.

  Jenny, oblivious to where Ayden’s attention is focused, turns her head and kisses him on the mouth. He clearly isn’t expecting it because his eyes widen in surprise and he physically backs up. But he’s still sitting right next to her, so he can’t go far without actually standing up and making it obvious.

  So—

  He continues to stare at me the entire time Jenny’s lips are on his.

  And Jenny’s aggressive. Her hands, with those super-pointy, red-painted fingernails, make their way underneath Ayden’s shirt and all over his chest. Not that I can blame her. Ayden’s so hot it’s ridiculous, and he just blew on her damn neck. If she actually started this whole thing on purpose by trying to take his hat, Jenny’s a damn genius.

  But Ayden never kisses Jenny back. He just sits there motionless, arms at his sides while she hangs on him, his eyes locked on mine.

  His gaze is dark and intense, and I swear my body is going to combust.

  I’m honest to God halfway to orgasm without being touched when I hear—

  “Hey, Bella.”

  I wrest my gaze from Ayden’s and whip my head around as Guy kneels next to my chair.

  “Hi!” I say to him. “Are you performing?”

  “Already did. I only played a few songs, and now I’m headed to the lounge. It’s going to be hopping at the pool hall later, so there should be a lot of music requests.” He nods hello to Ayden, who’s somehow separated himself from handsy Jenny.

  “Hey.” Ayden shakes his hand. “Good to see you.”

  Guy greets Tari and Peter next and then he turns back to me. “How’s your guitar working out? Have you had a chance to try playing with those new strings I put on?”

  I actually hear Ayden suck in his breath. His shock is palpable, and I can practically feel him trying to catch my eye.

  Making sure to keep my attention on Guy, I nod. “Just a little bit so far. But everything feels great. Thanks again for fixing her up.”

  He stands up and pats my shoulder. “Come by, and we’ll sing sometime.”

  I wave as he leaves.

  And then I turn to face Ayden.

  His eyes are brilliantly blue as he fixes them on me. “You’re playing again?”

  I try to keep my expression neutral, but Ayden’s enthusiasm is infectious, and I break into a smile. “I’m dabbling.”

  “Dabbling’s good.” His grin grows wider.

  Tari grabs me in a hug, and Peter says we’re all definitely celebrating my return to music later.

  Jenny, on the other hand, gives me the fakest of fake smiles and stares off into space.

  “When’d you start?” Ayden asks me.

  “While you were in L.A.”

  “That’s great, Bella. I’m proud of you.” He looks over at Trey. “Did you know that Bella’s a singer-songwriter?”

  “No, I didn’t.” Trey asks me what kind of songs I write.

  “Alternative mostly,” I say. “But it’s kind of a strange blend of country and pop.”

  “Her style’s so unique,” Tari says. “She’s super talented.”

  “Cool. Do you write any anthem-type songs?” Trey asks me. “Up-tempo songs that are good to work out to?”

  “Um, not so much,” I say.

  “Oh.” Trey sounds deflated.

  I glance at Jenny awkwardly, wondering how to include her in the conversation as Ayden leans about a mile closer to me than to Jenny. “So you’ve been writing again, B?”

  I take a deep breath. “Yes. Just a bit.”

  Ayden’s dimple deepens. “That’s great.”

  “Thanks.” I inch closer to him.

  His eyes are glued to mine, and my pulse takes off. I start to forget about Jenny and even Trey.

  The sound of Jenny clearing her throat startles me, but Ayden doesn’t react. Her loud cough does the trick, though. Ayden jumps like he forgot she was there.

  “I need a drink, Ayden,” she says as she glares at him.

  “In a minute.” He doesn’t look at her as he says it. “Bella, once you have some new material you want to play, I’d love to hear your new stuff.”

  “I need a drink right NOW.” Jenny stands up and grabs his
arm. “And I think we need some alone time. Just you and me.”

  Ayden’s jaw ticks, but he stands and excuses himself. And he goes with Jenny to the bar. To buy his date a drink like she demanded. Like the gentleman he is, I suppose.

  “Bella? Come with me for a sec?” Without waiting for me to respond, Tari urges me out of my chair and tells Trey we’ll be right back.

  She beckons me over to a private corner of the tent where she starts talking a mile a minute.

  “What the hell was that?” she asks me in a high-pitched whisper.

  I throw up my hands. “No idea. Nothing?”

  “You and Ayden? The flirting?” She gesticulates wildly with her hands. “Holy shit, Bella. That was not nothing. He looked at you like he was going to jump your bones. And you were about to climb him like a damn tree. I nearly came just watching you two.”

  “It’s Ayden. He’s a flirt.”

  “Not with you. And not like that.”

  Of course she’s right, but I don’t know what to say. I have no idea what’s happening between Ayden and me or how to stop what’s starting to feel like constant sexual tension.

  “And I can’t believe Ayden picked Jenny for this date,” she says. “She doesn’t seem like his type at all.”

  “I didn’t know Ayden had a type,” I say, only half-joking. “Pretty sure if someone’s got boobs, he’s willing to give her a shot.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Tari shakes her head. “He just seems lonelier than usual tonight.”

  “He never really lets anyone new in; you know that.”

  Ayden doesn’t get close to many people. The people who were in his life before his father drowned are pretty much still the only ones he trusts. It’s almost like Ayden never really came back into his body after his father’s death. The shock shot him out like a rocket taking off into space. If you’re not really here, you can’t really die.

  “Did you see how royally pissed off he was when she tried to take off his hat?” Tari smiles. “Remember when you took his hat the other night at the bar? He loved every second of you wearing it on your head—he even gave it back to you!”

  “That’s because I know what the hat means to him.”

  Ayden was supposed to go with his father on the boat that day, but they had a fight the night before about a television show Ayden wanted to stay up and watch. His father said if Ayden stayed up he’d be too tired for the next day’s work, and he’d have to sleep in.

  To get Ayden to agree to go to sleep, Mr. Wild gave him a Red Sox hat he bought when he went to a game down in Boston the week before with his fishing crew. He said he was going to save it for Ayden’s birthday, but he decided to give it to him then instead. Ayden fell asleep wearing that hat and swearing he’d get up in time to go with his dad on the boat.

  But he didn’t. And his father drowned. His mother calls it a blessing from God, but Ayden carries the guilt in his heart.

  I look at Tari. “Jenny doesn’t understand. So Ayden would never trust her with the hat.”

  “Hmm.” Tari cocks her head at me. “You really are the only woman he truly trusts. You know that? And I don’t think that will ever change.”

  I put my arm around her and turn her around. “Maybe not, but this is all getting too heavy for me. And I have a date to get back to.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Ayden

  From my spot at the edge of the live music tent, I watch as Bella and Tari return to their seats at the table. My eyes follow Bella when she turns to greet Trey, and he puts his arm around her.

  Maybe I’m dreaming it, but it almost looks like she draws back from his touch. And I know I’m not imagining the feeling of relief that shoots through me that she’s not touching him back.

  Jenny’s in the bathroom, reapplying her lipstick that she claims wore off from all our “kissing.”

  I never even kissed her back, but she did enough writhing around for three people.

  And normally I would love the fact that a woman I was out with is so into me. I like women. I like it when they have a good time, and I like making sure they have a good time.

  But tonight, my attention has only been on one woman, and she’s not my date.

  That staredown Bella and I were engaged in earlier? Fuck, her eyes were liquid with desire. I didn’t imagine that. And I nearly exploded at the way her lips parted, and she sucked in a mouthful of air like she was desperate for a hit—of me. And I ached to give her everything she needed. I wanted to spread her out on the table and bury myself inside her. I craved my tongue between her legs so I could taste her. And I desperately needed her naked and writhing beneath me while I tangled my tongue with hers.

  I was so hard I didn’t think I’d be able to get up from the table. I had to adjust myself before I stood in order to avoid looking obscene.

  Walking around with an erection because of your best friend is not the most comfortable scenario. Especially when I’m out with another woman.

  What the fuck is wrong with me?

  Kissing Bella Wesley is not on the table.

  It’s not an option. Not if I want to hold onto the best relationship in my life.

  But right now, I can’t be rational. And if I see Bella alone, I will strip her bare.

  I feel like I’m going to fucking explode. There’s only one solution—leave with Jenny now.

  Take Jenny to bed tonight.

  Get out all my sexual frustrations with my date, the woman who told me as we left the table that she’s been wanting to fuck me all day and she doesn’t know how much longer she can wait. She said she’s not looking for anything with strings; that she knows I’m leaving, and she’s cool with casual. She’s everything I typically look for.

  Jenny’s the safe choice. The smart choice.

  I make my way closer to the table, noticing how Bella’s turned completely toward Tari now.

  “Stalking your best friend isn’t a good look.” Peter slaps my back and leans against the pole next to me.

  “I’m not stalking her. I’m keeping my eye on her.”

  He chuckles. “Is that what the kids call it these days? That little stunt you pulled back there was you keeping an eye on her?”

  “Fine. That was…unplanned.” I cross my arms. “How bad did it look?”

  “Dude, you were practically propositioning Bella while your date was kissing you! It looked bad. Hot but bad. The good news? Bella was right there with you. I thought she was going to crawl across the damn table in about two seconds.”

  I thought so too. And that thought makes me crazy for her all over again. In that moment, she looks up from her conversation with Tari.

  Right at me.

  And my heart hammers in my chest.

  When my phone rings, I ignore it.

  But Peter doesn’t. He grabs it out of my pocket and swipes the screen before I can stop him.

  “Colt, hey. It’s Peter. Good, good,” he says with a grin at me. “Listen, you Wilds are missing one hell of a show up here in Lucky Bay, Maine. Your cousin and his non-plus one are eye-fucking each other while they’re out on a double date with other people.”

  I grab the phone out of Peter’s hand and give him the finger as I bring it to my ear. “I have it under control,” I say to Colton.

  “Sure you do,” he says.

  “She’s better off with someone who will be there for her in the long haul,” I say. “Even if he is an arrogant tool who doesn’t get her at all.”

  “Are you fucking hearing yourself right now?” Colton says. “You think you’re not going to be there for her?”

  I’m not about to get into the reasons why with him, so I simply say, “You don’t get it.”

  “I don’t have to get whatever bullshit excuse you’ve hard-wired into your brain. I knew this dare crap was going to blow up in your face. And you deserve it. I’ve never seen two people so in denial. You and Bella are two stubborn fools.”

  “Colt…”

  “Ayd. You’ve got l
ess than two months left there. Make it count for you, not against you.”

  Fuck. I run my free hand down my face.

  “Maybe by the time we get there, you’ll have figured your shit out,” he says in a softer tone.

  Doubtful, but Colton’s always been the optimist of us.

  Bella

  I need to get out of here before Ayden and Jenny return. God knows what will happen if we continue with this double date.

  I slump back in my chair and look over at Trey, who blessedly asks me if I want to go grab some food.

  “Sure.” I say goodbye to Tari and follow Trey toward the food trucks.

  Ayden and I are definitely never double dating again.

  “Lemon cheesecake,” I say as Trey and I walk away from the festival and take seats on the beach. “I’ve never had it before.”

  “And chocolate gelato,” Trey says as he dips a spoon in and takes a bite. “Something sour, something sweet.”

  I guess we all need that balance. Without the sour, I won’t appreciate the sweet nearly as much. Tonight has definitely been more sour than I’d hoped for. Trey’s a talker, and I’m fine to be a listener, but we don’t seem to have anything in common. He likes sports and alcohol and…I’m not sure what else he likes. We never leave those two topics.

  With the sounds of the breaking waves close by, he leans in to kiss me.

  The tide is high, and even without looking toward the ocean, I can tell that the waves are huge. Growing up by the ocean, I learned to hear the waves, to recognize the difference in sound between the gentle small ones and the pounding big ones. This beach setting could be very erotic if I were here with the right guy.

  Of course, there’s always my imagination to help me out in these moments.

  I can do this. I can lose myself temporarily. I lean into Trey’s kiss, waiting for a spark as his lips touch mine. Nothing. Instead, I’m bombarded with thoughts of Ayden. Of his mouth and how it would feel to have his teeth nibble at my lips. Of his tongue and how expertly I’m sure he’d use it. I’m so wired I nearly moan out loud but not because of the man next to me.

  What is happening to me? Trey’s certainly attractive, but I can’t stop thinking about a completely different guy, the one who’s supposed to be my best friend. Not my lover. Never my lover.