The video mutual masturbating had been the icing on their night together. He had an idea that he was going to enjoy himself with Shae. He just never anticipated he would enjoy spending time with her so much. Their date had definitely been different from every other first date he’d been on, but he realized that was one of the things he was starting to like about Shae.
In the least cliched way possible, she was different from other women he’d dated before and he could get used to that. He tried to shake her from his mind. Didn’t work. Even after hitting the weights at the gym, thoughts of Shae came flooding into his head. So many thoughts, so many possibilities of what they could do when they saw each other again, that he had to stop himself before he got a hard-on in the gym showers.
Avoiding a public erection was the best he could manage. He gave in to his pathetic infatuation and stopped on his way into the office and picked up the most alive looking bouquet of grocery store wildflowers he could find. Then he headed over to Sweet Creams. He thought he’d have to have another awkward conversation with the girl behind the counter, one of those conversations that had her asking Shae the moment he left if that weird creep who kept popping up was bothering her. Luckily Shae was in the front of the shop refilling the creamers when he walked in the door.
“Excuse me, ma’am?” he said as he walked closer. Shae spun around, her face lighting up the moment she saw him. She didn’t hesitate to rush to his side.
“Hey! Are these for me?”
“Yeah. For last night.” Aidan couldn’t stop himself. He reached up and smoothed a small bit of Shae’s hair behind her ear. She froze for a second before this hint of something Aidan liked came to her eyes. She smiled a little, then bit the inside of her lip.
“Yeah. Last night. Thank you. I’ve never done anything like that on a first date before,” she said quietly. “Or ever.”
“It was a first for me too.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Aidan said, laughing a little. What kind of player did she think he was? “A night of firsts.”
“So we’re both feeling sufficiently awkward.”
“But not bad, right? You don’t feel bad about last night?” he asked.
“No! Definitely not bad. Just pleasantly surprised.”
“And these are for the whole night. Not just the extra stuff at the end. I mean, I would have brought you flowers anyway. Not just because you—”
“I get it. These are very sweet.” She smelled them again. “Thank you. Are you on your way to work?”
“Uh, yeah. We have a call with one of our investors in a little while. Just...wanted to see you first,” Aidan admitted.
“Fortify yourself by gazing upon my beautiful face before you face the day?”
“Something like that.”
“How about a few donuts on the house?”
“Sure. I’ll buy some more pastries too,” Aidan said, following her back to the display cases. He picked out a half dozen tarts and another half dozen donuts. “I’m sure Matt made sweet love to those cupcakes last night, but I know he’ll try to fight me if he finds out I came in here and didn’t get him anything.”
“He really is keeping us in business.”
“At least he’s good for something.” Aidan took out his wallet, then paused. There was something he had to ask Shae. “So this weekend they have the ice rink set up at LA Live. Is that something you could be interested in?”
“Oh, you should go!” The girl at the register said. “I go with my sister every year. It’s so much fun.”
“I’m terrible at skating.”
“So? Are you looking at his arms? I’m sure he can hold you up.”
“I can,” Aidan said.
“Thanks, Darby. Ah, yeah sure. Let’s do it. Sunday is better. It’s kinda crazy here on Saturday and Monday I have off. I can stay out past my curfew on Sunday nights.”
“Great. Let me know a good time and I’ll come pick you up. We can have dinner right downtown.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Aidan didn’t know if they were at this stage of whatever was going on between them yet. He took a risk and leaned down, kissing her lightly on the lips. Shae was smiling and maybe blushing a bit when he stepped away. Aidan took that as a good sign.
“I’ll call you,” Shae said, her voice sounding all breathy. Aidan didn’t take that as a bad sign either. He decided to quit while he was ahead and turned for the door, carrying enough baked goods to keep Matt happy until lunch time.
✶
Shae couldn’t breathe. As soon as Aidan disappeared around the corner, she casually excused herself from Darby. She needed to put the beautiful flowers Aidan had bought her in water. As soon as she was alone, the wheezing started and she felt like she was going to cry. She knew she needed to talk to someone. She could call her mom, but then her mom would leave the hospital and come over just to check her out.
The last thing she needed was Dr. Kenney with her medical gear bursting through the door, scaring the shit out of Darby and her customers. She grabbed her phone out of her apron pocket and started at the top of her “most likely to calm me down” phone tree.
It was a crapshoot whether or not her cousin would be with a client or teaching a workout class, but Keira answered after a few rings.
“Hey boo. How was last night?”
“Fine. It was great actually. I think I’m having a panic attack.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Aidan just stopped by the shop again—”
“Oh no. Is he being creepy? I have a client in ten, but I can ask Daniel to have a little ‘check yourself’ chat with him.”
“No. That’s not it at all.”
“Oh right, he sent you scandalous pictures last night. What happened there?”
“The pictures led to more...adult stuff.”
“Okay. You have to tell me why you’re panicking.”
“I don’t know! We kinda totally had phone sex last night, with a video component, and then this morning he came by the shop with flowers and asked me out on a second date.”
“Do you not want to go out with him? ’Cause you don’t have to. Even if the video intercourse was good.”
Keira’s silliness was helping. Shae’s heart slowed down enough to let her laugh. “I do want to see him again. I think I’m nervous. Like really, really nervous.”
“Ah okay. I’m just going to say this. I get why you’re nervous.”
“You do?” Shae leaned against the edge of her stainless steel counter and tilted her head back. She should have never let Erica near her phone.
“Yes. I was a mess when Daniel and I started dating. A bumbling mess and now look at us.”
“Right, but then you and Daniel got engaged forty-five minutes later.” It had actually been something like three weeks, but it was pretty close. “I’m not trying to marry Aidan. We literally just started dating. I don’t even know if we are dating. We might just be hanging out or whatever the youths are calling it these days. We haven’t even had sex yet.” Oh now you’re just filling yourself with shit, that voice in her head said. As if you showing him every inch of your minora and majora didn’t count as something.
“Okay, so you don’t want to rush into things. You don’t want to label it yet. That’s fine. Don’t. Just tell him that you want things to go slow.”
“But I don’t know if I want things to go slow. Ugh,” Shae groaned. “What is wrong with me? I want to spend more time with him. I definitely want to sleep with him. But every time I see him, it’s like my brain stops working.”
“Shae, you’re dating for the first time since high school. You’ve been out of the game for over fifteen years. It’s okay to be kind of confused. It’s okay to be a lot confused. And I know it doesn’t help that he’s super hot. I had the same problem with Daniel. I used to just stare at him. Heck, I still do! I mean, we’re both hot, but it’s weird to be matched with so much hotness.”
“Yes! Thank you. It has no
thing to do with the way I look. It’s him. He’s so damn hot!” Shae said with bit of hysterical laughter.
Keira was laughing on her end too. “Trust me, I get it. There are cute guys and there are guys who stop traffic. Aidan is a darn crossing guard. Just promise me something.”
Shae’s laughter died. Keira was about to deliver some tough love. She knew it. “Yeah, sure.”
“Promise me you’ll take it easy on yourself. Be confused, that’s fine. He’s just gonna have to deal with that. Like, don’t jerk him around. Be honest that you’re confused and if he’s not okay with that, then move it along to the next one. Or spend more time making delicious baked goods until you figure out what you do want. Harvin did a number on you. It’s okay to be a little gun shy with the boys. Especially the really cute ones that set off fantasy rockets in your dreams.”
Shae smiled again. “You are such a dork and I love you.”
“I love you too. I’m secretly praying my client cancels because I can’t stop thinking about wedding stuff.”
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I just want to get it over with, in a non-jerky way. Was it this bad for you?”
“Yes. Remember, I had to deal with my mom and then every woman in Harvin’s family telling me they knew better than I did since I was such a young bride.”
“Ugh, yeah. I remember.” She’d cried to Keira more than once about how Harvin’s family had ruined parts of their special day for her. If there was ever an omen of things to come…
“Let me know how I can help and I’ll try to take some of the stress off your plate.”
“Just unavoidable bride blues, I think. Daniel’s back tonight, so I’ll smooch him under our many mistletoes until I feel better.”
“That sounds like a great plan,” Shae said just as her timer dinged. “I have to pull some cookies out of the oven. I’ll text you later?”
“Yes. And call me if you’re having another freak out.”
“I’ll just focus on the baking. That usually helps.” She said her goodbyes to Keira and then forced herself to get back to work. After she pulled the second batch of brownies out of the oven, she felt much better. Calm enough to text Aidan again.
I hope you’re alone.
I have something naughty to show you.
She leaned over and took a picture of her mouth agape, right next to two huge sheets of fresh brownies. Her phone chimed in her hand before she could send them.
Definitely not alone.
DO NOT SEND NUDES.
I REPEAT DO NOT SEND NUDES!
Shae’s snort of laughter filled the kitchen as she sent the picture of the fresh baked goods.
I’m adding your favorite to the menu.
Chocolate Brownie Caramel Crunch Trifle and Candy Cane Crunch for the holidays.
This was actually one of Shae’s favorite desserts. There was no reason not to add it to the menu.
Okay now that is just unfair.
New rules. No nudes at work
and no tempting me with
desserts I’ve been dreaming
about for years.
Oh come on.
I have to tempt you with something.
See. She could do this. She was a perfectly good flirt.
Fine. Are you making the
caramel from scratch?
Please say yes and
describe it to me slowly.
Oh yeah baby.
You know it.
He sent back a drooling emoji that made Shae chuckle as she set down her phone. Keira was right. All she had to do was be honest with herself about what she wanted and everything would be okay. And for now she wanted to flirt with Aidan via text while she baked the afternoon away.
✶
Something was bothering Shae, Aidan could tell. They’d been texting the last few days. Their texts mostly involved her sending him pictures of everything she was baking and the occasional late night nipple shot, which he very much appreciated, but when he’d shown up at her house to pick her up for their skating date, she’d barely looked him in the eye. Even when he kissed her hello, she seemed like she was holding back.
She held up her end of the conversation in the car, telling Aidan about the rest of her work week and letting him fill her in on the two properties they’d found for their website. He was about to mention that he found a house that he was considering renovating himself, but he kept that to himself.
LA Live was packed when they finally battled their way through the weekend traffic and made it to the heart of downtown LA. As soon as they emerged from the underground garage, Aidan was hit with the full spirit of Christmas. The whole outdoor plaza was decorated with lights and garland. Stevie Wonder’s voice came through the massive PA system.
As they turned the corner, the massive tree and outdoor skating rink came into view. It was as close to the tree at Rockefeller Center as Southern California was going to get. Aidan made a bold choice and reached for Shae’s hand as they moved through the crowd of people. She gave him a half-hearted smile and wove their fingers together. He wasn’t sure what to make of that. Didn’t stop him from holding on to her for as long as he could, though.
Aidan wasn’t one to beat around the bush, so as soon as they sat down to strap on their skates he asked. “Are you okay? You seem kind of tense?”
“Actually, I’m not sure.” Shae finally turned and looked at him. Aidan knew the signs. She was about to friendzone his ass hard. Not that there was a problem with them being just friends, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want more. He swallowed and prepared himself to handle the rejection like an adult.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Remember the other day when we were talking about a night of firsts?”
“Yeah.”
“Well I know we are literally at the start of our second date, which might actually be our first because I did drag you to Target the first time—anyway.” She stopped herself with a wave of her hand and seemed to regroup around her original train of thought. “I feel like everything I’m saying and doing is silly.”
“What do you mean?”
“Aidan, you asked me what I wanted in a relationship and I said pornographic photos.”
“Were you lying?”
“Hell no. If it wouldn’t be really weird, I’d frame the pictures you sent the other night and show them to guests.”
That made Aidan laugh and finally relax a bit. “Please don’t do that.”
“I won’t, but I just—I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“Neither do I. I’m spending every second thinking of one of two things,” Aidan said, making a confession of his own.
“What two things?”
“Well, since we’re being honest I’ll just go ahead and embarrass myself. I’m either thinking about when I can see you again and when I can bring up the subject of us having sex in person without sounding like a total dick. I also think about you baking naked, which I know is completely unsafe.”
Shae’s laughter put him at ease. Finally she seemed to relax next to him. “Okay. That makes me feel a little better.”
“The other night I was just asking. Just trying to break the ice—”
“I know.”
“I wasn’t trying to put any pressure on you. I didn’t exactly hate it either.”
“What? My super weird first date confession?”
“It wasn’t weird and yeah that. Tell me what else you want in a relationship. Go ahead. Whatever comes to mind. Nothing can shock me.”
“Don’t say that. I might seem like a sweet, horny baker, but there’s some wild stuff going on up here,” she said, tapping her temple with her finger.
“Give it a try. What do you want right now?”
“I want to have fun with you tonight.”
“We can definitely make that happen.” Aidan’s smile dropped, though, the second Shae leaned closer and lowered her voice.
“Also, I do really want to see
your dick up close in real life and then maybe ask you questions about it because booooy, I have questions.”
Aidan swung his arm around Shae’s shoulder as he burst out laughing. Then he kissed her forehead. “After dinner, you decide—your place or mine. You can have an in-depth, person to package interview with my dick.”
“Deal.” Aidan held still as Shae leaned up and kissed him on the mouth. When they came up for air, he took a few extra minutes lacing up his skates. There were children around and he and his dick were in no condition to take to the ice. Not just yet.
✶
Shae figured out how to deal with her crippling Aidan-related anxiety. All she had to do was spend every waking moment with him for the rest of her life. After they finally dealt with the elephant in the room, she had a blast during the skating portion of their date. Turned out Aidan was an amazing skater. He left out the part where he started playing hockey when he was eight and sometimes felt more comfortable in his worn out Bauers (Shae no clue what the fuck those were) than he did in regular shoes.
Shae on the other hand was a terrible ice skater. She put in one hell of an effort and that resulted in her at least staying upright a good portion of the time. It also gave her an excuse to hang on to Aidan’s muscular bicep for the bulk of the evening.
When she was with him, she realized she didn’t feel nervous at all. Aidan was so very sweet and very attentive. Shae could feel that she had all of his attention, even when other women were trying to catch his eye as they made their way around the rink. He didn’t even seem to notice. They kissed a few times on the ice and then again when Aidan was helping her take off her skates.
She realized she could get used it, smooching a really hot, nice guy. The thought of getting used to it had the anxiety creeping back, but the moment he took her hand and led her around the corner to the Yard House, she let those tight feelings go. This was just their second date and, as far as second dates went, Aidan made for excellent company. All she had to do was enjoy his company and everything would be fine.
WRAPPED: A FIT Adjacent Christmas Novella (The Fit Trilogy Book 4) Page 5