by V. Vaughn
He offers his arm as he grins. “Lean on me, and let’s get you inside before you faint.”
I look at his thick forearm and groan on the inside, because I have a thing for that particular body part, and his is a fine specimen. I ignore his arm and walk with purpose toward the diner. I say, “I’m fine,” and hope he’s not intuitive enough to know why I was really shaking.
I’m still in his huge jacket and slide my pack off to remove the coat as we approach the door. He reaches for both items, and I let him take them from me before he opens the door. A waitress stops in her tracks when she sees us, or more specifically, Aaron. She sets her plates of food down on the counter with a clatter, and I assume a table is going to wait a little longer for their meal as she rushes over to us to say, “I’m Cindy. You can sit in my station.” She practically trips over herself as she walks backward and says, “Right this way.”
Once we’re seated Cindy chatters on to Aaron about what a big fan she is until he sends her running with an order for two coffees.
I say, “You must get that a lot.”
He shrugs. “I suppose.”
“And I guess you love it. It’s every guy’s dream, right? To have women fall all over you.” I wince at my snippy tone. I have no claim on this guy, and I’m not sure why I’m reacting like a jealous girlfriend.
The waitress returns and pours coffee in our cups. She splashes a bit when she fills mine because she’s busy staring at Aaron. She cocks her hip and begins to twirl a strand of hair in her finger as she says, “So you must have to practice a lot.”
Aaron leans forward on his arms and speaks in a low voice. “Look. I’m sure you’re a very nice girl, but I’m on a date with Olivia, and she deserves my undivided attention. Don’t you think?”
Her face falls. “Oh. Sure.” She perks up again. “You’re so sweet. You know I--”
Aaron cuts her off. “We need another minute before we’re ready to order.”
She sucks in her lips as if that can keep words from tumbling out and nods before walking off.
Aaron sighs as he sops up the liquid with a napkin. He says, “I used to think the attention was great.”
I ask, “And now?”
Aaron studies me for a moment as he lifts his drink to take a sip. After he swallows he leans forward and crooks a finger at me so that I move closer too. Our faces are inches apart, and the odor of coffee is on his breath when he whispers, “Now the only one I want flustered around me is you.”
I gaze at him to notice fire in his eyes, and I lick my lips quickly before they part with the strong urge to kiss him. Aaron gazes at my mouth and inhales sharply before he leans back. He’s good, because I almost believe him.
The seat is smooth under my bottom as I settle back and lift the menu to hide as I decide what to eat. We haven’t even gotten through breakfast, and my defenses are already weakened. The menu slaps on the counter when I set it down to tug my hair back and contain it with the elastic I kept on my wrist. I’m so not going to fall for a guy like Aaron. When Cindy returns for our order I ask for the largest meal option, because I think I’m going to need it for reinforcement.
Chapter 4
As Aaron and I eat our breakfast, Cindy can’t help but hover close enough to hear every word. It puts a damper on our conversation, and neither Aaron nor I talk as we consume our meal quickly. Gravel scratches under our feet as we make our way back to his bike. He grabbed my backpack when we left and asks, “What do you have in here? It’s heavy.”
“I didn’t know what we’d be doing today, so I tried to be prepared for anything.”
He grins with amusement as he reaches across and tugs my hair out of its ponytail. “And what exactly are you prepared to do?”
My thick locks swirl around my neck in a caress that sends shivers down my spine, and I reach out for my hair tie as I say, “Swim, hike, or something that might require a nicer outfit.” Heat rushes to my face because now that I list the activities I sound presumptuous.
“Swim? Isn’t it kind of cold this time of year?”
“Well, sure. But I grew up near the Canadian border, so in my experience it’s warm enough.”
My pack thuds on the seat of his motorcycle as he turns his teasing gaze my way. “Then let’s swim.”
I frown. “Are you wearing a suit under your clothes?”
He chuckles as he hands me my helmet. “Nope.”
Great. I’m going swimming with a naked man. Fortunately, I swam competitively in high school and can probably keep my distance easily. This time when I hold on to Aaron to ride the motorcycle I’m more relaxed. The sexual tension is still there, but I’m no longer afraid as I get used to the sensations of flying down a road with nothing to make me feel trapped. I realize I could get used to the freedom. He pulls off to park in a lot for public boat access.
Aaron lifts the helmet off my head as he says, “Sorry about the waitress at breakfast. I want to get to know you better, so let’s go talk first.” He offers me his crooked smile that gets sexier each time I see it and says, “Besides, you might not be ready for”--he glances down at his crotch--“all of me yet.”
I groan. “Oh my god. Really? Does that actually work for you?”
He chuckles. “Apparently not with the one that matters.” Nylon hums as he loosens the straps to my pack and puts it on. “C’mon. There’s a nice spot not too far from here where we can sit.”
He leads us to a path that surrounds the lake, and we climb rocks to sit up high. Sunlight sparkles on tiny waves as I gaze out at the view of the water before us, and I settle down on the hard granite.
Aaron asks, “Who did you grow up with? Your mother or your father?”
I frown because I wonder how he knew I only had one parent. “My mother. Why?”
“Did you ever know your father?”
“No.” Pain floods my heart as I recall the years I spent believing that if I wished hard enough my dad would come back. I recall a distant memory of a dark-haired man and my mother crying. I don’t want to talk about it, so I ask, “What about you? Who did you grow up with?”
“I had both parents until they died a couple years ago.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry.” I place my hand on his arm.
“Thanks.” Aaron glances down at my fingers, and I pull them away as he asks, “So what do you know about your father?”
I frown as I say, “Not much. According to my mother they decided to go their separate ways after we were born.” Aaron doesn’t need to know I have daddy issues, so I don’t add that I think he ditched us.
“So you have a twin. Did you know I’m a quadruplet?” The fabric of his jeans scrapes as he shifts so that we’re facing each other, and I’m glad he changed the subject.
“Yes,” I say. I wonder if he knows the extent of the written articles about him and the band. Even I can’t help but know a lot about the Lindquist brothers.
“Do you have any idea why you’re so attracted to me?”
This guy’s too much. I tease him back, “I’m not. But you’re attracted to me.” I lick my lips. “I guess that makes me super hot.”
I’m playing with fire, because Aaron takes my statement as an invitation to scan my body with his gaze, and I control my gasp when he replies, “You are.”
I blurt out, “You are too.” Smooth, Olivia. “I mean. I’ve seen how women scream for you when you play.”
Aaron flips his hands toward me palm up and says, “I think they scream for me because I’m good with my hands.”
I know I shouldn’t touch him, but something I can’t explain makes me put my hands in his. And I realize my mistake the moment I do, because warmth rushes through my bloodstream straight to my heart as my body tingles all the way to my toes with desire. This time I don’t control my gasp.
“Do you feel it too?” asks Aaron.
My brain is screaming for me to lie, but my heart won’t let me. I nod. “What is it?”
“Something you can’t control
, Olivia. We have a connection that is making you be attracted to the last guy a good girl should date. It’s not surprising that I piss you off.” He squeezes my hands, and I gaze into his face to see in his eyes that I affect him the way he affects me. That glow in my heart blooms into something more that makes me woozy.
I ask, “What do you mean I shouldn’t want to date you? Are you dangerous?”
“Yes.” He must notice me stiffen because he adds, “But not in the way you think. I would never hurt you. I can’t.”
He can’t? I shake my head to clear the fog. Is that supposed to charm me? I’m not sure what’s going on, and I know this is the point where I should say no thanks and call Courtney to pick me up before I do something I’ll regret. But something in me thinks what Aaron is saying is true. We have a strange connection that makes me want to know more. Even if I decide not to see him again after today, I need to understand what that is.
I stand up and say, “Let’s go for that swim.” Although he’s about to get naked for this, I think I need the cold water to sharpen my thoughts.
Aaron says, “You can go change behind those bushes, and I promise not to peek.”
I grab my pack and walk away before a stupid comment escapes my mouth. I’m not used to someone telling me what to do, and my natural reaction is to defy the order, but the way things are going so far, I might end up letting my temper make the rash decision to skinny-dip too. When I finish dressing I walk back to the clearing to discover Aaron has removed his shirt but left his jeans on. His chest and arms are covered in tattoos, and I can’t help but stare in amazement. I say, “Wow. That’s a lot of ink. Did it hurt?”
“Naw. I’m addicted to the pain.” He waggles his eyebrows at me. “An ‘it hurts so good’ kind of thing.”
He takes in my appearance too, and I hug my rolled towel in front of me as I say, “If that’s your attempt to get me to whip you, you’ve got the wrong girl.”
Aaron grins at me. “I misjudged you.”
I roll my eyes as I hold out my towel. “If you want to take your jeans off, here, you can wear this.”
“I’m not shy.” Aaron tilts his head at me for a moment before he holds out his hand.
While he undresses I begin to pick my way down the path to the water. Small pebbles hurt the soles of my feet, and I move slowly. Aaron catches up to me quickly and asks, “Do you dive right in or go slowly?”
I glance over my shoulder to answer, but huff when I notice he’s only carrying the towel. I catch a glimpse of his quite capable equipment and hesitate a second before I whip my head back around. “When it comes to cold water I dive right in.”
I step onto the dirt beach, and Aaron comes up close behind me. His breath makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up as he leans toward my ear and says, “I think you have a wild side, Olivia.”
My body’s reaction is to hum with desire for Aaron. The urge to turn around and slide my hands over his chest to explore his tattoos is strong. I run into the water before I do. When I’m immersed in the icy temperature I swim as fast as I can to warm up, but the heat pounding through my veins doesn’t chill. I don’t do wild, so the fact that I’m tempted to throw caution to the wind and enjoy Aaron Lindquist has me more than flustered. It’s as if something primal in me wants to get out, and I recall Courtney saying I’m a fortress. I wonder if maybe the walls I’ve built are a barrier from other people, or for something in me.
Chapter 5
When my muscles begin to ache I stop swimming and turn to face the beach. Aaron is closer to me than I expected, and he treads water by my side as he says, “You’re a strong swimmer. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. There’s not much you aren’t good at, is there?”
“Of course there is.” Water splashes as I swirl my arms by my sides to stay afloat. “Math isn’t my friend.”
“That’s what calculators are for.”
I grin because Aaron is a math major. “Finally. Someone who understands.” Aaron’s hair is flat with moisture, and it makes him look more like a frat boy than a rock star. “So what about you?” I ask. One of the articles I read about the Lindquist brothers mentioned their high intelligence. “You’re smart, a talented musician, and clearly an amazing swimmer. It seems you’re pretty good at most things too.” A shiver runs through my body as the water chills me.
“I am. That’s why we’re true--” He stops himself and frowns. “You’re cold. Race you to the shore.”
I don’t have time to think about what he was going to say, because he takes off, and my competitive nature makes me chase right after him. He’s fast, and I can’t catch up before he gets to shallow water. When I can stand, Aaron is already jogging out of the water, and I watch the muscles in his firm butt flex. He’s got ink all over his back too, and while I never found it sexy before, I’m becoming a fan.
I walk slowly toward the shore as he dries himself off. He turns to me with the towel held in a strategic place, and I say, “Keep it. I’m fine.”
Aaron shakes his head. “Come over here and turn around. I’ll dry you off, and you can keep your virtue.”
I do as he asks, and cotton is rough on my skin as he rubs. Once he’s done he asks, “Can I take your ponytail out?”
This time I nod and let him tug the elastic down. He finger combs my hair to make the wet locks fall around my shoulders. I say, “You’re quite fascinated with my hair.”
Aaron twists a strand around his finger and tugs lightly. “I’m fascinated with you.”
I turn to face him. “But you hardly know me.”
“I think I know quite a bit. You’re a perfectionist that plans life to the minute. You like to be in complete control.” His chest ripples before my eyes as he reaches back to put the towel around his waist and says, “You’re smart, determined, and when you set your mind to something, nobody can stand in your way.”
“All true. You’re quite perceptive,” I say. “I think you base decisions on intuition.” I gaze at his chest and step a little closer as I study his tattoos. “You’re an artist and hate to live by rules. Structure bores you.”
Aaron’s voice is deep when he says, “Yes.”
I watch a drop of water roll down between his pecs and notice his breathing is shallow. I gaze up at his face. “We couldn’t be more opposite.”
He leans closer as he speaks softly. “Opposites attract.”
The overwhelming need to touch him takes over, and I trace a tribal pattern on his chest with my finger. He inhales sharply and trembles beneath my touch. He says, “I want to kiss you, Olivia.”
I gaze up and wonder when it was that he got so close. Desire courses through my veins, and I decide one kiss is a good idea. I rise up on my tiptoes to answer his request. I mean for us to have the kind of kiss you try at the end of a first date, but it doesn’t happen that way. Something in me takes over, and my self-control slips away, because the moment I taste Aaron I become obsessed with having more. My fingers dance on his chest as I slide them over the hard expanse of muscles and accost him with my tongue.
A low noise comes from deep in Aaron’s throat as he kisses me back with the same passion. He pulls my body against his, and the heat of his skin sears me. It lures me in further. I’m afraid if I don’t stop I’ll lose myself to this man I can’t seem to resist, so I dig deep for an ounce of self-control to push away. I step back to put distance between us as I say, “I’m sorry. This is too fast.” I take a deep breath. “I got carried away.”
“No need to stop on my account.” Aaron touches his lips as if he can hold onto our kiss. “You really do hate to lose control, don’t you?”
I nod and say, “You said earlier that we have a connection that’s making me feel this way. I don’t fall for guys like you.” Because they always leave. “I--” I’m drawn to him as if he’s my lifeline, and I can’t figure out the reason. I need one, so I ask, “Why do I want you like this?”
“It’s not want, Olivia.” Aaron steps close to me again, and hi
s gaze traps me as he says, “It’s a need that’s never going to go away.”
I look at the man before me with ink that covers a good portion of his body, crazy hair, and a wild side that scares the hell out of me. Aaron is the kind of guy that would turn my world upside down, and there’s no good reason I should want to be with him. But my body craves him with an intensity I’ve never experienced, and the memory of our kiss is thumping through my veins like the beat of a drum. None of it makes sense, but his words ring true. I need Aaron Lindquist.
Suddenly I can’t breathe, and I don’t know what to do with my hands, so I point awkwardly toward the path. “I’m going to go get dressed now.” I turn abruptly and ignore the pain of the rough ground under my feet as I climb quickly to where we left our clothes. When I get to my pack I take deep breaths before I rummage for my phone. The plastic is slick in my hand as I gaze at the screen to discover I’m barely halfway through our date. I can’t do this. I pull up my contacts with the intention of calling Courtney to come save me, but my finger hovers over the call button as I think about the fundraiser. How will I explain screwing up our chance to get Second Sound? I can’t. Olivia Dalton doesn’t fail.
I tell myself I can handle Aaron Lindquist for a little longer and reach for my pants. My feet thump as I hop to tug them over my hips. He may be sexy as sin, but surely I can resist his charm for a few more hours. I mean really, so we have crazy chemistry going on -- it’s not like I have to act on it. After I pull on my shirt, items rattle in a pocket of my backpack as I search through a vast array of hair ties and clips. I decide to contain my locks in a loose bun. I’ve got this.
I step out from behind the bushes to Aaron waiting. He asks, “Hungry for lunch?”
“Starved.”
He takes my backpack from me, and we walk toward the parking lot. Aaron says, “I thought we’d swing by my place for lunch. My brother Aleck is probably hanging around working on a new song, so we won’t be alone.”