by K E Osborn
I look at him warily. “Wouldn’t it be freezing out there now?”
“You’d be surprised. C’mon,” he says, standing from the bed to make his way out to the deck.
“I don’t have a swim suit here,” I say coyly. He looks at me amused.
“It’s our own personal lake, you don’t need a swimsuit.”
We walk down the stairs to the edge of the lake, and I dip my toe in to see how cold the water is. It’s surprisingly refreshing. I look at Aiden who grins at me mischievously.
“Aiden, don’t you dare.” I say to him.
He bends down, picks me up over his shoulder, and runs with me. I squeal all the way into the water.
“Aiden,” I call out as we fall into the cool, invigorating crystal blue water. I move my head under to wet my hair, as I come up Aiden kisses my wet face. I kiss his lips and I move in so our bodies are touching. He kisses me back passionately while gentle waves caress our bodies.
His hand moves to my hair, he grabs hold and pulls my face closer to his, as we entangle in a passionate kiss. Aiden slowly pulls away from the kiss and leans back; I look at him confused as he quickly moves away from me. An evil grin crosses his face as he swims back and splashes me with water. I wipe the water from my eyes and I give him the pretending to be angry look, which only makes him grin wider. He splashes me again and laughs; two can play at this game.
I splash him back, and it’s on, a full on splash fest. Of course he’s winning, so I decide to go all out. I lift my legs to the surface and kick, splashing even more water in his face. He laughs and dives under the water. I laugh and stop splashing while I wait for him to surface. I search for him, trying to spot him under the water, but I can’t see him anywhere.
“Aiden?” I call out, but he remains under the surface.
“Aiden, you can come up now,” I call out again, hoping he’ll hear me. I look around and wait for him.
“Aiden, this isn’t funny anymore,” I say. Panic sets in so I decide to go under the water to search for him. I take a deep breath, and I feel something on my leg. I shake it off and turn around.
“Aiden,” I call out desperately. I look frantically for him as I hear a splash. I turn around to see Aiden coming out of the water behind me with a gigantic grin plastered all over his face. I frown at him and he wades towards me.
“What the hell, Aiden?”
He looks at my panicked face, and I splash him as he comes toward me.
“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to upset you,” he says honestly.
“What were you thinking? I’d be happy that you drowned?” I ask, splashing him angrily again.
He wades closer to me, wiping the water from his eyes.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
“Damn straight you weren’t thinking, Aiden. Stop smiling, this isn’t funny. Aiden, I’m serious,” I say as he reaches for me. He takes me by my shoulders, and I splash him once more.
“I’m sorry. It was a stupid joke. I really am sorry,” he says, grinning mischievously.
“Well, don’t do it again it was an immature thi—”
He stops me mid-sentence and kisses me forcefully. I relax in his arms and wrap mine around his neck.
“Forgiven?” he whispers into my lips.
“Yes, but please don’t do it again,” I say. He leans in and kisses me passionately without pause.
“You. Are. Trouble, Mr. O’Connell.”
I pull up my legs to wrap around his waist as I float with him in the water. He holds onto me tightly and twirls me around.
“You’re my world. You’re my everything, you know that?”
“I know, and you’re mine.”
Eventually we get wrinkled enough and go back inside to take a shower. Aiden makes us some French toast and we sit at the breakfast bar chatting.
I can tell how much he loves me, just by looking at him. And for once, I feel loved, unconditional and unwavering love from Aiden, and it’s exactly how I feel about him.
After breakfast, he walks with me in hand over to the sofa. Without saying a word he lowers me onto the sofa and silently lies beside me. He leans over me and kisses me, and I can tell he wants another make out session. His kiss is soft and loving as he leans his chest down onto mine. His hand strokes my cheek and his other arm props him up so he’s leaning over me.
My hand finds his hair and he moves his leg over the top of mine. We lie on the sofa, lost in each other’s kiss for hours. Eventually when we do come up for air, I realize my stomach is growling. Aiden is playing with my hair.
“Hungry, baby?” he asks, and I nod my head
We grill up some steaks and then watch the sun go down. I sit on the deck looking over the lake at the ducklings swimming behind their mother. This would be a great place to bring our children one day.
The rest of the weekend is spent together. It’s like we’re a new couple and can’t get enough of each other.
It comes time for us to head back, unfortunately, to reality and much to my disgust. We stand out on the deck overlooking the lake one last time before we leave. Aiden stands behind me, holding me tightly around my waist, and I rest my arms on his. Aiden kisses my cheek.
“Ready?” he asks.
I sigh and nod my head as he lets me go.
We walk to the car and drive back to Mornington Vale.
***
Aiden has his arms wrapped tightly around me as we lay in bed together. I move my arm to turn off the alarm, and I roll in the bed to face him. He slowly wakes up.
“Back to work today, for both of us,” he says, and then he kisses my forehead.
I yawn as he loosens his grip around me, and then I stretch. I sit up in the bed and move my head from side to side, stretching the sore muscles in my neck. Aiden sits up and starts to massage my neck for me.
“Oh, that’s amazing. Thank you,” I say, enjoying his firm touch. After a few minutes, he releases my neck from his gentle hands.
“Better get ready for work,” he says, kissing my neck.
When we arrive we find Brielle and Benjamin waiting in the foyer.
“Good morning, Mr. President,” Brielle says as we walk past.
“Good morning, Miss Vice President,” he says, and walks into his office.
The day is spent getting back into a routine with Benjamin out at the front at the desk with me, and Aiden and Bree in their offices. It’s weird not having Bree to talk to, but Benjamin is just as good and even funny at times. Everyone settles in nicely and finally the office is a fantastic place to work. Aiden seamlessly slips into the president position. He’s firm but nice unlike Alistair who was firm but down right mean.
***
The days fill into weeks, the weeks into months, and before I know it, it’s September and only a few days before our wedding. Aiden walks into the bedroom with a glass of water and some pain killers. I’m still resting in the bed from last night’s bachelorette party. He chuckles and sits on the bed next to me, rubbing my back. He puts the water and pills on the side table.
“Morning, beautiful. Well, technically, it’s afternoon,” he says.
My head is pounding. “Morning,” I say.
“How’s your head?” He hands me the water and pills.
“I need those badly.”
“I hear Sarah and Mel were quite the party animals last night? And Sarah wasn’t even drunk, well obviously,” he asks amused.
“Oh? I can’t remember.” I take the tablets and wash them down with the icy cool water. Aiden is looking at me with an amused grin on his face, obviously laughing at my state of disarray, so I slump back down into our bed. Aiden lays down beside me so I can cuddle into him.
“I really can’t remember parts of last night.”
Aiden chuckles. “Luckily Sarah caught it all on video for you.”
“Really?”
“Yes. The part where you and Brielle sing The Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” together, and then cry at the end is quite amusing.”
Aiden laughs and pulls out his cell, showing me the clip of us singing very badly.
“Why did she have to die at the end of that movie,” Brielle calls out into the microphone as the entire audience laughs at us.
I laugh but watch in horror. “Oh my God, it doesn’t get worse than this, does it?”
“Oh, baby, it gets way worse.”
I put my head in my hands and laugh even though my head hurts.
“It’s official. I’m never drinking again,” I say while he shows me a video of me talking to a street lamp. He shakes his head while watching the videos that Sarah made of me and the other girls.
“I remember Bree dancing on a table, I think,” I say to Aiden. He looks at me and chuckles.
“I don’t even remember Sarah recording me at all.”
“That’s because you were too busy chatting up the street lamp,” he jokes. I hit him on the chest lightly.
“Shut up, me and the lamp go way back. We’re great friends, thank you very much,” I say, snuggling into him. He laughs and puts down his cell phone.
“I’m glad you had a good time with the girls. It kept me entertained anyway,” he says with a smirk.
“It’s your turn tonight. Do you know what Chris has in store for you?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.
“Yeah, were heading to Vinchenzo’s for dinner and then out to a bar or something to play pool and darts and other manly things.”
“Make sure Chris takes videos of you so I can be entertained,” I say. “I expect a very intoxicated fiancé to stumble through those doors tonight.”
“I’m sure I can hold my liquor better than someone I know.”
“Excuse me? I had quite a lot to drink, thank you very much, and I was fine.”
“Sorry, Miss I Can Handle My Liquor,” he says, laughing.
“Hey, I said I only forgot some of the night, not all of it.”
I lean up to kiss him.
“Oh, baby you smell like stale alcohol,” he says, pulling away.
“Sorry,” I say.
“I’ll forgive you, if you come and take a shower with me,” he says, raising an eyebrow.
***
It comes time for Aiden to go to his bachelor party, and the guys meet at our place for pre-dinner drinks. Sarah and Brielle are going to spend the night with me.
“Chris, you have to take videos of Aiden when he’s drunk so we can laugh at him,” Sarah calls out.
“No worries, babe,” Chris yells back, and Aiden smirks at me.
Aiden walks over and squats down beside me. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel like crap, which is how you’ll be feeling tomorrow,” I say, making him chuckle.
“I can stay home and look after you if you want me to. I don’t mind.”
“Absolutely not, this is your night to have fun with the guys. Plus, I have Sarah and Bree here to take care of me. We’re going to order pizza, watch sad movies, and probably cry all night.” I say jokingly.
“Don’t cry too much,” he says kissing me.
He walks back over to the bar where Blair and Benjamin are doing shots with Chris and Adam. Oh boy, it’s going to be an interesting night.
“Okay, guys, we’re heading into the theater room now, have a good time. Don’t get arrested or anything,” I say, walking off. Aiden runs up behind me, and I turn to face him.
“I love you, have a good night, and I promise to behave myself,” he says.
“I know you’ll behave yourself, because if you don’t you’ll be sleeping in the guesthouse with your mother and Mike,” I say jokingly.
He raises his eyebrows and laughs. “Oh really?”
“Mmm, really,” I say. He leans in and kisses me softly.
“Have fun, babe, love you too,” I say. He walks back down to the man cave with the boys.
Brielle orders the pizza and we set up the projector to play Love Actually, one of our favorite movies. By the time we figure out how to set up the projector and turn everything on, the pizza is here and Adam brings it in to us.
“Here’s dinner, girls. We’re off. Have a good night,” he says, handing the pizza to Brielle.
We sit on the floor in front of the recliners, eat our dinner and watch the movie in peace until my cell vibrates. It’s a video from Chris of Aiden doing shots at the bar with Adam. I laugh as Brielle watches the video with me.
“Oh, this is so not going to end pretty,” she says.
A couple of hours go by, the movie is finished, and we make ourselves some coffee and popcorn. My cell vibrates again; I’m almost scared to look. I pull my cell out of my pocket and watch the video of Aiden and Blair playing a shooting video game, arguing over who won.It’s pretty tame, but funny to watch as they slur their words. I think it’s obvious that he’s having a good night.
Our coffee and popcorn is ready so we go back in to the theater room and put on A Walk to Remember. Why we decide to put on sad movies is beyond me, but we do it anyway. We watch as Jamie and Landon fall in love, beating the odds. The movie ends and the three of us are in tears. My cell rings and it’s Aiden. I sniff, trying to control my crying and answer my cell.
“Hi, babe,” I say.
“Hey, baaaby. What’ cha doin?” he asks, sounding quite intoxicated. I wipe the tears from my eyes and listen to my man on the other end of the line.
“Just crying like a child. What are you doing?”
“Why are you crying?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. We’re watching sad movies,” I reassure him.
He laughs. I hear a bang, then people cheering in the background as someone yells out, “Taxi.”
“You girls love those sad movies, but I love you,” he says, slurring his words.
“Aiden, shots, shots, shots, shots,” I hear someone call out. I laugh and put him on speakerphone so Sarah and Brielle can hear.
“I’m talking to my beautiful fiancée. She’s really pretty, don’t you think guys? I love her so much,” he says, and I think he’s forgotten that I’m on the line.
“She’s hell pretty, bro. If I was straight, I’d so do her,” Blair says.
“Aiden, I’m still here,” I say loudly so he can hear me.
“Oh wow, there she is. Hi, baby, you’re pretty. I love you,” he says, slurring his words again Sarah and Bree laugh.
“Who’s that?” he asks curiously.
“Hi, Aiden, it’s Sarah and Brielle.”
“Oooh. Hi, Bree. Adam is fun. Did you know Adam is fun? I think he’s fun and Jeni is pretty and I love her and we’re getting married,” he calls out loudly, and then there’s a muffled sound like the phone dropped. Chris picks it up.
“Helloooooo,” Chris says, sounding worse than Aiden.
“Hey, Mr. Drop Dead Sexy Milk Stealer,” I call out, making Sarah and Chris laugh.
“Hell yeah, I’m Mr. Sexy Drop Dead Stealer Of Milk and don’t you forget it. Hiccup.”
“Babe, don’t forget to drink plenty of water and tell the others to drink plenty of water, too,” Sarah says with a smirk.
“Water is for pansies, and pansies are dolphins, and dolphins are fish. I like fish, hey who’s hungry?” Chris calls out and hangs up the phone.
We laugh, and I put my cell back into my pocket. They sound like they’re having a great time. We end up moving into the living room to sit and chat. We start to wonder where the boys are because my cell has been really quiet for the past three hours.
“Hey, girls, do you think I should call the guys and see how they’re doing, or is that checking up on them?” I ask.
“I’m sure they’re fine. They’re probably in a bar winding down, and anyway they were going to call Mike to pick them up, weren’t they?” Bree asks.
We hear a car pull up out the front. The front door swings open and Chris stumbles in, followed by Aiden and the others. They’re laughing and carrying on as they walk into the kitchen.
�
��Hi, guys,” Sarah calls out.
They pretty much ignore us, and Aiden walks over to get his poker table and sprawls it out on the dining room table. Sarah and Brielle look over at me and I giggle. I walk over and put my hand on Aiden’s shoulder. He finally notices me.
“Hey, baby,” he says, puckering his lips for a kiss. I laugh at him and bend down to kiss him, the smell of whisky is overpowering.
“I’m going to bed; I’ll see you in the morning. Don’t forget to drink lots of water,” I say to Aiden as he deals out the cards.
“Okay, baby, I luv oou,” he slurs, making me laugh.
“I love you too,” I say. Sarah and Brielle kiss their men, and we head upstairs.
I show Sarah and Brielle to their separate guestrooms. I’m so tired from my bachelorette party the night before that I know I’m going to fade out as soon as my head hits the pillow. I have enough energy to check the time before I fall asleep; four thirty-eight a.m. Oh God, no wonder I’m so tired. I rest my head on the pillow and I’m out like a light.
I wake to the blaring sun because I forgot to shut the blinds last night. I feel Aiden passed out next to me as I roll over. He’s face down on the bed, still in his clothes from last night. One leg is hanging off the bed, and he’s snoring. I giggle at the sight. I check the clock; it’s eleven thirty a.m. I can’t hear any movement in the rest of the house, but I decide to get up just in case. I move over to Aiden and take off his shoes and put his leg up on the bed. I take my side of the blanket and place it over him. I close the blinds, get some water and pain killers, and place them next to him for when he wakes.
I make my way downstairs to see Blair and Benjamin lying on the sofa, and I’m assuming Adam and Chris are upstairs in the correct bedrooms. I make my way to the kitchen to start making breakfast. I quietly pull out some pans to cook bacon and eggs. As I start to cook the bacon, Blair and Benjamin wake up to the smell of the food cooking.
“Good morning, Miss Chef Extraordinaire,” Blair says, getting up and heading over to the breakfast bar.
“Morning, guys.”
Benjamin comes over and he looks terrible. He sits down next to Blair and rests his head on his shoulder.
“Oh God, I swear I’m never drinking again,” he says.
