“Let’s see if we can add more.” And I’m certain he does.
12
Enchanted
My graduation party was a lame, epic fail but I can’t even bring myself to care. Even I can admit I was a terrible host, ignoring all my guests and texting Aiden the entire time. He was the only person I wanted to be with, anyway.
If I’m being entirely transparent, I’m less hurt by the fact next to nobody showed up for my party and more hurt that the sole person I wanted there couldn’t even come support me.
I check my phone incessantly, praying for it to go off and for him to miraculously appear. I beg and beg, hoping I find the right combination of pathetic words that will sway him to cave and come to my party. Nothing works.
It’s as if a vice surrounds and squeezes my heart. It physically cracks once I realize hours have passed, and he’s not going to show up. It’s like I’m underwater—people are around me, yet they sound distant and blurry. I can’t make out any of the words they’re saying, to me or each other.
And I can’t breathe. It’s like I’m drowning and suffocating simultaneously—it’s unbearable. I’m embarrassed. I should be celebrating and yet I’m mourning a loss of something that was never going to happen.
He never said he’d show up. He never promised me anything. Still, the reality is a knife to my chest, carving away my hope and leaving me empty, exposed.
Dan would’ve been here.
I’m taken aback by the intrusive, painful thought. It came out of nowhere and I’m not even sure I mean it, or believe it. I’m holding onto my old relationship as a comparable excuse for the new shitty behavior as opposed to the old shitty behavior.
The difference is Aiden didn’t lie. He didn’t tell me he’d come and then not show up. He didn’t make empty promises or lead me to believe things that would never happen. He was honest with me.
I guess I can respect that.
As soon as everyone leaves and the party remnants get cleaned up, I head back over to the apartment. He’s elated when I arrive, unusually so. He tackles me as soon as I walk through the door and throws me down on the couch, covering me in kisses like he’s a golden retriever.
“Well, hello to you too,” I chuckle at his eagerness. I’m reveling in his playfulness and the proof his feelings match my own.
It’s as if the last couple of hours never even happened. The moment I saw him, my anger and embarrassment vanished. It doesn’t matter that he didn’t come to my party. We’re together now and that’s all that matters.
“I told Schuppert about us.” Ah, that’s why he’s even more buoyant than usual. Reese Schuppert is his best friend, our assistant manager, and the reason he got the job.
I can’t help how wide my smile spreads across my face. “What did he say?” I’m assuming he took it well based on Aiden’s reaction and current state.
“He’s happy for us. He thinks you’re cool, so he’s okay with it.” I don’t know what I did to deserve to be called cool, but he accompanies the statement with a sexy, throaty chuckle. I want to hold on to that sound until the end of time.
It’s a huge deal he told Reese about us. He’s Aiden’s best friend, but we’re still not supposed to be together. Especially since Reese is the one who got Aiden the job, he could’ve forced his hand on the issue. But Reese is a good guy. I’ve always liked him, but I’m sure it’ll be super weird when I work with him next. I wonder what exactly Aiden told him.
Euphoric is an understatement for how I feel in this moment. The fact he told someone about us makes butterflies take root in my belly. I’m light and airy, like I’m floating on cloud nine.
He’s proven he’s not embarrassed of me and what we have is real. That action alone is worth more than one thousand empty words and promises.
His enthusiasm extends to our make-out session. He pins me down with his hips and they grind against me. His erection rubs against my clit with every thrust and my panties are already soaked. Hell, just from kissing him I’m drenched.
My hands make their way down the back of his gym shorts and I grab his ass, but it’s not enough. We tug at each other’s clothes with insatiable hunger. We’re moving at a snail’s paced compared to how fast we’d rather be moving.
I’m naked on his couch facing the sliding patio doors. If anyone were to walk by at this moment, they’d get a full-frontal show. I’m exposed—both to Aiden and any potential peeping toms.
A long finger runs down my dripping pussy and I fear I’m about to make a mess all over his heather-gray couch.
“Holy shit, Chels, did you come already? You’re soaked.” His voice is rough with arousal and I’ll do and say anything to get him to keep talking or moaning or something.
If I wanted to be honest, I’d tell him no, I haven’t come. But I want to boost his already huge, albeit well-deserved, ego, so I nod my head.
He kisses me with urgency as he eases his finger into me. I’m beyond ready for his cock—I don’t even care about foreplay at this point.
I’m still sitting spread eagle on his couch while he’s kneeling on the floor in front of me. His height works in our favor because his erection lines up perfectly with my entrance.
As he removes his finger, he spreads some of my wetness onto the tip of his cock. Without further hesitation, he slams into me. His name is a scream on my lips and he simultaneously groans in pleasure. I can’t be quiet with him and I don’t want to be. I want him to know how much he affects me.
Sex with Aiden is my drug of choice. It’s an addiction and I’m admitting I have a problem. It’s a high I’ve never experienced before and I don’t want to get help. I’m an addict and even though it’s bad for me, I won’t give it up.
It’s clear my current bed partner wanted me as desperately as I wanted him. We were rushed and frantic and it ended as fast as it started. He pulls out of me, spilling his cum onto my stomach as I slump back, sated.
He helps me clean up and we get dressed since I’m still in full view of his neighbors. I don’t care if anyone caught the show—I was too oblivious to notice.
We cuddle together on the couch as he picks a movie to watch. He has plans tonight so I can’t stay, but spending this time together is nice and all I could ask for.
He falls asleep as my hand rubs slow circles over his tan, toned back. He wakes up about an hour later right around eight thirty.
He takes a deep breath and stretches. “Shit, sorry I fell asleep.” I kiss him out of his sleepy haze. “It’s so crazy how comfortable I am with you. I’ve never fallen asleep on anyone like that before.”
I’m smiling like crazy even though he can’t see me. I’m glad he’s so comfortable with me because I feel the same way with him.
“What time is it?” I answer, and he jumps up in a state of panic. “Shit. I need to go to the liquor store before they close. I’m sorry.”
Before I can think of anything else to say, he slides on a pair of slider sandals and ushers me out the door. He offers me a quick, drive-by kiss on the mouth before hopping in his car and speeding away.
I stand there watching him drive away, feeling like someone punched me in the stomach.
13
The One That Got Away
Work has become continued to become more and more interesting since Aiden and I started…fraternizing, if you will. We work together often which is awesome and even better when we work with Reese who knows about us now.
But it’s also fun when we work with other people. What is it about sneaking around that’s so fucking hot? We have to hide our relationship from everyone around us, yet we sneak touches every time we’re near each other.
He grabs or smacks my ass at every opportunity; we hug and kiss in the stockroom when we’re alone—we’re masters at hiding our romance. And it’s arousing as hell. As if I need any help when it comes to Aiden turning me on.
Most nights after work I’ll follow him home for a romp in the sack, and more often than not I stay over. We’re i
nsatiable for one another. I never knew two people could want each other as often and as frantically as the two of us do. Hell, I wouldn’t believe it if I wasn’t experiencing it for myself.
My friends make fun of me, thinking I’m like some voracious sex robot and to be honest, with Aiden I pretty much am. But it’s easy to understand where they’re coming from because I haven’t been spending as much time with my friends since he and I got so hot and heavy.
So today I’m at Callie’s house since Aiden is at work and I have the day off. I’m aware it makes me a shitty friend, but when you love someone you want to be with them all the time.
Is that what this is with Aiden? Am I in love with him? One thing I know for certain is my emotions are stronger for him than they ever were for Dan. I miss him when we’re apart, from the moment I leave him until I see him again.
As I sit in Callie’s kitchen, thinking and talking about him nonstop, I have an idea. Albeit a selfish one, but an idea nonetheless. “Do you wanna meet him? He’s working—we could go visit him…”
Callie jumps out of her chair and I let out a sigh of relief when she agrees with my plan. I can’t even go one day without seeing him—what am I going to do when I leave for vacation next week?
I’m disappointed when I see Seth working. It means Aiden and I aren’t able to be our natural, flirty selves. I make up a lie to claim I need to write down my schedule and that’s why I’m at work. Seth of all people can’t know about us or we’ll both get fired.
As soon as we have some semblance of privacy—meaning I’m hiding behind a large display rack—we open up a bit. My face heats as soon as I’m in his presence. The effect he has on me, my body, is insane.
Even though I’m obscured by a wall of sneakers, my boss could appear at any moment. “What’re you doing here?” His voice brings me back to the present. He’s surprised but his tone is laced with happiness too. When he smiles at me, his boyish grin is enough to make my panties damp. Oy vey.
“I couldn’t shut up about you, so Callie wanted to see what all the fuss was about.” I’m sure my face is the color of vermillion at my admission, but he smirks and says hi to Callie.
They laugh as they share a joke and I get irrationally jealous. I want to get her away from him as soon as possible. This was a bad idea. Maybe since she’s blonde, he’ll find her cuter or funnier than me and she’ll find him charismatic and I just introduced them to one another. I mean, who wouldn’t fall for him? Tall—check. Athletic—check. Hilarious and charming—check and check.
I need to be realistic. Callie’s my best friend and she would never do that. But still the mere thought is enough to make me sick and envious.
“Okay, well, I guess we should get going.” It’s awkward now because I’m so used to kissing him goodbye, but I can’t do that here.
“I can’t give you a hug or anything.” He reads my hesitation, and it fills me with embarrassment. I react sarcastically as I always do when I’m uncomfortable.
“I didn’t want a hug, anyway.” I say it with the perfect combination of playfulness and sass, so he chuckles at me and shakes his head.
“Text me later.” He whispers before I leave.
“I will. Bye.” The interaction left me a little unsettled. I hate knowing I can’t tell everyone how I feel about him. I can’t even introduce him to my best friend in a normal setting. Callie, however, didn’t seem to notice how weird the interaction was.
“You guys are so cute together. He’s so cute. I can tell he really likes you.” Her exclamation is emphatic and even though it’s just her opinion, it makes me all warm and tingly.
Back at her house, her mom asks what we’ve been up to. “I met Chelsea’s new boyfriend,” she proclaims all loud and proud. My jaw goes slack and I give her a look I’m hoping says, are you kidding me?
“He’s not my boyfriend. He’s…well…we’re just hanging out.” I can’t tell my best friend’s mom that Aiden is my coworker who I’m also fucking on the reg.
“Mhm.” Her mom gives me a sly side-eye like she knows exactly what I mean. Awesome.
I spend the night at Callie’s house and Aiden texts me the entire night. I’m ignoring my friend for a guy and the guilt is eating at me. But I also can’t help how I feel or what I want. This infatuation is all-consuming and I don’t see it slowing anytime soon.
It’s getting late, or, well, early, because we always stay up late during sleepovers. But exhaustion is encroaching, threatening to pull me under. Though Aiden is still texting me and I’m not ready to stop yet.
Texting when I’m tired is dangerous, in a sense. It’s basically synonymous to texting while drunk. I get brazen and all too honest. I say things I would never say under other circumstances, which is why it’s problematic I’m still talking to Aiden this late at night.
Me: I like you way too much.
Aiden: what do you mean?
Me: it means I’m falling for you.
Aiden: don’t
Me: It’s too late.
14
Counting the Ways
I’m trying to squeeze in as much time as possible with Aiden before I leave for a week-long vacation to Florida. Even at work I try to spend as much time with him as I can without being conspicuous. I’ll miss him terribly, and I have an inkling he’ll miss me too. At least, I hope he will.
I would spend every single night at his apartment if I could, but every night I’m away I’m lying to my parents and it can’t go on forever. It’s not like I can’t tell them I’m spending every night with my new boyfriend they haven’t met. Or, my not-boyfriend, anyway. I don’t think they’d take it in stride.
My dad plans to come into work tonight in search of a new pair of sneakers he can wear on vacation. His old pair is pretty worn, and he’s trying to help me get a sale.
My dad is one of my favorite people in the world. I’ve always been a daddy’s girl and growing up he was always on my side. It’d be me and him versus my mom and sister if a fight ever broke out. He’s one of my best friends.
He knows a little about Aiden but, for obvious reasons, I don’t tell him everything. I’m still his little girl, after all.
I come out of the stockroom and see my dad browsing the shoes on the front wall with Aiden. I laugh at the idea Aiden thinks he’s getting this sale. But I must admit, my smile isn’t exclusively geared toward my coworker.
The simple act of seeing him talk to my dad, laughing and getting along, fills me with peace. I’m floating on cloud nine. My two favorite people in the entire universe meeting, getting along, laughing—butterflies can’t even begin to explain the giddiness I’m experiencing.
I stand back and watch for a moment and it doesn’t appear Aiden is even attempting to sell anything. He doesn’t point at the wall or pick up a shoe. They’re just standing together, talking and laughing like old pals.
After a couple of minutes pass, I walk up and lean right into my dad’s side. “Sorry, this one’s mine.”
“Oh, is that right?” Aiden looks at me, quizzical humor playing on his face. His smile lights up my world and I’m sure my face is red and smiley to prove it.
“Yep. Daddy, this is Aiden. Aiden, this is my dad.” They shake hands. God, the simplest interaction brings me an uncanny amount of pride and joy.
Dan never shook my dad’s hand. He was an immature boy hiding behind his car. Aiden’s a man. My man.
“Nice to meet you, sir.” My panties are getting wet and it’s making me uncomfortable considering my dad’s arm is around me. I need to separate from both of them because my father does not need to see me in this horny, desperate state.
I show my dad a few things but he can’t find anything in the entire store he likes. I’m convinced he was here to visit me and not to buy anything. When he leaves I take a deep breath and release the nervous tension remaining.
Aiden met my dad. And my dad approves of him. I want to do a happy dance and let out an obnoxious squeal but I don’t want to seem like
a ridiculous school girl.
I shoot my favorite coworker a bashful smile and his return grin melts my heart. God, I’ll miss him when I leave.
∞ ∞ ∞
The last few days I have with Aiden pass in record speed. Before I know it, I’m at the airport at the ass-crack of dawn and boarding a flight that will take me 1,000 miles away from the person I want to be with most.
I text Aiden as soon as the plane lands to tell him I landed. Now it’s my turn to tell him I wish he were here with me. I just got here and yet knowing I won’t see him for seven full days nauseates me. I miss him so much already.
My parents and I are down here visiting my grandparents while my sister stayed behind to watch the dogs and spend the week at our house with her boyfriend.
I spend time with my family. I miss Aiden. We go fishing. We laze around on their boat. We play cards. I miss Aiden. We go out shopping and I buy this gorgeous bracelet at a flea market, of all places. We go to Disney. We go out to eat. I miss Aiden.
It’s all-consuming.
I’m sitting in my grandparent’s living room scrolling through Facebook and he pops up on my feed, tagged in a bunch of pictures. He looks laid-back and so sexy. His smile is broad and boyish, altogether endearing.
But it’s the context of the pictures that has my stomach dropping and bile filling my throat. Rage and unadulterated jealousy course through my veins untamed. My heart is loud as it pounds against my chest, audible, I’m sure, to even my grandfather who is hard of hearing.
I want to throw up. I want to punch-kick-hit something, anything. Tears of devastation and fury pool in my eyes. Like the masochist I am, I scroll through all the pictures of him with another girl. Another coworker. One who got fired a couple months ago.
Is he sleeping with her too? Are they going public since she doesn’t work with us anymore? I’m crushed. And also severely pissed off. I let my anger win out and message him. Well, more like I freak out on him.
My Almost Page 10
