He lifted his gaze to my face. Finally. “She got called into the hospital and asked me to come pick you up. I hear we’re about to become lockdown buddies.”
Why did his eyes have to sparkle at the thought? I didn’t need him turning his weapons of mass flirtation on me at this hour of the morning.
“It’s only until my parents are home,” I grunted. “And that shouldn’t be more than a couple of days.”
“I thought you’d be more excited about the idea. I’ll make a great lockdown buddy.”
“Who says I’m not excited? Clearly, I’m ecstatic.”
A low chuckle rumbled from Aiden’s chest at the dry tone of my voice. “This is going to be fun.”
“Sure, it is.” I rolled my eyes. Nothing about this situation was fun. “Well, anyway, thanks for coming to get me. I just need to pack a few things.”
“You’re not packed?”
“No, I only got the call from my parents just before you arrived. You’re going to have to wait while I grab some clothes.”
He let out a sigh and leaned against the doorway. “Fine, you have two minutes.”
“Two minutes?”
A slow, devious smile pulled at his lips as he checked the time on his phone. “You better hurry. You’ve just wasted five seconds…”
“Ugh!” I turned and raced for my room, not trusting that Aiden was only joking. I couldn’t believe my parents wanted me to go live with this guy.
I dragged a bag out of my wardrobe and started randomly throwing clothes into it. Not that it even mattered what clothes I picked. I was only going to be gone for a couple of days, and thanks to the current quarantine measures, I’d be spending almost every minute of my stay at the Moores’ house stuck inside. I might have been rushing as I packed, but I made certain to include my laptop and all my chargers. I wouldn’t last an hour in Aiden’s house if my phone or laptop ran out of battery.
“You’re packing all the wrong things…” I glanced up and found Aiden leaning against my doorway. “There are far too many sweatpants and fluffy socks in that bag and not nearly enough sexy silk pajamas.”
“Oh my God. Aiden, I told you to wait out front.”
“Pretty sure you didn’t.”
I scowled at him and continued packing, trying to ignore the sense that he was watching my every move. I really didn’t like him being in my house, let alone my room. I also didn’t need a running commentary on what I decided to pack.
“So, the sexy silk pajamas?” he continued. “I’ve watched enough chick flicks to know that all girls wear them to sleepovers. You’re going to need them for our pillow fights.”
“I hate to break it to you, Aiden. But those movies aren’t real.”
He gasped. “You lie…”
“And why are you watching so many chick flicks anyway?”
“Join me for a movie night, and I’ll show you.” He grinned. “We might not spend much time actually watching though…”
I shook my head and let out a frustrated breath. I wished I hadn’t asked. I should have known better than to encourage him. Ignoring his antics was pretty much my one and only defense against the guy.
“And do you really need all those books?” he asked, as I pulled an armload off my shelves. It was definitely more than I needed for a couple of days, but thanks to Aiden’s two-minute countdown, I was rushing. I didn’t have time to pick the books I might like to read, so I was going for sheer bulk in the hopes I’d have plenty of options. The fact Aiden was watching so closely wasn’t helping me think straight.
I blew a hair off my face and turned to him with my arms still full of books. “Aiden…”
“Yes?” He looked the picture of innocence, as though he wasn’t here solely to irritate the crap out of me.
“Get. Out.”
He chuckled but thankfully obliged. “You haven’t got long left by the way,” he said as he turned to leave. “See you downstairs in a few seconds.”
I shoved the pile of books in my bag and somehow managed to get the zipper closed. I didn’t have time to shower, but I quickly changed my clothes and brushed my teeth before gathering some cosmetics from the bathroom. I cringed as I looked at my appearance in the mirror. My brown hair looked so wild even a bird would have questioned whether it would make a good nest, and without makeup on, my skin was pale after a bad night’s sleep.
“That’s definitely been more than two minutes, Clary,” Aiden called up the stairs. “Do you need me to come back and help you pack again?”
My blue eyes flared with annoyance, and I tore my gaze away from the mirror to glare in the direction of his voice. Aiden was infuriating, and he knew exactly how to get under my skin. There might have been a virus plaguing the world right now, but being stuck in quarantine with Aiden Moore suddenly felt like a much bigger problem.
“Claaary?” He called my name again with a droning voice, like he was searching for me in a game of hide and seek.
I let out a groan, grabbed my bag from my room, and dragged my feet back down the stairs to meet Aiden at the front door. He grinned brightly when he saw me and took the duffel bag out of my hands before turning to walk to his truck. He whistled as he walked, clearly getting far too much satisfaction out of the situation.
I grumbled under my breath as I went to follow him.
The next few days were going to be agony.
2
Clary
One highway and a handful of streets separated Aiden’s house from mine, and even though it was walking distance away, it felt like I was moving to the other side of the country. No, worse than that, it was like being sent straight to the depths of hell for the next few days without any chance of escape.
I let out a sigh as my house disappeared and leaned my head against the window of Aiden’s truck as I watched the streets whiz by. It was strange how quickly things had changed since the lockdown restrictions were announced. Nothing ever happened in our sleepy little town, but even Harford was feeling the burden of the pandemic.
Shops had gradually been shutting this week, and stricter rules were being announced daily. Only a few days ago, I’d been hanging out with my friends, but now you could only spend time with those people in your household. Unfortunately for me, that small circle of people now included Aiden Moore.
There was almost nobody on the streets as Aiden drove us to his house. We only passed a handful of cars, and there were barely any pedestrians on the sidewalks. The few people who had decided to leave their houses appeared to be out exercising, and some had surgical masks covering their faces. It felt like the world had pressed the pause button. None of this felt real.
The truck slowed as we reached Aiden’s house, and with a mixture of dread and frustration, I stepped from the vehicle. Aiden’s home was gorgeous and looked like something out of a magazine. The front yard had a lush green lawn, which was bordered by perfectly trimmed hedges. The house was freshly painted in a dark navy color with white trim on the windows. It even had a white picket fence, like many other houses on the street.
My family’s house was simple in comparison. We lived in a small two-bedroom cottage that was cute and filled with character. Most of our furniture came from garage sales, and thanks to Mom’s good taste, she somehow made the eclectic pieces work together. It wasn’t like my parents were poor, but their priorities were very different from a lot of people in town. They spent most of their money on travel. It was one of the things I loved most about them.
I must have been admiring Aiden’s house for too long because a deep chuckle came from behind me. I turned to find him walking around the back of the truck, my duffel bag in hand. “Are we going inside or are you just going to stare at the house all day?”
“Just sizing up my prison for the next few days,” I replied.
“Well, I can’t promise the slop they feed in there is up to your high standards, but I can almost guarantee you’re going to love your fellow inmates.” He winked at me and started off down the path to
ward the front door.
“I’m pretty sure I won’t,” I grumbled before going after him. Aiden had been bugging me at school for years, and if he hadn’t grown on me yet, I was fairly certain being confined with the guy wasn’t going to make me like him any better.
Aiden showed me into the house, and as soon as we entered the corridor, a door creaked open and his brother poked his head out of one of the rooms. I didn’t know Aiden’s brother well, but I recognized him from around town. He must have been about twelve years old now, and he’d grown a lot since I’d last seen him. He had the same green-blue eyes as Aiden and practically looked like a miniature version of his brother.
“This is my brother, Elliot,” Aiden said, waving a hand in his direction. “Elliot, this is Clary, the girl Mom told you about this morning.”
Elliot’s eyes widened slightly as he turned his gaze on me. He slowly ran his eyes over me before a smile crept onto his face. It was freakishly similar to the smirk Aiden always wore.
“Hey there, hot stuff,” Elliot said, opening the door wider so he could lean against the door frame. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Hot stuff?” It seemed that terrible flirting was a family trait. Also, why was a twelve-year-old asking me about a boyfriend?
Aiden grunted his disapproval. “Don’t listen to him. Kid’s got more balls than brains.”
Another thing that must run in the family.
“I can’t help that I’ve got game,” Elliot said.
“You’ve also got Spider-Man bed sheets we can both see through your open door,” Aiden replied. “Real smooth, player.”
Elliot’s cheeks flushed, but he kept his attention on me. “Every Spider-Man needs a Mary Jane. Want to be mine?”
I let out a laugh. This kid really was a smaller replica of his brother. He was quick, flirtatious, and far too confident. Unlike Aiden though, Elliot’s comments came off as somewhat cute, and since I was living in his house, I didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot. “Let’s just get to know each other first, Mini Moore.”
Elliot grinned triumphantly.
Aiden rolled his eyes though. “Come on, Clary.” He took me by the elbow and practically dragged me down the corridor away from his brother.
I looked over my shoulder and shrugged at Elliot.
“I’ll see you around,” he called after us before disappearing back into his room.
Aiden guided me upstairs before stopping at the top of the landing. “Sorry about my brother. He’s just discovered he’s got a dick, and he lets it do most of the thinking.”
“Funny, I was about to say how similar you guys are.”
Aiden grunted in disgust. “I would never call you ‘hot stuff,’ and his Spider-Man pickup line was lame.”
“Oh really? You could have done better?”
His eyes glittered at the challenge in my voice, and he took a step toward me. I swallowed as the electric current that always seemed to flow through the air between us intensified. It scratched against my clothes and tingled against my skin. It was the worst kind of irritation. “Uh, what are you doing?”
“Proving that I’m better.” He was standing so close to me that I could smell the spicy scent of his cologne.
“Um, well, you don’t have to do that. And, uh, what about social distancing? Lockdown rules say you’re meant to stand six feet away from me.”
“Lockdown rules don’t apply to people you live with.”
Crap. He had a point.
“Don’t you want to hear my pickup line?” His voice was so alluring as he spoke. Aiden could probably read a grocery list to a girl, and she’d agree to go on a date with him. It was a skill his brother clearly hadn’t developed yet.
It took all my self-control to keep my expression neutral, to ignore how close he was and how his deep voice sounded all too tempting. Even though I hated the guy, it was hard not to be a little drawn in by him. I was already acting slightly rattled, and I needed to get away from him—something I knew would only happen if I agreed to hear his stupid line.
“Sure, let’s hear it,” I said. The sooner he got his little pickup line over and done with, the sooner I could get my personal space back.
He slowly smiled. “Clary, I have to be honest, my spidey senses aren’t the only thing that’s tingling right now.”
I stared at him for several long moments before I burst out laughing. “That’s your amazing pickup line?”
He grinned widely and stepped back, holding out his arms as if he was ready to be showered in praise. “Yep.”
“It’s even worse than Elliot’s. You really think a girl would go out with you if you said that to her?”
“Yeah, it wasn’t my best,” he agreed. “But it made you laugh, and I just wanted to hear that sound again.”
I frowned in response. He was giving me a soft smile, and I couldn’t tell if Aiden was being sweet or just trying another line on me. If it was the latter, then it was certainly an improvement. Any other girl would have fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.
He chuckled as he noticed my confusion. “And that’s why I’m different from Elliot,” he said. “I don’t expect one lame pickup line to convince a girl to go out with me. Making her laugh just might though.”
I rolled my eyes. Of course, it was just another line. “Well, it must not work that well because I don’t want to go out with you.”
“Don’t you?”
“Nope.”
“Are you sure?”
I stared at Aiden, wondering for a moment if he’d lost his mind. How could he even consider the idea of us going out? He was most likely joking, but I couldn’t bring myself to laugh about it. He’d asked me out as a prank a few years back, and I still didn’t trust him. Thankfully, I’d been dating someone else, so I hadn’t fallen for the prank at the time. Nothing had changed between us since, and I certainly didn’t want to date him now.
“You’re hesitating, so I feel like maybe you’re considering it…”
“Ugh, of course, I’m sure,” I quickly replied. “I wouldn’t go out with you if you were the last guy on the planet.”
“Ouch, Clary.” His face portrayed pain, but his eyes twinkled like he was enjoying every second. “Given our current situation, that could happen, you know…”
“That’s not funny,” I said. “Thankfully, we’re not there yet, and don’t pretend you’re offended. You’re far more interested in irritating me than going out with me.”
“Who says I don’t want both?”
The blood rushed from my skin as I stared at him. “What?”
He flashed me a grin and picked up my bag again before he continued down the corridor like nothing had happened.
“So, this is my room.” He pointed to a door on the left of the hallway. His voice was chipper, like he didn’t have a care in the world, but all I could do was stare at him. “And the bathroom is in here.”
I was distracted as he talked, still trying to process what he’d said about wanting to both irritate me and go out with me. It felt like my brain was malfunctioning. He couldn’t actually want that, could he? There was no way. Why had he said it though? Surely, he was just messing with me.
“Then this is your room, right across from mine.” Aiden stopped by one of the doors and pushed it open. The room beyond was beautiful and bright with soft gray walls and dappled light flooding in through the window. I could see the leafy trees of the backyard from where I stood, and the large bed looked so inviting I was tempted to run over and jump on it. The walls were decorated with pretty floral artwork, and a matching teal throw lay over the end of the white bedspread. It was such a pretty room, until you caught sight of the exercise equipment in the corner.
“It’s our guest room and home gym,” Aiden explained. “Sorry about the weights and equipment. I didn’t have a chance to move them out of here before I picked you up.”
I shook my head. “It’s fine. I won’t be here for long, so there�
�s probably no point moving it all.”
He nodded, placing my bag down inside the entrance before tucking his hands into his pockets. “I’ll leave you to get settled. I’m just across the hall if you get bored. I’m sure I can think of a way we can keep ourselves busy.”
My jaw slackened, and my hands itched to slap his grinning face, but he winked at me and darted out of the room before I could respond. I’d been too shocked to react immediately, but as soon as he left, I reached for the door and slammed it shut after him.
“Ugh!” I glared at the door. Did my parents really expect me to live with this guy for the next few days? I already couldn’t wait to get out of here.
I took my phone out my back pocket and sent a text to my parents.
Me: I’m at the Moores’ house. Any luck with the flight home?!?! XX
I chose to keep the text short and simple, deciding to keep my serious concerns about living with Aiden to myself. Mom and Dad had enough to worry about right now without adding my sleazy new housemate to the list.
I tapped my phone against my hand as I waited for Mom’s response. Somewhat surprisingly, it came in a matter of seconds.
Mom: Still working on it. We’ll let you know the moment we have news!! xM&D
My chest constricted with worry. If they still hadn’t found a way home, there was no telling how long it would actually take. I chewed on my bottom lip as I typed out my reply.
Me: Okay. I’ll leave you guys to it. XX
Mom didn’t reply, and I hoped it was because she was too busy figuring out a way home with their travel agent.
I let out a sigh and went to lie on the bed. The mattress sank beneath me, dipping softly and seeming to mold to my figure, like a bed from a luxury hotel. Not that I’d been in many luxury hotels. We went on a family trip to Las Vegas a few years ago though, and the bed there felt just like this one.
Stuck with You Page 2
