Page 74 of Fractured Fate

Aiden leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs, clasping his hands. After a moment of silence, he asked, “What about me?”

Her brows bunched. “What about you?”

He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Can you tell what I think of you?” His voice had dropped, and her heart beat faster in response.

Toying with the hem of her white shorts for something to do, she said, “Well, until you asked that question, I thought I did.”

“What did you think before?”

“That we were friends.”

“We are,” he said, sitting upright.

She relaxed at his statement. Aiden didn’t need to know that she felt attracted to him more than a friendly appreciation. She knew to stay in her own league.

“Why did the question make you think otherwise?”

“Huh?”

“You said before I asked the question you thought you knew.”

“Oh.” So much for letting her guard down. “The way you sounded, it almost seemed like you thought more of me.” She downplayed the embarrassment with a laugh. “See, this is why I can’t tell if someone likes me.” Her face burned, so she looked away, suddenly fascinated with the shoes in the bottom of her closet. The heat in her apartment did nothing to help.

“And if I do?”

Her shoulders inched up to her neck, and she froze. He did not just say that. Was she having another heatstroke? You can’t blame a heatstroke anytime something unbelievable happens, she chastised herself.

She jumped when his hand slid over hers and tugged her to turn toward him.

Once he had her attention, he said, “I mean, I’m not going to lie and say I’m not attracted to you.” Before her heart could keel over, he added, “But to act on that right now when you’re going through what you are is an asshole move.” He tilted his head to look deep into her eyes. “I’ve been attracted to you for a while, actually.”

His large hand moved to cup the side of her face, and she couldn’t stop the soft, barely audible, desperate sound that came out. Brushing his thumb across her cheek, he leaned in as if drawn to the sound.

He was going to kiss her.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she could smell her minty toothpaste on his breath fanning across her lips. He must have brushed his teeth when he went to the bathroom earlier after their dinner when Noah was here.

A weird vibrating noise came from Aiden, and she pulled back, looking down at his lap.

“I muted it earlier when the police were here,” he said. “I can call back.”

“No, it might be important. Go ahead.”

The moment was gone anyway. Really, it was a good thing. Kissing Aiden would be a very bad thing. Even if it would feel so good in the moment.

His eyes showed how reluctant he was to get up, but his phone started vibrating again. He pulled it out of his pocket and groaned at the name on the screen.

“What is it, Riley?” he said, answering the call as he stood and walked to the kitchen. “Yes, I’m staying at Charlotte’s for a bit.” A pause. “No, you can’t come too. There’s no room.” A longer pause. “Seth with you? Give him the phone.” After a minute, Aiden sighed. “Hey, man. Listen, I’m dealing with some stuff up here and I won’t be back for a bit. Yeah, everything is fine, but I’m gonna need you to keep Riley occupied. I’ll reach out again soon.” After a brief silence, he said, “Thanks man, I’ll see you later.”

She watched him while he stood in the kitchen for a moment, taking several deep breaths, clenching and unclenching his fists. Call it sixth sense, but she didn’t think his frustration was with Riley. It felt like something else.

He turned and walked toward her again. “Sorry about that. Mom told Riley. I’m sure you know how that went.”

She giggled. Riley was a handful. Hearing the one-sided phone conversation told Charlotte all she needed to know about what his little sister had likely demanded of him.

Smoothing her hands over her thighs, her gaze snagged on a shoebox on her nightstand she hadn’t seen before.

“That’s odd.”