Authors: Annabelle Eaton
He frowns, looking a little scared. “What?”
I don’t answer. I reach across and unzip his jeans. “Christ, Millie!”
I arch my eyebrow. “Just keep your eyes on
the road, Aden.”
Chapter Sixteen
“And we’re here,” Aden says and grabs my
hand, giving it a little squeeze. His smile still hasn’t worn off from the
on-the-go blowjob, and I doubt it will for a while. Can’t surprise him my arse.
“You ready to meet everyone?” He parks next to a convertible Mini, which he’d
told me is Renee’s baby.
I get out and look up at the house. The
location is amazing, half way up a hill and backed onto a forest. There are
only about five or six other houses near it. I immediately want to move here.
It’s so peaceful and beautiful.
“Yeah,” I whisper, still staring in awe. My
nerves have subsided slightly after Aden told me it wouldn’t make a difference
to him if they don’t like me. There is less pressure now, so I’m ready to drink
and hopefully have fun.
Aden leads me to the front door, and I
almost squeal in appreciation of the cabin style house and ivy that’s weaved
around the porch. “It’s so pretty here.” Looking down the hill you can see for
miles. It’s all forest, fields and those few similar looking houses.
Aden rings the doorbell. “Yeah, I’d love to
move here, but it’d be too far for work.” I’m about to tell him to move his
office when the door opens. “Marcus,” Aden says, stepping forward giving him a
man hug.
“So this must be Amelie.” Marcus, a tall
blonde with dark green eyes and a tattoo peeking past his t-shirt sleeve,
smiles. He hugs me too. Very friendly for someone I haven’t met before, but I
like that he treats me as if I’m an old friend too.
My earlier worries vanish, and I beam up at
them, feeling accepted already. “Hi.”
“Come in.” He ushers us into the house and
closes the front door. “Everyone’s out the back, and they’re very excited to
meet Aden’s girl.” We follow Marcus out, and I think I hear Aden groan behind
me. I laugh and grip his hand that found mine again as soon as Marcus let go of
me.
His friends are sitting around a wooden
table, and all turn to look at me. I smile and press my side into Aden. Okay I
wasn’t ready for so much attention all at once. Aden wraps his arm around my
waist. “Amelie, this is Marcus’ fiancée, Renee, and that’s James and Sophie,
Danny and Orla. Everyone, this is Millie.” He points everyone out as he says
their names and I try to remember.
“Hi, guys.”
It takes a second for them to stand up and
then I’m embraced in more hugs. They’re all very friendly. “Nice to meet you,”
Renee says, hugging me once everyone else has.
“You too,” I reply.
“Come sit down. Marcus will get you both a
drink.” She grins at her fiancé and sits down, pulling me beside her.
Aden takes a seat beside me, saying hello
to his friends. “Do you want the crap they’re drinking, Millie?” Marcus asks,
nodding his head at the pitcher of pink something on the table.
“Um, what is it?”
Orla laughs. “It’s a woo woo. Have it, it’s
amazing.”
I turn to Marcus. “The crap they’re
drinking then please.”
He nods, grinning. “I’ll get you a glass.
Beer or the hard stuff Aden?”
“Jim Bean and coke.” Wait, he’s drinking
too? I frown at him. “We’ll get a taxi home, and I’ll leave my car here.” Hell
yes! I am so getting him drunk. It’s only eleven in the morning so no doubt
we’ll be shitfaced by two.
“So, Amelie, what’s it like sleeping with
the boss?” Marcus asks as he returns with my glass and Aden’s drink. Aden rolls
his eyes and pours me a woo woo, topping Renee, Orla and Sophie’s at the same
time.
“It’s not too bad,” I reply, smirking at
Aden.
He raises his eyebrows. “Not too bad?”
Patting his head, I smile a patronisingly.
“I’ll help you improve.” Aden narrows his eyes and pushes my arm away
playfully. I like him around his friend. He’s relaxed, playful and smiling a
lot.
“Is it allowed?” Sophie, a petite redhead,
asks, smirking at Aden.
“I’m the boss, Sophie. I make the rules so,
yes, it’s allowed. In fact, it’s encouraged.”
She shakes her head, smiling in amusement.
“I think you’re abusing your position. Amelie is a pretty young girl that came
to work for you, wanting a career and all she’s got is your sexual advances.” I
like Sophie.
Aden rolls his eyes. “Have another drink,
Soph. Anyway.” He turns back to Marcus. “How’re the stag night plans coming?”
Hmm, when are they getting married? Will Aden take me?
“That’s your job,” Marcus replies, slapping
Aden’s back.
“Well in that case, you have no say in what
goes on. I plan everything and you don’t moan or refuse. Got it?”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Renee cuts in. “What
have you got planned, Ford?”
Aden shakes his head at her. “What happens
in Amsterdam, stays in Amsterdam.” Renee glares.
“How cliché, Aden. Surely you can think of
something more original than that?” I say. Amsterdam, seriously? That’s where
every guy goes.
“And where would you suggest, miss know it
all?” he asks with a sexy little dimple showing smirk. He leans back in his
chair, throwing his arm over the back of mine.
Damn I didn’t think he would ask. “Vegas,”
I reply. Yes,
Vegas is way better
than Amsterdam. Wow that’s probably the first time my quick ‘thinking’ has
worked in my favour.
“Vegas,” Aden repeats.
“If you’re going to Vegas then I’m
definitely
going abroad,” Renee argues,
looking at Marcus with a just try to stop me expression.
“Deal!” Marcus stands and shakes Renee’s
hand. I wonder if me and Aden will get to that point where everything is so
effortless? Maybe effortless is the wrong word, but I want to be in a place where
we knew each other so well and are, well, engaged. Yes,
I want it all, eventually. I want a life
with Aden. Excluding kids, I think.
Aden’s hand squeezes my shoulder gently.
“Off in your own little world again?”
Grinning sheepishly, I reply, “Yeah.”
“Nice there?”
“Very.”
“With the troll?” he teases.
I start at him blankly. “I’m not asleep,
Aden.” Idiot.
“Oh, of course.” He mouths wow and grabs my
hand just before it comes into contact with his chest and laughs.
I turn away from him, smiling. “Your house
is beautiful,” I say to Renee as I spot her hot tub. Laying in a hot tub
looking out at all the green trees littered up the hill would be amazing.
“Thank you. Oh I’ll give you the tour.
Well, we all will,” she says, gesturing to Sophie and Orla.
“Renee,” Aden mutters warningly.
Alight, what is that about? “Oh, shut up,
Aden.” She stands up and gently pulls on my arm. “Millie will be fine with us.”
He narrows his eyes. “No embarrassing
stories. I mean it.” Ah, that’s what he’s worried about.
I shake my head. “Don’t listen to him, I
want the stories.”
Renee shoots Aden a smirk. “I never listen
to him.”
The house is incredible, all wooden and in
keeping with outside but modern and practical at the same time. It doesn’t take
me long to decide that I definitely want to live around here. When we reaches
Renee and Marcus’ bedroom they sit on the bed, and she gestures for me to do
the same. Yes, time to get the dirt on Aden!
I sit cross-legged on the bed and wait
eagerly. “So, the embarrassing stories?”
“First I need to do the official friend
warning bit,” Renee explains, grinning at the same time. “I’ve known Aden a
long time. You’re the only person he’s brought here, sure I’ve met a couple of
his exes at parties but nothing so… intimate as this. That means he really
likes you, and that gives you the power to hurt him.”
“I’m not going to hurt him. I like him. A
lot.” Love him. A lot.
Their toothy smiles all mirror each
other’s. “Good because you’re not like the dull Barbies he usually… hangs out
with,” Sophie says, throwing one leg over the other. Hangs around with is so
code for slept with. Of course, I know Aden wasn’t a virgin before he met me,
but I have no idea how many notches he has on his bedpost. He doesn’t have a
reputation so he couldn’t have put it about that much. “So you really like him,
huh?”
I nod. “Probably too much.” Definitely too
much.
“Aww,” the coo at the same time, and I can
tell they’re good friends, they’re so in tune with each other. I’d like that
with too. Will and Matt are great, but I want girl friends.
“You’ve not been together long,” Renee
says. It’s not a question as she knows we haven’t. I shake my head. Where is
she going with this? Is she going to tell me we don’t know each other that well
and it’s stupid of me to feel so strongly for him already? “And you’re already
in love with him.”
My eyes widen. She can see that? My heart
races at the indescribable feeling coursing through my veins. “Yes,” I reply.
“Now embarrassing stories?”
“All you’ll ever need to know is that Aden
performed on stage with three other guys.”
“Performed what?”
Renee and Sophie laugh at the memory. “It
was in Uni. The people on the Performing Arts course decided to hold a talent
show, anyone could enter. Marcus, Aden, Danny and another guy, Gus, decided to
go for it. They stripped to Lady Marmalade, down to red sparkly thongs.” I
burst out laughing. That is better than I ever could have imagined. I picture
him swaying his hips and laugh harder.
“Seriously?” Renee nods. “Oh God I wish I
could have seen it.”
A mischievous grin stretches across
Sophie’s face. “You can. There’s a video.” My eyes light up a like kid's on
Christmas morning.
“Renee?” Aden shouts from somewhere in the
house.
“Damn it. I’ll email it you,” Sophie
whispers. “What’s your full name?”
“Amelie Cohen.” What does that have to do
with anything? I’m about to ask her when I realise she can send it to my work
email address if she has my name.
“In here, Aden,” Renee shouts.
Okay, Millie, act normal. I was going
to; I really was, but when Aden walks into the room I laugh. “What did you
do?” he growls to Renee, Sophie and Orla.
“Strip,” I mutter.
“Oh come on,” he whines. “You guys promised
we would never speak of that again, and you definitely wasn’t supposed to tell
my girlfriend.” Girlfriend. Shit that sounds good.
Renee shrugs with a guilty smile. “I think
she has a right to know.”
“Outside,” he barks. “No more talking to
her either.” Renee, Sophie and Orla leave the room, laughing their heads off.
“It’s not true.”
“Yes it is.” My grin widens at how defensive
he is.
“Get your bag, we’re leaving.”
Laughing again, I shake my head. “I like
your friends.”
“I don’t. We’re not coming back again,” he
grumbles, reaching his hand out for me.
I push myself up on my toes and kiss him.
His arms snake around my back and pull me closer as he deepens the
kiss. “You’ll bring me back,” I say confidently.
He shrugs. “Yeah, probably.”
“So, Vegas?”
His smile grows. Yeah he’s going. “Your
idea, beautiful.” Beautiful.
“You can’t go.” His reaction isn’t what I
thought it would be. I thought he would laugh, but he raises his eyebrows.
“What?” he says, face paling.
“Got ya! Wow, did you really think I would
try stopping you? Aden, I’m not your mum.”
“I don’t know what I thought. You being
bossy is kind of a turn on. Get on the bed.”
My eyes widen. “We are not doing anything
in your friend’s bed!”
“Got ya!” He smirks. Cocky bastard. “But
just so you know, Marcus once had a threesome in my bed while I was out, so I
do owe him one.”
“What, Renee and another girl?”
“No, before Renee.” He turns his nose up.
“I only found out because there was blonde hair in my bed.” I really hope that
was head hair. Sighing in discouragement, I take his hand and lead him back
outside where we join everyone again.
“Okay, guys, it’s time for Danny’s cocktails,”
Danny says, reaching across the table for the now empty pitcher.
Everyone but me groans. All right, what’s wrong with his cocktails?
“Millie can have the first taste.”
“No,” Aden says.
Whoa, no? Is he my dad now? Frowning, I
fold my arms over my chest. “I’ll have the first taste.”
Aden groans. “Amelie.”
“Are you my father?” He narrows his eyes.
“Are you?”
“No, I’m not your father. Lucky really the
way you were-”
I hold my hand up before he can say
whatever filth is about to leave his mouth. “Yes, thank you.”
“Seriously, though, you don’t want to drink
it.”
Who the hell does he think he is? “I’m
having it,” I say stubbornly, and he shrugs, defeated. When I look up, everyone
is smiling at us. Whoops, domestic in public. Renee winks at Aden. What is that
about? I look back at him just as he lays his arm back over my chair. He looks
like a child that’s just been told no, and I realise Renee’s look was telling
him he’s whipped.