Spark (29 page)

After a typical pub meal of chicken parmas all round, we move to the pool tables for a few games. First round we play couple against couple, and then boys versus girls. I’m really no good at pool, but somehow I manage to get better with each drink. Aidan cheekily distracts me when it’s my shot, running his cue up the inside leg of my jeans—but I’d much rather it be his hands. I give him a flash of cleavage whenever I can, and aim for the ball that means I have to bend over with him right behind me. Tonight the foreplay is starting early—at this rate, I’ll have to accost him in the park on the walk home.

Music starts to pump loudly from the other side of the pub. It must be karaoke night.

“Eevie, come on. I wanna sing,” Crystal whines. She’s drunk enough to want to, but I’m not. She pulls my arm with a strength I didn’t know she had, yanking me towards the music. I wonder if her singing is anything like her dancing. I guess I’ll soon find out.

Rob shakes his head. I bet he knows all too well what we’re in for. Having just finished a game, the boys follow us.

Aidan gives me a quirky smile. In minutes from now, he might just run for the hills. I’m sure I’m not
that
bad, but what I think sounds good in the shower might be like a squealing pig on karaoke night.

I sigh in resignation. “Okay, Crystal, let’s get this over with.”

Crystal squeals with joy.

As the song starts, my nerves come to life. For a split-second, I’m afraid the words won’t come out. Luckily, they do. We gain the attention of most patrons for the three longest minutes of my life. I have to refrain from covering my ears as Crystal tries to hit the high notes. I do my best to get through it, trying to do the song justice.

At the end of the song, the crowd claps, including Aidan and Rob. I can’t get off the small stage quick enough. We join the boys at the bar. I give them both a big smile, relieved that it’s over.

“I didn’t know you could sing,” Aidan whispers in my ear.
What?

I throw my head back and scoff. “I don’t know whether you’d call karaoke singing.”

“Don’t be so modest. You’re pretty good.”
Okay, maybe I’m not as bad as I’d thought
.

“Thanks.” I plant a quick peck on his lips.

For a moment, in the middle of the crowded bar with our friends, he stands still, and stares into my eyes.
What is he thinking about?
He’s doing that staring thing again. The corners of his eyes crinkle, and he presses his forehead to mine.

“I love you,” he mumbles just loud enough for me to hear over the humdrum of the pub. His arms squeeze tight around my shoulders. He exhales deeply into my ear, as if he’s been holding the words in. Blood rushes forcefully through the chambers of my heart, the sound like a drum in my ears. He loves me.
Oh my God, he loves me!

I lean back and hold his face in my hands. His eyes are wide, filled with …love. “I love you too, Aidan.” I know, in every essence of my being, that I love him. I’ve never been more certain of
anything
in my entire life. We smile at each other, and then lock lips as if we were behind closed doors. His strong arms wrap around my waist and he lifts me off the ground … like our first kiss.

He’s handed me his heart on a platter … and in return, he got mine. My feet gradually return to earth, but it does nothing to take away this high. Aidan Stone loves me, and I love him.
How did I not realise it sooner?

“Oh guys, get a room,” Crystal shouts at us.

“Okay,” Aidan says in a deep, sexy voice, and sweeps me off my feet. Crystal shakes her head, and I wave to her as Aidan carries me bridal-style through the pub.

A tall, blond guy stands in front of the exit door in deep conversation, his back to us.

“Can you get the door there, mate?” Aidan asks loudly. Aidan gives me a big wet smooch, and the guy turns around. “Kinda got my hands full, here,” Aidan adds, readjusting me in his arms.

My heart squeezes tight in my chest, when a familiar set of blue-green eyes stare at me, as if I’m a ghost. Tension increases in my body at the same pace as my heart rate.

“The door, mate,” Aidan says, his tone gruff. Aidan steps closer towards him.

“Yeah, sure,” Jon mutters, and steps aside. He grips the door handle and slowly pulls the heavy door open, not taking his eyes from me. It doesn’t go unnoticed by Aidan; if anything, his grip on me becomes tighter.

Aidan stares him down, like he’s hunting prey. “Thanks, mate. I’ve gotta get my baby girl home
to bed
,” he says, his last two words dripping with the tease of sex.

Running my finger along his jaw, I turn Aidan’s head towards me. Our noses almost touching, my smile returns as my heart fills with memories of his declaration of love. “Let’s go,” I whisper into his ear, my teeth grazing on his earlobe.

Carrying me outside, I let out a shuddery breath as the cool night air fills my lungs. Aidan puts me down, and hooks his arm around my shoulders.

I won’t look back. He doesn’t deserve it. And I’m happy. Deliriously.

“Who was that?” Aidan asks as the hum of the pub fades with each step away.

“Just somebody that I used to know.”

****

Not that it has ever been just sex with Aidan, but that night, we made love. And yes I was a total girl and teared up, except this time we both understood why. Resting against his firm chest, with his strong arms surrounding me, Aidan’s heartbeat lulls me to sleep.

He’s mine. All mine. Heart and soul.

And he loves me.

****

Sadly, Aidan gets up at five-thirty to go to work. Showered, freshly shaven and dressed in his work gear, he sits on the edge of the bed. He runs his fingers through my tangled hair as I snuggle under the covers. “I’ll see you early next week, baby girl.” Hearing him call me that, makes my heart beat crazily.

“Good luck tomorrow, I’ll be thinking of you. Drive safe.”

“Thanks. Oh, and baby?”

“Uh-huh?”

He rubs the back of his neck. “I want you to meet my mum and step-dad.”
Wow.

A smile slowly spreads across my face. “I’d love to.”

“Maybe we can do it next Tuesday. I’ll ring Mum and arrange it.”

“Sounds great.” With both hands, I tug the collar of his shirt and pull him close. I give him a kiss for us both to remember in the days to come. His aftershave tickles at my nostrils, and his silky-smooth skin has me writhing for more … so I kiss him for longer
. I’ve got a right mind to drag him back in here.
When he pulls away, he shakes his head and stands up.

“You’re making it really hard for me to go.”
Please don’t go. Mmm, maybe I can convince him to stay …

“You know I’m naked under here, right?” I give him a mischievous smile.

“I’m fully aware of that. Thanks for reminding me.” He whips down the doona to my waist, and squeezes my breasts with his cold hands.

“Hey!” I squeal. My nipples instantly perk up, and my skin tingles from head to toe.

“
That’s
for teasing.”
Two can play this game …

I throw the covers back and stand on my tippy-toes, wrapping my arms around his neck. His hands run over my bare behind, sending a shiver through to my bones. “Love you,” I say in my best husky voice, staring into his eyes.

“Love you too, baby,” he says. He kisses me hard on the lips, pressing my naked body to him.
Mmm,
he’s
hard already.

I break away. “If you’ll excuse me, I need a glass of water, and I believe
someone
had better get going to work.”

“You’re pretty pleased with yourself, aren’t you?” He tries to stifle a smile as he pulls me back against him.

I giggle. “You have no idea.”

“I’m gonna be walking around the factory with the mother of all hard-ons, now. How am I supposed to explain that?”

“Give me a few moments of your time, and you won’t have that problem.” I bite down on my lip.

His eyes dart from side to side, as if weighing up his options … be a bit late, versus a massive hard-on…

“Fine. Get your sexy arse back into bed … this is gonna be quick.”

Eevie – 1. Aidan – 0.

****

With his fingers laced between mine, Aidan and I walk to the front door of the Federation-style townhouse splashed with creams, maroon, and dark green. The manicured gardens are edged with a perfectly-groomed English box-hedge, with rounded lavender bushes planted in a row behind—a paradox to the garden at home.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Whatever you do
don’t
call them Mr and Mrs Stone,” Aidan says seriously.
Fuck
. Panic sets in. I’d been running that through my head the whole way over.

“What, then?”

“Lillian and Frank Tyler.”

“Okay.” I can do this. Meet the family. No big deal. Except I’ve never had to do it before.
God I hope they like me
.

Aidan doesn’t knock, nor does he let go of my hand as we enter the house. The familiar smell of a roast dinner fills the air, reminding me of Nan’s baked dinners … before she passed. The memory makes me smile, but also tugs at my heart.

“Smells good, Mum,” Aidan says as we walk into the kitchen.

“Aidan. Sweetheart.” With a blinding smile, a woman wipes her hands on her floral apron as she comes towards us, brushing her short, wavy caramel hair from her forehead. Towering over her, Aidan wraps his arms delicately around her shoulders.

“Hey Mum,” he says softly, kissing her on the forehead.

“And this,” she says, breaking away, “must be Genevieve.” When her gaze turns to me, her piercing, pale-blue eyes scan over me.
Again with the eyes. No mistaking she’s Aidan’s mother.
She places her hands either side of my arms.

“Welcome, dear.”

“Nice to meet you Mrs … Tyler.” Phew, nearly fucked it up. “Please, call me Eevie.”

“Call me Lillian.” She ushers us into the living room, the smells from the kitchen wafting around us. “Frank, we have company,” she yells. I flinch. The neighbours would have heard that.

“Hungry, Aidan?” She glances up at him through her long lashes. My mouth waters in anticipation. The salad I’d had for lunch barely cut it.

“Always.” He smiles.

“Take a seat and pour yourself some wine. Dinner will be five minutes.” Petite, yet strong looking, Aidan’s mum’s slim black pants and fitted, blue top show off her toned physique. She shuffles back into the kitchen. I wonder if the whole family are fitness freaks. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

We sit down at the rectangular dining table. I run my hand over the edge of the smooth, mahogany-coloured wood. Aidan eyes me intently.

“What?” I frown.

“What ya doin’ there?” he says, his gaze moving to my hand smoothing over the surface.

“Just admiring the table.” A sneaky smile inches across his face. “Is this one of your creations?”

“Yep.”

“You know, Aidan, I’m still waiting on the matching bookcase you promised,” Lillian pipes up from the adjoining kitchen.

“I know, I know … one day.” He turns to me, and rolls his eyes. I honestly don’t know when he’d find the time. I’m probably now eating up what little spare time he has left.

A tall, slim man, with broad shoulders and short grey hair, strolls into the room. Dressed in a faded pair of jeans and a black polo shirt, he’s reasonably attractive for an older guy.

“Well, it’s about time you came to visit. You know your mother gets all antsy when she hasn’t seen you for a while,” he says, slapping Aidan on the back.

“Hey Frank. This is Eevie.” His soft, grey eyes give me a once-over. He unveils a charming smile, and sits beside me.
Do I go with Mr Tyler, or just go straight to Frank?
Do I shake his hand?
This introduction is so awkward sitting down.

“Nice to meet you, Frank.” I smile.

“You too, Eevie.” He turns to face Aidan. “You didn’t tell us she was such a stunner. I would have made more of an effort … seen if I could have given you a run for your money.” He winks at me. Heat instantly prickles in my face.
Not the kind of comment I was expecting from Aidan’s step-father
.

“Don’t embarrass yourself, Frank.” Aidan says. Frank lets out a loud chuckle.

“Frank, come and help me bring dinner to the table,” Lillian bellows. I wonder if Frank has a hearing problem. She sure likes to yell.

****

A spread of traditional roast lamb with pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, minted peas and gravy sits before us. To top it all off, there’s a nice glass of shiraz.
Heaven.

Over dinner the conversation is light, and I quickly learn not to take Frank too literally. Did Aidan pick up his sense of humour from him, or was it his father? He still hasn’t mentioned him. Frank and Lillian skirt around the topic of my parents. I wonder if Aidan told them not to bring them up. If he did, I’m relieved. It’s not the best dinner conversation.

Frank clangs his knife and fork down on his empty plate. He might as well have licked it clean. “Delicious, sweetheart,” Frank says, and pecks Lillian on the cheek. They seem happy together. I can’t remember the last time my parents interacted like that. It certainly won’t be happening again.

Aidan fills his plate for the second time.

“Don’t be shy, Eevie.” Aidan elbows me, encouraging seconds.

I spoon a couple more potatoes on my plate, and drizzle gravy over them. “My weakness is roast potatoes.” I smile at Lillian.

“Good to see a girl with a healthy appetite,” she says.

I shrug. “I do plenty of exercise.”

Aidan runs his hand over my knee, slowly creeping up the inside of my leg. I bet he’s thinking of the
other
ways I get my exercise. His hand continues, squeezing the top of my thigh.
Fuck, Aidan, seriously? At the dinner table, with your family across from me?
Clearly not the time
nor
the place. I’d give Aidan the dirtiest look right now if I could get away with it, but unfortunately that would say more to his parents than I want.

“Yes, well, we’re all a bit fanatical about our exercise around here.”
I knew it
.