Page 58

I nod. “I can’t go without one so early.”

“I wasn’t so sure what you wanted to eat, so I put out an assortment of different food.”

He wasn’t kidding. The table is full, with ham, cheese, eggs, some veggies, and he even made pancakes. “You know, if you asked me now, if I’d want to marry you, I’d do it on the spot.”

Aden laughs. “Good to know I will get you with food.”

It’s not just the food. It’s the act of service, the way he seriously considered me and my feelings. It’s too cheesy to say it out loud, so I settle for kissing him. With cups of fresh coffee, we both sit down just as Aden’s phone lights up.

He frowns when he gazes at it. “That’s Lynn.”

“Oh shit, hopefully Mateo didn’t fuck up!” I exclaim. “You know, he normally wouldn’t. He is like one of the sweetest guys ever. So, I am sure if something happened, then it’s more a misunderstanding. Or maybe they didn’t click. That could be possible too.”

“Noel.“ Aden interrupts me. “Take a breath. Lynn isn’t complaining.”

“What is she writing?”

Aden takes a sip from his coffee. “She says: Incredible night! That Mateo guy knows what he's doing with his limbs. Finally, a guy who knows how to fuck me!”

I can’t help but groan. “And here I was, worried for him! Why did I even ask?”

Aden raises his brows. “Do you want me to write something equally inappropriate back?”

I perk up. “Yes!”

Aden types something on his phone before putting it aside again and taking a sip from his coffee. The answer doesn’t take long to come. When Aden opens the message, he just chuckles.

“What? Tell me?”

“I told Lynn that you are incredibly flexible and that I had the best fuck of my life.”

I snort into my coffee. There is something about Aden talking dirty when not in bed that’s just so contradictory to how he usually behaves. It’s his proper appearance and his calm demeanor, paired with saying something like that. “And her reply?”

“She said she is happy for us, but that Mateo just made gagging sounds.”

I grin while adding honey to my slice of bread. I used to love that when I was a child. There was a time in my life when things were good. Mom and Dad were clean for a short time, and Mom was happy, I guess. It only lasted a couple of months, not even a year. Bittersweet memories.

“That’s fair,” I say.

“How is your schedule this week?” Aden asks.

I wiggle my brows. “Are you asking so you know when to ask me for a date?”

Aden nods, business as usual, while he looks at his notebook, scribbling something down. “Exactly.”

Okay, somehow, whenever I try to tease him, I am the one who ends up flustered. How is that fair? Well, I guess I can’t help it. “I am free today but working a double shift tomorrow.”

“Then how about you stay until tomorrow?”

I need to try hard not to stare at him, flabbergasted. Man, everything about this relationship is so different than anything I’ve experienced before. “Is that okay?”

“Of course, or I wouldn’t have asked.”

“Then I’ll stay. Other than tomorrow, I think I will be working the whole week. I am jumping in for my co-worker at the bar, but also, have my shift in the club. I am only free on Wednesday evening.”

Aden looks at me thoughtfully. “You work a lot, Noel.”

“Yeah,” I mutter.