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Aden chuckles. “If I want to wait for you somewhere, I will visit the drag queen bar you showed me.”

“That’s a great deal!” I beam.

“So, are you ready?” he asks. “We should get going. The drive takes us a couple of hours.”

“I am ready. Could you just lend me a second shirt? It was my roommate’s turn to do the laundry, but he got drunk instead.”

“Yeah,” Aden frowns. “And see, that’s exactly why I gave you the key. Do your laundry here instead.” He walks off only to return a couple of minutes later with a nice-looking shirt that’s probably too expensive for me to wear. But I decide to for once not give a shit about it and just be thankful for his generosity.

“Aden, does your family know I am your sexy boyfriend?”

Aden smiles. “I told Mom. The rest can figure it out themselves.”

My heart takes a leap of joy that he wants to officially introduce me to his mother. Actually, he already did that, but now I am going to meet her in person. “So, no hiding it?”

“No hiding it.”

twenty-one

*NOEL*

Aden was correct in saying that it’s a long drive, but it’s also fun to hang out with him like that, especially because he gives me all the power over the radio.

“Can I really play whatever I like?” I ask.

“Of course. I’d love to know what you are interested in.”

“What do you like?” I ask.

“I am a huge fan of classical music,” he admits.

“Somehow that fits.”

He smiles at my comment. “Maybe one day I will take you along to a concert and show you what I like about that type of music.”

“I’d love to!” I beam. “It’s not my type of music usually, but I still want to know.” It might sound cheesy, but I want to knowwhat he likes, I want to understand all the little details that shape him into the person he is.

“So do I,” he says. “I want you to play whatever you like. I don’t know a thing about any other type of music other than classical music.”

“Then I got you covered!” I make sure to connect it to my phone to play all my favorite songs. I even sing along to some of them, just so happy that Aden is interested in what I like.

“You have a beautiful voice,” Aden points out.

“Now you are just being silly.” I grin. “You don’t need to compliment me. I will let you fuck me without you sweettalking me.” I pause. “Talking aboutwithout. Guess what I got?” I fumble with my phone until it opens the test results. Aden briefly glances at my phone and smiles.

“I got mine too. Just open the first drawer of my bag. It’s in there.”

“Then we can do it without a condom anytime!”

“Yes.” He smiles. “Next time I come, it will be inside you.”

I snort. “Good to know we are on the same page.”

Aden steers his car away from the highway and down a more deserted road, leading us towards the small town his family lives in. “Back to the music… Why don’t you consider working in a bar that offers karaoke or live music?”

I blink. “Would I need to be able to sing for that?”

“Not necessarily, but I guess it depends on the bar and what they expect you to do. If they want you to motivate the customers to sing along or if they want you to introduce an act, I guess it comes as an advantage if you are not a complete failure at singing.”