Page 47 of Size King

I twist the big ring on my finger, still a little surprised to see it on my hand also.

“I’m playing the part like I said I would,” I reply. “I’m not going to break off our engagement just a few days after we announced it to the world. That’d be kind of fucked up.”

“I have a lunch meeting with Gavin over there, but it shouldn’t go longer than twenty-five minutes to a half hourtops,” begins Aiden. “In fact, I’ll breeze through the damn meeting and get it done in ten minutes. Would it be possible to talk after I’m done with my meeting with Gavin?”

“No,” I answer. “I’m busy. I’m sorry. Besides, we just finished eating and paying. We weren’t staying around much longer.”

“Oh,” he says, deflated. “I guess it’s pointless to try and get some time with you later today? Or perhaps tomorrow, or whenever you’re free?”

“Aiden, I don’t want to hear you try to force it and say something stupid that you don’t mean,” I interject. “If you had real feelings for me, you’d have said so when I asked. You wouldn’t have had to think about it.”

“You really believe I don’t have genuine feelings for you?” he asks.

“Correct,” I say. “I don’t want either of us to waste our time. Let’s just stick to business. I can do that brilliantly. Clearly, I misjudged you.”

“You’re misjudging the hell out of me a lot lately,” Aiden says. “I’ll agree to that. I have to wonder why you say it’s such a waste of time. We were having amazing sex and having the time of our lives, or so I thought.”

He leans in closer to the table so that he can keep his voice lowered.

“The reason the sex is so amazing and why we have so much fun is obvious, Ms. Harly,” he says. “We both know it’s because we care a lot about each other.”

I want to believe that with all my heart. “Oh, we know?”

“Please,” he says. “I’m going to ask you one more time. Can we please talk after my meeting? I’ll get you something else to eat while you wait.”

“I’m full, thank you,” I say. “Really, I’m busy for the rest of the day. I can’t wait around, I’m sorry.”

“All right, then.”

“But,” I add, giving in a little. “How about we meet for lunch tomorrow? You pick the place; surprise me. You’re pretty good at surprising me.”

He grins widely, growing jubilant and excited. “Really, Kate?”

“Really, Aiden.”

He leans down and gives me a long, sweet kiss on my lips. I love the way he kisses, and I don’t want to end it, once it’s started.

We separate, and he walks back toward his meeting.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow afternoon!” says Aiden. “It’s amazing, Kate! Us finding each other no matter when and where we are. Think about it!”

I am thinking about it. All I can do is think about it.

19

Aiden

I’m jittery as hell and nervous as fuck as I head to Kate’s to pick her up for lunch that next day on a very sunny Sunday afternoon. The butterflies begin mating in my stomach when I see that Kate is in fact waiting for me to arrive outside her apartment complex. I’m stunned to see that there are no visible paparazzi waiting to ambush us.

My driver opens the door for Kate to get in. She joins me in the back, however she sits across from me this time, and not beside me like she always has before.

“Thank you for spending time with me today,” I say.

“You’re quite welcome,” she replies. “I thought about bringing a bottle of wine or something, but you can probably buy your own winery and you wouldn’t even notice the money missing from your bank accounts.”

“You’re probably right about that.” I laugh.

“So, where are you taking us tonight?” she asks.