Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
B riar
I’ve been avoiding Aaron ever since our kiss outside Black Jack’s. It hasn’t been that hard. Every morning the guys leave early for morning skate. I’m asleep and head to classes later in the morning. When afternoon rolls around, the guys sometimes have meetings. I stay at the library to get work done. By the time I come home, everyone in the house is dispersed and I head to my room. The only catch is I’ve been buying a lot of food at school instead of prepping at home, which is cheaper.
It also helps the guys had an away game this weekend so I’ve been spending time with the girls. Having them as housemates has been the best. But having time with the girls means they also have time to ask me all the details about my and Aaron’s fling. I’ve been evading the topic like the plague. Not because I don’t trust them, but because I don’t understand it myself. Those hot nights in paradise. That kiss outside of Black Jack’s. Getting pregnant. It’s all given me whiplash because I’ve never had this kind of chemistry with someone before.
It is now Sunday evening. Charlie and Ruby went out, and Annie and I are the only ones home, so we make breakfast for dinner. “I can’t believe we are all living in the same house,” Annie says as we sit at the kitchen table together in the hockey house. We just finished eating.
“You’ve been saying that for the past week,” I bring to her attention.
“But you have to admit, it’s over-the-top,” she says.
“That you’re all in love with hockey players? Yes, it really is,” I say playfully.
“Aaron is quite the catch. I can see you guys getting together.”
“Not happening. We agreed to keep things platonic.”
“You’ve been very tight-lipped about your affair with him. Mind sharing the details?” she inquires, lifting a mug of coffee to her lips.
“There isn’t much to say,” I reply and then I realize how transparent she’s been with her relationship with Cade. Opening up in general is hard for me, maybe because those I trusted most growing up left me on my own and now I have trust issues.
“Come on, Briar. You’re the last person I would expect to hook up with a hockey player,” she states.
She isn’t wrong.
“Aaron is a flirt. We all know that. Punta Cana was supposed to be a trip with my friends from work, but somehow Aaron crashed the trip and came along. My defenses were up at first, but then he ended up sitting beside me on the plane. We experienced bad turbulence and I panicked,” I explain.
“I hate turbulence,” she agrees.
“I started muttering how I was never going to be able to check items off my bucket list because I thought we were dying. . .”
“What’s on your bucket list?” she asks wide-eyed.
“It’s embarrassing, Annie.”
“Oh, come on, I told you all about my vibrator collection,” she retorts. “Now spill.”
“I’d never had an orgasm.” I hide my face behind my palms.
“Oh, wow.”
“That somehow gave Aaron a challenge. He started doing all these sweet things and showing me a side of him I’d never considered. That turned into a vacation fling, which turned into Nugget.” I pat my belly.
“Nugget. That’s adorable, but is it going to be the baby’s name?” she asks.
“No, obviously not,” I confirm.
“Phew.”
“So you and Cade are the real deal, huh?” I ask to get the attention off myself.
“We are, it’s been so crazy but he’s so hot and sweet,” she beams.
“Aaron and I are the only two people not having sex in the house,” I blurt and instantly regret it.
Luc walks through the kitchen door. “That would be accurate. I’m surprised we haven’t had any beds falling through the floors.” He goes to open the fridge.
“There are a lot of beds knocking on walls in this house. I’m kind of glad my room doesn’t have a second floor above it,” I note.
“Try being upstairs. I have beds knocking on both sides of the wall,” Luc deadpans.
“OMG, you guys. I’m so embarrassed,” Annie says holding her cheeks, which are flaming red.
“Don’t be. This house has seen a lot of sex. It can handle it,” Luc assures. I don’t think he realizes he’s divulged that the guys were having lots of sex before their girlfriends came along.
Luc starts to drink chocolate milk out of the container.
“We knew they weren’t virgins when we met them.” Annie shrugs.
Aaron walks into the room. “Hey, what’s up?” He looks at everyone. He’s wearing a tank top and a pair of jogging pants. He just got back from the gym covered in sweat. He looks gorgeous.
“Nothing. We were just discussing how you and Briar are the only two in the house not having sex. I’m guessing your girl has paid attention to all the bouncing beds. . .”
Aaron’s green eyes pop. “Um. . . you want me to tell everyone to keep it down?”
I realize he didn’t correct Luc that I’m not his girl.
I giggle. “No, Aaron. I don’t think our friends would appreciate that very much.”
“Your friend is sitting right here, and she would definitely not appreciate it,” Annie pipes up.
“Okay, well, I’ll catch you guys later,” Luc says.
“Where are you off to?” Aaron asks him.
“Don’t ask,” he replies, sounding annoyed as he leaves.
Annie looks at me and shrugs and yawns. “I’m tired. I’m going back to bed.” She leaves Aaron and I sitting in the kitchen alone.
He rakes his fingers through his messy hair. “Are you, ah, having trouble sleeping because of the noise?”
“It’s fine, honestly.” I can’t look at him. This whole situation is very awkward.
“I don’t want things to feel awkward between us,” he says.
“I don’t want that either,” I reply. “You know if, um, you want to go out or hook up with girls or whatever, it’s fine. We aren’t together.”
He swallows hard. “That’s not what I want, Briar. You’re the last girl I slept with. I plan on keeping it that way.”
“But. . .”
“No buts. You and this baby are my priority,” he insists. In my head I’m doing some kind of hula dance because I’m pleased with his answer, even though I shouldn’t be. This co-parenting thing is going to get complicated, especially with me being a big hornball right now with all the changing hormones in my body.
“I’m going to go shower,” I say. I have my own shower that’s close to my room on the first floor.
“Okay, I’m going to make a bite to eat. Are you up for a Spanish omelet?”
“I’m good. Annie and I had a light dinner not too long ago. Have a good night.”
“You too.” He looks like he’s about to say something and he closes his mouth. I leave the kitchen and head to the bathroom. I take a warm shower and get into bed, but I feel restless. All this talk about sex has my body heated.
I watch a movie on Netflix and by the time I’m done it’s eleven thirty. I hear a bed creaking in the distance, followed by one of my friends having an orgasm. They really do have a lot of sex in this house. I bury my head under a pillow. I need to get some rest and stop thinking about sex.