Chapter 12
Was Aidan about to kiss me?
In his apartment?
Without the paparazzi taking our photos or anyone else around to witness it?
Maybe he just wanted to practice. I do still get a little jumpy any time he touches me. Granted, I was the one who kissed him at the premiere afterparty, but that’s only because Natasha was doubting the validity of our relationship. I had to. Right?
Now, I can’t help but feel a little ache when his hand leaves mine and he backs away.
He reaches for the remote on the coffee table and hands it to me as he gets up from the couch. “Here, go ahead and pick something for us to watch. I’m gonna make some popcorn. You down?”
Still flummoxed by the almost-kiss, I warily say, “Sure.” My hand brushes against his in the remote hand-off and my body is electrified. “You don’t care?”
“Nope. Whatever you want. Maybe a Nora Ephron one. She’s your favorite writer, right?”
I nod. He remembered? I recall sharing that fun fact about me back when I first got the job, and it never came up again. And why would it? We were strictly business. He was my boss. I was his employee. That was it. Up until about a week and a half ago.
Aidan rummages through his pantry for the microwave popcorn. He bends down to look on the bottom shelf and I catch myself staring at him. He is rocking some gray sweatpants that accentuate his sculpted…Haley, snap out of it! What is wrong with me? We are not really together. He is your BOSS! It’s all a ruse. It’s not for real.
But then why does it feel like it”s real?
I shoo away the butterflies infiltrating my stomach, turn on his Roku TV and select the Netflix app. I type in the search bar When Harry Met Sally–my personal favorite. You’ve Got Mail is a close second. There are loud pops coming from the microwave and the smell of buttery goodness.
“Water?” Aidan calls.
“Sure! I should probably switch to that if I ever want to sleep tonight. Speaking of sleep, it actually looks like the rain has died down and now that the lights are back on, maybe I should head back to the–”
“You’re not going anywhere, Hales,” he says. More like demands. He brings over a large bowl of popcorn and a glass of water. “I don’t want you to be wandering around the city at night.”
“You do know I’m a big girl, right? Plus, I’m practically from here, so I’m not scared of the city at night. I know my way around.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant– I want to make sure you’re safe. You”re staying.” He sits on the couch and places the bowl of popcorn in between us. He winks at me. “That’s an order, Swann.”
“Oh, you’re ordering me around now? I thought we are taking a pause with the whole me-being-your-assistant-thing during this fake-dating period.” I grab a handful of popcorn and shove it in my mouth.
“We are…pausing.”
Is Aidan Stone flirting with me? A tiny part of me wants to reciprocate (the part that hasn’t been in a romantic relationship in a bit and needs to brush up on her flirting skills) but I brush it off and say, “Well, I was going to stay whether or not you told me to or not. I love this movie. Any opportunity to watch it, I take it immediately. You’ve seen this, right?” I scoot all the way over to the end of the couch and pull the blanket over my body.
“Do you think I live under a rock? Of course I’ve seen this movie. This is probably my favorite romantic comedy of all time. Billy Crystal. Meg Ryan. The storyline. The directing. The acting. Brilliant.”
My mouth is agape.
He looks over at me and starts laughing before he puts his own fistful of popcorn in his mouth. “Why are you looking at me like that, you goof?”
“I guess I’m just surprised you have a favorite romantic comedy. Or that you watch romantic comedies at all. It’s my favorite, too.” I stretch my arm as far as it can go to reach the bowl of popcorn.
“Now, what kind of actor would I be if I didn’t try to watch the best films of all time?” He does have a point. “You know you can move closer to the middle of the couch if you want some popcorn. I don’t bite.”
I know this is true. I don’t know why I feel so nervous all of a sudden. I’ve sat next to Aidan countless times, but it’s always been in a professional setting or at events for work. Never when I’m basically half-naked. In his apartment. Late at night.
I scooch a little closer to the bowl. “Satisfied?”
“Immensely.” He smirks and presses play.
The next hour and a half fly by. As the credits are rolling and I’m drying my tears (because yes, I cry every time at the end of this movie, even though I’ve seen it more times than I can count), we got into an argument about the whole premise of how men and women cannot remain friends after they have sex. I am on the side of Billy Crystal. I firmly believe sex changes everything. It complicates things. Aidan is on Team Meg Ryan. He says it doesn’t make a difference.
I point at him. “You cannot separate your emotions for a person you sleep with. I guess that’s why I’ve never been involved in a one-night stand.”
Aidan’s eyes grow very wide. “Never?”
I shake my head. “Never.”
“Wow, that’s surprising.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.” He gives me another one of his iconic smirks and raises his eyebrows in an accusatory way.
“You can’t make a comment like that and make a silly face like that and say it doesn’t mean anything. Spill, Stone.” I readjust my position on the couch so I am cross-legged, fully facing him. I realize I scooted closer and closer to him as the movie was playing. I don’t know how that even happened. I felt like every time I wanted more popcorn, the bowl was just past my reach. I am probably only a foot away from him now. The only thing separating us is that damn bowl of buttery deliciousness that is, unfortunately, empty.
Aidan seems to inch a little closer. “All I meant was that it surprises me you haven’t had any one-night stands. I guess I’ve had my fair share and it’s just rare to hear someone say they’ve never experienced that. It must be nice. I am happy for you. Especially if you believe that sex changes things. That means you’ve protected your heart. Lessening the chance of it ever being broken.”
I raise an eyebrow. “A lot of good that did me. I have definitely still experienced heartbreak and let me tell you, I am not a fan.” I take a drink of my water. As I am swallowing, I hear, “So what’s your number?”
I nearly spit out the entire contents of my mouth and start coughing. Why does Aidan Stone want to know my number? What can he possibly do with that information? “I beg your pardon?”
“What’s the number of men you have slept with? Hey, don’t look at me like that. This is pertinent information to know. I don’t know, what if Anna decides to quiz me on something like that? I know you girls talk. If we want our relationship to seem legit, I need to know pretty much everything, Swann.”
I wipe my mouth one more time. I know he is super serious when he calls me by my last name. And the truth is, he’s right. People may ask questions and for both our sakes, we need to make sure our relationship seems as real as possible.
“Okay.” I point a finger at him. “Now when I tell you, you cannot laugh or judge me.”
His warm hand encompasses mine. “I would never laugh or judge you. Especially not when it comes to something as personal and intimate as your sex life, Hales.”
My insides warm, starting from my fingertips and cascading all throughout my body. Why does that keep happening? God, this guy is good. No wonder the entire world is in love with him. His charm is irresistible.
I cannot believe I am about to tell my number to my boss, the-one-and-only Aidan Stone.
I haven’t been this nervous in a long time.
I take a deep breath and upon my exhale, I whisper, “One.”
“One what?” Aidan takes a drink of his water now.
I look back up at him and repeat, “One”.
I see the dots connect in his brain and he slowly gulps down the water. “One?”
“One.”
“How is that possible, Swann?”
“Geez Aidan, you are making me sound like some sort of freak. And you promised you wouldn’t judge.”
“I’m sorry. I am not judging you at all. I don’t know Hales, I just figured it would be higher.”
“And why would you figure that?”
Now Aidan is looking away and there is a slight tint of pink on his cheeks. Is Aidan Stone blushing? “Because you’re you.”
I’m speechless. What is that supposed to mean? I am too chicken to find out, so I reach for the remote and gesture to the TV. “Up for another one? How about You’ve Got Mail. Let’s make it a Nora Ephron marathon.”
“Wait, don’t you want to know my number?”
“No, need. I already know it”s up in the hundreds,” I say matter-of-factly.
Aidan hits his chest as if I struck him with a bullet. “Ouch, Hales. Damn, is that what you really think of me?”
How can I not? In the three years I’ve known Aidan, I’ve seen him date Natasha and “date” a slew of other women these past six months. God knows he is a fricken heartthrob. All the girls at UConn were foaming at the mouth just at the sight of him, I’m sure. I bet he was the prom king, captain of the lacrosse team or insert whatever sport in high school, and now living in L.A. there is undoubtedly a line of women happy to entertain him for the evening. I’ve seen the premieres and the photos of him getting practically bulldozed by adoring fans.
“Is it not? Ok, maybe in the fifties.” I try to hide a playful smile as I press the “Ok” button on the Roku remote. A picture of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan graces Aidan’s flatscreen.
“Well, well, look who is judging now. Not even close, Swann. Why would you think my number is so high? Is it because of my dashing good looks and charming personality? Is it because I am an international movie star and I just can’t control myself when women throw themselves at me?”
“Okay, lover boy, what is it then? Thirty-five? Twenty?”
Aidan moves the empty popcorn bowl to the coffee table and drapes part of the blanket over his own legs. “You’ll find out soon enough. Let’s just watch the movie.” The lines around his eyes deepen and his dimples are on full display.
“You’re not going to tell me? How is that fair? What if someone asks me what your number is?” I start yawning as I check my phone. Midnight?! How did it get so late?
“They won’t. They’ll be too embarrassed to ask. Trust me. Let’s start the movie since you are already yawning, old lady. You’re giving Mabel a run for her money.”
“It’s midnight. I’m hardly an old lady!” I gruff as I pull the blanket even more over my body. Now it’s just my head peeking out. “Fine. Let’s watch Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan hate each other, then fall in love.”
I press play and snuggle back into the couch. Even though I am covered with this blanket, I get goosebumps when I realize how close I am to actually laying my head on Aidan’s shoulder. It’s mere centimeters. He smells so clean. I can feel his body heat radiate, like my own personal heater. I’ve never felt so comfortable in a stranger’s house so quickly in my life. Then again, Aidan is hardly a stranger. But for some reason–maybe it’s the candle, the coffee, the blanket, the conversation–this apartment feels like home.