1. Aubrey #3
I flush all over once more as my ears burn. “Oh my God, Octavia!” I bury my face in my hands.
“What? It’s true! You talk about him all the time. We were actually just talking about you when you ca—”
I quickly cover her mouth with my hand. “Okay, that’s enough. You can head out now if you want.” I smile at her, nodding my head with enthusiasm to get the message across. Get out before you embarrass me further!
She frowns. “Are you sure? I haven’t wrapped tomorrow’s discount goods yet.”
“It’s fine, Tavie. I’ll take care of it and close up.
Go home to your mom, I’m sure she’ll be happy to have you back earlier.
I know how much she worries when you’re out so late.
” I touch her arm, squeezing it lightly with a tender smile.
Octavia’s mother has Alzheimer’s disease, and she often gets worried when her daughter isn’t home at night because she forgets that Tavie works the evening shifts.
“Okay, yeah, thanks, boss. See you tomorrow.” She squeezes my hand when I let go of her arm, then turns to Shane. “Bye, Shane. I hope to see you around here again.” She brings her hand up to her mouth, cupping it like she has a secret to tell. “I know someone would like that.”
“Out!” I push her back, forcing her to the storage room where all employees keep their belongings.
She laughs and finally goes off on her own. “I’m going, I’m going,” she says with her hands in the air.
When I turn back to Shane, I find him smiling as he shrugs off his jacket, his thick muscles pressing against his black sweatshirt deliciously. My cheeks heat up as my lips part slightly, my body warming at the sight unfolding before me.
“What… what are you doing?”
I rest my fingers at the base of my neck, the need to fan myself once more growing with every second that passes, but I refrain from doing it. I’ve already embarrassed myself enough in one night.
“Helping you. Where do you need me?” He smirks as he sets his jacket down on a small round table at the front, then comes around the counter without permission just as Octavia comes back out from the storage room and waves goodnight.
I’m too shocked to respond immediately. Instead, I stand there with my mouth hanging open as I watch him pull his sleeves up. “You-you’re staying?”
“There’s no way in my right mind that I could leave you here alone this late into the night.” He pushes a strand of my hair that had fallen forward back behind my ear.
I shiver at his touch, tiny pebbles coating my arms, my lips parting as a shuddered breath leaves me, and I instantly blush. His gaze drops to my lips momentarily before he forces it away and juts his chin toward the displays.
“What do you need me to do?”
“Um…” I blink a few times, vanishing the fog from my mind. “We have to wrap everything up as airtight as possible. Then label them with that machine right there and add the discount stickers to them,” I finally manage to say as I point to everything.
He nods. “Okay, show me how to wrap one first. Then I’ll do that while you do the labels and stickers.”
We get to work right away after I show him how to do the first one.
And surprisingly, he does the rest perfectly as if he’s been doing this in his spare time for years.
Forty-five minutes later, I’ve counted the register, put the excess in the safe, and prepared for tomorrow’s opening shift.
All while Shane mopped the floor and put the chairs up, as well as cleaned the display windows and counters.
I thought it would have taken me longer to close up, but thanks to Shane’s help, I set the alarm and lock up the front door only two minutes later than usual. When I turn to face Shane, I find him standing right behind me, barely a foot away.
I blush immediately and clear my throat before speaking. “Thank you for helping me close the bakery. You really didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to help you, Aubrey.” He pushes his hands into his coat pockets and rocks back on his heels. “Now tell me where your car is parked so I can be a gentleman and walk you to it,” he finishes with a smirk.
My cheeks heat even more as I push my hair behind my ear. “Oh, I don’t drive to work. I only live five minutes away on foot.”
His smirk instantly drops, a frown replacing it. “You walk home this late at night? Alone?”
My eyes widen at his tone, the sudden feeling that I’ve done something wrong creeping up my skin. “Well, yes. It’s not far, and there’s never anyone out at this time.”
“That’s not safe, Aubrey.” He stares me down with a stern expression I’ve never seen on him before. Even with his players, I’ve never seen him use this face.
“I…”
“No.” He cuts me off with the wave of the hand. “I’ll walk you home. Come on, which way is it?”
“Umm… but your car?” I point to the black Audi R8 that’s parked in front of the next building.
“I’ll pick it up after dropping you off. Or I can give you a ride?”
The thought of being alone with him in a car that probably smells just like him makes my insides tingle.
We’d be so close. What if he takes my hand?
What if he puts his on my thigh? What if he tries to kiss me while I’m locked in his car and I let him?
No. I can’t be in there alone with him. At least here, we’re out in the open.
Shane is too much of a gentleman to try anything.
“No, I’d prefer to walk… if that’s okay?”
“Of course. If it makes you more comfortable to walk, then we’ll walk.” He smiles warmly despite the chilly air biting at our flesh.
I nod, leading the way as we stroll side by side down the walkway in silence.
But after a full minute of hearing the sound of our boots crunching in the snow, I ask him a question I’ve always wanted to know.
Because maybe after all these years, I’ve just been misreading his niceness for what it really is. Him just being nice.
“Why are you so nice to me, Shane?”
He doesn’t answer right away, taking a few seconds to think my question over before peeking at me, the dimple in his cheek appearing as he smiles. “Can I be honest with you, Aubrey?”
“I always want you to be honest with me.”
I didn’t even have to think about it, the words just spilled out the second my brain registered his question. Because I know that if ever Shane wasn’t to be truthful with me, it would break my heart.
“I like you, Aubrey.” His words stop me in my tracks as I quickly turn and look up at him, needing to see the honesty in his eyes. “I really like you.” His knuckles come up to caress my cheek before letting them rest below my jaw as his thumb delicately rubs back and forth over my skin.
My breath hitches, the same warmth I felt when he touched my knee a few months back resurfacing within me. My nipples harden against my bra instantly, and it has nothing to do with the cold weather surrounding us. It’s all because of Shane and the simple touch of his thumb along my cheek.
And of course, this is when I have to go and make things embarrassing.
“I’m a virgin!” I blurt out before I can stop myself. “I’ve never been touched by a man. I’ve never even been kissed.” I quickly slap a hand over my mouth, shutting myself up before I can make this any worse.
His eyes go wide as his mouth opens and closes, then opens again and closes again, making him look like a gaping fish. He shakes his head, tries to speak once more, but still, no words come out.
Now I really feel like a complete fool. Why the heck would you say that, Aubrey!?
My face feels like it’s on fire as well as my neck, the tip of my ears, and nose. Finally, having the courage to speak again, I bring my hand back down and straighten my posture, trying to leave with as much dignity as I have left.
“Oh God, forget I said anything. You don’t need to walk me home, it’s fine, I’m almost there anyway.” I turn my back to him, needing to get away. “Goodnight, Shane.”
I begin to stride quickly down the path, hands balled into fists as I shiver from the cold and embarrassment. I should have put my gloves on before leaving, and my hat, maybe a scarf too, would have been smarter.
“Hey, wait.” I hear his footsteps behind me, but I don’t stop. “Aubrey, wait!” He grabs my elbow, pulling me back swiftly as I turn and collide with his body.
My hands instinctively go to his chest, resting there as I look up.
He doesn’t let go of my elbow as he brings his other hand to my waist, holding me in place.
Shane is tall, six-foot-five, while I only stand at five-foot-five, which means that when I’m standing this close to him, I have to crane my neck back to look into his eyes.
“Did you think I wouldn’t be interested in you if I knew you were a virgin?”
Shame fills me as I gaze down at my hands.
“Why would you be? I have nothing to offer you.” I shake my head, hating how vulnerable I feel in this moment.
“Why would you want someone so inexperienced in general? Shane, I don’t have anything of my own.
I have no idea where my life is going. The car I drive isn’t even mine; it’s Ronnie’s.
The condo I live in, my brother bought it.
I don’t even have an education. You could do so much better. ”