Shane #2
Normally, I don’t enjoy talking about my money, certainly not with the female race.
But I know Aubrey isn’t that kind of girl that would date a guy just for his bank account.
The proof is right in front of me daily.
She’s been surrounded by men who make millions for years, yet she has no interest in them.
If she had been only after money, she would have tied herself to the first single one that came along.
“Something like that.” I laugh.
She sighs and looks out the window toward her building. “I guess we’re here,” she whispers before turning back to look at me. “You leave tomorrow.”
“I do, but I’ll be back in four days,” I tell her softly.
She bites her lip again. “I leave the sixteenth for my parents’ house. Emma, Cecilia, Ronnie, and I are heading up a week earlier to make sure everything is ready for the wedding.”
“So we’ll have a little over a week before you leave. Then we’re heading up after the game on the twenty-second.” I hate the feeling of loneliness that creeps in at the thought that I won’t see her for a full week once she goes up to Toronto. She’s right here beside me, yet I already miss her.
“Grey was lucky with his schedule this year. An afternoon game the day before his wedding, instead of a night one. What were the chances?” She takes on this dreamy smile every time she mentions the wedding.
“The cards played in his favor, that’s for sure.” I chuckle.
“Well, I should head in so that you can go home and get some sleep.” She blushes when she says the word, and I can’t help but wonder if she’s picturing me lying in my bed.
“Yeah… Let me walk you to the door.” I unbuckle my seatbelt and push my door open.
“Oh, you don’t need to do that.”
I step out of the car and lean over to look at her face. “I want to. Plus, my mother would never forgive me if I didn’t.” I grin as she blushes harder.
“Okay.”
I hurry around the hood and open her door before she can, offering her my hand as she climbs out. I don’t let go as we take the few steps to the entrance, and neither does she. I like this—holding her hand. It feels natural and makes my fingers tingle with awareness.
“Are you close with your parents?” she asks once we stop in front of the door.
“I am, I still call my mom every week,” I admit with a nervous chuckle as my cheeks warm.
“I love that. I’m close to mine, too. I think family is important,” she says softly, looking up into my eyes.
“I agree with you, it is. I also have three sisters who harass me every other day with questions about my players.” I laugh. “But I love them.”
“Three? Wow. Only boy, huh? Are they all older than you?”
God, I love talking with her like this. I feel like I’m discovering a new side to her I didn’t know, and it only makes me more addicted to her. “They are, and they enjoy reminding me.” I smile.
“I can imagine.” She grins back at me, and for a moment, all we do is stare at one another, lost in each other’s eyes. But then she looks back at the door and fishes out her keys with a sigh. “I should go. Thank you for driving me home, Shane.”
“It was all my pleasure.” I release her hand and fight every instinct to kiss her. Instead, I wrap my arms around her shoulders, one hand coming into her hair as I pull her to me. Her hands go around my waist a few seconds later, cheek resting on my chest.
“Goodnight, Angel.” I kiss the crown of her head, inhaling deeply as her scent travels through me. She smells sweet, like fresh peaches. I don’t even like peaches, but I started buying them after meeting Aubrey because they reminded me of her.
“Goodnight, Shane,” she whispers against me.
I pull my arms back, cupping her cheeks and tilting her face up toward mine. Her eyes widen as her lips part, even her pupils dilate slightly. I force myself to stay in control as I lean in and press my lips to her forehead instead of where I desperately want to.
I close my eyes, hating the feeling in my gut telling me that I’m being an idiot, and pull away after a few seconds, letting go of her completely as I take a step back.
I can see the confusion in her eyes as she watches me, and I pray that she understands why I didn’t kiss her.
She gives me a small smile and turns her back to me, unlocking the door and heading inside.
I watch as she goes over to the elevator, presses the button, and waits, only looking back once the doors open.
Then she steps in, the doors shut, and she’s gone.
AUbrEY
~ Two Weeks Later ~
I’ve seen Shane five times since he kissed me, and yet he hasn’t tried to do it again. I don’t understand why. I know I said it was one kiss and wouldn’t happen again, but I was hoping it would.
When he showed up at my work the second time, I really thought he was going to do it again, but then he kissed my forehead instead, the same way my father does, and it confused me more than anything.
I’ve been trying not to think about it, not to make it into a big deal, but I can’t keep my mind from spiraling with questions.
Why won’t he kiss me again? Did I do something wrong? Was I… was I bad at it?... Did he only do it because I told him I had never been kissed? But if that’s the case, why does he keep coming back? I don’t understand any of it.
I don’t want to think about it anymore, because every time I do, it makes a lump form in my throat, and a knot tightens in my belly, and then all I want to do is cry because I feel like I messed everything up.
That’s why I’ve decided to pay a visit to my best friend this morning before work.
She knows how guys work, she’ll know what this all means, and she won’t make up any excuses to make me feel better.
I punch in the code Ronnie gave me to their property, and once the gate opens, I drive through them and down the long driveway, parking near the entrance door. They officially moved into their new house a few days ago, and I’m excited to see the place.
My eyes go wide when the majestic structure before me comes into view. Damn, Ronnie wasn’t kidding about this place being a mansion. I mean, Silas and Clay’s houses are huge, even my brother’s is gigantic. But it’s not like this one.
Once I’m at the door, I’m too in my head to knock or ring like a normal person would and instead use the second code she gave me for the front door, walking directly into their home without announcing myself.
I know her and Noah are home, I just have to find them in this ginormous maze.
I wander around, calling out a “Hello?” every minute.
Finally, I hear noises that seem to be coming from the kitchen and head toward there.
“Hey, sorry I didn’t ring the doorbell. I was just—AHHH!” I quickly cover my eyes and turn around. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry!”
“Brey!” Veronica gasps. I hear what sounds like her jumping off the kitchen island as they both laugh.
“This isn’t funny! Why would you guys do that there!?”
Out of all the things I could have pictured walking in on, finding a naked Noah lying down on the kitchen island and Veronica in only thigh-high stockings bouncing on top of him was the very last one on my list. God, why do I always find myself in these situations?
“Hey! Noah is finally sex-restriction free. We’ve been making up for the lost time, don’t blame us for having sex in our own house. You’re the one who just walked in; you should have known better,” Ronnie says from behind me as they shuffle around. “You can turn around now, we’re decent.”
I lower my hand and turn back to them, only to whip it back up. “No, you’re not!” I’m blushing like crazy to the point that I can feel my ears burning.
“Oh, come on, Brey. I’m wearing a shirt, and Noah has his boxers on. There’s no nudity.” I shake my head, not agreeing with her.
She sighs heavily. “Babe, can you go get dressed? She won’t take her hand down until you have more clothes on. We’ll finish up later.”
I hear them kissing, and that tightness forms in my belly again, then the sound of his retreating footsteps. “Is he gone?”
“Yes, you can remove your hand.”
I peek through my fingers first, not trusting her fully, but when I spot her pulling on a pair of shorts, I take my hand down completely. “I’m sorry, I should have rung the doorbell. I was just in my head.” I feel a lump growing in my throat and my eyes getting misty.
Ronnie opens her arms and steps toward me. “Oh, babe… What’s—”
“I NEED HELP!” Cecilia’s distant voice interrupts Ronnie’s question.
We look at each other, then rush off to where her voice comes from, which turns out to be the grand entrance. There we find an extremely shocked-looking petite brunette, a quietly crying pregnant blonde, and a bent over, hysterically sobbing pregnant redhead.
“Oh God! What is happening?! Is something wrong?” Ronnie goes to Morgan and holds her by the arms, looking her over as the quiet tears streak down her face.
I rush over to my bent over sister-in-law-to-be, placing my hand on her back as I rub soothingly up and down. “Emma, talk to me. What’s wrong?”
She finally straightens, taking a big gulp of air as she pushes her vibrant red hair out of her face. For a redhead, her hair is redder than ginger, but she confessed it’s due to all the expensive products she puts into it.
“It won’t fit,” she sobs again.
“What won’t fit?” I ask, but she just keeps crying, so I look over to Cecilia in question.
“It started in the car. We were coming for a surprise visit and talking about the wedding on the way over, and when I mentioned her dress, she started crying. Then Morgan started crying because Emma was crying, and I couldn’t get them to stop,” Cecilia rushes out with wide eyes.
“MY DRESS!” Emma cries out loudly just as Noah shows up behind us with worry in his eyes. “It’s not going to fit! I’m huge. Look at me, I’m fat!” She points to her stomach. “Look at how fat Morgan is!” She points at Morgan next, which only makes our friend cry more.
“Em, don’t say that!” Ronnie chastises her.