2. What’s Your Story?
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
AIDEN
My day started out pretty boring. I only arrived in Brisbane yesterday, and until I find a place to live, this luxury hotel, that my father is paying for, is home.
I’ve never felt comfortable in places like this, so I spent most of the day wandering around the city, trying to get acquainted with my new home.
It’s definitely smaller than London, where my mother moved us when I was ten, and before that, we lived in Sydney.
Good old Dad wasn’t in the picture much. Pretty sure the posho hotel room and the new job is his way of trying to make up for a childhood of not giving a toss and leaving the hard work up to Mum.
I get the sense that the redhead sitting next to me at the bar has some issues of her own, and it feels good to have someone to talk to after a few weeks of being alone.
After Mum’s death, I kind of hid from the world.
But this move is a fresh start. So why not have a drink with a beautiful woman and see if, at the very least, I can make a new friend ?
Although, I’ll be honest, the attraction I’m feeling towards her is definitely less about my desire to be friends and more about wondering how her plump lips would feel against mine.
“So. You know why I’m hanging out looking all sad in a bar. What’s your story?” She downs the rest of her drink and waves her hand at the bartender to order another.
“Just having a drink before bed.” I don’t feel much like getting into my stuff right now, and I can tell she needs to talk.
“Must be a nice bed if this is where you’re staying,” she replies.
I can’t tell if she’s aware of how suggestive that comment is, but I decide not to bite.
There’s something about her that tells me she’s not the type to jump into bed with someone straight away, and I’m not really sure I want to go down that path again, either.
I’d put my years of one night stands and friends with benefits behind me a while ago.
“It’s a nice bed. But the company in the bar beats my lonely bed right now.”
She pauses in the process of lifting her second cocktail to her lips and lifts an eyebrow. “Wow, that was smooth. Guys don’t normally use lines like that on me unless my friends are around.”
I blink, digesting that bit of information. “What do you mean?”
She shrugs. “I don’t normally get hit on unless my very attractive friends are around. Like, supermodel hot. I’m usually the stepping stone to the pretty ones.”
“Um… I don’t quite know what to do with that… Does that seriously happen?” I ask.
“All. The. Time.” She takes another mouthful of her cocktail.
If I knew her better, I’d suggest she slows down, but I get the feeling that would probably piss her off. Knowing she’s in the bridal party from next door, I at least know where to go to get her friends if she gets messy.
Instead, I shake my head. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that. Cause you are a very beautiful woman, and no one deserves to feel like they aren’t someone’s first choice.”
Who would overlook this woman? With the type of figure that gives you something to hold on to, she’s got curves for days. I’ve always had a thing for redheads, and right now, I can’t remember finding any of the ones before as attractive as I do this one.
She puts her drink down on the bar and turns in her seat to face me, her pretty green eyes twinkling with amusement. “You obviously know all the right words to say to a woman.”
I laugh, probably a little bitterly. “Not usually. I haven’t spent much time around a woman one on one for a while. Unless you count my best friend, which I don’t.” And I haven’t slept with anyone since the last time Sarah, the best friend in question, and I hooked up a year ago.
She tilts her head to the side and studies me. “Why’s that?”
I take a sip of beer while I consider how much to say. “I’ve been busy with family stuff the last few years. Kind of ate into my socialising time.”
“That sounds lousy, I’m sorry.”
I shrug. “It is what it is. But I’m here with you now, so I’m glad to say things are looking up.”
She snorts and shakes her head. “So many pretty lines. Obviously, the time away did nothing to your pickup lines.” She sticks out her hand. “I’m Tara, by the way.”
I take her hand. “Aiden.” Just to lean into the suave persona I’ve got going, I lift it to my lips and kiss the back of it.
She throws her head back and laughs. But she doesn’t pull her hand away, so I continue to hold it. I don’t even know what my goal is here, but I will happily keep making her laugh like that. It’s better than the bitterness that was in her tone earlier.
“So, Aiden. Is that an English accent I detect?”
I nod. “It is. Although, I’m Australian. I just like to pull out the accent to see if it wins me any points with the ladies.” I grin .
She raises an eyebrow. “Really?”
I laugh. “No. I mean, I am Aussie, but we moved to London when I was a kid, so I picked up the accent. Only been back for a day, so it’s going to take me a while to shake it.”
“Well, keep that up and you’ll be reeling in the ladies.”
I squeeze her hand. “Promise?”
Her breath hitches a little, and she looks down at our hands. “Oh yeah, definitely.”
“There you are!” Tara jumps, whirling around when a pretty brunette wearing the same dress as her appears behind us. “We’ve been looking for you.”
Tara holds up her phone. “You could have just messaged.”
“I couldn’t find my phone. I think I left it back in the bridal suite. Who’s this?” Her friend turns, running her interested gaze over me.
“Aiden.” I put my hand out, and she shakes it, her grip firm.
“Kylie. Nice to meet you.”
Is this one of the friends she was talking about earlier?
She’s very attractive, but no more so than Tara.
They both have similar curvy builds, but while Kylie is tanned with brown hair, Tara has flawless cream skin and deep red hair.
Both beautiful in their own way, and Tara is definitely more my type.
“I’m done for the night. Just going to finish up my drink and head up to my room,” Tara says, drawing her friend’s attention back to her.
“You sure you’re good?” Kylie asks, placing a hand on Tara’s shoulder.
“Yep. I’m good, I promise.”
The two women hold each other’s gazes for a few beats, before Kylie nods and looks back at me. “It was nice to meet you, Aiden.”
“You too, Kylie.”
She turns to leave, shooting a cheeky grin over her shoulder at Tara. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, T.”
Tara turns bright red, and Kylie heads back towards the door of the bar, joining the tall, well-built man who is waiting for her.
Judging by the way she slides her arm around his waist, I assume he’s her boyfriend or husband.
He nods towards me, and I nod back. A silent communication where he’s letting me know he’s watching me… And I let him know I get it.
“So, is that one of the girlfriends you mentioned earlier? The ones men use you to get closer to?”
She wrinkles her nose. “Yeah. She’s one of my best friends, and probably the most outgoing person I’ve ever met.”
“Well, I mean, she’s beautiful, but you’re just as stunning, if not more so.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re just saying that.”
I shake my head. “No, I’m really not. Just don’t tell that wall of a boyfriend of hers I said that.”
She laughs again, her eyes twinkling. “Seth is a lover, not a fighter. Well, at least, off the ice.”
“What do you mean, off the ice? He does meth?” I raise my eyebrows and look back towards the door that her friends left through.
She keels over, laughing hard. “Oh, God, no. I didn’t even realise how that sounded. He’s an ice hockey player. Like, a famous one. In Canada.”
I nod slowly. “Well, I guess that explains his size. If anyone feels inadequate around here, it should be me, if that’s the sort of men you’re used to hanging around.”
“Believe me, you have nothing to feel inadequate about.”
I smile, moving to hold her hand again. “Is that right?”
She blushes a little while she looks down, keeping her hand still while I trace a circle on the back of it with my thumb.
She clears her throat and brings her gaze to mine. The heat behind that gaze is enough to scorch me. “Yes. That’s right.”
We continue to watch each other for a few more heartbeats.
“Another drink?” I ask, my voice coming out a little rough.
She nods slowly. “Yes please. ”
I look at the bartender and nod, and she organises both our drinks.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been this close to such a beautiful woman that I felt this sort of chemistry with, and I’m interested to see where the rest of the night takes us.