Chapter 15
Pepper
After another loud round of Spades where Aaron and I wiped the floor with Jalen and Cal, the patio energy cooled down enough for a shift.
Cal returned from the kitchen with a fresh deck, and the guys instantly huddled over the felt table, their voices dropping into a competitive rumble as they started a game of poker.
Seizing the moment to let the men handle their own rivalries, Nia, Mars, Stormy, and I drifted away, stepping through the glass sliding doors into the air-conditioned living room.
We piled onto the velvet couches, cooling drinks in hand, as the rhythm of our old-school gossip took over.
Stormy leaned back into the cushions, taking a slow, appreciative sip of her white wine before sliding a knowing look in my direction.
"So... Pepper. You and Aaron are getting along quite well."
I tilted my head, a devious grin splitting across my face as I kicked my heels onto the edge of the ottoman.
"I could say the exact same thing about you and Jonah, beautiful."
Stormy paused, her cheeks flushing a light pink under the ambient lights.
She let out a small, breathless laugh, looking down at her glass before giving me an apologetic look.
"Shit... we really have been flirting. I am so sorry, Pep. I forgot..."
"Oh, no, Stormy, it’s okay!" I cut her off immediately, waving my hand dismissively.
"That was ages ago. Plus, we were pre-teens back then. It was just a silly childhood crush."
"Yeah, a silly crush that lasted for three whole years," Nia chimed in from the opposite end of the couch, dramatically rolling her eyes over the rim of her glass.
I burst out laughing, shaking my head at the memory.
"Honestly, looking back, I don’t even know if I liked him because he was cute, or simply because he didn't want me back then. Either way, that feeling is long gone."
"Okay, good," Stormy sighed in relief, a playful smile returning to her lips as she leaned in closer.
"Because he has obviously grown into that funny-looking smile of his."
To prove her point, Stormy cocked one eye, twisted her mouth to the side, and did a hilariously exaggerated mimic of Jonah’s signature childhood grin.
The three of us burst into a loud fit of laughter, clutching our stomachs as the ridiculousness of our teenage years filled the space.
Nia cleared her throat, a smug grin plastering itself across her face as the laughter died down.
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, her eyes locked dead onto mine.
"So, you gonna tell the girls about your little drunken love night that Cal and I had to physically rescue you from, Pepper?"
I practically cackled, throwing my head back against the cushions.
"Oh my goodness! It’s all such a blur, Nia. I swear, when I woke up yesterday morning, I thought I’d dreamed you and Cal being in that truck!"
I paused, my voice trailing off as my eyes subconsciously drifted over toward the sliding glass doors.
Through the window, under the soft amber glow of the patio lights, I could see Aaron.
He was laughing, dapping up Jalen after a hand, his broad shoulders relaxed, looking loose and happy in the middle of his boys.
A private smile spread across my face, a sudden wave of genuine warmth hitting my chest.
"We just have so much fun together," I murmured, my voice dropping into a quiet, honest register.
"It’s... it’s just too bad that I have to pack up and go back home in September."
"Wellll..." Mars said softly, a gentle, slightly sad smile crossing her face as she reached out to touch my knee.
"You can always just stay here, you know."
I smiled a soft, sentimental smile, the reality of her words hanging heavily in the quiet room.
"I’ve been enjoying being back with all of us so much, Mars. Honestly, the thought of staying doesn't sound like a bad idea at all anymore.
But... I have a whole life and a lot of business things going on back in Tokyo. I don't even know how that would realistically work."
"Well, let's not stress about any of that tonight," Nia said firmly, squeezing my shoulder with a reassuring grip.
"Let's just focus on enjoying each other while we can."
I nodded, taking a slow sip of my drink, my eyes locking right back onto Aaron's silhouette through the glass.
The weekend was perfect, the bond with my girls was restored, and the fire between me and my co-lead burned hotter by the second.
As the night came to an end, the bustling energy of the patio began to fracture.
Cal and Nia were the first to say goodbye, driving off into the quiet suburb, and Stormy left shortly after.
Inside the foyer, Jonah lingered, loudly saying his final farewells to Mars and Jalen, while Aaron stepped onto the driveway to walk me to my car.
We stood by my driver's side door, the heavy night air quiet and peaceful around us.
I leaned my back against the cool metal, looking up at him through my curls.
"I didn't know you were a master Spades player," I teased, a soft smile playing on my lips.
"You're full of surprises, Fields."
"There's a lot you don't know about me yet, Red," he said, his deep voice a smooth rumble in the dark as his massive frame towered over me.
"Well... hopefully I get to see more," I murmured, holding his intense gaze.
Aaron shifted his weight, sliding his hands deep into his pockets.
I caught a brief, uncharacteristic flash of hesitation cross his face, his posture tightening as if he was nervous to ask what was on his mind.
"So... um..."
He looked away for a split second before locking his dark eyes back onto mine.
"You and Jonah. Did you guys date?"
A wave of amused warmth hit my chest.
It was sweet seeing this huge, commanding director thrown off balance by a little curiosity.
"Oh, no. Not at all," I said honestly.
I didn't miss the way his broad chest instantly relaxed, a subtle but distinct breath of relief escaping his lips.
"I had a big crush on him when I was like... thirteen," I explained with a soft laugh.
"It was stupid."
I stepped a half-inch closer into his personal space, my heels bringing my chin nearer to his chest.
"Don't tell me you're getting jealous, Fields. Are you sure that kind of emotion isn't strictly forbidden somewhere in your corporate rulebook?"
"You know about the rules?" he asked, a handsome smile breaking across his face as he lifted his hands to put air quotations around the word.
He let out a low chuckle, stepping closer until the heat radiating off his skin wrapped around me.
"Actually... I was thinking of easing up on some of them."
"Wow. First not checking your corporate emails, now this? You are on a serious roll, stud," I joked, my heart doing a heavy, happy thud against my ribs.
Aaron laughed, sliding his hands back into his pockets, his eyes turning soft as he looked down at my mouth.
"I... um... listen, Pepper. I've been thinking about the pact we made, and about us, and..."
Just as the atmosphere turned thick and breathless, the front door swung open, and Jonah walked outside, his loud voice shattering the midnight silence.
"Hey, Aaron! Next time I see you, I’m definitely going to have some serious practice under my belt, man. I was rusty on the card table tonight!"
Aaron let out a loud laugh, the romantic tension instantly melting back into easy brotherly energy as he turned to face him.
"Yeah, okay, bro. You can call it that if it makes you feel better," Aaron joked as the two of them stepped up to say goodbye one last time.
Jonah nodded, turning his eyes toward me with a curious smirk.
"Hey, do y'all happen to know if Stormy is seeing anybody right now?"
I smiled deviously, exchanging a fast, knowing look with Aaron.
"Other than her tablet and planner? No," I joked.
"Good to know," Jonah grinned, waving a hand as he backed down the driveway toward his vehicle.
"Later, y'all."
As Jonah's car pulled away, the silence settled back over the driveway.
I turned back to Aaron, expecting him to pick up right where he left off before we were interrupted.
My heart was practically hammering against my ribs, waiting for the words I thought were coming.
I thought he was finally going to ask me out.
Truly ask me out, on a real, official date.
Instead, a small, proud smile touched his lips.
"Hey... I actually took your advice on lessening my load. I went ahead and hired a tech coordinator and assistant for the agency. He starts this Monday."
A sharp sting crushed down on my chest the exact second the words left his mouth.
Disappointment flooded my throat, heavy and bitter, but I caught it quickly, forcing my expression to lock down so I could hide it.
He wasn't asking me out.
He was giving me a business update.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a warm, supportive smile.
"That’s great, Aaron. I'm really glad you did. I know you can do it all... but you don't have to do it alone," I said sentimentally.
My voice dropped, thick with a quiet weight, knowing deep down that for the majority of his life after turning eighteen, he had most likely been completely alone.
He looked a bit sad at my words, a flickering shadow of his past crossing his dark eyes, but he recovered with practiced speed.
"Thank you," he murmured, a boyish, playful grin returning to his face.
"Let's just hope he can keep up with me."
"Knowing what I know so far about you, Fields... he has some exceptionally large shoes to fill. So go easy on him," I said softly, my eyes dropping to his lips.
Without another word, Aaron leaned down.
He placed his lips firmly onto mine.
The physical feeling of his mouth against mine always came as a surprise—a beautifully wicked, intoxicating rush that left me undone.
I met his mouth eagerly, parting his lips with my tongue, a low, deep groan escaping the very back of his throat.
His hands remained in his pockets as he anchored himself to the spot, using sheer restraint not to pull me flush against his chest.
When he finally pulled away, he let out a long, heavy sigh, his eyes dark and swirling with heat.
"Did I mention... I like you?"
A breathless laugh escaped my lips as I reached for the handle.
"You may have mentioned it once or twice."