“Saying my name like that isn’t helping your case.”
I shifted in my chair, uncrossing and recrossing my legs. “Is that all this is to you? Sex?” I whispered, leaning into the table. I wanted to ask if that was all I ever was to him, but I cut myself off.
His eyelids lowered, covering his eyes and not for the first time I admired his long lashes. I could stare at him for hours, memorizing every minute aspect of his body. In fact, I had. Unfortunately, my memory never failed to conjure up images of his perfect body—scars and all—on those long, lonely nights throughout the past half decade.
“It was never just about sex,” he finally answered.
I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. I shook my head, as I stared down at the table. I didn’t know if that answer helped or hurt. If it had just been about sex, I might’ve been able to understand. It might have made hating him a little easier.
“If you say so,” I mumbled, taking another sip of my wine.
“She wasn’t my–”
“Your what? Your fiancée? Pretty sure she was.”
“She wasn’t you.” He leaned into the table, glaring.
Again, I bit the inside of my cheek. I rolled my eyes, looking away from him because I hated the feeling that overcame me when I stared for too long.
“Let’s just get through this dinner. I’m sure you have some work you need to get back to.”
Any response he had was cut off when D’Angelo returned to take our dinner orders. We ate mostly in silence at first, until Aaron prodded me about my former job back in Oakland. I decided to play along and answer his questions. I enjoyed talking about my job, and then even went so far as to ask about his work.
“How’s the deal with Oiltec working out?”
He looked up, stunned, as he wiped his mouth. “You’ve been following Townsend?”
I gave a one shoulder shrug. “After Chicago, I saw an article about the merger and couldn’t stop myself from reading it.” I’d tried to avoid all news involving Townsend Industries, but after our encounter in The Windy City, my curiosity got the best of me.
Aaron went on to breakdown the news about the merger with Oiltec and how he’d hoped it would grow Townsend’s market, especially overseas. We both got lost talking about our jobs. That was safe territory for us, which was good. By eight o’clock that night, we were exiting the restaurant, bellies full. I stepped out of the restaurant, looking around the street, seeing the bustling people, but noting the empty space down the street.
“The bookstore closed,” I said out loud.
“More than four years ago. Few businesses have tried to buy the space but the owner has been holding out.”
I wrinkled my forehead. “That’s odd. It’s just losing money, owning it and not doing anything with it.”
Aaron nodded. “It is. Get in,” he ordered, holding the door open for me.
I climbed in the backseat and moved over to make room for him. As soon as he closed the door, we pulled off. I felt a strong hand take hold of my hand, which rested in between us. I looked down to see his much larger one covering mine. He didn’t say anything, just kept ahold of my hand the entire thirty minute drive back to our Cedarwoods neighborhood.
I looked out the window, and not for the first time, made note of the Townsend Industries signs.
“Joshua started this endeavor?” I asked, still staring out the windows at the already built homes and the ones still being constructed.
“Almost four years ago.”
“All four of you decided to build here?” Carter and Michelle lived right next to Aaron and I. I remember the day we moved in, one of the movers pointed out that Joshua was having his home built there along with their youngest brother, Tyler.
Aaron eased closer to me, his leg leaning into mine. He pointed in the direction of a house that was under construction. “That’s Joshua’s. He’ll be three doors away from us. On the far right side of our home is Tyler’s lot. He hasn’t begun building yet. Carter was the first to build his home, then me.”
I cleared my throat, pushing my locs back over my shoulder. “Just like your age ranges.” I turned to smile at him and his lips were less than an inch from mine. The air caught in my airway. Just when I thought he would lower his lips to mine, the car stopped.
“We’re here,” he informed me just before leaning over me to push the car door open. He climbed over me to get out first and then held his hand for me to exit. We made our way to Carter and Michelle’s front door to pick up our children. The outing was officially over but something was just beginning.
****
“Have lunch with me?”
