“Hi,” I said breathlessly.
“Hey, nerd brain,” Liv shouted at him and then started laughing as he shook his head. I could tell from his expression that he was surprised to see us there.
“Grow up, Liv.” Aiden shook his head and he looked as if he wanted to say something else, but he didn’t. Instead he looked at me and gave me a small smile before speaking. “Hey, Alice.”
“Hey,” I responded back with a small smile, my heart racing. I wanted to say more than “Hey.” I wanted to say something witty and funny. I wanted to make him laugh and think to himself, “Wow, that Alice is funny, beautiful and smart. I need to get with her now!” Of course, me being me, all I said was “hey.”
“So you two are interested in football now?” He raised an eyebrow at us as he continued stretching. “Or are you interested in the guys?”
“Very funny, Aiden,” Liv said in a high tone. “My boyfriend had better not hear you say that.”
“Hear him say what?” Xander suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and I watched as he looked Liv over appreciatively, as if he wanted to eat her up. I wished that Aiden would look at me the same way.
“Aiden was saying we’re here to meet guys,” Liv said in a decidedly snarky voice and I wanted to groan. Because what Aiden had said was partly true, only it was just me to meet men. And the man I was interested in getting to know better was him.
“Are you?” Xander grinned at her. “Because that would be awkward if you wanted to meet a guy here. What with me being here and all.”
“Oh, really?” Liv said with her hands on her hips. “That’s it? It would be awkward? That’s all you have to say?”
“You don’t think it would be awkward?”
“So you would be cool with me trying to hook up with another guy?” She sounded pissed, and I wanted to shake her. “You’d be fine, but slightly awkward?”
“Obviously not.” Xander sighed. “Would it make you feel better if I said I would punch the guy in the face?”
“I don’t believe in violence,” Liv said with a straight face and then she giggled. “But yes, that makes me feel better.”
“Hey, Liv!” Henry shouted as he ran onto the field. Henry was Xander’s younger brother and he was divine looking. He had the same short dark hair and green eyes as Xander, and he was built like a soccer player, with long lean legs, muscular thighs and calves and a torso that looked like it had been carved by Michelangelo. “Hey, Alice.” He grinned at me and whistled. “You two are looking mighty fine for a game of flag football.”
“Thank you.” I grinned at him as Liv laughed. I could see Xander and Aiden frowning as Henry walked up to us both and gave us a quick hug.
“I didn’t know you girls were into football,” he said as he stepped back.
“Well, you know.” I shrugged, wanting to make sure Liv didn’t say something stupid. “We wanted to get our exercising on.”
“Yeah, we want washboard stomachs,” Liv continued. “And perky asses.”
“I wouldn’t be complaining if either of you were my woman.” Henry winked at us, and we both giggled.
“You know, Alice is single,” Liv said and my face went beet red as Henry looked at me with an interested eye. “You guys should go out some time.”
“I would like that.” He nodded as he looked me up and down. “I would like that a lot.”
“Shall we get started with the game?” Aiden’s voice interrupted the moment and his eyes were shooting daggers at me as I looked over at him. “This is a field for flag football, not the local meet-up site for Match.com.”
“Don’t be a jerk.” Liv shook her head at her brother and then looked at me and winked. “If Henry and Alice want to make plans to go on a hot date, then let them.”
“Liv, seriously, grow up.” Aiden’s voice was stiff and he turned around and blew a whistle. “Hey, guys, we’re about to get started.” He shouted out to all the other people in the field. “Please gather around so we can pick teams.”
“Bossy-boots as usual,” Liv whispered to me as we walked to stand in the crowd of people in front of Aiden. “I swear I don’t know why you want to date him. He’s just way too annoying and obnoxious.”
“Maybe that bossiness will be good in the bedroom,” I whispered back to her. “Maybe it won’t be as annoying.”
“You’ll have to let me know.” She giggled. “Well, not any specific details, just if the sex makes up for it all.”
“If we even get to have sex.” I sighed. “At the rate this is going, it’ll be a while.”
“What will be a while?” Xander asked me as he stood next to us.
