She hops down and heads over to hers.
“Also, if you keep asking me questions about Aiden, I’m going to ask you about Tweetie. What is his real name anyway?”
She laughs. “I haven’t a clue.”
I shake my head. Maybe that inkling in my stomach was wrong. Maybe Tedi doesn’t see anything more than sex with Tweetie.
The next morning, I’m in jeans and a sweater with a jacket over top. My hair is flung into a messy ponytail and my makeup isn’t the best it could be. Who gets up at this ungodly hour to catch fish when you could buy them in the grocery store?
I head down to the marina. Surprisingly, I see a lot of people loading different boats with fishing poles and coolers.
“There’s the beauty of Aiden’s eye!” Maksim yells from what looks to be one of the biggest boats in the marina.
Even the other boaters groan, because it’s still too damn early for that.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. And we need to discuss your comment on Twitter last night.” I point at Maksim and accept the hand he’s offering to help me into the boat.
“What? That guy thought he’d school me on vodka? What the fuck ever. Then he told me I’m a sellout because I play here in the US? What am I supposed to do? Just let that shit go?”
I drop my bags on a bench. “Yes. That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do. I’m your social media person now. At least call me to consult before you go off on someone publicly.”
He shrugs. “I don’t want that fan anyway.”
“It’s not about wanting the fan, it’s about keeping your cool. Who the hell cares about vodka brands?”
“Oh, you did it this time. He might just throw you overboard.” Aiden comes up from under the deck, and the sunrise does wonders on a face. While I look as if I just woke up after a bender, he looks refreshed and gorgeous with the backdrop of yellow and orange sky. “Good morning.”
Aiden winks and I melt, almost losing my footing and falling to the bench.
“Good morning,” I choke out, hopefully sounding unfazed.
“I told you that whole vodka thing was bad.” Aiden slaps Maksim on the shoulder and comes over to me. “Do you get seasick or anything?” He offers a pill in his hand.
“No, I should be okay.”
“Perfect.” He pockets it and his gaze roams up and down me. “Amazes me how prepared you always are.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m prepared. This is extremely early, and I’ve never fished in my life.”
He grabs ahold of my hip and slides by me. “Then I can’t wait to be your teacher,” he whispers in my ear, causing a flutter of goose bumps to race up my spine.
He goes behind the wheel and starts the boat.
“Is this boat yours?” I ask.
Aiden nods rather than talk over the sound of the engine starting. Maksim must be on the boat a lot because they work together like pros to get away from the dock. Then Maksim sits in the front of the boat, watching it move through the water. I decide to take a few candid pictures of them. A far away one of Maksim at the front of the boat, and one of Aiden driving.
“What’s her name?” I ask, raising my voice over the engine noise and the wind whipping past us.
“Twilight.”
“I didn’t peg you for a fan.”
He looks at me with a crinkled forehead as though he doesn’t understand.
“Team Jacob or Edward?”
His head rolls back between his shoulder blades. “I named her Twilight because I love taking her out right as the sun sets.”
My mind plays tricks on me, thinking about being here with him. Us anchored in some secluded area while I’m stretched out naked for him. “Sounds like fun.”
He laughs, his gaze on me as though he knows what I was thinking. “Maybe another time we can leave Maksim home?”
I stare at his lips. So full and pink. I wonder briefly what they would feel like on mine. How does Aiden kiss? Hard or soft? I clear my throat. I shouldn’t think like that.
“Did you finish your homework?” I ask, changing the subject.
“My dog ate it,” he says, but nods toward the downstairs part of the boat. “Just kidding. It’s down there. We’ll be anchoring in about twenty if you want to go down and have a look at it. Or wait and enjoy the wind in your hair.”
“It needs to be about twenty degrees warmer for that,” I say with a wry smile.
He reaches toward my ponytail. “Do you mind?”
I hesitate for a second and then shake my head. He expertly undoes my ponytail and my blonde hair fans out, blowing straight back behind me.
I close my eyes and relish the breeze flowing through my strands even if I do have a slight chill. “Oh, that feels good.”
When I open my eyes back up, Aiden’s staring at me with a smoldering expression that has me thinking maybe I don’t care so much about consequences anymore.
Chapter Eleven
Aiden
My phone rings while I’m in the lobby of our Denver hotel, waiting for Saige to come down. Luckily, this hotel is used to having sports teams, so other than one guy stopping and asking me if I’m Aiden Drake, I’ve been left alone.
Joran’s name flashes on the screen. I’ve been dodging him as much as I can lately because I’m heavy into his girl and that’s not cool, even if I have no plans to do anything about it. Since I’m about to see him because I’m shooting a commercial and Saige is coming with to grab some social media shots, I might as well get it over with. All three of us will be thrown together soon enough and I’ll have to endure the sight of them together.
“Hey, Joran,” I answer.
“How’s my favorite center? Plane ride good? Who won your card game? Tell me you beat Ford.”
I nod and laugh because Ford can’t win Oh Hell to save his life and it’s becoming more comical the longer his losing streak continues. “I’m good, and Maksim won this time.”
“Did Ford have a shit fit?” He chuckles.
“How’d you guess?”
“Sorest loser I know. Thank god he’s not my client, what with his anger issues.”
He makes Ford sound like a bad guy. At least Ford pays for all the damage he does.
“I’m just waiting on Saige, then we’ll head over to the studio.”
“Perfect. I’m almost there too. Had a meeting first.”
To be honest, I have no idea what Joran does the majority of the time. He’s got all different clients, but when I was in my slump, he was up my ass nonstop and now he’s nowhere to be found. I’m not even sure why he’s babysitting me with this commercial campaign.
“Okay, we’ll see you there,” I say and hang up as Saige makes her appearance.
“Do you ever go anywhere warm?” she says.
We both look outside at what I think might be a blizzard starting.
“At least the sun’s out.” I point toward our view of the mountains.
We walk out of the hotel and the doorman flags a taxi to take us to the shoot location, which is a bit out of the city. I’m happy to have more time alone with Saige, even as fleeting as it will be.