Understanding hit her then, and she offered a weak smile, feeling pretty relieved. "You don't want me to take advantage of you while you're drunk," she said lightly.
"Well, I do, but I don't think that's the best way to begin a relationship. And I also want to do this the right way, you know? I mean, it's a little unconventional, with us already living together and you being pregnant, but… I still think you deserve at least a first date."
"But I'm not a first date kind of girl," she said playfully.
"Damn. Then I guess I'll have to take you out on two dates."
Grinning up at him, she said, "Maybe. You're going to have to ask me out first, see if I even accept. I might be busy."
Eyebrows rising, he said, "Oh, now you're going to be difficult, aren't you?"
Shrugging, she turned toward the hall leading to the elevator, looping her arm through his just to make sure he followed her. "Hey, you're the one who insists on being a gentleman."
"So you're going to be a lady?"
"I'm always a lady, Aaron Turner. But I've never been courted before, and underneath all your bluster I have a hunch that you might be a little bit romantic."
"Hey now, watch it," he said, lightly grabbing her around the waist and tickling her. "You're getting a little carried away."
Pushing his hands away before he found her ticklish spot, she said, "It's okay. I'll be coy if you want me to. Should I also insist on separate beds?"
"If you want to sleep in the boat again," he stated.
"You can't make a pregnant woman sleep in a boat bed, Aaron Turner. That is extremely un-gallant of you."
"I'll show you un-gallant," he responded playfully, narrowing his eyes at her.
"Ah ah," she said, shaking her head. "You're going to have to wait now."
Shaking his head, he draped an arm over her shoulder and sighed. "I'm so glad this wedding is over."
Leaning her head against his shoulder, she reached out and pushed the elevator button and said, "Me too."
They waited in a companionable silence for the elevator to reach their floor, and then they stepped inside, Aaron pushing the button for their floor.
As the doors closed, Julie leaned a little closer to Aaron and yawned, eager to get back to their room and to the warmth of their bed—and more specifically, the warmth of Aaron's arms as he wrapped them around her.
On the other side of the doors, neither of them could see Shannon's pensive gaze as she contemplated what she had just overheard.
Chapter Twenty Two-
When Aaron and Julie returned to Chicago, Julie was extremely happy, because Aaron had given them both the whole day off since he claimed he wasn't sure how he would be feeling once he got home.
Luckily, he felt great, so with nothing to do for the first time since she had met him, Aaron handed the day over to her, saying they could do whatever she felt like doing. He did throw in the subtle hint, however, that he would love the opportunity to sit around and do nothing, an activity he was seldom able to do.
Even though Julie had spent most of the time since she moved in with Aaron doing just that, she had no problem doing it with him. She opted to order Chinese food and put in a movie.
"So, I'm definitely not complaining," Aaron began, sitting down when he finished discarding the remains of his meal, "but when I said you could pick the movie, I didn't think I would be watching an action movie."
"The Bourne Identity is the shit," Julie stated simply, raising a forkful of rice to her mouth. "And I thought about putting in Sabrina, but for fairly obvious reasons I opted not to."
Shrugging, he said, "I've never seen it, you'll have to clue me in."
Grimacing, she said, "It has brothers… and I also counted out Man in the Iron Mask because there are also brothers in that. I would just as soon avoid them altogether."
Chuckling, he said, "You don't have to avoid all brothers just because I don't like mine. We can watch Sabrina if you'd rather."
"No," she said, shaking her head. "Sabrina… the love triangle is… just, no. Brothers are unnecessary."