A Dash of Spice (Lights Camera Insta-love 2)

Aiden makes a sensual act out of digging his fork into my cake and sliding the bite into his mouth. I can hear my own pulse as he chews, watching the cords of his throat flex. During the show, he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top of his dress shirt, allowing a few black hairs to curl out of the V, and for some reason, that has me dripping into my underwear. I bet his entire chest is meaty, muscular and covered in proof of his maleness. I’d like to tangle my fingers in that hair and yank until he just attacks me…

And these thoughts must be playing out on my face, because Aiden stops chewing and his chest starts to heave, ever so slightly, as if he’s trying to control it.

“She gets my vote,” he says hoarsely.

Unfortunately, I don’t get the other two votes.

The director yells cut, the cameras go dark and I feel my cheeks flame. I’ve lost. So much for saving face with the mean girls, huh? No big deal. I just need a few minutes to myself, so I can recoup my flirty, nothing-bothers-me attitude. Never let them see you cry.

Waving goodbye to the other two contestants, I leave my workstation and almost trip over a camera wire in my haste to get backstage. I keep my smile intact as I walk past Aiden and out of sight. I can feel him following me and I pick up my pace, turning into a green room area. It’s probably meant for the judges but I dip inside anyway, only intending to take five minutes to gather myself. Before I can close the door, however, Aiden’s fist keeps it from shutting and he pushes his way inside.

“What’s up with you?” he barks.

“You can’t j-just talk to me like…like you know me,” I sputter. “You don’t.”

He comes closer, backing me slowly toward the far wall. “Don’t I, though?” His jaw pops as he looks me over, head to toe. “Let me see. You’re brave as hell, baby. Faking it until you make it. But you’re scared of something. What is it?”

I scoff. “Oh, you don’t already know? I thought you had me all figured out.”

“I’ve got your flavor. I’m trying to figure out the rest.” My back presses to the wall and I expect him to pin me there, but he stops just short of doing so, his expression thoughtful. “Why were you shaking out there? What are you scared of?”

“Nothing.”

“Lola.”

Something catches in my throat. “I don’t like being laughed at, okay? I don’t like letting people know they’ve gotten to me, even if they have. I’m supposed to be stronger than that.”

His brows snap together. “You are stronger than that.” He waves a hand at me like he’s doing a magic trick. “Now pull it together.”

To my utter shock, a laugh trickles out of my mouth. “Why are you talking to me like one of your teammates?”

Oh my God. He blushes.

This big, bad hockey brawler is embarrassed.

It creates an uncomfortably ticklish feeling in my stomach. Certainly not…butterflies?

“I, uh…” He scrubs at the back of his neck. “I’m starting to think I’m supposed to speak to women differently than I speak to men. That other judge, Quinn, she might have implied that, too. That I’m harsh.”

“Oh. Well.” My butterflies hit the deck. “Do you speak harshly to all the women who interest you?”

“What?” He’s staring at me like I’ve just spoken Greek. “Quinn doesn’t interest me. She looked like she was going to puke, so I told her to suck it up.”

“You’re speaking to me the same way.”

“Yeah, but I am actually interested in you.” His plants his hands on the wall on either side of my head, his tongue raking along his bottom lip. “Really fucking interested.”

Warmth pools in my middle. “How am I supposed to know the difference?”

“Because I’m telling you,” he growls.

I shrug and study my nails. What is going on with me? Why am I not running for the exit? This man is the absolute last person I should be making time with. I get the feeling he isn’t going to take it well when I tell him I’m not interested in associations with men, yet I can’t seem to make my feet move. Instead, I’m baiting him into proving he’s interested in me. Am I crazy? Did I suck some kind of toxic fumes out of the oven while baking?

When the silence grows, Aiden pushes off the wall with a curse and paces away. He stops in the middle of the room, his massive arms folded, regarding me like a puzzle. “All right.” He clears his throat hard. “Look, uh…I understand what you’re saying. I don’t like to be laughed at, either. I’ve got five older brothers. You show a weakness with five dudes around, you better believe it’s going to haunt you forever. They’re still ragging on me about shit I did when I was nine. I get the need to be tough, Lola.” His blush returns slightly. “I only told you to pull it together because I wanted you to smile again.”