Date Me Like You Mean It

I gulp.

“We better get back to our table,” I say, hurrying to end this awkward exchange. “It looks like James and Jolie want to get started.”

“It was nice meeting you all,” Aiden supplies with a nod before reaching out to take my hand. “Maddie?”

I have no choice but to step forward and let him wrap his fingers around mine. It’s exactly what a boyfriend would do in this situation, and he’s playing his part to a T.

After a few steps, I try to wiggle free of his grasp, but he tightens his hold on me and tugs me toward him.

“So we’re dating?”

My cheeks are on fire.

“I’ll explain everything later.”

He chuckles under his breath and releases my hand before Jolie looks over at us. “I look forward to hearing it.”

All through dinner, Aiden is his normal charming self. He entertains us with stories from the field and doesn’t get offended when James pesters him with questions about his future and whether he’s putting enough away into savings to help build up his nest egg. It’s not until we get dropped off at the curb outside our building that Aiden turns to me, his smile unfurling as his eyes narrow into slits.

I throw my hands up and turn to walk ahead of him to the main entrance, but Aiden rushes ahead of me.

“Oh allow me, darling,” he teases, yanking the door open to let me in before him. “I’d never let my girlfriend open her own door.”

“Funny.”

“Here, let me carry your things,” he says, trying to take hold of my purse. I whack him in the arm with it.

“Stop it, will you? I’m already embarrassed enough.”

His smile widens. “Stop? I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m just trying to make sure my girlfriend is well taken care of.”

I’m headed toward the elevators, but I think better of it and head toward the stairs, that way I can take them two at a time and blow off some steam.

“Our anniversary is coming up,” Aiden says from behind me in the stairwell.

“What anniversary? Would you cut it out already?”

“Oh, I’m only getting started.”

This is a perfect example of why I occasionally wish Aiden and I lived separately. I’d go into my own condo, lock the door behind me, and forget all about him, but that’s not an option here. Aiden follows me inside and nudges the door closed behind him. I toss my purse on our kitchen island and turn to him with my hands on my hips.

“It just came out, okay?” I explain, hoping the quicker he finds out what happened, the quicker he’ll drop it. “They were asking me about you, going on and on about wanting to be introduced, so I did you a favor.”

Yes! Good! Turn it around on him!

“They would have tormented you all night if I hadn’t stepped in and lied about being your girlfriend. Elise was all ‘I like younger men’, so really, I did a noble thing saving you from that group.”

“Maybe,” he says, leaning back against the door and crossing his arms.

“Maybe!?”

“Yeah, maybe you helped me out, or maybe it was something else entirely.”

I toss my hands into the air in defeat and head toward the fridge. Aiden and I had some sake with dinner, but it barely skimmed the surface of how much alcohol I need to get through this discussion with him. I retrieve the white wine we opened the other night and pour the remainder of its contents into a glass. It’s not much, but it’s something.

“Did it bother you that Elise might have wanted to date me?” he asks.

I swing the refrigerator door open and closed again and again so cool air blasts my face.

“Why are you asking me that? What does it matter?!” I sound on the verge of hysteria.

“I’m just curious.”

He’s like a dog with a bone tonight. I know I’ll have to answer him before he’ll drop it.

“Yes, fine. I don’t want you dating Elise. There.”

“Why?”

I grunt like it’s obvious to anyone with a brain. “Because I work for her! That would be so awkward!”

“So that’s it? That’s the only reason?”

I slam the refrigerator door closed and turn to face him. He’s circling entirely too close to the truth. One wrong step and he will know everything, will know Maddie Lane L-O-V-E-S Aiden Smith. So, I circumvent his question.

“You don’t think I liked telling them we were dating, do you? I was backed into a corner! Put on the spot! I thought I was doing you a favor, but fine, here, hand me my phone and I’ll call Elise. I’ll let her know you’re on your way over right now.”

I go for my purse, but he beats me to it, holding it captive above his head so I can’t get to my phone.

“C’mon, she’ll love it. I’ll tell her you’re great in the sack.”