I didn’t reply. I was feeling really guilty about what I had done. It was so out of character for me to do something like that, and I didn’t know what had come over me. Curiosity, I supposed, but that was no excuse.
“You okay?”
I looked up into Aiden’s eyes.
“I’m fine,” I replied. I wondered if he could tell I’d been doing something I shouldn’t have been doing.
“I hope you aren’t too pissed off about me sleeping in,” Aiden said. “I mean, you could have woken me up if you wanted to. I should have set an alarm or something.”
“Not at all,” I said. “I figured you had…well, I thought you must have worked late.”
“Yeah, I did.” Aiden took another drink of his coffee and stared out the window. “Shitty day to do anything outside.”
“It is,” I agreed. “Then again, I think I’ve had more outdoor excitement this week than I have had my whole life.”
Aiden smiled, and his eyes twinkled at me.
“Was it worth it?” he asked.
“I’m not sure yet,” I said. “I’m still trying to convince myself I jumped out of a plane.”
“Fucking fantastic, wasn’t it?” Aiden’s eyes widened with his smile.
“It really was amazing. I just can’t believe I did it.”
“Are you glad you did?”
“Yes,” I said after a moment’s thought, “I am.”
“Would you do it again?”
I shook my head.
“I think once was enough. I don’t want to press my luck.”
Aiden chuckled as he stood to refill his coffee. After asking if I wanted anything, he made himself a couple of waffles in the toaster oven and smeared them with peanut butter and jelly.
“That’s a little less elaborate than what you have been making,” I remarked.
“Well, I’m pretty hungry and don’t want to wait,” he replied. “Besides, cooking isn’t as much fun when it’s just for me. I’ll have to think of something more interesting for dinner. I could make a stew in the crockpot. Do you like stew?”
“Stew sounds good,” I said.
“I was planning to grill out, but I don’t think the weather is going to cooperate.”
Another patio chair blew over then, right on cue.
“I’d better pull those in,” Aiden said. He tossed the half-eaten waffle down on the table and ran out to the patio. He pulled the chairs up close to the side of the house, getting himself drenched in the process.
I ran to the bathroom and grabbed one of the large towels hanging over the shower. Aiden was dripping in the doorway when I got back to the kitchen. His muscle shirt clung to his body and showed his tattoos through the thin fabric.
Wet T-shirt contest, we have a winner!
“Thanks,” he said as he took the towel from my hands. “I’m not sure it’s going to be enough though.”
“Do you want another one?”
“Nah, I need to jump in the shower anyway.”