Alarm

“You…me…here…” I couldn’t seem to make a sentence in my head, let alone one with my tongue. Too many thoughts were trying to occupy my head at once, and every time I looked at him, I just wanted to know how far down those tattoos really went, driving any linear thinking straight out of my mind and leaving me disoriented.

I shook my head and buried my face in my hands.

“Shit!” Aiden sighed. “I don’t know what’s got you so upset. Tell me what you want me to do, Chloe.”

Everything bubbled out at once.

“The fact is, I don’t know what I want!” I yelled. I balled my hands into fists at my sides. “I don’t know what I want, and I don’t know what you want, and I still barely even know you!”

“I thought that’s what this was all about,” Aiden said. “Us getting to know each other.”

“How well is that working out?” I muttered.

Aiden straightened.

“I thought it was going pretty good,” he replied. “You said you liked the kayaking and the skydiving. You did great with the video games, and we obviously like some of the same movies. Chloe, I’m totally lost here.”

“I don’t understand why you asked me to come here,” I admitted.

Aiden dropped his arms and looked confused.

“I thought it was obvious,” he stated.

“What’s obvious?”

“I guess it isn’t.” Aiden ran his hand over the top of his head and looked away with a sigh.

“What is obvious?” I repeated.

“I don’t remember how to do this shit,” he said, his voice rising again. “It’s been too fucking long. I just wanted…I didn’t want to come on too strong. I shouldn’t have kissed you like that when you were drunk. It seemed to spook you, and I didn’t want to scare you off. I don’t want to scare you off.”

“Scare me off?”

He sighed and dropped his hand.

“You were so cute at the bar—all drunk and helpless without even realizing it. You freaked out so bad when you woke up, I just…I just liked you. You seemed so...so sweet. Innocent. I liked that. I do like that. I wasn’t sure if you’d go for a guy like me. I figured you’d want someone more…I don’t know…sophisticated.”

“You aren’t sophisticated? With this house and the pricey scotch?”

He gave me a half smile.

“I was hoping to impress you,” he admitted. “Your first impression couldn’t have been all that great, cooped up in that tiny apartment and driving you around in a Civic. I barely graduated high school, and you have a college degree. I wanted you to know I was…I was better than that.”

Nothing he said made any sense. Why would he want to impress me?

“But…but you’ve barely touched me since we got here,” I whispered. “I…I wasn’t sure if…I thought maybe…”

I let my voice trail off, still unable to complete a logical sentence. I didn’t want to admit to my own insecurities, and I definitely didn’t want to hear his rejection.

“You weren’t sure?” he asked. “You think because I haven’t come on strong that I wasn’t interested?”

I licked my lips quickly and nodded.

“Just say the word.” Aiden stood up taller and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

“Say…say what word?”

“Chloe,” Aiden said, his voice hushed, “it’s killing me to hold back, but I’ve been doing it because you seemed so unsure. I didn’t kiss you a while ago because I told myself when we first got here that I needed to let you make the first move. You say the word—you tell me you want me—and I’m going to make it very, very clear that I want you.”