I woke up with my tablet on my lap, sitting up still. Someone was coming up the elevator, and it had to be Aaron.
“Shit…” Charlie was asleep in his pouch. I removed the leash around my wrist, grabbed a baseball jersey from my closet, and threw it over my tank top. I looked at the mirror across the room. One benefit of sleeping while sitting up was I had no bedhead. The bruises were darker and uglier. I didn’t look my best, and it reminded me that if he didn't like the authentic me, he wasn’t worth my time.
I gently picked up Charlie’s pouch and walked into the kitchen. My heart was pounding, and I knew this feeling wasn't frombeing jolted awake. Knowing I was about to see Aaron gave me an adrenaline rush. Yesterday, I saw how he looked at me, and it was more than curiosity. I knew there was heat behind those green eyes. At thirty-eight, bringing a random stranger to my bed held no appeal. I needed to feel something when I was with someone, and I wanted to findmy personif I was going to invite them into my life. I wondered what Aaron was looking for; maybe we were looking for the same thing.
Charlie started to stir in his pouch and looked up at me. I set the bag on the table, and he stepped out, stretching his wings. He looked up and chirped happily at me. I smiled, then I tapped my chest, and he landed on my shoulder. There wasn’t going to be time to find something to eat. I heard the doors open.
“Play it cool, River. Don’t act like a fool. Be calm.” I told myself before I turned around.
“Hi!” What. The. Fuck. I sounded like an excited schoolgirl. My brain disconnected as I gazed at the maroon fabric stretched over Aaron’s muscular chest. He was one flex away from the shirt being useless. Today, he was clean-shaven, showing the strong lines of his jaw and the soft spot just below. I wanted to run my tongue over that smooth skin, tasting, nipping, and teasing until I found his mouth.
I couldn’t find words because all the blood had rushed to one place. While I stood there gawking, I remembered too late that I hadn’t worn underwear when I climbed into bed. Nothing was hiding my arousal from Aaron.
He looked straight at the tent in my sweatpants. Then, he ran his eyes slowly up my body until he locked eyes with me. “I’m happy to see you too.” He raised his eyebrow and smiled.
His smile didn’t help my current situation. I was so embarrassed. My attraction was clear, and Aaron didn’t seem offended by it. I would even say he found it fascinating. Needing to do something other thanstanding there giving him a show, I turned back toward the kitchen. “Just set your stuff down, and I’ll be right out. Neither of us has eaten yet, but I figured I would talk to you about a feeding schedule now that you are here.”
“Sounds good. I’ll go over all that with you. I brought you a couple of things, too.” I squealed internally. At least, I hoped it was just internally. He brought me something, which meant he thought about me; this was a good sign.
“I’ll be right back. Can you keep an eye on Charlie? I need to run into my bedroom quickly.” I handed him the leash and then left the room without a response. I suspected I would spend much of the day sporting wood and didn’t want to come across like a horny teenager.
Putting on jeans and boxer briefs, I walked back into the kitchen. Opening the cupboard, I got out a package of toaster pastries. I loved them, and they were my go-to breakfast. Most people liked the sweet center, but I loved the outside edges. I didn’t even toast them. I liked them in their natural form.
Opening the foil package, I took a bite and walked into the living room, where Aaron was holding Charlie and scrolling through his phone. He looked up. “Oh, you changed. I didn’t mind what you were wearing before.” He looked my way, then at my zipper, before running over my body again. It felt lecherous, and I didn’t mind it.
I took another bite of my breakfast, then walked into the living room, sitting on the couch next to him. I was closer than I would sit next to most people, but not so close we were touching.
He looked over at me. “What the hell are you eating?”
“Pwap thart.” That is what it sounded like since I was taking another bite when he asked.
“You are telling me you are a grown-ass man with money for food and choose to eat fruit-filled pastries for breakfast? It’s not even toasted!!”I blinked at him, unsure if I should mount a defense for my go-to pastry. I narrowed my eyes. I didn’t realize I felt so strongly about my food choices, but it appeared I did. It also put the first checkmark in the con column under Aaron’s name.
“You are full of surprises.” He grinned at me fully, his eyes lit up. I was glad I changed my pants. I didn’t need to notify him that his smile was one of the sexiest things I had ever seen. “I love those. Please tell me they are the strawberry ones?” He stood up, patting his chest. Charlie climbed up to his shoulder and then they walked into the kitchen. “I hope you have more because I am helping myself. Hot damn, theyarestrawberry flavored!” He returned to the couch, sitting down and closing our gap more. Opening the package, he started eating, and then he made a low groan. “So good, right?”
I looked at him dumbfounded. How can he keep getting better? I didn’t say anything throughout that whole exchange. I felt little fireflies in my chest, letting me know he was unique.
Chapter ten
Aaron
Sitting on the couch, I realized I hadn’t had a toaster pastry in years. Stephen had given me a tough time about my eating habits when we met, and I bought into his bullshit. Adults should eat a proper diet, he would tell me. That meant sliced tomato, egg whites, and a green drink. I should have never given up on my strawberry pastries. I was realizing now that should have been a huge red flag.
I don’t know why he had been so concerned about my diet. I started weightlifting in high school while on the football team. By the time I was a junior, I was 6’4” with two-hundred and thirty-five pounds of lean muscle. I had kept that for decades now. I watched my eating and made sure to go to the gym if too many days went by where I didn’t work outdoors. I stopped the egg whites when he quit me, and now I indulged in things like breakfast burritos, but I was sure I would buy these bad boys on my next grocery run.
River and I sat there in silence while we ate. I recalled how he was excited when he saw me. I complimented myself on the too-tight T-shirt and clean shave. I knew I was handsome enough. I’ve had people tell me that, but I liked seeing him flustered. Judging from what was happening in his pants, there was much to consider regarding River.
“Unless you want to take action on those dirty thoughts you’re having, we should get Charlie fed.” I grinned at him, that blush rushing up his face.
“I. Yeah, we could. Let’s …” He stammered.
“Do you have meat?” I didn’t know how it was possible, but he turned redder.
“Oh yes, I have a lot of meat. Plenty of meat.” He realized what he said after it left his mouth.
“I’ve seen some of it. You can show me what else you have, though. We can figure out what to do with it together.” I raised my eyebrow at him. He looked at me, his mouth open like he wanted to say something, then closed it again. “I’m talking about feeding Charlie, just to be clear.”
“Oh, yes, of course.” He stood up. I watched him rearrange things in his pants again. He didn't even try to hide it this time. The poor man was going to have blue balls. As I stood to follow him, I noted he probably wasn’t the only one.
