“You’re avoiding my question.”
Sighing, I say, “I wasn’t ready for actual conversation. I figured we’d get right to it,” I explain, making a lewd gesture with my hands.
He pulls me in tighter. “Is that what you want then? To get right to it? I was trying to make polite conversation because that’s where it seemed you wanted to go.”
“No, no. I’m glad we’re talking, it was just unexpected, that’s all. I didn’t come up with any interesting facts to tell you about my life.”
“You didn’t have time to come up with lies?” he counters.
“I didn’t say that.”
He quirks one brow. “You didn’t have to.”
“That big, pastel purple Victorian house in town? The one that sells antiques?”
Aidan’s eyes light up. It’s hard to miss. Everyone knows it. It’s purple and I didn’t have the heart to change it when I took it over.
“Yeah, that’s yours?”
“Magnolia’s Steals,” I reply dryly. “That’s my store. I collect and sell antiques. It was a casual hobby while I was married, but now it’s what I do full time. There’s an online store where a lot of my business takes place. I liked the idea of keeping an actual store where people could come in and touch things—see treasures from the past. I’m a sucker for a good story and all of the furniture and jewelry and random bobs and bits have a story.” I shrug. It’s on the table. My life. Kendall and the shop. And my sordid breakup. “You basically know everything about me now.”
“Wow. That’s really impressive. I…like antiques.”
I snort. “Your house is the opposite of classic. It’s all modern, Aidan. You don’t have to pretend to like something just to get in my pants. Truth is, you were already headed there the second you smiled.”
“My smile?” Aidan teases, widening the very grin I’m talking about.
I look away. “That’s the one.”
“Here’s the thing, this sofa might be considered modern now, but one day it will be an antique, right? It will tell the story of when I kissed the beautiful, Magnolia Sager for the very first time.”
“That is a pretty interesting story,” I reply, cocking my head. “And how many other women were kissed for the first time on this modern loveseat?”
He coughs and drags his hand across his mouth to cover a smile. “You’re the only one who matters.”
“Right now,” I deadpan. When his smile falls, I put him out of his misery. “It’s fine. Honestly. I don’t want anything long term. Casual is something I’ve never tried before.”
“You realize you are in the minority, then? Most women don’t want to know or think about women that have come before them.”
“And you? Do you want to think about the man that came before you?”
Aidan clears his throat. “Well, not really. I know enough to know that your ex didn’t treat you properly. I may be into casual dating, but if I ever find a woman I want to keep forever, that’s a game changer. You can guarantee I’d be faithful. I’m honorable when it comes to promises and vows.”
I nod. “That’s one good quality,” I say.
“One?” Aidan barks. “That’s two in my column. You told me you liked my smile.”
“That goes in the bad column. The smile will get me into trouble.”
“The good kind of trouble, no?” he teases, biting his lip.
I stand with my empty wine glass and bring it to the kitchen. “That remains to be seen, Aidan Mixx,” I say, grabbing the bottle and pouring another glass. “How am I getting home by the way? Spending the night?” Spinning to face him, I waggle my eyebrows.
“No spending the night,” he says, shaking his head, sliding his own glass onto the counter. “I’ll drive you home.”
“No sleepovers in casual dating? I thought as long as I was gone by morning, we’d be clear?” That’s what I’ve seen on sitcoms and movies. It can’t be far off.
His smile is forced. “I don’t sleep well with other people,” he says, swallowing hard. And that may be the very first peek into his true personality I’ve seen tonight. A fact that perhaps, others don’t know about him.
