“No, but she will be,” Aiden counters.
His comment and the adorable wink he gives me put a huge smile on my face.
Aiden grabs a set of noise-reducing headphones, plugs in his phone, and hands them to me. “I made you a new playlist.”
“Thank you. Are you going to lie down with me?”
He glances at his watch. “I’m going to let you rest.”
“Where are you going?”
“Allan invited me to a stunt planning meeting. I think it will be cool to sit in on it.”
“That would be cool.”
He sits on the couch next to me and gives me a steamy kiss. “What were you and Tommy talking about at lunch?”
“It’s a secret.”
“I thought we weren’t going to keep secrets from each other?”
“Um, no. We’re trying not to lie to each other.”
“Trying?”
“What I mean is, I want to tell you the secret, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy. Part of what makes it a secret. Besides, if I tell you, you’d have to lie to your family. And I don’t want to put you in that position.”
He runs his finger down my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.
“What kind of position do you want to put me in?” he asks sexily, leaning closer to me.
“Hmmm. I don’t know. You feel like playing pool?”
He laughs and raises an eyebrow over a gorgeous green eye. “Ah. That kind of a position. I don’t think that’s what we were talking about.”
“If I wasn’t so tired when I get home, I’d offer to dance for you.”
“I’m tired just watching. I never realized you would work such long hours. Or all the times you do the same scene.”
“It doesn’t help that they’re trying to squeeze a lot into a few days.”
“So, what’s this secret? I won’t tell my family.”
“Good, because I’m dying to tell you.”
He smiles at me.
“I get to spend Christmas with you.”
“I already knew that.”
“And also with my family.”
“They’re coming to St. Croix?”
“Umm, not exactly. We’re all going to France.”
“How’s that going to work? We’ll all be packed for the beach.”
“Yeah, that’s the only problem. Just tell your family to pack some sweaters. Say it gets chilly at night or they keep the house really cool or something.”
“I’ll do that. So, why isn’t your family just coming to St. Croix?”
“Because they’re planning a big party. And the location is more secure.”
“Where is the house? I just realized I never asked.”
“Southern France, between Nice and Cannes. It’s in the country, up in the hills. You can even see the sea most days. It’s really beautiful.”
“I can’t wait. What’s the party for?”
“Just to celebrate our being together.”
“Very nice,” he says, giving me a kiss and heading out the door. “Get some rest. We have a date with a naughty Santa gift later tonight.”
“We do?” I ask, suddenly perking up.
Aiden smiles. “Yes, we do.”
“Which one?”
“I told you, I have a sweet tooth,” he replies. “And a sweet tongue.”
“You said you wanted me in the candy thong and a pair of cowboy boots.”
“And nothing else,” he says in a way that almost sounds like a threat.
A really sexy one.
Cuss and get laid.
11pm
I get back to my loft around eleven. Cooper is tired and heads straight to his room.
Thank god.
Aiden’s in my kitchen, nothing but a pair of athletic shorts hanging dangerously low on his hips and a candy necklace hanging deliciously around his neck.
I can’t even think straight.
He kisses me in greeting and sits me up on the breakfast bar while he opens a bottle of champagne.
Who knew something so simple could be so sexy?
He sets the bottle on the counter and cuts the foil off. Then he untwists the metal topper. Every muscle in his arm ripples with each twist. I see a flash of his clover tattoo.
And I feel lucky just to be sitting here.
“You’re wearing a candy necklace,” I say, stating the obvious as he pulls the cork out.
He glances up at me as he pours the champagne. “I put it on, but it’s up to you decide where you want it.”
I gulp.
Imagine the Titan saluting me and wrapped in candy.
He leans across the bar and clinks my glass. “Here’s to a sweet night.”
I definitely drink to that and follow the hottie god as he takes the champagne into my bedroom and locks the door behind us.
I go into my closet, strip, and put on the candy thong and cowboy boots, as requested.
The candy thong is not particularly comfortable, I might add.
I look at myself in the mirror. The pastel embroidered cowboy boots are the same colors as the candy, so I match. But . . .
“You’re taking an awfully long time in there,” Aiden says, knocking on the door.
“I look ridiculous.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that.”
I shake my head at myself in the mirror, knowing I’d be ridiculous for Aiden any time if it makes him happy.