“I promise.” She leans up and kisses my cheek, then pulls back, and her hands go to the bow tie around my neck before her eyes meet mine. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you how handsome I think you look.”
“You think I look handsome?” I ask, and she rolls her eyes, placing her hands on my chest attempting to shove me back a step, but I keep hold of her, bringing her with me.
“I’m not going to continuously stroke your ego. You already know how handsome you are.”
Walking her backward, with my hands wrapped around her hips, I lower my mouth to hers and thrust my tongue between her lips, waiting until I hear that sound she makes that drives me crazy before I pull away. As I drop one last kiss to her lips, I vow that tomorrow morning I’ll wake up with her in my arms, because there is no other option.
Over the last couple of weeks of knowing her, she’s become important to me in a way I didn’t think was possible. She’s made me reevaluate and question the things I really want. I’ve never had this kind of a connection with another person, let alone a woman. I’ve never wanted to settle down or think about the future outside of my career on the soccer field. With her, I’m looking forward to what’s to come.
But first, we need to get through tonight.
FEELING MAY SQUEEZEmy bicep, I tip my head down to look at her and find a beautiful reassuring smile on her face that does nothing to ease my anxiety.
“It’s going to be okay.” She gives my arm another squeeze as we head up the steps so that we can make our way into the house where the gala is being held this evening. I lean down to place a kiss on her forehead, then cover her hand with mine as we walk through a set of open double doors behind a long row of couples who’ve all dressed up for tonight’s event.
As soon as we step into the foyer, a man comes forward wearing a suit and takes our coats, then a woman offers us champagne from the tray she’s carrying.
“Thank you,” I tell her, taking two glasses.
“Do people actually live here?” May whispers, taking one of the glasses from me, and I chuckle.
“They do.”
“Why?” she asks, looking around the entryway that has to be two thousand square feet with a curved staircase that leads to the second level and a crystal chandelier overhead that is the size of a large dining room table.
“Because they don’t like the people they live with and never want to see them,” I tell her, and she giggles. “So you don’t want to live in a house this size one day?” I’m honestly curious; most of the women here tonight either live in a home this size or wish they did.
“No.” She snorts before taking a sip from her glass as we walk into the large dimly lit room where the party is being held. I scan the space, spotting my mother and sister both talking to Hinckley, one of the men who’s on the board of my father’s company.
“Aiden?” I turn when my name is called and watch a somewhat familiar-looking woman with long auburn hair walk toward me with a smile on her face. “What the hell are you doing here?” She hugs me, catching me off guard.
“Sorry.” I step back, wrapping my arm around May’s waist so I can pull her back into my side. “Do I know you?”
“It’s me. Daisy.” She holds her hand to her chest as she laughs. “Remember, we pretended to date in high school?”
“Holy shit.” I shake my head, finally recognizing her under the makeup and the years that have passed since I last saw her.
“I know.” She rolls her eyes. “I’ve changed a little.” She focuses on May. “Sorry, I’m being rude. I’m Daisy.” She holds out her hand.
“May.” They shake, then a man wearing a tux, with dark hair, and tattoos on his face and hands, comes over and wraps his hand around Daisy’s waist, and she tips her head back to look at him, then grins.
“Honey, I’d like you to meet Aiden—the guy who pretended to be my boyfriend so you and I could be together when we were in high school—and his date, May,” she tells him, and he laughs with her before she turns her attention to us. “Guys, this is my husband, Ryan.”
“Nice to meet you both.” He holds out his fist to me, then dips his chin to May.
“I can’t believe you’re here. The last I heard, you were some big-time soccer player in London,” Daisy says, and I wait for the pain to hit my chest that normally comes when someone brings up soccer, but it never does. “How is your dad doing?”
“Every day, he’s getting a little better.”
“That’s good to hear.” She turns when a little girl yells “Daddy,” and a second later, a dark-haired girl—probably five or six—runs across the room wearing a gold dress that matches Daisy’s.
“Daddy.” The girl plows into Ryan, and he picks her up. “Can I please have a cupcake?”
“Of course you can,” he tells her while Daisy leans in to them and adjusts the little girl’s dress and touches her cheek. Envy slams into my chest as I watch the three of them, and my fingers on May’s waist tighten.
“Grandma said I couldn’t, that I’m getting chubby.” Her little brows drag together. “What’s chubby?”
“Nothing you need to worry about,” he tells her with his jaw clenched before kissing her cheek, then he looks at his wife.
“I’ll deal with my mom,” Daisy assures him softly, rubbing his arm.
“You do it, or I will.” He leans over to kiss her before he places the little girl on the ground and takes her hand. “Let’s go get you a cupcake.” His eyes swing between May and me. “Nice meeting you both. I’m sure we’ll chat.”
I lift my chin and watch him walk off.