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But, no. I can't. He's off-limits. My brother's best friend. And men? After Chris, they're on a hiatus in my life. No place for them.
Yet, when Aaron glances my way, his grin warming my insides like the summer sun, my defenses crumble, falling like dominos. The truck's innocent, worn leather seats suddenly feel too confining, the space between us too small.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" His words sneak up on me, causing my heart to stumble over its own rhythm.
"N-no," I stutter out, feeling flustered.
In my peripheral vision, I catch a fleeting grin on his face, but then it's gone, and I can't help but question its existence.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" I throw the question back at him, some part of me yearning for an answer.
His broad shoulders slump slightly as he confesses, "I haven't dated in the past ten years."
My eyebrow arches in surprise.
"Why not? It's not like you're not..." The words tumble out before I can stop them, "...a beautiful man."
Oh, damn it. Did I just say that?
Mortified, I fix my gaze on the winding road ahead, unable to bear the thought of facing him. Out of all the things to say, I had to go with that?
But Aaron, he just laughs. A deep, rumbling sound that vibrates through the truck.
"I never thought I'd hear you say that about me."
I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry.
"Yeah," I manage, my voice barely a whisper, "Me neither."
"Thanks for the compliment, Chloe." Aaron's voice is warm, easing my embarrassment. "But honestly, I never dated because I couldn't find the right person. I've met plenty of girls, but none that... none that I could love, that I'd feel I'd give the world for."
His words stir something within me, a yearning for that same kind of love. Will I ever find it? Perhaps. But not with Aaron. It can't be him. Even if he's grown up to be this ruggedly handsome man, it's just... it can't be.
"Speaking of relationships, why don't you have a boyfriend?" Aaron suddenly asks, a casualness in his voice that doesn't match the thudding of my heart. "You're beautiful too."
The compliment catches me off guard, and I press my legs together, the cooling sweat trickling down my inner thighs reminding me of my own mounting unease. Why does he have to look so good?
"I...I guess I'm in the same boat as you, Aaron." I stumble through my words, flustered under his gaze. "I've met guys, sure, but none really caught my eye. Besides, finding a good man in Willow Creek is hard, especially when everyone knows everyone else's business. I like to keep to myself."
His lips curl into a teasing smirk at my words.
"So, you'd prefer a man that hasn’t lived in Willow Creek for a while?"
Is he toying with me? Does he really have an interest, or is it my loneliness messing with my mind? I mean, he's never shown any sign before. We've known each other since we were teenagers, and even if he was always kind, he never flirted. Not with me.
Sure, I’ve changed over the years, but not dramatically. I'm a bit curvier now, my face slightly weathered by age, but I'm not exactly a swan emerging from her ugly duckling phase, not like Aaron and his astounding transformation.
My heart races, my cheeks burning as if the sunset has set them ablaze. My voice comes out as a mere whisper, but the words feel heavier than any I've ever spoken.
"Maybe... maybe I would."
"I understand," Aaron says, his amber eyes glowing in the fading sunset.
He takes in the quiet expanse of rural green around us, then those intense eyes meet mine again.
"What about you, Aaron? Would you prefer someone from Willow Creek or outside?"
The words are out before I can stop them. What's gotten into me? I can’t control myself. He doesn't reply right away, his jawline now sharpened by the last rays of the sun.
