Page 45 of Pretender

Aiden is next to me in his white shirt and perfectly tailored, olive green suit, a colour I’ve never seen on him, but his tanned skin and that shade of green make my eyes happy. He sends me a reassuring close-lipped smile when I finally let my eyes meet his. I’m relieved when the car starts moving and Rey and Mark turn to face forward.

Forty minutes. Less if traffic isn’t too bad.

I can do this.

“You know,” Rey starts. “I’ve been nervous about today, Linnea.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” She turns to me when we’re at a red light, and her gaze flits ever so discreetly across my hands in my lap and to Aiden. It’s quick, but the pause is obvious. I’m going to have to be more tactile. They’re expecting it of Aiden, I’m sure.

That doesn’t help the storm in my stomach.

“I just wanted to say that. In case you were nervous about us as well. You don’t have to be. Just be yourself, yeah? We’ve not been on a double date with Aiden before.”

“You haven’t?” I glance up at Aiden, who’s got his classic smirk on. Unfazed.

“Only those who are worth my friends’ time.”

I raise an eyebrow at him.

He leans in, and instinctively I lean closer. “That’s you, by the way,” he says, just loud enough for the others to hear, but low enough for his voice to rumble through the seats. It’s soothing. I’d never expect that Aiden and his performance would calm me down.

My hand moves before I think too much about it and I pat his knee.

What the hell am I doing? I’ve forgotten how to show affection so thoroughly I can’t even fake it.

Or maybe I never knew. I can’t recall what I did before him, and Henry and I weren’t touchy-feely at all.

Aiden looks at my hand and then down at me with a huge grin.

He’s finding this funny?

I can’t help but laugh at his wide eyes, and trying to keep it quiet, it comes out as a giggle.

Jesus, I’m giggling with a man in the backseat.

Rey turns again, beaming, and Aiden grabs my hand in his and plants a kiss on it. It happens so fast that I don’t react to the touch.

“I always thought you guys only tolerated each other. Politely professional kind of thing. This is much better,” Rey says, and Aiden squeezes me gently, resting our clasped hands on top of his knee.

“I agree,” Aiden says. He straightens up in his seat. “Turns out Linnea is impervious to my charm. It was only when I opened up about my dad that she realised there’s more to me than my exceptionally good looks.”

Mark turns this time, his hazel eyes burning into me. Does he know already? Aiden is stretching it too far.

I glance at Aiden next to me. He seems relaxed. Unperturbed.

“Linnea’s sparkling blue eyes can pull anything out of me.” He kisses my hand again.

It takes all my willpower not to roll my eyes. Jamie and Sophie would dry-heave if they were here.

“Oh, please, Aiden,” Mark says and turns away, and I bite my lower lip, trying to hold in the laugh that wants to escape.

Aiden leans in, clearly wanting to say something to me, so I meet him in the middle.

“You’re supposed to be on my side,” Aiden whispers into my ear, for me only, this time. His breath tickles my skin, and heat spreads up my neck, goosebumps rising in its wake.

“Then lay off the butter,” I whisper back, as close to his ear as I can get so no one can hear. My cheek brushes his, and I hear his breath hitching. It makes me acutely aware of every nerve ending in my skin, and I realise he’s still holding my hand.