My Aussie Guy - Liz Lovelock Page 0,4

bag and steps away from the room to make a call.

Here’s my chance to talk to her again. “Hey, Elsie, take a seat?”

She turns toward me as I pat the seat beside me with her eyebrows raised. “Yeah, okay, thanks.” She hesitates a little but then makes her way to the seat beside me.

“I saw your name on the tutoring list when I signed up.”

I watch as she processes the words, then slowly, she nods.

“Yeah. Ah… why mention that? Did you sign up under me?” Elsie shifts in her seat. Her fruity perfume floats around me.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I tease, leaning back, studying her.

Elsie’s eyes widen. She opens her mouth to respond, but we’re interrupted when Addison comes back into the room.

“Pizzas are ordered,” she says as she heads to the fridge and pulls out a soda.

“Did you get supreme?” Jimmy asks while he stares down at his phone.

Parker throws a cushion across at him. “Dude, she’s not your slave. She’s mine.” He winks.

Jimmy shrugs, tossing it back at him. “She was ordering for everyone, wasn’t she?”

“Calm ya tits, boys,” Elsie says unexpectedly.

“Thank you, Elsie,” Addison says as she walks to us and stands in front of Elsie. “Now, move over.” For a split second, Elsie doesn’t shift until Addison nudges her leg. A two-seater couch now squeezing three people on it. Elsie moves closer, and our arms rub against each other’s. She becomes stock-still, and I swear I hear her breath hitch.

What kind of game is Addison playing at? When we got here, she filled me in on tonight’s game. She also told me she’d been sussing out Aiden. She reported all good things, and now she’s trying to literally push us together.

Begrudgingly, I slide over closer to Aiden so Addison can sit on the couch. She’s a sly one, this one. I know full well she’d usually sit on Parker’s lap.

“What were you guys talking about before I came back in?” she asks.

“Aiden was asking Elsie about tutoring,” Parker pipes up.

Could they be any more obvious? Since I saw Aiden at the court, I’ve been a mess. Flustered and all over the place. I hardly know this guy, yet he’s here, causing my brain to turn to mush and my heart to flip at every opportunity.

“Oh, you were, were you? Are you going to help him?” she asks me, glancing between us. I aim my glare at her, trying to tell her to stop with this—whatever it is she’s trying to do. It’s uncomfortable. I’ve known this guy all of five minutes, and here she is, trying to shove us together.

Thankfully, Aiden jumps in. “I already signed up today after meeting Elsie. She was one pissed-off chick.” He laughs, tapping my arm.

My head turns toward him. “You guys were being loud and rude. Did you really expect anything different? Seriously, it’s a library, for goodness’ sake.” I finally get a good look at Aiden. His warm, deep-brown eyes watch me. My heart leaps, and I find myself holding my breath for a moment. No guy has ever made me go gaga like Aiden does. Perhaps it’s the Australian thing.

“So, Aiden, you keen for the game on the weekend? I think the coach is hoping you’re as quick as your comebacks have been,” Parker says. Jimmy laughs.

“Well, ya know, you losers can’t be as good as me.” Aiden grins.

Oh, hell, his smile is a chick magnet. I’m totally done for. I have zero chance with this guy.

“Please, I could run rings around you.” Jimmy finally puts his phone down and looks over at Aiden.

“Seriously, boys, it’s like a kindergarten in here.” I laugh. “Is that all you guys do? Argue over who is better? You’re on the same team, for goodness’ sake.” I stand and walk to the kitchen to retrieve a soda from the fridge. I shut the door and turn. My focus is on opening the bottle, and I almost collide with someone. “Oh, sorry.”

I look up. It’s Aiden, and we’re inches apart. His hand reaches out and touches my arm. Is he trying to get close to me?

“Excuse me,” he says, his voice a whisper. Even two small words make my world shift.

“Oh, sorry.” I step aside, out of his way. My face is flaming. Here I was thinking he wanted to get close to me. As usual, I am very wrong. My hands begin to shake for some unknown reason. Why does he have this effect on me? I hardly know the guy,