My Aussie Guy - Liz Lovelock Page 0,5
and even if I did, I probably shouldn’t get involved with him because he’s only here on exchange and will be leaving in a few months.
All right, Elsie, snap out of whatever fantasy you have brewing in your crazy mind about Aiden and just be yourself.
Don’t get attached. I repeat. Do not get attached.
A knock at the door brings Jimmy to his feet. “I’ve got it.” Food makes that guy jump to attention.
“Anyone would think he’s starving.” Aiden laughs behind me.
I jump, not realizing he’s that close, and step forward. “Ha, yeah, he is all about the food these days… and being a pain in the ass.”
“Yeah, I’m slowly figuring that out,” he says as he brushes past me, his chest sliding over my arm. Is he doing this on purpose? I’m sure there’s plenty of room for him to go around me.
Stop analyzing everything, Elsie.
We eat in silence, and I swear I can feel eyes on me, but whenever I glance between them, no one appears to be paying any attention to me. I can feel it, though—a tingling up my back.
When we’re all finished, I stand. “Well, I’m going to get going. Got a big day tomorrow with classes.”
Addison jumps up from Parker’s lap. When did she move there? Totally missed it.
She walks me to the door. “You are so quiet tonight,” she whispers.
“I feel weird. It’s so not me to be this silent.”
“I know. You’re freaking me out with this weirdness.” She smiles.
“I’ll move past it. It’s just the newness about him that has me very intrigued. Plus, he’s Australian. Who wouldn’t fall for that? I’m sure every girl will be tripping over their panties to meet him.”
We laugh. Addison hugs me.
As we part, Aiden steps out from the living room. “Let me walk you home.”
Is he serious? “Ah… no, it’s okay. It’s only across the road.” I wave my hand around, brushing off his offer. Secretly, I want him to walk me home more than anything.
“No, I’d rather you got home safely.” Aiden sidesteps around me and opens the door. I give Addison a hug and call out bye to the other guys.
“Message me,” Addison says as I move out the door with Aiden following closely behind.
“Will do. See you later.” Stepping into the cool night air refreshes my frazzled brain.
“You good? You have everything?”
My hand drops to my phone in my pocket and my bag hanging off my shoulder, so I nod. “Yep, all good. You really don’t have to walk me home… it’s literally across the road,” I say, clasping my hands together in an attempt to stop them shaking. He makes me nervous.
“Trust me. It’s all good.”
“All right. So long as you’re sure.” I must sound like a fool, repeating myself.
Aiden laughs. “Yes, I’m sure. Let’s go.”
A rather awkward silence falls between us. The street is quiet tonight as we come across no cars at all.
Aiden clears his throat. I look up at him. “So, do you actually play basketball?”
A heated flush warms my cheeks. Damn him. “I… ah… no, I don’t, and I don’t even know why I offered. I feel foolish. Hence the reason I smacked my head on the door as well. I was all over the place tonight.” I laugh nervously. My stomach squeezes with dread.
“Why?”
Dude, what’s with the twenty questions? And I can’t even avoid them.
“Just because.” I really don’t want to have to explain that my reason was meeting him. That’s downright embarrassing. I quickly jump in before he can bring up any more of my awkward moments tonight. “So, how long are you in America for?”
He shrugs. “I think a year. I’m not set on a date yet.”
“Cool. Do you have a girlfriend back home?” I want to slap myself across the head. Why did I ask that stupid question?
Aiden is silent as we walk across the road and back onto campus grounds.
I sense he doesn’t want to talk about it. “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. I shouldn’t have asked. Occasionally, I don’t have a filter, and words just spill from my mouth.”
Aiden shoves his hand into his pockets. “No, it’s okay. I, ah… I have a girlfriend.”
Double embarrassment. Here I am, being all nervous and hoping he likes me, and he has a girlfriend. Well, that sucks. All of a sudden, the excitement I had deflates like a balloon.
I rub my neck. “That’s cool. I bet you miss her.”
“Yep. I do.” I look up at him, and his eyes are averted