was it.
Roller skating had ended in him falling three times because he couldn’t keep up with me.
Also, I’d worn short shorts that he said were “categorically unfair” when he was supposed to be keeping his balance.
His family knew we were dating, but I hadn’t talked to any of them since we started, mainly because we wanted Anya to be involved whenever I went to his parent’s house the first time.
That changed just beyond the two-week mark.
I sat behind the front desk the day after we baked our cakes at my apartment, updating some new member files. Someone opened the door, which was unlocked because I was teaching a class in about an hour's time.
Glancing up with a polite smile, I froze when I recognized her from Aiden’s picture.
Her hair was pulled up high on her head, and she had a gym bag slung over her shoulder. “You must be Isabel.”
She set her hands on the front desk and studied me unabashedly.
I held out my hand. “You must be Eloise. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I’m taking your class today,” she informed me. “Decided it was worth skipping a day of school and driving back into town.”
With a grin, I handed her a form. “You here to form your own opinion?”
“Aiden assures me you are a glorious human being, so I’m inclined to believe him.” But she smiled. “But yes, I’m here to make up my own mind about you.”
I stood, started wrapping my hands. “Well, Eloise, by the time you finish here, you will either hate me or love me. There’s not usually much middle ground with me.” I tilted my head toward his office. “He know you’re here?”
“Nope. My brothers bet me ten bucks I couldn’t get him to take class at the same time as me, especially if you’re teaching.”
“I’ll throw in twenty that I can get him to join.”
She laughed. “I don’t think I’d take a bet against you, Isabel Ward.”
“I’ll go talk to him while you fill that out.” I walked into Aiden’s office and knocked softly before I walked in. He was reading some articles about weight training, and on his face were those sexy as hell glasses. “I think you should take my class today.”
He spun in his chair with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Yeah? Why’s that.”
I approached slowly, finishing up the second wrap with a tight yank to the velcro strap at the end. “Maybe I want to torture you a little.”
Aiden widened his legs so I could step between them, sliding his hands up my thighs until he bracketed my hips with his fingers. “You torture me just by walking around here.”
Bracing a hand on the top of his chair, I leaned down to give him a kiss. He cupped the back of my neck and slicked his tongue against mine with a contented hum.
“Okay,” he said against my lips. “I’ll take your class.”
I smiled.
“On one condition,” he added.
“What’s that?”
His eyes held mine steadily. “I want you to come over tonight after Anya goes to bed.”
My eyebrows popped up. “Really?”
Aiden stood from the chair and held my face in his hands. “I miss holding you while I sleep. As fun as office sex is, or in your cramped-ass bed in your apartment, I want to know what it feels like to climb into my bed with you right where I’ve imagined you.”
I let out a deep breath. He kissed my forehead, but let me think.
“You’re not worried Anya will wake up?”
He shook his head. “She hasn’t woken up in the middle of the night in weeks, and the last few times, she always calls for me. As long as we set an alarm, she won’t have any idea.”
I nodded, excitement building as I imagined it. “Deal.”
“You gonna go easy on me in class?”
Up on my tiptoes, I tugged on his earlobe with my teeth, relished in how he tightened his grip when I did. Into his ear, I whispered, “You fucking wish.”
His eyes promised retribution a million times over the next hour and a half. When he saw his sister, when I unleashed all my inner dominatrix on him and had his chest heaving and soaked in sweat by the time I brought the class to cool-down. I probably brought it a touch too far when I got down in front of him and told him to lower his ass another inch in the plank he was holding.
And because Anya was dropped off just before we finished, there would be