Page 55 of Pretender

If he has nerves about today, he’s not showing it.

“I can see you, you know.” His easy smile unfurls on his face.

“Hi to you too,” I say, a wave of relief hitting at his relaxed expression. He opens the door from the inside and shuffles over the other seat so I can enter. A gorgeous camel brown jacket is halfway across the seat, so when he doesn’t move it, I carefully pick it up so I don’t sit on it.

Settling into my seat, I put the suede jacket between us, still not daring to look up at him.

When I close the door, the car is filled with his scent, it wraps around me like the hug he gave me last night. Mo starts driving and I finally glance over at Aiden. His gaze is on the street, his hands relaxed in his lap.

I pick at a cuticle, wondering where we are right now. We didn’t dance the same way again after the chat, and he mostly talked with other people. Although, I enjoyed my time with Rey so I didn’t dwell on it. It was fun to discuss the university Rey and I both attended, albeit at different times. We had a lot of the same professors and went to the same bars.

She’s lovely. If this thing with Aiden was real, I’d try to be her friend for real too.

If Aiden was upset with me yesterday for kissing him, he hid it well behind his frequent laughs. I don’t know him well enough to tell for sure.

And I definitely can’t tell what he’s thinking right now.

“How do you want to do this today?” I ask, gesturing between us. “How do you want me to be?”

Aiden looks at me, his eyes flicking between mine.

“Just be yourself.”

Oh no.

“Aiden…”

“Linnea.”

“Umm… Can you just tell me what’s best? I don’t want to embarrass you.”

Aiden mutters something under his breath, shaking his head, and my chest tightens. Ugh, I’ve already started off in the wrong way.

“It’s okay,” I say quickly, keen to quell the discomfort.

He turns towards me in the seat, leaning his knee against the middle. Oh, a jeans-knee. He’s in casual clothes. He’s always worn a shirt and chinos or suit trousers. I’ve never seen him in jeans. And a white v-neck t-shirt.

Arms.

I blink. He was about to say something.

“Linnea, I’ve noticed that you sometimes seem to keep a professional shield up, perhaps trying not to be too … animated?”

I inhale sharply.

Why did he choose that word?

I open my mouth to say something, although I’m unclear on what, and Aiden holds up a hand.

“I’ve seen you over the last two years. I’ve experienced your energy, I’ve heard you laugh, I’ve dodged your arms as you flail when you get really into it.”

I grimace, but he’s smiling.

“I’m not asking you to be any certain way,” he continues. “I’m just saying that you don’t have to hold back. Just be you. Do what’s natural for you.”

A smile spreads across my face, and I have to swallow hard to force that lump back down. I blink as my eyes sting, and look away.

Fucking hell.