Page 94 of Pretender

He lets out a snort.

“Hey, it’s a good shoe.”

“Your bones are fine, though?”

“Yeah, yeah, but look.” I point. “No walking to Borough Market now.”

“Alright. Where do we get your thingy? What is it, anyway?”

“Banh mi. It’s a Vietnamese baguette.”

“Okay. I’ll have Mo pick us up and we’ll get whatever we need on the way.”

“On the way where?”

“Your house, of course. You’ve seen mine, now it’s your turn to play host.”

“Oh really?”

“Really. Or do you have a better idea? Where can you go without shoes?”

I consider the options. He’s right, there aren’t many respectable ones. Plus, I’m really craving a lemongrass chicken banh mi and there’s an excellent Vietnamese place near Shepherd’s Bush station.

“Let’s do it. Let’s go to my house.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

if you were a house

LINNEA

My hands shake as I try to open my front door. I glance back at Aiden standing patiently, waiting for me, holding the bag of our takeaway food with a little smirk on his face.

The ride here was charged.

Despite our easy-flowing conversation, there was an undercurrent of need and want that made me hyper-aware of every nerve ending in my body, and now I’m a wreck.

Why did I say yes to bringing him here? I’m the girl at the end of a date who just agreed to a nightcap, and I’m not sure what I want to happen between us.

“All good over there?” Aiden asks when I jab the key against the side of the keyhole for the fourth time.

“Yep, it’s just a bit fiddly.”

Fucking focus, Linnea.

When I finally get it open, I let out a small ‘whoop’ and hear a chuckle behind me, but I don’t turn. Right now, the last thing I want to see is Aiden’s wide smile and perfect teeth and those little crinkles that form next to his eyes when he laughs. I especially don’t want him to do the lip thing that makes his dimple appear. I’d wave goodbye to my dignity, because that fucking heart-melting, panty-searing expression would make me jump into his arms and beg him to ravage me. Right here on the steps.

“Welcome to my little sanctuary,” I say instead, opening the door, letting Aiden step through behind me. He stops in the middle of the entrance hall, scanning the space as I close the door.

“I got this lamp at one of those antique shops in Notting Hill,” I babble, pointing up to the small chandelier hanging from the white Georgian patterned ceiling I’ve had made. “Quite a few treasures from there around the place, actually.” I gesture to the teal-repainted French Rococo chest of drawers and the ornamental mirror above it. Expecting a comment, but not getting one, I finally dare let my eyes find Aiden. He looks transfixed. Eyes wide, mouth slack with a smile playing at its edges. He’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. Those lips. Thick, full, with a prominent Cupid’s bow.

I shouldn’t stare at them like this.

“Linnea.” His voice is a low rumble, and I drag my eyes away from his mouth and up to his piercing blue gaze. He drops the takeaway bag to the floor and I hold my breath. He takes a step toward me.

My heart is about to jump out through my throat.

“You should come meet Pedro, Erling, and Jonathan.” I point towards the living room where my three little leafy pets are waiting.