“Alice, it’s your turn again.” Aiden’s voice distracted me from my thoughts, and I blinked slowly as I gazed at him, momentarily forgetting I was twenty-two and not still thirteen.

“Sorry,” I said softly and picked up the dice and rolled them gently. I wondered if he remembered our conversation from that night. I wondered if he remembered how he told me to wait for Mr. Right. I wondered if he knew that I thought he was the one. I wondered what he would think if he knew of the plans I had for the two of us. I sighed inwardly as I thought of those plans. A part of me told me to just be patient and let fate play its hand, but the other part of me was too impatient to wait any longer.

Chapter Five

Not All Athletes Are in Shape

Have you ever experienced that emotion that feels like it could become tears or laughter in the same moment? It’s like your head can’t quite decide how you want to express your feelings. Seeing Aiden at flag football practice, the week after game night, in his black shorts and skintight white T-shirt was one of those moments for me. I was so overwhelmed by emotions that for a few seconds I felt as if the air had been punched out of me.

“Alice, what are you doing?” Liv pushed me forward as I’d just stopped moving in the middle of the field.

“Aiden,” I said weakly as my knees started to crumble. My heart was racing and my face was burning. I have to admit I felt like I was ten again and seeing my childhood crush, Tommy Walker, sitting in my English class flipping his long blond surfer-like hair.

“You’re doing Aiden?” Liv laughed at me. “Say what?” she said as she stared at me and giggled. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I took a large gulp of fresh air and started to walk again.

“Hey, Liv. Hey, Alice.” Aiden smiled and gave us both a quick wave before continuing to stretch.

“Hi,” I said breathlessly.

“Hey, nerd brain,” Liv shouted at him and then started laughing as he shook his head. I could tell from his expression that he was surprised to see us there.

“Grow up, Liv.” Aiden shook his head and he looked as if he wanted to say something else, but he didn’t. Instead he looked at me and gave me a small smile before speaking. “Hey, Alice.”

“Hey,” I responded back with a small smile, my heart racing. I wanted to say more than “Hey.” I wanted to say something witty and funny. I wanted to make him laugh and think to himself, “Wow, that Alice is funny, beautiful and smart. I need to get with her now!” Of course, me being me, all I said was “hey.”

“So you two are interested in football now?” He raised an eyebrow at us as he continued stretching. “Or are you interested in the guys?”

“Very funny, Aiden,” Liv said in a high tone. “My boyfriend had better not hear you say that.”

“Hear him say what?” Xander suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and I watched as he looked Liv over appreciatively, as if he wanted to eat her up. I wished that Aiden would look at me the same way.

“Aiden was saying we’re here to meet guys,” Liv said in a decidedly snarky voice and I wanted to groan. Because what Aiden had said was partly true, only it was just me to meet men. And the man I was interested in getting to know better was him.

“Are you?” Xander grinned at her. “Because that would be awkward if you wanted to meet a guy here. What with me being here and all.”

“Oh, really?” Liv said with her hands on her hips. “That’s it? It would be awkward? That’s all you have to say?”

“You don’t think it would be awkward?”

“So you would be cool with me trying to hook up with another guy?” She sounded pissed, and I wanted to shake her. “You’d be fine, but slightly awkward?”

“Obviously not.” Xander sighed. “Would it make you feel better if I said I would punch the guy in the face?”

“I don’t believe in violence,” Liv said with a straight face and then she giggled. “But yes, that makes me feel better.”

“Hey, Liv!” Henry shouted as he ran onto the field. Henry was Xander’s younger brother and he was divine looking. He had the same short dark hair and green eyes as Xander, and he was built like a soccer player, with long lean legs, muscular thighs and calves and a torso that looked like it had been carved by Michelangelo. “Hey, Alice.” He grinned at me and whistled. “You two are looking mighty fine for a game of flag football.”

“Thank you.” I grinned at him as Liv laughed. I could see Xander and Aiden frowning as Henry walked up to us both and gave us a quick hug.

“I didn’t know you girls were into football,” he said as he stepped back.

“Well, you know.” I shrugged, wanting to make sure Liv didn’t say something stupid. “We wanted to get our exercising on.”

“Yeah, we want washboard stomachs,” Liv continued. “And perky asses.”

“I wouldn’t be complaining if either of you were my woman.” Henry winked at us, and we both giggled.

“You know, Alice is single,” Liv said and my face went beet red as Henry looked at me with an interested eye. “You guys should go out some time.”

“I would like that.” He nodded as he looked me up and down. “I would like that a lot.”

“Shall we get started with the game?” Aiden’s voice interrupted the moment and his eyes were shooting daggers at me as I looked over at him. “This is a field for flag football, not the local meet-up site for Match.com.”

“Don’t be a jerk.” Liv shook her head at her brother and then looked at me and winked. “If Henry and Alice want to make plans to go on a hot date, then let them.”

“Liv, seriously, grow up.” Aiden’s voice was stiff and he turned around and blew a whistle. “Hey, guys, we’re about to get started.” He shouted out to all the other people in the field. “Please gather around so we can pick teams.”

“Bossy-boots as usual,” Liv whispered to me as we walked to stand in the crowd of people in front of Aiden. “I swear I don’t know why you want to date him. He’s just way too annoying and obnoxious.”

“Maybe that bossiness will be good in the bedroom,” I whispered back to her. “Maybe it won’t be as annoying.”

“You’ll have to let me know.” She giggled. “Well, not any specific details, just if the sex makes up for it all.”

“If we even get to have sex.” I sighed. “At the rate this is going, it’ll be a while.”

“What will be a while?” Xander asked me as he stood next to us.

“Her and Aiden hooking up in the bedroom,” Liv answered.

“I thought you guys have already hooked up?” He looked confused.

“Yeah, we had sex once,” I said. “But I’m wondering if we will have sex again.” For some reason, my voice grew louder and as I spoke, I realized that the field was silent and there were a few people looking at me.

“Are you ready, Alice?” Aiden said sarcastically as he stared at me. “Or would you like us to wait while you discuss your sex life?”

“Please go ahead,” I squeaked out and glared at him. Insufferable pig. I looked away from him, angry that I had somehow turned back to my teenage self around him. I was older now. More confident. More capable. I wasn’t some immature little teenager anymore. I was an adult, and I wasn’t going to allow Aiden to make me feel like some naughty little kid. At least, not outside of the bedroom.

***

“I’m glad you’re on my team.” Henry smiled at me as we stood at the end of the field, panting.

“Me too.” I smiled and took a deep breath. My heart was racing from all the running, and I just wanted to collapse onto the ground.

“The other team seems to be way too serious.” He laughed and we watched as Aiden and Xander kept throwing the ball back and forth.

“I don’t know how Aiden and Xander wound up on the same team.” I laughed. “It almost seems unfair. Though I’m glad because that means I’m not paired with either of them.”