Missing (The Brannock Siblings Book 3), page 8
"God, will you ever just let that go? I'm making brownies you jerk and I'm in a hurry because I have a pizza in the oven that will be done any minute."
I scratched the back of my neck, debating on whether or not to beg her to stop or to just go over there and help her myself. It really wasn't that hard of a decision.
"Okay, you go back to your apartment and make sure your oven doesn't explode. I'll bring the eggs and oil over in a second."
She smiled and my chest tightened once more. Is this what Con had been talking about? He said he always felt like he was about to go into cardiac arrest when he would look at Emily those first few weeks. Still did.
"Thank you so much," she squeaked and turned away.
"No problem."
I watched her scurry back to her apartment frantically and shook my head. She was too cute for her own good and she had absolutely no idea.
I resigned myself to missing the first half of my show and grabbed the eggs and oil along with a couple beers and made my way to her apartment. She'd left the door open a crack so I let myself in. I could spank her for not being more careful, but if I hadn't been able to just walk in, I would have missed the sight in front of me.
There was music coming from a stereo on the counter and she was bent over in front of the open oven door. This sight alone would have turned me on, but it was the shaking of her hips that made my mouth go dry. She was dancing to the music as she placed the finished pizza on the stove and her rhythm was off by a long shot. I chuckled quietly because she was a terrible dancer, yet, she still managed to amaze me.
She must have heard because she shrieked and jumped away. She caught herself of the stove and her hand landed on the hot pan.
"Ow, son of a bitch!"
"Oh shit! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
She shook her hand out and inspected the red skin on her palm. "It's okay. I should have been paying attention."
"Here, let me see that." I walked into her space and took her hand in mine. "We need to get it cooled down, put it under some cold water."
"Thank you, doctor," she said with an overly sweet smile.
I rolled my eyes and pulled her to the sink, turning it on and holding her hand under the cool stream of water.
She winced and held her breath, making her cheeks turn red after a few seconds. I moved a lock of hair behind her ear and she immediately pulled her plump bottom lip between her teeth. "Breathe, Aiden."
She looked up at me, her brown eyes wide and anxious. Her lip was viciously trapped between her teeth and the freckles on her nose were so light you wouldn't even notice them unless you were up close. I tugged at her lip and she gasped. Never before had I wanted to kiss a woman so desperately, to bite that lip for her. Her scent swarmed around me, sugary sweet with a hint of fruitiness. Edible.
I smothered a groan and shifted, attempting to hide the hard on that was rapidly forming and released her hand. "Keep it there for a few minutes while I get some ice."
"I can do that."
"No, just stay there."
She huffed and turned her attention to her hand while I moved to the freezer, grabbing her kitchen towel on the way there, and started gathering some ice out of her icebox. I needed a distraction or I would end up pushing her against the wall instead of pushing her towards a relationship that was more than friendship.
"So what's so important about the pizza and brownies that you swallowed your pride and asked me for help."
"I didn't ask you for help, I just asked you for some ingredients," she responded and I could practically hear her eyes rolling.
"Same thing."
This time, I watched her roll her eyes, but her grin held more than a little amusement. I liked that I could use her sass for good, make her laugh at herself in the process. She shut off the water before I handed her the makeshift icepack.
"I can't watch American Ninja Warrior without pizza and brownies. It would ruin the whole vibe for the week."
I froze and stared down at her, her red hair falling in her face as she struggled not to meet my eyes, almost as if she was embarrassed by the information she had just given me.
"You watch that, too?"
Her head jerked up and a sexy as hell grin slid over her face. "Every week. Makes me want to train to do it myself, that's what the pizza and brownies are for. To talk me out of it."
I laughed at her reasoning because it was the smartest thing I had ever heard. "I'm staying. You go sit down and I'll make the brownies."
"But-"
"Go sit and trust me. I make the best damn brownies in the state, possibly the whole country, just don't tell anyone I can bake or cook."
"Why?"
"Because then I won't get free meals and desserts out of pity. Pity meals are the most delicious."
She scowled at me, but there was a hint of a smile behind it so I added, "Plus, there is no way I'm missing Ninja Warrior tonight. I missed last week and it ruined the whole week for me."
This of course, was not true, but I wasn't above saying anything to make her let me stay.
She bit her lip again and I felt my chest compress and my hands clench into fists. Those lips were in need of soothing and I came to the conclusion that the only person on this earth that would take that job seriously enough was me.
"I have last week still recorded."
Nodding, I turned to the box of brownies, hoping she didn't catch the quickly growing erection that was becoming a God damned nuisance these days. "Then I guess I'm staying for a while."
She laughed and sat down at the dining table. I grabbed a plate and set a slice of pizza on it before handing it over.
"Thanks, Gus."
"Thank you, Aiden. I haven't had pizza and brownies since I was in college."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
I took a bite of pizza before cracking the eggs into a mixing bowl to start the brownies. "It means, I don't get to eat a lot of junk food. I overloaded when I was back in Oakland and it took what felt like forever to make up for it when I got home."
"Is that why you were always at the gym when I contacted you?"
I nodded, remembering how quickly I would end my work out just to talk to her.
"I thought you were a body builder or something since you were there so much."
I laughed and started the mixer after dumping the rest of the ingredients in. I was no body builder, but I liked to stay in shape and not just because my job required it.
"So, tell me how you make the best brownies in the country if you just follow the recipe."
I turned and winked at her. "That's a secret, babe."
She huffed as if she was annoyed at my very obvious flirting skills, but I saw the blush on her cheeks. "I'm going to go start last week's episode, Romeo. Hurry it up, will ya?"
She tossed the ice in the sink and walked out of the kitchen while I finished mixing the batter. There really wasn't a secret. Mom just always turned off the oven a few minutes before they were finished and then pulled them out when they were just right. Still gooey. Seeing how Aiden probably hadn't had good brownies in a while since she made them herself, she wouldn't be suspicious and they would probably be the best in the country. To her.
I smiled to myself. This whole not cooking well thing wasn't as bad as I thought. It was fun to tease her, but she still tried, and that's all anyone could ask for. Right? Plus, I could cook for the both of us.
That thought made my stomach roll, but not with nausea or anxiety. All the women I had been with in the past were nothing now. They weren't even a memory. I hadn't seen a future with one woman in all of my 30 years. Until now.
I wanted it. With her.
Chapter 5
Aiden
After that Sunday night of pizza, the best brownies she had ever tasted, and a couple hours of her favorite show sitting next to Fergus Brannock, Aiden thought the whole thing had been a dream. She had never had so much fun just staying in and gorging herself on junk food. Gus kept up a steady stream of commentary on the show and Aiden found herself falling over with laughter at some of the things he said.
There was nothing funny about the show. In fact, it was a very serious competition for those involved. Some didn't make it far, but they had spent every day of their lives over the last year or so before the competition training and focusing on the end goal of finishing the obstacles with a decent time. It hurt sometimes to watch because the strength needed for some of the challenges was ridiculous. She knew without a doubt she couldn't force herself to get to that level of physical condition and accomplish something like American Ninja Warrior. Hence, the pizza and brownies - and beer thanks to Gus running to his place before the show started. He had adamantly told her that she didn't need to train like that to look like she was in shape and instead of taking it as a compliment, she ignored him. He was already proving to be quite the charmer and she couldn't handle it.
No matter how serious she got, however, Gus easily pushed the mood where it needed to be between the two of them. It was exactly what the last few months had been like whenever they had spoken over the phone. Never in a million years did she think it could be even better, especially after their recent discovery about each other. But it was better.
Gus was better than Dreamy could have ever been and it scared the hell out of her. Friends she could do, but she was finding that it might not be enough.
It was baffling to realize that after all they had shared, they still didn't know a damn thing about each other. All the details that hadn't seemed so important at the time were now the reasons why she found it so hard to move forward. His job being the biggest obstacle.
Over the next week, she only saw Gus once or twice during the day and it was usually a quick "Hey, how's your day going?" and that was it. Work kept him busy and she stayed occupied trying not to paint the things he inspired in her. Those blue and grey eyes were all she saw when she stared at a blank canvas, his smile was all she could think about when she went to bed, when she woke up. To think that just over a week ago, she was plotting ways to take out her revenge on him, only to now find herself plotting ways to just see him.
It was turning into a mess of a problem and it didn't help that Lily was constantly asking about him and begging her to delete her profile from the dating site and just go for it with Gus.
When Aiden walked away at the restaurant that night, she thought that would be it. It was over. No more late night talks with a man she was dying to meet in person, no more hostile witty banter with her handsome detective neighbor. She had been sure that the course of her life would have shifted. Instead, she found that there was a reason they stayed clueless until that perfect moment.
There was a reason she had hated him so much in those months after she moved in. The line between love and hate couldn't be any thinner. She couldn't say that she loved him, but there was no way in hell she could say that she hated him anymore.
It was Sunday night once more and she'd had no luck finding a studio. Her apartment was practically overflowing with paintings that she could never put on sale because they were too personal. She sold four more pieces at a local auction during the week and made enough to maybe look for a nicer studio than she had originally planned.
She was going over the ads in the paper when a thud on her door gave her a welcomed interruption. She glanced at the clock and realized that she only had twenty minutes to start her pizza and brownies before her show started.
She hurried to the door and peeked through the peep hole. Her gasp was loud enough to be heard through the door. How did she know this? Because Gus' smile widened as she stared at him through the tiny distorted window.
Willing her blush away, she slowly opened the door, looking up at him through her lashes. He shifted on his feet, eggs and a bottle of oil in his hands and an anxious expression, as if he wasn't sure he was welcome.
Smart man, because she wasn't even sure about it. She may have made certain discoveries about her feelings for him, but that didn't mean she was willing to address those discoveries out loud or by any kind of action on her part.
Instead of smiling back like she wanted to and welcoming him inside to obviously share another night of their show, she decided to take the sassy route he appreciated so much.
"Can I help you, Fergus?"
His smile went crooked, like a smirk, but sweeter. "Red. Good to see you."
Knowing his reasoning for calling her Red, the smile she had been fighting broke through. She drew in a breath and blew it out on a "Sorry."
He shrugged and lifted his hands. "Brought the ingredients just in case. I also have a pizza in my freezer and a six pack if you need it. Saw the shelf full of brownie mixes in your pantry last week so I figured you didn't need any back up."
God, help me.
If he got any cuter, she wouldn't need brownies to soothe her sweet tooth. She stepped back and gestured for him to enter. "Let's get started then."
***
Gus had not only become a friend over the next couple weeks, but an ever present part of her life. They didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things and ended up arguing more than not, but it always resulted in one or both of them laughing until they couldn't breathe. Something she had only ever had with her sister when they were teenagers. Surprising? Yes, but that's the kind of relationship her and Lily cherished and she prayed nothing ever happened to change that.
With Gus, it was better, sweeter, and starting to tug on her heart a whole lot harder.
He had been working more often and had even gone through a few cases, which he grudgingly kept to himself, so Aiden didn't see him as often as she would have liked. It helped that he made up for it by coming over every Sunday night and stopping by to say hi whenever he was home.
He never pushed for more than just hanging out together. Sure, there were some tense moments when she was sure he wanted to kiss her, but he never did. The problem wasn't that he didn't kiss her, it was the amount of disappointment she felt every time he stepped away. She couldn't explain it, didn't want to even try, but it was there. Always there.
Lily was no help either; always asking about him, always asking how she felt. Her case was getting weaker by the day and Lily no longer acknowledged her argument that she couldn't be with a man who had a dangerous job. No matter how many ways Aiden tried to push it, she always lost to Lily.
She attempted to start conversations with a couple of men on the dating site, but none of them seemed normal. Their first question was a request for her picture. Why she didn't feel comfortable with that, she had no idea. Knowing it was possible to start up a friendship without pictures, her standards were set high and it was going to be a battle to change it.
She was starting to think the whole situation was a losing battle anyway because a piece of her heart tore off each time she was with Gus and she wasn't getting them back. He remembered every detail she ever told him over the phone, every movie she liked or song she couldn't get out of her head whenever she heard it. He started digging further, too. Almost as if it was his life's mission to find out everything about her.
And she couldn't help but do the same.
It was a Saturday morning when she was leaving her apartment to inquire about some space for a studio. It was the only place that hadn't already been taken by the time she called. Probably because it wasn't in the best part of town, but it would have to do for now. The rent was cheap and she was desperate to clear out her apartment. Her already small space felt tinier and tinier surrounded by all the canvases and supplies. Gus never said anything about the mess, he just browsed through her paintings and complimented her often on them.
She knew she was good, but hearing you were good from that one person whose opinion you never thought mattered, but ended up mattering more than anyone else's; it's momentous. Like the feeling you get the moment you walk into a room full of people and the man who holds your heart finally looks up and sees you. Really sees you. You become the only two people in the room because everything and everyone else disappears.
That's what it felt like every time Gus found her, every time he smiled at her.
She shook his image from her mind and headed for the stairs until she saw Gus coming up the last flight to their floor. He looked worn out and stressed, and for the first time in a long time, she didn't think about herself or her issues or her family.
He was all she could see.
"Hey, you okay?"
He lifted his head, not noticing she was there until that moment, and his expression warmed, his eyes brightening slightly and the slump of his shoulders disappearing. She didn't want to read too much into it, but she felt a sputter in her chest whenever he looked at her like that. Whenever seeing her so obviously made his day a little bit better.
"Yeah, Aid. I'm good. Just tired."
Lie. He was a horrible liar. Just as bad as she was. "You want to talk about it?"
He met her at the top of the stairs and stood in her space, filling her senses with him. She didn't make any effort to get some distance. She didn't want it.
"You look like you're heading out."
She shrugged and looked down at her feet, kicking at an imaginary spot on the floor. "And you look like you could use a listening ear." What am I doing? I shouldn't be doing this.
"I don't want to interrupt your day."
Not knowing why it was so easy, but the decision to forget about the dump she was about to go see was made in the next second and she didn't feel even a moment of regret.
"I don't have anything going on. At least, not anymore."
He reached out and lifted her chin with his finger when her stare still didn't leave the floor. His tired eyes gazed down at her and she felt the connection between them brighten. That familiar hum that covered her body whenever he touched her. Those eyes darkened as they locked on hers.
Oh, yes. He felt it, too.
"I know you found a place, babe. Lily told me yesterday when she came to get Aidy."
