Page 60 of Instigator

“I don’t think I can do that,” I admit.

Ceci nods like it’s been decided. “Then we keep it to one night only.”

She doesn’t get it.

“I don’t think one night will be enough. Not with you.”

twenty-five

. . .

Ceci

I stare at him.

He stares back.

I open my mouth.

Close it.

Finally, I ask: “What do you mean?”

Aidan holds my gaze, no hesitation in his blue eyes. “I want more than one night with you. I don’t want to be fuck buddies. I don’t want to be casual.”

My mouth goes dry. “So…”

“I’d like to date you,” he continues. “A serious, committed, monogamous relationship. We’ve already done all the getting to know you part. I already know I like you. Now we just need to figure out if we’re compatible. And if we are…”

“If we are,” I repeat.

He squeezes my hands. “Then we could have something really special.”

The light jazz music pumping through the bistro echoes dully in my ears. Every sense is heightened as I stare at my best friend, who’s asking me for something I never thought would actually happen. And now that he is…

“Aidan—”

But he shakes his head. “No. This is just us. Wish and Annie. Not… the rest of it.”

A serious, committed relationship.

“You don’t date.”

“I’ve never met someone I wanted to date. Not until you.”

“That’s a lot of pressure,” I admit. “What if we fuck up our friendship?”

“We won’t,” he swears. “I’m sure we’ll have our challenges. Every couple does. If we’re not compatible, the rest of it won’t matter. But if we are, if we can navigate both parts of it, I think what we can have would be really awesome.”

Can I do this? It’s all I’ve wanted, but now that it’s being dangled in front of me, I don’t know that I can go through with it.

Chewing my cheek, I admit, “I’ve been single for a long time. I like being single. Doing my own thing. I don’t want to have to answer to anyone.”

He laughs. “Do you really think I’d get in your way? I’m not trying to cage you. I want you to fly free.”

I consider it. I really do. When I thought all he wanted was sex, I was all for it. But now that there are feelings involved?

“I travel nearly every week for three-quarters of the year,” he adds. “There will be plenty of times when we’re apart. Some couples let it drive them further apart. I think it will bring us together. We can still do everything we’re already doing, just with an extra bonus.”