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Aiden did that tiny little half-assed smile he conjured up for fans as he nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate it.” That big head turned to face me. “Take the picture?”
The woman smiled sheepishly at me before handing over her phone. I got the camera in focus as the older couple sandwiched Aiden between them—they looked so small in comparison!—and was taking a step back when I caught movement in the sliver of space between Aiden and the female fan. He never put his arm around people in pictures, I’d noticed from the begi
By the time I handed the phone over, we were next in line, and I left Aiden to finish listening to his handsy fans as I ordered popcorn with no butter, a medium soda, and a bottle of water.
“It was so nice meeting you!” the woman called out as Aiden headed toward me once I was out of line.
I barely managed to raise the bag of popcorn to face level when I lost it, peeking at him when I wasn’t blinking away tears.
The fact that Aiden’s ears turned red as he watched me crack up, said he knew what I was dying over. “Don’t say a word,” he gritted.
“Did she grab a handful?” I choked out.
The look he gave me was a mix of ‘you’re an idiot’ and ‘fuck off,’ which only made me laugh harder.
He’d gotten molested. By a fan. Right in front of me.
That split second look of surprise on his face when he got fondled would probably stay with me for the rest of my life.
“Shut up, Vanessa.”
I was dying. He usually just ignored me, but this was so much better. “I’m not saying anything!” I wheezed from behind the bag of popcorn.
Aiden narrowed his eyes, waiting patiently. “Are you done?” he asked after a few more seconds of me cracking up.
I had to wipe at the tears in my eyes with the back of my hand, shaking my head. “I—I—”
He gestured me toward the doors to the theater. “Get inside before they close the doors.” His tone was exasperated and maybe even a little embarrassed. Maybe. Why would getting his butt cheek squeezed rile him up?
I had to swallow raggedly as I wiped at my face one more time, picturing that epic look of shock once more. I lost it again. “Does that kind of thing happen often?”
“No. Would you stop laughing?”
It was almost two in the morning by the time we made it back to the hotel. I felt happier than I had in forever. The show had been amazing, and di
So when we got inside the living area to the suite and started going in opposite directions toward our rooms, I stopped at the doorway to mine and turned to look at the man I’d signed papers with hours ago. He was visibly tired, after all, he usually went to bed by nine at the latest, and he looked beyond exhausted.
Why wouldn’t he though? He’d played a preseason game twelve hours ago and only managed to nap twice since then. Damn it. This sense of unwanted affection seeped its way into the place between my breasts.
“Thank you so much for staying up and coming with me,” I said, squeezing my hands at my sides as I smiled at him. “I had a really good time.”
Aiden nodded, one corner of his mouth moved a millimeter, but it was a millimeter that could have moved a mountain. “Me too.”
I was too soft to be excited by that sliver of a smile. “Good night.”
“Night.”
It wasn’t until after I showered and had snuggled under the covers that I finally let myself sink into reality. I was a married woman.