Chapter Eight
Sweat was dripping off Aidan’s face as his second cell phone ring. He was almost done with his crunches. If he could survive, he would have one of Beth’s scones as a small reward.
“You’re almost done now, just ten more,” said the Nazi personal trainer in brisk tones.
“I hate you, Pam.” Aidan growled as she coaxed his body to a perfect V.
“I love you, too, now come on, ten more?” Pam responded.
“Aidan?”
“What the hell is it, Serena, can’t you see that Pam is trying to kill me?”
Serena looked at Pam, smiling. “Yes, good job, Pam.”
“Thanks,” Pam replied, with a grin.
“Aidan, your lucky cell phone is ringing,” Serena said, and she and Pam both began to laugh at their private joke at Aidan’s expense. His number two phone number was given out mostly to willing girls with whom he wished to become better acquainted. His primary cell number was for close friends only. Very few people knew the number, and he wanted to keep it that way. Nevertheless, he was struggling with guilt over giving the second cell number to Beth.
She wasn’t like the majority of women who had been given that number. Those women knew the score and were thrilled to be available to scratch an itch. Afterward, they went home, or he went back to his hotel. Everybody got what they wanted. He’d already slept in the same flat as Beth, had tea with her, and he ached all over for her. She certainly hadn’t eased anything. Yet.
Aidan groaned. Beth was adorably innocent of the world he lived in, and it concerned him. He had thus far spent half the time with her battling a strong desire to protect her from his world and the rest scheming how to get her out of her sweet little panties.
“Grab the phone for me, will you?” he asked Serena.
“We’re almost done,” Pam said in a stern voice.
“We are done, thanks,” Aidan said, dismissing Pam with a wave, as he took over the phone.
“Oh, good, Aidan, you’re there. I have a rather gauche question.”
“Oh really? And what’s that, luv?” Aidan asked, smiling at the sound of her voice.
“I don’t know what to wear to this party.”
Aidan shook his head in annoyance. Why should it come as a surprise that she wanted him to buy her something? A beautiful woman should have lovely things to wear. But he had hoped—ah well, she was still a sweetheart. “Don’t have a thing to wear, is it? Well, we can’t have that, can we?” he said coolly. “Why don’t you call me when you get to a shop? I will take care of everything for you.”
“No, that’s not what I meant at all. Why on earth would you think I wanted you to buy me something? I need your advice about what to wear, is it a black tie deal?”
Aidan sighed in relief. She wanted his advice about clothes. Wouldn’t the boys from home love to know that?
“Whatever you choose will be perfect, luv, you have exquisite taste.” A rather interesting thought popped up in his head, and it made him smile. “I would, however, be delighted to help you in any way I can. How about if I come over and give you my rather inexpert opinion on women’s fashion?”
Beth giggled. “You don’t have to do that. I just don’t want to embarrass you or me for that matter.”
“Beth, you couldn’t possibly embarrass me, all right? I’ll be there in two ticks.”
“Does ‘two ticks’ mean really soon?”
“Very soon. You know, tick tock, like a clock?”
“Oh God! Of course, how dumb of me. Sorry.”
Aidan scowled; she was too hard on herself. It was something he had picked up on as a part of her personality, and he didn’t like it. “Do you liked to be spanked, Beth?”
“What? No! No, I don’t,” she said in a voice that rang with shock but still managed to have that backbone he enjoyed so much.
“Good, then listen to me. You are not dumb. If you don’t stop insulting yourself, you may cause me to lose my temper and, believe me, you don’t want that. Do I make myself clear?” he said silkily, with a clear underline of menace that was his trademark voice in the movies.
Pam and Serena were both eavesdropping on his call, and he heard Pam whisper, “She doesn’t sound like a number two to me.”
“We’ll just have to wait and see,” Serena agreed.
He glowered at the two women, and they smiled and waved at him, clearly undaunted by his ill humor.
“Crystal clear. No more self-deprecation. Gotcha.” She added, “But the alpha-male crap has got to go, Aidan. You even try to spank me; you will wake up the next morning with a bald head.”
Aidan laughed and then replied, “I believe we understand each other. See you soon.” He disconnected the phone and turned to the two women staring at him with interest.
“Not a word,” he said sternly to both of them as he removed his shirt and strolled toward the showers.
He pretended not to hear their giggles.