Caught Goes Both Ways Who: Darcy and Aiden Where: the brewery When: Early morning
Darcy and Liam had fallen asleep, which was fine considering neither one of them had any business going out into the weather or the dark. She’d been curled up against his chest, sleeping softly until morning. When Liam had left she’d kissed him goodbye, holding on to his shirt for a moment before letting him go and going back to clean up. She was folding the blanket, hair falling down from where she’d slept on it pinned up, humming softly to herself. Yes, that was a good date.
Aidan’s dreams had woken him up early, the kind that had him taking a cold shower before quietly sneaking out of the house. He thought maybe getting up and moving would help take his mind off his dreams, which was why he headed down to the brewery a little earlier than usual. He wasn’t a morning person, and he’d been up late, but he wasn’t sure it was healthy to lay in bed and fantasize about a girl that was probably ten years younger than him. Dammit. His mind was elsewhere when he arrived at the brewery, but the soft humming brought him back into focus. Quietly, he stalked his prey, stopping when he saw who it was. “Slumber party last night?” he asked as he came up behind her.
Darcy yelped when he spoke, not having heard him coming and spinning to glare at him. “Jesus, Aiden. You don’t have to sneak up on me.” She gave him a dirty look until his words registered and she realized she was still holding the blanket. “Um...well...yes.” She felt her cheeks go hot pink, ducking her head to hide from him but her hair was still too up to cover it and it wasn’t like the wrinkled dress wasn’t a give away.
“Just want to make sure I’ve still got it,” he said with a tiny smirk. He looked at the blanket as she did, the evidence that something had gone down. The way her cheeks turned pink gave him a better idea, plus the fact that she was wearing a dress, but this was different. If Darcy had blushed before, the night had hidden it well. “You like him,” he said, a touch surprised. “Tell me about this boy that you got all dressed up for while I test today’s batches.”
“You can make sure you’ve still got it on someone else!” She gave him a dirty look, but it faded quickly. How did he see right through her like that? “It’s not what you’re thinking,” she insisted first, setting the blanket aside and grabbing her bag to follow after Aiden. “I mean...yes. God, you won’t tell them will you Aiden? They’ll run him off.” Because she did like Liam. He had that right. She liked being close to someone, feeling like she mattered and sure, Liam was moving slow and was unnaturally quiet, but he was sweet and she could appreciate that.
“But you were here,” he said with a little shrug. She was one of the few he enjoyed sneaking up on. It took actual skill. “Why would I tell them? I assume you camped out here to keep it a secret, not because the brewery floor is comfortable,” Aidan said, waving her along to the first batch of beer. He poured himself a sip, then turned back to her. “What’s his name?” He was naturally curious what kind of guy Darcy would like. She hadn’t seemed interested in much more with any of the others, so this one must be different.
“Mostly yeah,” Darcy admitted about it being a secret. “And Avery already half gave me crap when she’s the one making out with some guy she barely knows.” Not that Darcy hadn’t done that same thing before in life, but it was Avery. Avery was a stick in the mud. She sighed a little, following after her cousin. “His name is Liam. He goes to school with me. I got him in the auction.”
“Avery’s seeing someone?” He really needed to do a better job at keeping up with what was going on with his cousins. He liked knowing these things, even if they didn’t effect him. “If she knows you like him, that’s why she’s picking on you. It’s easier to get under your skin when it matters.” It had been a while for him, but he knew this to be the truth. Plus, he knew everything Avery said annoyed Darcy. “Your age then? Nice guy, I hope?”
“She is. Finn the lumberjack,” Darcy said, rolling her eyes. Not that Finn wasn’t handsome, but he was just so cliche for Avery. Avery probably thought she was living some sort of romance novel. “He is. And yes, the nicest. Nicer than you.” Which probably wasn’t saying much, but she stuck her tongue out with the comment just to drive home that she was teasing.
“I can see her with a lumberjack,” he muttered. He liked Avery. She was a nice girl. But she was so very bland. A lumberjack was probably perfect for her. “I hope he’s nicer than me,” Aidan smirked, taking a sip of the beer. “What’s he like? Did you know him before the auction? Or was he just so hot you had to bid on him when you saw him up on that stage?”
“I know right?” Darcy shook her head. “He’s a nurse, and, yes, I knew him before. I’d wanted to talk to him, but the auction was the perfect chance to really do that. He’s not like them. He’s quiet and shy and sweet.”
“Shy? How’d he end up in the auction?” It wasn’t something he would have volunteered for himself, except Eily had done it for him, so he knew how those things went. Aidan wasn’t shy though. Just quiet.
Darcy shrugged. “Not sure. But he was there and I took advantage of it.” It left her smiling, thinking of Liam and kissing him. “It’s just going slower than most things.”
“Slow’s not always bad,” Aidan said, going to the next keg and tasting the beer. He was trying to take things slow himself, but for entirely different reasons. Like the fact that Sylvia could be as young as fourteen and that was just wrong. “I’ve heard it makes you appreciate it more when you get it.”
“I’m not...worried about it. Just...trying to make sure he still likes me.” Darcy was worried about that much, if he was hesitating about being with her, then maybe it was a reflection on his feelings.
“Sometimes... Sometimes guys go slower with girls they like,” Aidan said, thoughtfully. “It’s a sign of respect. Or he could just be inexperienced. Don’t take it as a sign he might not like you, Darce.”
She bit at her lip, not sure how to admit what came next. “It’s the inexperienced part.” She knew that for sure. If Liam had never kissed a girl, he sure hadn’t done other things with one either.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. If he’s shy, it’s not that big a surprise,” Aidan said, watching Darcy closely. “Give him time. If he’s into you, he’ll figure it out eventually. And I think you’d want a guy that’d be willing to take the chance and go for it. But I could be wrong.” He could also see Darcy being just fine with initiating everything.
“I don’t care one way or another, I just don’t want to come on too hard, too fast.” And she was jealous of Avery’s makeout sessions, even if she wasn’t saying that part out loud. “How long do I wait before I realize he’s not figuring it out?”
“That’s up to you,” he shrugged. “I’d say, if he hasn’t kissed you by the third date, you’re allowed to make the first move. If you’ve already kissed, then just keep kissing. Eventually one thing will lead to another.” She knew how it worked. He didn’t need to spell it out. “I’d say you’re off to a good start if you spent the night together.”
So they were off to a good start. She did know how it worked, but the reassurance that it wasn’t that much different from what she did know helped. “It was more of a ‘falling asleep’ thing.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Aidan said. “If he stayed, he likes you. If you woke up alone, I’d be hunting him down to kick his ass.” There weren’t many occasions that Aidan got violent, but when it came to protecting his family, that was reason enough. He wasn’t terribly serious, though. He doubted Darcy wanted him to go after him, even if he was a douchebag.
“You don’t have to hunt anyone down. He was around when I woke up,” she promised. It left her chewing on her lip, considering the advice. “I guess...it’s a good start then.”
“Did he kiss you goodbye?” Aidan asked, aware that he was being nosey. He hadn’t seen Darcy this interested in a guy before and he wanted to help where he could.
Darcy blushed again and shrugged. “He kissed me back,” she said since she’d mostly initiated that kiss before Liam had left, but he’d been receptive.
“Good enough,” Aidan smiled. “He likes you then. It’s a good start. Don’t let your nerves get in the way.” He wondered if he could do the same, put aside all his concerns and just go for it. He’d never had trouble in the past, but his circumstances had been different.
Darcy nodded slowly. "I hope so. And I'll try. I'm not usually nervous about things." Usually she just went for them, but she didn't want to mess things up with Liam.
“Yeah, I know how that goes,” Aidan said with a little laugh as he pulled out a cigarette. When he reached for his lighter, he patted down his pockets, only remembering it was gone after a moment of agitation. He needed it back now. “You don’t happen to have a light on you, do you?”
Darcy reached into her bag, to get her lighter, holding it out to him and making a face. "What happened to yours?" Aiden was never lighter-less. She carried one from having seen him use his so much.
“This girl has it,” he said, lighting up with her lighter, then handing it back. “She swiped it off of me, but I took something of hers. I’m gonna try and steal it back later this evening.” But until then, he was lighter-less and it was driving him crazy. He’d had that lighter longer than anything else he had with him.
Darcy raised and eyebrow as he explained himself. "What girl? And you, you had something stolen from you? What were you doing?" Aiden's guard was never down like that.
“This girl I met at the bar last night,” he said, running his fingers through his hair. “She stayed and talked with me through closing, then went to wash her beer mug out herself. I took over for her and I think she nabbed it when scooting back out from behind the bar. She’s a better pickpocket than I am, that’s for sure.”
Darcy just stared at her cousin. Aiden wasn't like this. He didn't have girls that got his attention like that. At least not in a long while. "So...she got past you. You must have been distracted. How pretty is she?" And when were they getting his lighter back?
“It’s not like that,” Aidan said, shaking his head, though he could feel the start of a blush crawling up his neck so he turned his attention to the beer. He took a sip from the next keg, trying to decide how to answer. Sylvia was pretty, in the way a porcelain doll was pretty. She was small and fragile and deceptively fast. He wondered if her speed played in to her ability to pick his pocket. “She’s different. I liked talking to her.”
Darcy was observant if anything, grinning as she caught the edges of that blush. "I'm guessing you liked kissing her too huh?" She wasn't sure it had gone there, but it was worth the tease. Aiden was blushing over a girl. He didn't blush anymore than she did. At least not around Darcy.
“I did not kiss her,” Aidan clarified. But, God, he’d wanted to. He’d wanted to do a hell of alot more than that and had seriously considered it when she’d been feeding from him. If his dreams last night were any indication, he was capable of ruining her completely. “She’s young. And innocent. And young. I’m not going to kiss her.”
"You're a cradle robber too!" Darcy was almost delighted, elbowing her cousin. "How young? And who cares about innocent? Liam's kissed one girl. Ever. Me."
“Shut the fuck up!” Aidan laughed, though he was also serious. It bothered him how much younger she was than him. It was wrong, except it didn’t always feel that way. He’d always been a man of loose morals, but it had never edged into this territory before and it made him uncomfortable. “I don’t know on either, but I’d say too young and too innocent. It’s different for you. You’re young, but so is he.”
"It's not like you're that old either. I've been with older guys. When I was younger even. Seriously, how young is she?" Darcy made a face. "And I'm eighteen thank you very much. Old enough."
“Fourteen, maybe fifteen?” Aidan said, cringing. He was hoping for fifteen, but it was so hard to tell with the way she dressed. It made him wonder if he had some kind of a complex. If the law was still enforcing things like this, he was fairly certain it was illegal.
Darcy's mouth open in a little 'o'. That was young. Really young. Even for her. She'd been sixteen when she lost her virginity, but fourteen and sixteen was a pretty big difference. "Oooh yeah... that's not your brightest idea."
“It’s not going anywhere,” he said, as if declaring it would make it so. It was easier to pretend she hadn’t been in his lap, sucking the life out of him, when he hadn’t kissed her. “She’s just a friend, and I’m going to steal my lighter back. Probably tonight, before she gets a chance to steal back her umbrella. Parasol.”
"Right," Darcy said, clearly not believing him. "Well, when you see her tonight, don't bring her here. I can't see Patrick or Eily taking that hook up well."
“I’m planning to break into her house, not go on a date with her,” Aidan said, taking another drag off his cigarette. How had this conversation gone so ary? He couldn’t believe Darcy had caught onto him so easily. “Did I ever say I was into her, or am I just that easy to read?”
"You blushed," Darcy told him, looking at him sideways. "And I can read you. Plus, you said you liked talking to her. Guys don't say that unless they like someone." She grinned. "Can I come with you tonight?"
It was a clear sign that he’d spent too much time around her if she could read him that well. Normally he wouldn’t care, but in this case he wished it wasn’t quite so obvious. “I do like her. I just know I shouldn’t. Not like that. And no, not tonight, but I’ll find us something fun to do sometime soon to make up for it.” He’d normally appreciate someone there to watch his back, but breaking into Sylvia’s house was different. She knew he was coming at some point, which made it a game.
Darcy pouted a little. “You aren’t sneaking in to take your stuff back, you’re sneaking in to see her.” She wasn’t sure she approved. She was fine with Aiden being happy, but the girl was young. What on earth did they talk about anyway? “You will really owe me.” And she might just follow him anyway. He’d do it to her.
“I am not,” Aidan said, laughing a little. While he wanted to see Sylvia, he also wanted to get the job done without being caught. There was skill in that and he wanted to prove himself. “She shouldn’t even be there. And how could I possibly owe you after all the times I kept my mouth shut on your behalf?”
Darcy made a face. “Why wouldn’t she be at home in the middle of the night?” That seemed weird. “And it’s not about keeping my mouth shut, it’s about not taking me out on a run.”
“She works the night shift at the hospital,” Aidan said, though he wasn’t entirely sure that was true. He just knew that she couldn’t be out during the day, not easily, which meant to him that she should be out and about during the night. “Okay, yes, I owe you there. Pick your mark and we’ll make a go for it, but only once I have my lighter back.”
“She does? I wonder if she knows Liam. Maybe I’ll ask...if you’d tell me her name.” Darcy raised an eyebrow at him, teasing, but honestly curious. Yeah, she was following his ass. “I’ll think on that. Determine a good target.”
He didn’t want to tell Darcy her name, but he had no good reason not to. With everything she knew, what more could her name hurt? “Her name’s Sylvia,” he said. “But that’s not an invitation for you to hunt her down.”
“Just so long as you aren’t hoping to stalk down Liam,” Darcy said, giving Aiden a look. She was going to ask Liam though. That was a start at least. And follow her cousin. “I’ve gotta run,” she said reaching into her bag again for her lighter and handing it to him. “You’re gonna need this.”
“Deal,” he said, taking the lighter from her. She was right. He was going to need it. He’d never make it through the day without a lighter, even if it still bothered him that it wasn’t his. “Thanks. See you later, Darce. Be good.”
“Just don’t let your girlfriend steal mine too,” Darcy said and smiled righting her bag on her shoulder and starting towards the door. “I’m always good,” she called over her shoulder.
“Yeah, right,” he laughed, then realized he’d accepted that last little jab a little too easily. “She’s not my girlfriend!” he called after her. That was the last thing he needed, a rumor going around that he had a teenage girlfriend.
“Not yet she isn’t,” Darcy called back before letting herself out and back towards her house. She was definitely following Aiden. If only to keep an eye on him.