Chapter 4
"You can't resist me, can you?" I slurred, my drunken gaze locked onto Aaron's soft pink lips. I leaned in, lips just inches away from his, when suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
My heart skipped a beat. I quickly wiped my lips and slipped past him.
My elbow accidentally hit the corner of the table, and it turned red instantly.
"Lilly, are you made of tofu or something?" Aaron teased.
Even though he was teasing me, his hands were gentle as he checked my elbow.
The next second, the door to the private room suddenly swung open.
The room was charged with a strange mix of flirtation and awkwardness.
I followed Aaron's gaze and saw a graceful girl. She was tall, well-dressed, with an elegant kind of beauty.
But the way she looked me up and down as she walked in made me feel a bit uncomfortable.
She stood there in the doorway, looking a little stunned.
"Aaron, sorry, hope I'm not interrupting anything?" she said.
"What brings you here?" Aaron straightened up, his usual cool and distant vibe slipping back into place.
"My dad just scored a few bottles of really good wine. He wants to invite you and your folks over this weekend for a tasting," she explained.
"I couldn't get a hold of you, so I asked the guys on your team. They said you were having lunch here. I didn't expect anyone else to be here, so I just came in. Sorry about that," she added.
The girl gave me a polite nod, apologizing to me.
I flashed her a sweet smile in return.
Honestly, it basically counts as a kiss with Aaron. That was close enough.
Right now, I could be nice to anybody.
Even though the situation was a bit awkward, Aaron's natural grace kicked in as he introduced us.
"This is Elizabeth Dale. She was in the same class as Wesley back in college," he said.
"And this is Lilly Carter, Wesley's sister," he added.
Hearing that, I pouted a little, feeling a bit annoyed.
Just wait, Aaron. One day, you'll be introducing me as your girlfriend, not just Wesley's little sister.
Elizabeth smiled and shook my hand.
"I've heard all about you. You're the famous girl at Hydell University. You've got way more admirers than your brother ever did," she said.
I took the compliment with a playful wink. "Thanks! But I'm not really like my brother. I only have eyes for one guy."
That last part was definitely meant for Aaron to hear.
Elizabeth glanced at the roses and candles on the table, her gaze dropping.
"I heard the food here is great, so I ordered a combo too. My room's just next door, so I'll go over there now," she said.
Aaron's expression stayed neutral, making no move to stop her. "Alright."
Now I finally get why Aaron, even though he's ridiculously good-looking, doesn't have a swarm of girlfriend fans.
If my celebrity crush was this dense when it comes to romance, I'd have unstan him in a heartbeat.
I would've dropped him and roasted him online nonstop.
Dinner wrapped up.
Aaron was about to drive me back to campus.
Right as we reached the underground parking lot, his phone buzzed with a call from his team.
Something urgent had come up, and he needed to head back right away.
I fiddled with the lace on my top, swaying unsteadily. For once, I was actually being thoughtful. "I'll just grab a cab, baby."
Aaron steadied me, his gaze unreadable and his Adam's apple bobbing. "Do you even know what you look like right now?"
Just then, Elizabeth stepped out of the elevator and quickly figured out the situation.
"Aaron, if you've got something urgent, go ahead. I was planning to swing by my old campus and see some professors, and I can drop Lilly off on the way," she said.
Aaron nodded, then looked at me. "Text me when you get to school."
With Elizabeth right there, I mouthed, "Okay, baby."
"Lilly," Aaron called after me.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"Next time I see you, I've got something to tell you," he said.
"I'm looking forward to it, Aaron," I whined, dragging out the words in my stickiest, most playful voice.
I skipped over and slid into the passenger seat next to Elizabeth.
Traffic was a nightmare during rush hour.
As we sat stuck in traffic again, Elizabeth shot me a smile. "So, you and Aaron..."
My brain was still a little foggy, but I knew exactly what she meant. I blurted out, "I'm chasing him."
Elizabeth blinked in surprise. "You and your brother are so alike. Both super bold and honest, never keeping anything to yourselves."
"Since you're being so upfront, I'll be honest too," Elizabeth said, giving me another once-over.
"Lilly, Aaron's just not into the whole sweet, cutesy type," she added.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
Elizabeth started the car and said, "He can't stand girls who fake a baby voice to act cute, and he's not into that adorable, girly look. Plus, you're not the kind of girl who'd change herself for a guy."
"So honestly, you two were never really meant to be together from the beginning," she finished.
As she spoke, Elizabeth handed me her phone, showing a video of the esports team's dinner party. They were playing Truth or Dare.
Apparently, Aaron had just lost a round.