Game Changer (3 page)

I stood there in shock as he pulled us towards the doors, laughing loudly. 

"Where did the polite guy from the airplane go?" I asked him once we were sat at an incredibly long table. 

"He decided that he needed to make you realize that he's interested."

I could hardly wrap my head around the fact that Aiden Swift was actually hitting on me. He wasn’t just some random good looking guy. He was a famous football player that probably had girls throwing themselves at him. What did he want with someone like me?

I wasn't sure how to respond to what he told me, so I took a drink of my soda and turned my attention to my sister, who was beginning to make a speech.

Chapter 3

"I know everyone is hungry so I promise I’ll keep this short. I wanted to thank you all for putting your entire lives on hold and joining us here in Cancún. It was here in Cancún, that I met Kane just over a year ago. I couldn’t imagine any other group of people that I’d rather spend my last week as a single woman with.”

Everybody laughed and Erica bent down to kiss Kane.

A little while later, after eating some amazing food, an island band started playing tropical music. Aiden pulled me on to the dance floor with him.

"I can't dance," I protested, refusing to move an inch once he'd gotten me to the group of people already dancing.

"Everybody can dance Emily, you just need the right person to lead you."

He put one arm around my back and took my left hand in his right, then moved us back and forth, wiggling his hips.

"That's some pretty intense hip action there, been taking hula lessons?" I teased anything to distract him from my horrible sense of rhythm.

"No, but my mom signed me up for dance lessons when I was a child, claiming that if I spent all my time playing football, I'd be too violent."

I laughed.  "Did it help?"

"Nah, but it did improve my game."

I nodded understandingly and realized that I was actually dancing.

"Wow, look at that. I'm not even stepping on your toes."

Aiden laughed.

"That's what we should have done. Here."

He lifted me easily and set me on his feet before continuing. The new arrangement made our bodies press against each other, allowing me to feel every muscle in his body as he moved.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?" He asked as he looked into my eyes.

"Pick me up like I'm a rag doll instead of a five foot eleven, nineteen year old."

"Comes with the territory. I have to be strong for football."

"Wow. I should have met me a football player a long time ago," I said whimsically.

"If that was the case, I couldn't be dancing with you like this. That would be tragic."

I thought he was joking until I looked into his eyes. I watched in amazement as he slowly leaned down, his lips getting closer and closer to mine. At the very last moment, I snapped out of my daze and jumped back, out of his grasp and off of his feet.

"I'm sorry. I, I just can't do this right now." I motioned between us.

Turning away, I ran to the bathroom.  I was leaning against the sink when the door opened and Kira walked in.

"So, what exactly was that?" She asked, with one hand on her hip.

"I panicked. He was leaning down to kiss me and I wanted it, but at the last second I came to my senses. I only just met him today Kira."

I looked at her, my eyes desperate for her to understand. 

She sighed and shook her head at me.

“Emily, I’m not suggesting you have a random hook up or shag some guy you just met, but it was just a kiss and he is obviously really interested in you. Everyone can see that. He can’t take his eyes off of you.”

I sighed and put my head in my hands.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," I groaned.

I felt her arms wrap around my shoulders.

"I know, but it did, now you get to put your big girl panties on and handle this like a grownup.

I sighed. I knew she was right, but it still didn’t make accepting what I needed to do any easier.

"I both hate and love you at the same time, Kira."

She grinned. "As it should be."

I slowly walked out of the bathroom and spotted Aiden sitting at the table. I slid into my seat next to him.

"I'm sorry I ran off like that. I don't want you to think that I didn't want to kiss you, because I do… a lot. I'm just, I can't do something that kissing could lead to with somebody I just met on an airplane this afternoon."

He looked taken aback and didn't respond.

"Are we okay? Or should I start groveling to get you to speak to me again?" I asked nervously.

"So I wasn't an ass for making a move?" He asked sheepishly.

I shook my head vehemently. "Absolutely not." I groaned. "God, this is so awkward."

I leaned forward and put my lips to his. He was shocked at first, but eventually responded. I pulled away and touched my hand to my lips. "You must think that I'm crazy," I whispered, suddenly embarrassed.

He pulled me back to his lips and ran his fingers through my hair.

"Yeah,” he murmured against my lips. “But I doubt I'd like you very much if you were predictable."

We pulled each other tighter, and my tongue flicked out lightly to taste his lips. He exhaled heavily before opening his mouth to me and meeting my tongue with his. One of his hands was making its way to my waist when I heard someone clear their throat.

We sprung apart to find Ethan and Kira standing there, arms crossed and with smirks on their faces.

"Came to your senses, huh?" Kira mocked.

I didn’t respond. What could I say? I was already so embarrassed by all of this. It’s like I’m not even myself anymore. Something about being around Aiden has turned me into this hormonal monster.

Aiden gave me a curious look, but I just turned and took a sip of my soda.

We spent the rest of the night dancing and having an amazing time. On the ride home, I ended up getting an actual seat next to Aiden. I was sitting between him and the side of the bus, leaning against his body with my legs swung over his.

Aiden wrapped one arm around my shoulder and I held both of his hands in mine, looking at his fingers. They were about an inch longer than mine. 

"You make me feel small."

He chuckled. "That's because you are small."

"I'm not small," I corrected him, and compared to most girls I really wasn’t.

"Smaller than me." He shrugged.

"That's not exactly difficult. I think most of society is smaller than you. How tall are you, anyway?"

"Six foot five.”

I burst out laughing. "Okay Sasquatch."

He rolled his eyes and squeezed his arms around my shoulders lightly.

We pulled up to the hotel and most of the group stumbled off the bus. Those of us, who didn't drink, walked off with dignity. Aiden walked me to my door, which wasn't really out of his way, considering that his room was just across the hall.

"Good night," I said as I kissed him lightly on the lips and pulled away, holding my hand out to shake his. "It was nice to meet you."

He laughed and kissed me again, grabbing my hand to pull me in to him.

I grinned and walked into my room, the smile never leaving my face as I got ready for bed and fell asleep.

The next morning, when we were all eating breakfast, Erica announced that we'd be spending most of the day at the beach. Everyone, but me was excited.

"How come you look like somebody spit in your orange juice?" Aiden whispered in my ear, squeezing the hand he'd been holding since we sat down.

I grumbled and whispered back. "I hate the beach."

His raised eyebrow clearly asking me to elaborate. "Look around at the girls here. I'm going to be huge compared to them."

He rolled his eyes and I glared at him.

"You wouldn't understand, you're a guy."

I bit my lip as we all walked back to our rooms to change.

Kira put her hands on her hips and said "Okay, let's see what you've brought with you."  She knew how much I hated the beach.

I sighed and regretted my decision in the suits I brought with me. I must have been insane when I packed!

She opened my suitcase and gasped. "Oh my god, did you bring these by choice?" At the end, she laughed.

"Shut up." I really had no idea what I had been thinking. My "swim suit" was more like tiny pieces of fabric. My bikini was sea foam green with ruffles and large golden circles. It was more of an afterthought to even grab something to swim in.

I slipped it on and then a batwing sleeve cover-up.

"Okay, I'm ready."

Kira turned around and rolled her eyes.

"You suck. I was so excited for you to finally flaunt your rocking body," she pouted.

"What body?”

She grumbled something about Aiden changing that, but I couldn't be sure what she said.

Aiden met us in the hallway, looking disappointed by my attire. "You're wearing that to the beach?"

I smacked his arm. "Yes, I am,” daring him to argue.

He didn’t argue, instead just grabbed my hand, walking us to the beach. He was dressed deliciously in board shorts and a tight t-shirt. The sunglasses he wore made him look dangerous and sexy.

Everyone seemed to arrive at about the same time. All of the girls made a line on the beach and lay down, preparing themselves to tan. I looked at my options -- I could either bask in the sun like a little Barbie doll and play the part of the perfect little bridesmaid, or I could throw the football around with the guys. I opted for the second.

I pulled my cover-up off and was immediately met by whistles. I felt like I might die of embarrassment, but it was too late now. They had all already seen my body so I might as well just go with it, but it wasn’t easy.

I waited a moment before turning around. Aiden's mouth was gaping open and his eyes were looking up and down my body.

"Oh God," I groaned and tried to put my cover-up back on. Aiden quickly came up to me and snatched the dress from my hands, deciding that playing keep away was a good idea.

All of the guys got into it and finally, I stopped trying to get it back. Kirk was the only one who hadn't taken part, so I looked at him and winked.

"Would you mind helping me with my lotion? I can't quite reach my back."

He grinned at me, knowing what I was getting at and started caressing my back, then moved to my arms. By then we had Aiden's attention. When Kirk started rubbing lotion into my neck, I moaned theatrically, telling him how great he was with his hands.

I laughed loudly when Aiden shouted that it was time to play the game.

"Thanks Kirk."

"No, thank you," he said pervishly. I rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe their reactions to me. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. Normally I felt like the outcast, the big freak compared to the tiny little girls around me. But these guys were acting like I was a supermodel or something.

Every time Aiden threw the ball to Kirk, it was a bit harder and faster than it needed to be. Eventually it ended up being more like a battle between the two and I finally had to break it off.

I called out 'time' and walked up to Aiden, placing one hand on his chest and whispering to him. "What's this about?"

"What's what about?" He asked as if he didn’t know what I was talking about.

The look I gave him made him fess up.

"He was all over you Emily. It goes against the
bro code
, and since he's one of my best friends, it makes it even worse."

I rolled my eyes. "He wasn't all over me Aiden. If he was, you'd have known it. No
bro code
was broken, so you can stop acting like a child."

I got up on my tip toes, kissing his lips softly. It seemed like something I was supposed to do, remind him that he was the only one I actually liked, and the only guy I really wanted to be with. I started to pull away, but he brought me back in for one more kiss before we resumed the game.

After a while, the group headed out to lunch at a small café just down the beach from where we had been all morning.

Before Aiden could reach me so that we could walk together, one of the bridesmaids, Erica’s old sorority sister named Darcy, started up a conversation with him and they ended up walking together.  I honestly didn't think anything of it, yet somehow subconsciously I knew that something wasn’t right.

Ethan entertained me by hefting me over his shoulder and running to the front of the group. "ETHAN, PUT ME DOWN!!!" I screeched.

"What's wrong Emi?" He asked, chuckling, as if he didn’t know why I was so upset with him.

"If you don't put me down in three seconds, you'll regret it." I warned. He sighed and set me on my feet. "You ruin everything," he pouted. “You never let me have any fun.”

"Oh yeah, I’m the bad guy here.”

When we got inside, I sat between Kira and Ethan with my mother and father taking the two free seats on either side of them.

It felt just like old times, before everybody moved away. We started telling embarrassing stories about each other. Luckily, I was a fairly mellow child, so other than an obsession with jumping out of trees, they had nothing on me.

After lunch we all began our journey back to the hotel. It wasn’t far so we all just walked. Ross accompanied me for the first part of the trip. Of the three guys, not including Aiden, Ross was probably the most laid back of the bunch. He was also really funny. His witty sense of humor had me laughing the entire time.