"You want me to do what?" Aidan raised his voice.

"Pretend to be my boyfriend and come home with me. When my parents see you don't qualify and we're not in love, they'll drop it."

Not in love, speak for yourself. "Not qualified sounds like I'm applying for a loan. You can say too common, princess."

Why was he angry? None of this was new to him except the fly to Boston and meet her parents part. A part of him was curious to see her house, no mansion. Being friends with Mark, he already knew how the other half lived. A whole weekend with her seemed like a suicide trip. His heart was bound to come back broken. At least, he'd know once and for all he wasn't good enough. Then he could move on. Perhaps there was something to this plan, her parents would reject him and then he could find someone else. He would just have to figure out a way to tell it to his dick. It misbehaved anytime he smelled her scent.

Moving to less intimate thoughts, he said, "I'd feel guilty going and not seeing my family. I can't lie to them."

"It will barely be twenty-four hours. We'll fly out Saturday morning, sit through an awkward dinner and return Sunday afternoon. Pla-eeze!"

"Oh God, why is it so hard to say no to a princess?" He looked up at the ceiling for dramatic effect.

"Oh, thank you!" She flung her arms around him. He was sure everyone in Starbucks was staring, but he lost himself in her intoxicating scent and the misfiring of nerve endings throughout his body as she hugged him.

"I didn't say yes." She looked at him with pouty lips. Her lips were in his dreams, daydreams too. "I just didn't say no."

"It will be so much fun. What's your favorite food? We can have Rosa prepare it for dinner. You'll love Rosa and Julio."

He raised an eyebrow. He didn't know who Julio was, except a part of the domestic help along with Rosa. "See you think of me on the same level as the help. I'm hurt, princess." He put his hand over his heart.

"They're practically family. Don't get all sensitive. Does your mother have a housekeeper?"

"A house cleaner who comes in once a week, but she's not part of the family." They had a woman come to clean for as long as he remembered. His mother never worked after his father started practicing, but three kids kept her busy and the house was always a mess.

"We need a story about us."

"What story? We have mutual friends. We saw each other at Trader Joe's, had coffee and the rest is history."

"Right and bowling was a date and cards with Rachel."

"Exactly." How did she not realize they've been dating without the kisses and the sex. The lucky bastard got those. Aidan was still convinced the guy was shady and didn't deserve her or her kisses. His need to protect her went beyond that of a regular friend.

The night before the trip to Boston, he went out with Mark and Jed. They didn't see enough of each other ever since the two of them were wrapped up in their girls. He saw Jed, but he was usually attached to Marissa. They used to sit around and watch Sports Center or comedies like South Park and Bob's Burgers. He couldn't remember the last time they were alone in the apartment. He had a nagging feeling he may have to cough it up for his own place soon.

Mark was worse. He used to hang out at their place and play video games, but he was always out at events. It was as if he had become an adult overnight. Before he would fight with his parents over obligations. Now with Belle on his arm, he donned his tux and went willingly. Aidan couldn't imagine owning his own tuxedo.

Even though the three friends worked for the same firm, they had different rolls. Aidan assisted a fund manager by researching public companies to help determine new areas of investment and monitored ones that were in their fund. His long-term goal was to manage his own fund. Then he might just be rich enough for his own tuxedo, but not shipping company rich.

Jed liked to schmooze. He worked with clients trying to lure them and keep them happy. Meanwhile, Mark was a pain in the ass at work. He had his fingers in every area as he was being groomed for Vice President of Operations. One of his less popular decisions was a cost savings one which switched from two to one-ply paper in the restrooms.

When Aidan and Jed complained, he mentioned getting rid of the free snacks. They informed their friend, he'd have a mutiny. Aidan's boss, Patrick made it through the afternoon only because of those packages of Oreos. It was a stressful job, especially with a volatile market.

Mark replied to Aidan's concerns. "He makes enough to buy his own damn cookies."

Jed said, "Hey dude, chill. I know you're trying to impress your Daddy-O, but that place is stressful. Your employees need some perks. Listen, having your finger go up your ass because of cheap paper is stressful."

Aidan laughed. If he was his mother, he'd be running to the bathroom. Maggie Reilly often complained she was about to pee her pants when she laughed. Then she blamed it on her three children.

The three friends sat at a bar like they used to all the time. The bar was hip with glass and chrome. Women wore short dresses with glasses filled with colorful cosmos and martinis. The three of them in their suits were good looking enough to be noticed. As he looked around, he compared every woman to Sage.

He wasn't conceited, but he could easily find a girl who wanted to have sex with him. It was just how it worked. Not that he had never done it, but it wasn't really his thing. He also had a ten o'clock flight, so he'd be up early to get to LaGuardia.

Mark scanned the crowd and every so often would poke Aidan as he'd say something like the legs ten o'clock or the tits at twelve.

Aidan was thinking, he should probably beg out early when he felt soft hands over his eyes. He could feel the body behind him as it pressed into him. Even if the hands didn't give it away, he knew it was female. The scent was familiar, as he said, "Holly."

He and Holly had an on again off again thing about a year before. He liked her, but wasn't overly disappointed when she found a more successful guy and ended it.

"Hi, guys. I see some things never change. Y'all looking to get lucky?"

Holly was from Mississippi and moved to the city straight from Oxford after graduating from Ole Miss. She was pretty with blond hair and a nose peppered with freckles. Her body was pleasing with ample breasts. Sweet and sexy, Aidan's favorite combination — Sage's allure.

Aidan said, "They get lucky most every night these days."

"Oh! Y'all have girls. Where are they?"

"Boy's night," Mark said.

Jed looked at his phone. "My girl is coming. She wants me to pick her up."

Aidan rolled his eyes. "You two are bordering obnoxious." He turned to Holly. "Who are you with?"

"A whole group." She pointed. "It's a bachelorette party."

"Yours? Are you still with your guy?" He struggled to hear her answer as he guided her to an empty corner with a high table and no stools. He asked leaning in, so she could hear him. "What did you say?"

She answered right into his ear. Her scent brought back pleasant memories. He didn't want her necessarily, but he wanted the intimacy which came from a real relationship.

"We are. I think he might pop the question."

He turned to see her face, and she looked giddy. She asked about him and the guys' girls. He asked her about work.

She leaned in. "Why is there a girl staring at me with daggers in her eyes?"

He turned and saw Sage and waved. Why would she care who he was talking to? It secretly thrilled him.

"That's Sage. She's with Jed's girl. We hang out."

"Did you call us hanging out too?"

"No, really. She's seeing someone."

"Oh, okay."

"Come on. I'll introduce you."

"No, that's alright. I need to get back. We have ten more bars to get to and a scavenger hunt thing." She kissed him on the check and sashayed away.

Aidan walked over to join his friends.

"Where did Holly go?" Mark asked.

"Back to her friends." Turning to Sage, he said, "Hey you."

Her response was businesslike. "You packed? I don't want to miss the flight."

"I'm not planning to stay much longer. I washed clothes last night, so I have clean underwear. I just need to throw it in the bag. Don't worry I won't let you down. I'll be perfectly unacceptable to your parents just by being myself."

Waiting at the gate the next morning, Aidan asked, "Did you tell him not to text you this weekend?"

"No, but it's fine." Her answer was curt. She had been quiet all morning.

"Are you sure? It would be awkward if you are always looking at your phone and sending him eggplant emojis when you're supposed to be dating yours truly."

She blushed and glared at him at the same time. She huffed out a sigh. "When have you seen me a slave to my phone?"

Truthfully, she didn't have her phone out constantly. "Okay, this is your deal. I'm along for the ride."

She hissed angrily. "If you must know, we don't text."

She shocked him. Even his parents texted. "Never? But you talk on the phone?"

"No, we don't talk either."

He was twice as shocked and more convinced than ever the guy was playing her. He motioned with his hand to lock up his mouth and throw away the key.

"What was that?" She snapped at him.

"I just don't want to open my mouth and piss you off more than you already are. Is it the stress or did I do something to offend you?"

"Who was that girl last night?" She tilted her head as if riveted by whatever his answer would be.

"An old friend. Well, more than a friend. She moved on and is very happy. I'd say we could easily be friends. If her, as she informed me, soon to be fiance doesn't have a problem. Why would you care? We are only pretending. Remember?"

"I don't. It's just that you can't be getting a bunch of text messages this weekend."

Aidan smiled. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too.

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