“Xander knew about this?” I was in shock. “What?”
“I thought it would be a good idea.” He sighed. “Like I said, I wanted to give you a taste of your own medicine.”
“My own medicine?”
“Are you going to repeat everything I say?” He grinned.
“I wouldn’t be grinning if I were you.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Continue with your story.”
“After I saw you kissing Scott, I got really upset, but then I spoke to Scott and Xander, and I realized that perhaps you did like me, after all.”
“Well, duh. Hasn’t that always been obvious?”
“Not really, Alice.” He shook his head. “Not with all the silly games you and my sister play. I really didn’t know what to think.”
“I don’t play silly games.” I pouted, and he leaned forward and kissed my lips.
“Yes, you do, Alice.” His fingers ran down my cheek. “And for some reason, I decided that I needed to join you at your own game. So I hired Elizabeth.” He smiled at me, but I didn’t return his look of adoration. “We decided to do some fake Facebook flirting to trap you, then she sent me some fake texts, I talked about some fake dates, invited her to the football game, which was Xander’s idea by the way, and waited for you to take the bait.”
“I thought you were dating her as well,” I growled. “I was so upset and angry and confused and … Argh.” I poked him in the chest. “That was a horrible thing to do.”
“I just wanted to see if you would be jealous,” he said. “And I wanted you to see how stupid and childish it is to fake relationships and stuff to try and make someone jealous.”
“Whatever.” I looked away from him, still feeling angry, but also feeling overwhelmingly happy. He didn’t like Elizabeth! I was over the moon at the truth.
“I’m sorry, Alice,” he muttered. “Can you forgive me?”
“Why did you do it, Aiden?” I looked at him and searched his face. “Did you just want to have one over on me?”
“Are you dense, Alice?” He looked at me in shock. “I like you. I have feelings for you. I’ve had feelings for you for a long time. I had a feeling you felt the same, but I wanted to make sure you were mature enough for a relationship. And I wanted to make sure that this was something you wanted.”
“You like me?” I grinned at him.
“I maybe more than like you.” He grinned back and kissed me again.
“Maybe?”
“More than maybe,” he said with a laugh. “I just don’t want to be your best friend’s sleazy older brother.”
“You’re not sleazy—well, not very sleazy.” I grinned.
“Not very sleazy?”
“Well, you know.” I grinned again. “You are here with me, naked, in a BDSM store.”
“Alice, that goes both ways.” He laughed. “So, are you sleazy too?”
“Well, I only came here for you.” I blushed. “I wanted you to know that I’d be down with trying your alternative lifestyle.”
“About that.” He made a face, and my stomach turned slightly.
“Oh God, what now?” I asked, worried. “Don’t tell me you’re a member of a sex club for real?”
“What?” He laughed. “Not at all, Alice. You know you really have an overactive imagination.”
“So what is it you need to tell me now?” I poked him in the chest.
“So, I’m kinda not a Dom.” He put his hands up. “Don’t kill me.”
“What do you mean?” I frowned. “Xander told me that …” My voice trailed off as I realized that I’d been set up. “That was a lie as well?”
“Yeah.” Aiden nodded with a rueful smile on his face. “Xander thought it would be funny.”
“Funny?”
“Yeah.” Aiden laughed. “He thought it would be interesting to see what you thought up.”
“So I let you spank me for fun?” I groaned. “And I called you Sir.”
“I liked you calling me Sir.” He winked. “You can call me that whenever you want.”
“Uh huh.”
“And I can spank you whenever you want as well.” He reached over and played with my breasts. “In fact, we can do whatever experimentation you want.”
“Can I get a strap-on and—”
“No.” He cut me off right away and laughed. “Anything but that. There is no way in hell you’re using a strap-on on me.”
“Aww.” I laughed. “What other experimentation are you thinking about, then?”