“Umm, a box of fuses.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“I … sort of blew one out at the house. Didn’t really feel like waiting for an electrician.”
Emmett ran into the office. “She exploded it trying to make us breakfast.”
Remember how much you love him, I chanted in my head.
“Did she?” Aiden asked.
“Yeah,” Emmett said. “Isabel sucks at cooking.”
Aiden smothered another smile.
“Okay,” I interjected. “That’s enough out of you, or you don’t get your screen time later.”
He sighed heavily. “Can Anya come over and play? I told her about the treehouse in the backyard, and she wants to see it.”
“Oh, umm”—I glanced at Aiden—“I don’t know if today is a good day. I have to get this fixed, and Mr. Hennessy is working.”
Aiden stood from the desk. “You’ve replaced fuses before?”
I slicked my tongue over my teeth. “Not exactly, but I can figure it out.”
“You know how many amps that box is for?”
Glancing down, I caught sight of the edge of the box. “Twenty.”
“And that’s the kind you need? If you replace the bad one with something that’s got too many amps, you’ll do even more damage to the wiring.”
My eyes narrowed slightly, and immediately, Aiden returned the look.
Something dangerous kindled like a lit match under my skin.
“I don’t know,” I admitted.
“I have a bunch of stuff in my truck, including some fifteen amp fuses,” he said. “I’d be happy to come over and do it. If it’s not the right one, I’ll run to the store.”
“Please say yes,” Emmett whispered. “I don’t want the house to explode. Mom and Dad would be so pissed at you.”
The only reason I had to say no was my pride, not to borrow trouble. Inviting him to our house felt very, very troublesome.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t a reason to say no. Not with this.
“I would appreciate your help,” I told him. “I’ll text you the address.”
He wasn’t smiling anymore, and it had no less of an effect on me when he jerked his chin in assent.
All of my moments alone with Aiden had been accidental. Until now.
Chapter Sixteen Isabel
Emmett eyed my hands tapping frantically on the steering wheel.
“Not a word, punk.”
He rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t going to say anything.”
I turned the wheel and pulled the car into the driveway of the house. “You mean like you weren’t going to say anything about having a poster of Aiden on my wall? I should take my twenty bucks back.”
Emmett sighed. “I have a poster of Noah on my wall, and you don’t see me going around calling people names if they tell him about it.” Then he shrugged. “I don’t understand why you’d be embarrassed about it. I’ll fight him if he makes fun of you.”
I smiled because as much as he drove me crazy, moments like this reminded me why I’d die for him so fast.
“You’re going to fight Aiden Hennessy?”
“Yeah. It’s not like he actually won the heavyweight title.” He puffed up his skinny chest. “Besides, I hear Mom say all the time that one good fit of righteous rage makes you stronger than someone twice your size.”
“Why is she telling you that?”
He thought about that. “One of my friends was getting bullied at school.”
“And she told you to attack them in a fit of righteous rage?” I asked, smiling widely.
Emmett shook his head. “No. But the house rule is you ask them to stop. If they don’t stop, you tell a teacher. If they still don’t stop, you punch ’em, and even if I get in trouble at school, I’ll never, ever get in trouble at home.” His eyes got wide. “She has a violent streak, though, you know?”
“Yes, she does.” I turned in his direction, carefully smoothing his hair back from his face. “Your hair is getting darker. Who said you’re allowed to start looking like a teenager?”
Emmett’s cheeks went pink. “How old do you think I look?”
“At least thirteen.”
He grinned widely, unbuckling his seat belt and tearing out of the car like I’d just handed him a check for a million dollars. “I’m gonna go make sure the treehouse is all cleaned up!” he yelled over his shoulder. I waved, slowly getting out of the car after he sprinted around the side of the house.
It was fine.
This was fine.
The kids would play outside while Aiden helped me fix the fuse. It would take two minutes, they’d be on their way, and I could go about my day relaxing with Emmett. I’d planned absolutely nothing, hence the pajama-chic look I’d thrown on.
I glanced down and groaned.
Without a bra.
If I hurried, I might have time. A glance down the street showed that it was empty, so I jogged into the house and fidgeted with the key in the front door. Just as I heard the turn of the deadbolt, the sound of Aiden’s truck came rumbling into the driveway. I allowed myself one brief fortifying exhale, then I slid the key out and turned, bracing my back against the door with a smile on my face.
Emmett must have heard the truck because he ran back around into the front yard, skidding to a halt when Aiden unfolded his great big body from the great big vehicle.
Would there ever be a time that seeing him wasn’t like a hole being punched through my chest?
He didn’t even have to do anything but get out of his truck, and I wanted to strip naked, stretch over his body like a blanket, and kiss him until I saw stars. It was confusing. And annoying. And I was starting to have just a little sympathy for why my sisters had all been such headcases at one point over the past couple of years.
Aiden was wearing dark aviator frames that hid his eyes. Even though I couldn’t see his eyes, I knew he was staring at me as he waited for Anya to hop out
