Page 22 of Down the Aisle
"One month," he spoke up suddenly, making me look at him cluelessly. "Give me one month to show you I am worth your time and smiles. Once the month is up, if you really aren't feeling it, then I will remain in the friend zone until you move me out, or forever."
Don't.
Don't do it.
Don't. Do. It.
Do not—
"Deal."
Chapter 8
Adam
I couldn't wipe thegiddy grin off my face as I eagerly approached Eliza's door with my arms full of grocery bags.
Obviously, I was still more than ecstatic about Eliza agreeing a few days ago. The little bargain I made, not me showing up at her place unannounced to make her breakfast. She had no idea about me coming over right now because I knew if I had asked her, then the answer would have been a fat no. So, I took it upon myself to be the best temporary boyfriend ever and surprise her.
Getting into her place was easy—I had a key.
Was the key given to me by her? Fuck no it wasn't, and technically it was kind of legally—and possibly morally—wrong, but I'd make up for it with a breakfast so good that she wouldn'teven dwell on the fact I cloned a key after breaking into her place the other night.
Well, did it count as breaking in if I walked in because the door was open? I mean, the door might have been open because I had the locks replaced, and I just happened to go by while it happened.
But who cared about the finite details?
After casually entering her place, I made myself at home in the kitchen, mindful to keep the noise to a minimum so as not to wake her.
Surprisingly, I managed to go two hours unnoticed, and I probably could've gone longer if Asher hadn't woken up. The happy little guy screeched with glee the moment his tired eyes landed on me, startling his mother awake.
"Asher, wha—" Eliza's half-closed eyes shot wide open the moment she followed Asher's gaze to me. "Oh my God, what the fuck! Adam! What are you—" Gripping her hair in a panic, she held Asher tightly as she hyperventilated. "What are you doing in my place!? How did you get in!?"
Alright, well, how the hell am I going to go about this?
Without making the situation worse.
After a split-second debate, I answered her nonchalantly, "Spare key, but also your lock is broken." Then, keeping a very cool demeanor, I held up a jug of juice in each hand. "Orange juice or fruit tea today? Also, I hope you don't mind mixed cheese in your omelet today. They were all out of the melty one." No, they weren't out; I didn't buy it because that shit wasn't exactly healthy.
Utterly stunned and confused, Eliza sat there staring and blinking at me as if I were some psycho stalker who broke into her place. "Do you need a moment to bask in the sun and bloom first, little rose?" I teased with a chuckle while setting the jugs of juice down on the dining table. "I can take Asher for a little bit soyou can go freshen up a little to wake up," I offered with a kind and warm smile.
Shaking her head vigorously as if to clear it, she stared at me again with bewildered eyes for another good minute before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and remaining perched there. "Adam, this is not—"
No way she was finishing that sentence, not if I could help it. "Oh! Shit! Hold that thought!" I rushed over to the stove, turned it off, and pulled the pan off. "Didn't want your omelet to dry out or burn. It'd ruin the taste of the mushrooms and cheese," I fibbed with a rather exaggerated smile as I plopped the steaming egg dish onto a plate.
Her lips peeled back in a wary frown as she looked at me very dubiously. "Did you actually make that, or did you buy it from somewhere and put it on a pan and pretend to make it?" Slowly, very slowly, she got up to her feet and took a few tentative steps toward me. "I should really call the cops on you right now for inva—"
She could call me a prick later, but I needed to shut her up. Shy of planting my lips on hers to get a taste, I settled for the second-best option: shoving a forkful of food into her open mouth mid-sentence. "Don't spit. Otherwise, it'd be a waste." Okay, I was just being a cheeky asshole with that comment.
Blushing madly, Eliza groaned and stomped her foot, glaring at me slightly as she chewed the mouthful. Her scrunched-up face slowly softened the more she savored the food. My victory didn't last long because she turned her head away in a pout when she noticed my winning grin.
After swallowing, she glanced at me out of the corner of her glaring eyes. "J-just because you can make good food doesn't give you the right to break into my home," she remarked weakly in a wavering voice.
I settled for an amused chuckle when my laughter became hard to hold back. She was too adorable being all stubborn, and I wanted nothing more than to poke at her to rile her up more.
Quickly, I set the pan back on the stove before going up to her with my hands held out. "Here, I'll take care of the lil' dude while you eat." Nothing but warm assurance and kindness filled my smile as I urged her with my hands. "You'll be able to see both of us the whole time."
Her lips pressed together into a thin line, twisted into a frown for a second, them went flat again. She seemed conflicted as she started to pass me Asher. He giggled and reached for me, but before I could take him, she jerked him back into her body. A moment passed as her eyes traveled around the room, searching for anything else that might be amiss, before coming back to the kitchen. Her nose twitched as she inhaled the delicious sent of the omelet, and she gave an irritated sigh as she caved and gave me the toddler.
