Free Falling For My Best Friend's Brother by Helen Cooper, J.S. Cooper

was so uncool.”
    “Yeah, we need to show those boys that girls can kick ass in sports as well.”
    “I guess so.” I sighed and stretched my legs out. “Though I don’t know I will ever kick ass in football.”
    “Yes, you will, Alice. You need to have a positive mental attitude.”
    “I’m trying,” I said and sighed. “I mean, I’m still trying to have a positive attitude about Aiden and me getting together.”
    “About that …” Liv said and grinned. “Let’s go over the plan.” She looked down at her notepad and then back up at me. “I’m going to invite Aiden over to watch a movie as a way for us to make up for the argument that went down.” She made a face. “He thinks that we were inappropriate on the football field yesterday and that we shouldn’t argue like that in front of others.”
    “Since when has he cared about being an ass in front of others?” I was surprised, but pleased to hear that he was going to be coming over.
    “Since he realized I’m not a little kid anymore.” She laughed. “Anyway, I’m going to tell him to bring a movie and a bottle of wine and that is how he can make it up to me.”
    “But you’re not going to be here, right?” I said, trying to confirm that the plan was the same as this morning.
    “Yeah, well, I’ll be here when he arrives, but just before the movie starts, I’m going to leave abruptly because Xander is going to need me.”
    “He knows he’s going to need you, right?” I asked skeptically; I wasn’t sure we could count on Xander following through in helping us with our plan.
    “Trust me, he knows he’s going to need me.” She grinned. “I told him to call me at eight p.m. on the dot. I’ll talk to him and then leave and then you and Aiden can watch the movie. I told Aiden to get a horror movie—”
    “Oh no, you know I hate horror movies.” I groaned.
    “That’s why I told him to bring one. You’ll scream and jump into his arms, and he’ll protect you.”
    “Protect me from the TV?”
    “Well, he’ll put his arm around you to comfort you from the scariness on the screen or whatever, and you can snuggle into his arms.” Liv sounded impatient. “Come on, Alice, you know how it goes. You’re the one who taught me the horror-movie trick.”
    “I know.” I sighed. “I just don’t think it will work on Aiden.”
    “It works on all men.” Liv grinned. “Even guys who are totally into themselves and have significant others; though it’s unlikely to lead to kissing and messing around with them.”
    “It’s unlikely to lead to kissing for me and Aiden, either.”
    “Alice,” Liv sighed. “Just go with it, please.”
    “Fine.” I shrugged. “I’ll watch a horror movie with him, but I just hope he doesn’t feel like he was tricked and leave. He didn’t exactly seem like he was into me at the football game.”
    “We were running up and down a field, he didn’t have time to flirt.”
    “I guess so.” I laughed. “Let’s be real, Liv. What he was doing was the opposite of flirting.”
    “He was just being a typical macho jealous guy.” Liv rolled her eyes. “Trust me, he’s into you. Even Xander thinks he’s into you. Though he still hasn’t told me that he told you that Aiden was a Dom.” She looked annoyed. “And I hinted around it as well.”
    “Oh, Alice.” I shook my head. “You’re not meant to know, remember?” I played with my hair for a few seconds and then continued talking. “And Xander really does think Aiden’s into me?” I asked hopefully.
    “Yes.” She grinned. “Though he also thinks Scott and Henry are into you, too. Oh and that other guy as well, what’s-his-face.”
    “Who is what’s-his-face?”
    “Jackson. The one guy who kept trying to tackle you.”
    “Oh, the tall guy with the crooked nose and bleach-blond hair?” I made a face. “I swear he was trying to grab my tits.”
    “Yup, him.” Liv laughed. “He tried to do that to me, too, and Xander elbowed