Free Aria by Shira Anthony Page B

would be like.”
They began to walk again, talking and stopping from time to time to look in various shops along the route. “What do you think of that?” Sam leaned over to point to a hand-loomed scarf in a store window, accidently brushing against Aiden’s shoulder. Aiden’s pulse quickened. He tried his best to focus on the scarf, but the scent of Sam’s crisp cologne had him remembering their first night together in New York, years before.
“For you?” It was a silly question. The scarf was obviously made for a woman.
Sam laughed. “For my mother. I need to pick up gifts for her and my sisters.”
“I like it. Why don’t we go inside?” Aiden clapped Sam’s shoulder. Aiden meant it as a friendly gesture, but Sam’s mouth parted with the touch. Aiden’s hand lingered for a moment longer than he’d intended. He didn’t want the contact to end.
“Sounds good.” Sam’s gaze met Aiden’s, and Sam, too, appeared to hesitate. Then a patron exited the store, and the moment was gone just as quickly.
By the time they left the store, Sam having purchased several scarves and a sweater for his youngest sister, it was now early evening, and the sky was overcast.
“Looks like rain.” Sam stared up at the sky.
“You’ve been lucky so far. Usually this time of year, it rains a lot more. Do you want to take the Métro the rest of the way?”
“Nah. I don’t mind getting a little wet.”
Neither of them had thought to bring an umbrella, so they picked up their pace. But as they neared the Seine, the intermittent drops of rain soon became a torrent.
“Follow me.” Aiden pointed down one of the narrow streets. He held his hand out to steady Sam over one of the small rivers that had formed on the cobblestones, and stepped into the water up to his shin. “Shit.” He brushed a soggy lock of hair from his eyes.
Sam jumped over another mini torrent, holding Aiden’s hand a bit tighter. A taxi snaked through the pedestrians running for cover, and Sam and Aiden stepped backward to avoid the ensuing splash of water. Sam lost his footing, managing to keep his balance only because Aiden grabbed him around the waist. Aiden laughed and looked down at his soggy shoes, socks, and pants.
“Sam,” Aiden called over a clap of thunder, “I know a nice café right down the block. Why don’t we duck inside and wait until this passes?”
“Sounds great,” Sam ran down the sidewalk after Aiden, still holding his hand.
They reached the café a few minutes later, but not before they were both soaked to the skin. Aiden took two napkins from a waitress and handed one to Sam. They wiped their faces and made their way over to a table by the window. Outside the storm had worsened.
They ordered a light meal and chatted comfortably for several more hours. They both took off their shoes to let them dry, and their stocking feet brushed beneath the tiny table. Rather than pulling his feet away, Aiden pressed them more deliberately against Sam’s. The hint of color in Sam’s cheeks was reassurance enough that it wasn’t just Aiden feeling the heat between them. If anything, their physical attraction had grown in the intervening years.
Aiden didn’t notice the rain had stopped falling until the sky grew dark and faint bands of color appeared on the horizon. Sam texted Jason to let him know he would be late returning to the apartment. Their clothing finally dry, they ventured back out onto the wet streets in search of Aiden’s favorite tea shop. “Best hot chocolate in Paris. And the pastries are incredible.”
“I’m going to need to run an extra mile tomorrow,” Sam said with a rumbled laugh.
“I promise I won’t chase you off.”
This time it was Sam’s hand on Aiden’s shoulder. “I’ll hold you to that.”
They turned a corner down rue du Fouarre. “This is the place.” Aiden’s excitement at finding the tiny shop was immediately replaced by disappointment. The shop was closed. “Sorry. I didn’t realize they closed