Chapter 48


    Another nod.


    “And it takes ce every year?”


    An affirmative grunt.


    If he didn’t start talking, saying anything, I wouldn’t jump out of the moving car; I’d be pushing him out.


    “And …” I needed a question that wouldn’t strictly require a yes or no answer. “How are the funds going to be raised?”


    He seemed to consider that for a long moment, almost making me believe I’d really have to shove him out.


    “An auction.”


    Finally. “What’s being auctioned?” I fidgeted with the simple gold cuff bracelet that circled my wrist, waiting for an


    answer that never came. “Is it art?” I turned the smooth piece of jewelry around. “Golf lessons?” Another turn. “A


    yacht?” I looked at him. Nothing. No answer. “Elvis’s underwear?”


    That got me a reaction. He sent me a puzzled look and then returned his attention to the road.


    “What?” I shrugged one shoulder. “I’ll have you know that someone auctioned a dirty pair of undies Elvis had worn to


    a concert in the ’70s.”


    I watched Aaron’s head shake. Mr. Proper was probably scandalized, but he was still not talking, so I kept


    filling in the silence.


    “Chill. Nobody bought them.” I studied his profile for any reaction. Still nothing. “Or bid for them,” I corrected myself. “I


    don’t know much, if anything, about auctions.” More silence. O-kay. “But the conclusion was that, apparently, no one


    wanted Elvis’s used underwear.” I snickered. “Which, frankly, it sort of strengthened my faith in society. Not all is lost


    yet, right?”


    A muscle in his jaw jumped.


    “Who would want to own something like that? And what’s even more daunting, what for? To frame it?” A grimace bent


    my lips. “Imagine being invited to a home and finding a dirty pair of underwear framed, hanging above the sofa. Or the


    toilet.”


    Aaron shot me a quick nce, something that looked a lot like wonder filling his eyes. Then, he finally spoke, “I never


    know with you, you know?”


    And that’s what he decided to go with?


    “You never know what?” Frowning, I watched his head give another light shake.


    “I never know what’s going toe out of your mouth.” His voice sounded almost thoughtful. “You always find a way


    to catch mepletely off guard. And that’s not something many people can do.”


    Uh …


    What was I supposed to do with that? Was that … apliment? I had been rambling about Elvis’s used underwear


    hanging in somebody’s living room, so I was going to go with no. Not apliment. Plus, this was Aaron we were


    talking about, so double no.


    “Well, I have more fun facts for you, if that’s what you want,” I offered with a smile. “Of all kinds, not only underwear-


    rted.”


    “Of course you do,” he muttered.


    “Unless you want to use this precious time to, I don’t know, give me some kind of context about tonight.” I waited one,


    two, three seconds. Once more, he seemed to fall silent when I asked. “You could maybe exin to me why I’m here,


    pretending to be your date. That’s a good start.”


    His fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter; it was hard to miss because, well, I had been carefully watching him for


    thest couple of minutes.


    And yet, he was still not talking. Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    I frowned, starting to feel frustrated in a way that wasn’t very charitable. “You said you would tell me everything if I


    agreed toe.”


    “I did say that, didn’t I?”


    “Yep,” I answered, not getting why he was being so … privy. Although that was just how Aaron was, wasn’t it? It


    shouldn’t have surprised me.


    I watched his hands move up along the steering wheel, the action tensing the fabric of his tux jacket. As I was unable


    not to notice how his arms filled the sleeves, my mind wandered away for an instant, this weird sensation I had


    experienced back in the apartment returning.


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