Drink Me

9. PINK

PINK

Another frustratingly inconclusive day had gone by at work and Riley was becoming angry at himself for not being able to solve the task.

Time was ticking, he had to come up with something and fast. He knew it could take weeks, even months to solve cases like this one, but the agency simply didn't have that much time.

Lives depended on his skills.

And still no word from Alice.

Clearly, she wanted to play it differently and was probably trying to avoid him until he'd left Aidan's flat and was finally out of her way.

He'd thought about texting her but not knowing if she was with his cousin, and possibly cause trouble, had stopped him.

Maybe forget and move on was the best thing to do.

He had to try harder.

When he arrived home that evening, the flat was dark and silence, to his relief.

He stopped by the fridge and took out a beer before heavily sitting on the sofa and turning on the TV. He still had a little packing to do but it could wait, he needed to relax for a moment; it felt like he hadn't taken some time to breathe in days.

On the screen a woman was travelling back in time through stones to find her long-lost husband and, despite finding it a silly concept at first, he found himself quickly lost in the narrative.

Well, that's commitment. He thought.

He barely noticed when the door opened and Aidan and Alice walked into the flat.

"Hey, mate..." said Aidan placing a grocery bag on the kitchen island.

Riley eventually peeled his eyes off the TV and turned around.

When he saw Alice his heart stopped for the briefest moment.

All the sensations from the night they had kissed passed through his body and hit him with a ferocity he couldn't anticipate.

"Hey," he managed finally.

"I didn't picture you for a chick-lit fan..." said Alice nonchalantly, hinting at the TV.

Riley looked back at the screen and quickly turned to the couple again.

"I needed something to switch off my brain to..." he replied.

"Another busy day at work?" Aidan asked as he placed a tub of ice cream in the freezer.

"You have no idea..." Riley eventually walked into the kitchen and sat at a tall stool.

Alice was busy helping Aidan with the groceries and Riley had the chance to study her.

She looked sophisticated in a pair of high waisted black palazzo trousers and a pale pink sheer chiffon shirt, her lacy bralette slightly visible under the fabric. Her hair was up in a messy bun and loose strands of hair framed her face.

She was so alluring.

"Busy is good, I guess." Aidan said, his head still in the fridge.

Then Alice turned around and their eyes met.

Her teeth tugged at her lower lip ever so briefly and a weak smile shaped upon her face.

As she blinked, she looked away.

"Yes, yes it's good," Riley managed, distracted by that short interaction with Alice.

Aidan finally emerged from the fridge and turned to his cousin.