The threat still existing, the FBI knew nothing of Lloyd's location, and the NSA was working with the Pentagon and the Secret Service to try to hack back the US security system. Before anything worse happened.
I was at the restaurant that used to go after work, Seth made sure that me and Aaron would follow him in a celebration night. Which the why we still didn't know.
"To Trio" Seth lifts his glass of wine from the table and Aaron looks at me, equally confused.
"Come on" he keeps the glass up "we got back together!". Was it.
"To Trio" we all say together before toasting and emptying our glasses.
"It's good to be back" Aaron says and we shared looks. The three of us, and Seth nods.
"It's good to have you-" I don't even finish and his phone rings. It could be a sign from the universe that I didn't need to tell him that, because I don't have him back exactly, in fact I never had.
"Just one second" he pushes the chair and leaves, going to answer the call in a quieter place of the bar.
I watch from a distance and even if I don't hear a single word, I can say that the conversation is funny by the smile he keeps on his face and the laughter.
"Who do you think it is?" Seth's voice interrupts me and I realize I've been staring at Aaron since he got up from the table.
"How would I know?" I turn my attention to the wine bottle, spilling some more in the glass.
"But you want to" Seth says with all the conviction of the world.
"With whom he speaks or not, it doesn't concern me" I try to keep a straight face. Impossible.
"Concerning you or not, you want to know anyway" he says, and I look at him a little furious that he insists on it. Of course I'd like to know who Aaron was talking to, who he was with, and how many recent contacts was on his list. Nothing a big thing.
"Know what?" Aaron reappears, taking his chair back as he folds the sleeve of his shirt up just above his forearm. He has the sexiest forearm I've ever seen.
"Who you were talking to," Seth says openly, and I stare at him. "Emily and I made bet on it" what was he doing?
"A bet, huh?" Aaron smiles. He didn't wear his suspenders today and his suit was on the back of the chair. Leaving with only a blue tie and social shirt. Sexiest, as I said before.
"Yes, the loser pays the bill." Seth completes. I had forgot how he managed to dodge wonderfully from any situation.
"And who wins...?" I ask, also getting into the game.
"Whoever wins show that knows Aaron very well, so he's going to decide the prize." Seth speaks and at this point I know he was planning something, he would probably lose this surprise bet, so I could win.
"Ok. I've thought of something." Aaron stares at the bottom of the bar and smiles, leaning his arms on the table and staring toward us. "Tell me your hunches."
"A woman," Seth says.
"Too vague, not really a shot," I exclaim grinning. I had thought that, too.
"Some potential love interest. That sums up the people on the list." Seth justifies himself and Aaron smiles.
"Your turn" Aaron says, turning to me.
"Would it be... Nadia?" I ask with a bit of security.
Aaron stares at me and Seth, leaning back in his chair and smiling.
"It seems like the winner of this crazy bet is Emily," he says with an even grin on his face and I raise my fists in a sign of victory.
"Unfair, guys. Who is Nadia? Is it some secret language between the two of you? A code?" Seth acts like a bad loser outraged and we all smile together.
"She is my cousin, who recently started working with Congresswoman Yoshida and called me to say that she isn't going to home tonight so early as she expected, the week is going to be a mess and she wants to get ahead of it, I guess."
"Washington comes for everyone, after all." Seth says and we agree. Washington had a strange effect on the people who worked on it.
"Yeah, I told her to take some time off on the weekend," Aaron says, kind of worried with his cousin "she's too young, needs to take care of herself before she turn like us." Offensive but accurate. At this point, sleep was like a divine gift that we rarely received.
"I bet you did the same when you were her age" I say, defending the young woman. "She is determined, dedicated and competent. Let her discover her own limits."
Aaron nods, drinking his wine.
"How old is she?" Seth asks.
"Almost 23" Aaron replies.
"And she has an incredible CV" I make an observation. I had researched her file, of course Aaron had told me a few things but it was really impressive all the extensions she had done during her time in college.
"Okay, you two are looking like my parents when they are proud of me," we laugh together again. Seth can't help but compare us to parents. He had to do this. "What's Emily's prize?".
I had forgotten. Seth didn't.
Aaron starts taking off his tie and unbuttoning his shirt, causing a shiver all over my body "a striptease? If so, let me stay as far away from you as possible." Seth jokes, dragging his chair back and pretending to get up.
"Jesus, of course not." Aaron responds "follow me" he gets up and so do we, following him down the path that leads us to where the band stays.
He talks to the lead and asks for his guitar, sitting on a stool and propping the instrument in one leg.
"Sorry to disturb your amazing music, it goes to someone who knows me very well." He stares at me and Seth grabs his shoulder in mine, whispering a "don't have to thank me" and a wicked smile on his face.
"It's going to take only a few minutes, I promise," Aaron says, then I move closer to the mini stage, getting as close as possible and leaving Seth behind.
"Take the time you want, sweetheart." Some woman screams from the background and everyone in the bar lets out a scream. I really couldn't care less about this person. Aaron would sing for me. I wouldn't stop feeling luxurious about it.
"You're loving it!" I say without sounding, letting him read my lips and decipher. And he does.
"I hope you enjoy it, Emily" he gives me one last glance before turning his attention to the guitar.
He tunes the strings, making a few strummings before bringing his mouth back into the microphone.
"Wise man say
Only fools rush in
But I can not help
Falling in love with you"
The whole bar shouts in the first verse, I can say that everyone was thinking we were dating or something like that. I'm sure, too, that I'm blushing more than any other situation in my life. All the couples in the bar - and even those who didn't even know each other - starts to dance. Including Seth, who was glued to a woman apparently younger than him, black hair. She is very beautiful, by the way.
For a moment it seems that there is only me and Aaron in this place, he stares me at every word he sings, don't looking away even to the guitar, showing that he knew the chords of the song.
In response, I stare back at him with the same flame. I wasn't meaning it, I just couldn't take my eyes off from the scene right in front of me.
The gel in his hair was already almost totally gone, making his curls more apparent, the first buttons of his blue shirt open and the sleeves folded at the elbow. It's all part of a beautiful scenario, a set that fits perfectly and where I spend the rest of the music looking at.
When he finishes, the palms echo in the bar. He sings very well. Wonderful. And Elvis' songs.
"Lucky!" someone say and I smile. I allow myself to smile because it's true. I'm lucky to have him.
He descends from the stage and comes to me, walking slowly and uninterruptedly, his eyes never leaving mine.
"I didn't know you were a singer" I say as he approaches.
"I have some talent." He smiles and I notice that his gaze drifts from my eyes, directly to my lips and this is extremely exciting.
"Is a lot of talent, Aaron." As an involuntary and fully conscious move, I slip my arms around the curve of his shoulder and bring his neck close, closing our lips.
It was as if there were just the two of us again, the kiss isn't calm, it's strong and intense, becoming something more as our tongues touch. Our moment passes by when we hear more palms and screams, and we move our faces, smiling as we rediscover that we were in a bar and there were dozens of other people around us.
I hug him, nestling my face in his chest, laughing and smelling his scent, this served to hide how red my cheeks are. But it was also very great to feel Aaron so close to me again.
"It was my aunt on the phone" he whispered in my ear and I stare at him in surprise.
"You're a very good liar, I really believed it was Nadia." I say, slapping his chest, I understood what he did and thanked him for it. Also,Seth don't need to know that I had lost that bet, just in case that I need to use it for blackmail him.
"The opposites attract" Seth appears between us and puts his hands on our shoulders, smiling convinced "I hope the weight of two cups of a Robert Mondavi 1995 don't fall onto you two and tomorrow you barely look at each other"
"This is not going to happen," I say and Aaron looks at me, giving me a quick kiss.
"Sure" he says against my lips.
We could do a lot of things tonight, but to regret wasn't on the list.