They hang out and talk

By the time the dishes were pushed aside and the light outside had faded to a dusky blue, the lines between them had started to blur again. It was a familiarity he wasn’t used to.

Was living with someone other than you mom always this easy? He expected to have to tip-toe around living with his mom’s friend. Girlfriend? What was their relationship again?

She wasn’t sure when the conversation stopped being careful. Somewhere between the second glass and the dishwasher, it had simply... eased.

They loaded the dishes together without thinking much of it. Passing plates, rinsing, slotting things into place with a kind of quiet rhythm that made her stomach flutter a little. This weird unspoken sensation of falling into routine with someone new. The kind that was easy to notice when you used to have it, then lost it, but a part longed to have the familiarity of it back. And quite frankly, she wasn’t expecting it any time soon. She still didn’t really expect it, yet she noticed it in this fleeting moment nonetheless.

“Okay,” she said, wiping her hands on a towel and tossing it over the oven handle. “I’d say we earned the couch.” She grabbed her glass and a second bottle of wine.

He nodded, wineglass still in hand, following her into the living room as she flopped onto the couch and reached for the remote.

“Dealer’s choice,” he said, settling in at the opposite end, one arm thrown over the back cushion. “Surprise me.”

She flicked through a few titles before landing on something harmless and vaguely nostalgic, an early 2000s comedy that didn’t require real attention. Just background noise for more wine, and more sideways glances. More whatever this was.

She reached for the corkscrew.

“You sure about that?” he asked, nodding toward it with a lazy smile. “Didn’t you say wine made you overshare?”

Her hand paused. “I can handle my wine,” she admonished, smirking as she set the corkscrew into place. “You don’t need to worry.” She may have had a bit too much confidence in her tone, but then again, last night was more than just wine that pushed her.

“Right.” He perked up slightly, wagging his brows playfully. “So, who got to know your dirty little secrets then?”

She popped the cork, eyes fixed on the bottle. “No one that concerns you.”

“Come on,” he said, watching as she poured. “Now I have to know. Was this a vent-to-Lisa kind of overshare, or... someone else?”

She handed him his glass, deliberately not answering.

Aiden took it, swirling the wine once before sitting back. “Matt,” he guessed. “Guy I’ve heard you talking to a few times lately.”

He watched her cheeks turn a slight shade, even though she gave no other acknowledgement of what he said.

“I knew it,” he grinned. “So…” he accentuated the word, waiving his hands inward, a gesture of welcoming her to tell him everything, “come on, what exactly did you overshare with him?”

She settled back into the couch with her own glass, taking a long sip before looking over at him. “How many more girls do you plan on making me listen to?” she asked trying to redirect him.

His mouth opened, then closed again. Then opened, “Oh, c’mon.”

“Because I’ve got a playlist,” Natalie went on, putting the focus back on him as she now swirled her own wine, mocking him. “Top ten moans through paper-thin walls. Your room’s giving me content, Daddy.”

Aiden choked on his sip, coughing as his face turned crimson. “Oh my God. You did not just say that.”

“I did,” she said sweetly, eyes glinting over the rim of her glass. An impish smirk spread across her face enjoying his embarrassment. “But more importantly, she did,” she added a second later, eyes narrowing in mock remembrance. “I don’t even know how many times. Once was right before it sounded like she got a spanking.”

He slumped deeper into the couch, groaning. “Jesus, Natalie.”

“No, pretty sure she was screaming for God, not Jesus, and daddy, not Natalie. They both end with an ‘e’ sound though, but I don’t think they’re close enough to mistake one for the other.” Her laugh bubbled out, bright and unrelenting, as he squirmed in his seat.

He set his glass down, hands raised in surrender. “Okay, okay, I get it. You heard things.”

“I heard everything,” she shot back, leaning in. “Including some gagging, at least three solid smacks. Very steady and timed. Very... assertive.”

He dragged a hand through his hair, half-embarrassed, half-laughing. “What are you, a critic now?”

“I’m a host who didn’t sign up for surround sound of that,” she said. Then, lowering her voice like she was letting him in on a secret. “Also... it was kind of impressive.”

He squinted at her. “That was not my thing. She was, enthusiastic.”

“She was performing,” Natalie countered, drawing the word out like a theater critic. “The girl deserves a standing ovation for that third act about where nobody’s touched her before.”

“Oh, God.” If it was possible to slump any further, he would have, but he was as small as he could get now. “New rule. No quoting Kim.”

“Kim, is it?” she teased, raising eyebrows. “Wow. First name basis, not just baby, or honey. Must be serious.”

“Easier than calling her The Girl every time you bring her up.”

“I was thinking of naming her after one of your anime girls, but sure, Kim works.”

He gave her a narrow-eyed look. “You really kept a playlist?”

“Mentally,” she said, tapping her temple. “Don’t worry. Your highlight reel is safe for now.”

He shook his head and laughed, reaching for his glass again. “You’re spiteful when you drink.”

“You’re adorable when you blush,” she said, tilting her head. “Didn’t think you had that in you.”

“What, blushing?”

“No. Daddy.” She bit her bottom lip to keep the grin at bay as his ears turned bright red, matching his cheeks.

“I’m not-” He cut himself off, flustered. “It was a thing. She was doing her thing. Who am I to judge?”

“Oh I’m judging,” Natalie said with a laugh, before saying, “Relax. Your secret kink is safe.”

“It’s not a kink! At least not mine,” he muttered, utterly defeated. Her words also reminding him of what his mom said to her on that first night, when she begged for a certain activity.

“Mm-hmm.” She sipped again, eyes dancing. “That’s exactly what a Daddy would say. Never would’ve guessed the spanking though.”

He blinked, looking at her questioningly. “Didn’t think I could land a girl who liked getting spanked?”

“I didn’t think you could pull it off without apologizing mid-slap,” she said.

He leaned back, hand over his chest. “Wow. Wounded.”

“Not half as wounded as her ass, I’m guessing” she quipped, sipping her wine.

Aiden groaned and let his head fall back against the couch. “You’re never going to let me live this down.”

“Not unless you switch to silent mode when you have someone over.”

“Not unless you stop making it sound like you enjoyed the whole performance.”

Her eyes glittered above the rim of her glass. “Didn’t say that.”

His mouth opened, closed. He didn’t have a comeback; his brain was still trying to process the conversation he was having with Natalie of all people. And for a moment, they just stared, still smiling, but something charged was humming beneath the surface.

The laughter lingered, softened by the wine and the flicker of the TV they still hadn’t paid attention to. The air between them had felt playful, still sharp, but a little more specific now. The kind of teasing that didn’t leave room for interpretation. There were no innuendos, or double-entendres.

Aiden tilted his head toward her; one arm stretched along the back of the couch once more as he regained his posture after sinking into the corner. His glass dangling from his fingers. “So… that oversharing last night.”

Natalie turned her eyes to him slowly, “Let it go, Aiden.”

He smiled. “Can’t. You keep bringing it up,” he said with a smile.

“No, you keep asking.”

“Asking what?”

“About oversharing.”

“See!” he exclaimed. “You keep bringing it up.”

Her eyes shot daggers.

“And you keep dodging.” He leaned in just a little. “Which makes it suspicious as hell.”

She smirked, swirling the last sip of wine in her glass. “You’re one to talk. I’m not the one with a highlight reel coming from the other side of the wall.”

“Nope, we’ve already had that conversation” he stated, then added with a sideways glance, “Besides, I don’t know if you get to say that after your night with mom.”

Natalie’s mouth dropped open, a gasp of mock offense halfway forming, but the smile broke through before the protest did.

“Oh my God-” her head falling to the back of the couch.

But Aiden was already grinning and leaning in. “So, Matt. What exactly did you say to him?”

She blinked, caught off guard by the pivot back to Matt while her brain thought of Lisa. “Wow. No chance to defend myself about your last comment?”

“Nope,” he said, way too pleased with himself. “You brought up oversharing and I want receipts.”

She narrowed her eyes playfully. “You are nosy.”

“And you are avoiding. Come on, after everything you’ve gotten to learn about me…”

She took another sip of wine, letting the pause speak before she said, “Fine. Pics. Not nude. Just... fun.”

That devilish little grin returned, more in her eyes than the mouth this time, as she tried to hide behind her glass.

Aiden leaned back, his own glass balanced loosely in his hand, with a smug grin. “Define fun.”

“I’m not giving you visuals,” she said, amused.

“Damn,” he muttered, though his lips were still curved. “Matt’s a lucky guy.”

Natalie gave him a look. “Careful. You’re getting close to sounding jealous. And I don’t know that that’s an appropriate thing to say.”

“I’m not jealous,” he said. “Just curious. And appropriate? Really? Little late for that.”

“Uh-huh. Like you were just curious about bringing people over?” her tone was a little sharper.

He stilled for a moment wondering if he messed up by bringing Kim over without permission. He knew he was pushing the line with his questioning and he didn’t know what her signals were when it was getting to far.

“Oh, right,” she went on. “We never circled back to that. Should I expect surround sound on a regular basis now? Just wondering how often I’ll need to forewarn the neighbors. Maybe invest in some noise-canceling headphones for everyone.”

He let out a low groan, shaking his head. “You’re gonna need to get new material.”

“If the acoustics keep delivering, everyone’s gonna get new material” she quipped, then leaned in just slightly. “So? Was that a one-time performance, or are you taking auditions for the rest of the season?”

Aiden flushed again, and for a second, he couldn’t quite tell if she was joking, or if she was actually asking out of curiosity, or interest.

“I don’t exactly have a lineup planned,” he said, shrugging one shoulder. “But I’d say that you’re the one sounding a touch jealous here.”

Natalie scoffed, half laughing, half stunned. “Me?”

He shrugged, casually lifting his glass. “I mean... you’ve got the greatest hits memorized. That’s dedication. And you keep going back to it”

“Oh, please,” she said, rolling her eyes, but her smirk betrayed her. “You think I want to be in that room?”

He leaned forward just slightly, matching her tone. “You do seem very invested in what happens in there.”

“Invested?” she echoed, incredulous.

“Playlist. Volume commentary. Blow-by-blow critiques...”

She pointed at him with her wine glass. “You know you’ve brought up what you heard that first night at least three times now.”

“Have I?” he asked, feigning innocence as he swirled the last of his wine.

“Uh-huh. So, by your logic, maybe you’re the one obsessed.”

“Maybe,” he admitted, lips quirking. “But… I mean it’s my mom, so - Ugh weird.”

“You don’t know what she can do,” Natalie quipped, not thinking before she spoke. The realization hit as she looks up at him with a chuckle and saw the shock on his face.

“Sorry, didn’t mean…” Her voice trailed off, as she cursed the wine, but taking another drink.

She stared at him as her lips twitched like she wanted to say something more. Instead, she drained the last of her glass and leaned back into the couch.

“I liked it better when we were talking about your oversharing,” she muttered.

Aiden didn’t smile this time. He turned to face her more fully, glass in hand, his voice low and deliberate.

“I’ll overshare all you want,” he said. “You just have to ask.” The wine was clearly working its way through his system, but he probably would’ve said the same when he was sober, after this much sex talk. There was no denying his hormones were taking over.

Her head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing as she looked at him slightly curious and a little wary.

“Is that right?”

He nodded once, slow. “You’re not shy about what you heard. Not shy about the commentary either. So maybe just ask it. Whatever it is you’re dying to know.”

The challenge hung in the air. Casual on the surface, but something more pointed just underneath. A shift, small, but unmistakable. The kind of shift that couldn’t be undone after the seeds of wonder were sown.

Natalie didn’t respond right away. Just studied him, using the glass in a failed attempt to distract herself. The flicker of the TV causing various lights to play off her eyes, but there was no hiding the calculation behind them now.

She held his gaze, her voice quieter now. “Be careful, Aiden.”

He didn’t answer, just smiled, a steady, intentional expression that never wavered. It wasn’t a smirk, or a cocky grin, just a look of confidence that made her stomach shift.

He didn’t look away, even when her eyes narrowed. Even when she shifted on the cushion to square up with him. Or when her fingers curled tighter around the stem of her glass, hovering between sip and retreat. He just kept looking and somehow, the silence between them felt heavier than any flirtation they’d exchanged. Like he was daring her. And now, everything about their relationship, hinged on her response.

Natalie finally brought the glass to her lips, but didn’t drink, just held it there, eyes still on his as one last internal debate raced through her head. Her heart beating a little faster, and her skin felt warm. And whatever this was, it was no longer playful.

She set the glass down, without taking that last sip. A slow deliberate gesture of finality.

“I should head to bed,” she said quietly, though neither of them moved.

Aiden didn’t say anything as he watched her. The corner of his mouth lifted, into something of a smirk. A quiet kind of victory. He’d pushed her somewhere new, and she’d felt it too. Her walking away wasn’t an answer.

Not with the way her hand lingered on the back of the couch while walking around it. Not with the way she hesitated before turning. She was uncertain of what her response should be.

“Night, Natalie,” he said. His breath was still a bit husky.

She gave a slight nod, and an unreadable expression, then turned and drifted down the hall leaving her wine behind, and him still watching.

And as she disappeared, Aiden leaned back into the cushions, gaze now fixed on the TV as he considered everything.

Enjoying the story? You can support my work on Patreon where this story is currently through chapter 90 at the time of this posting. Happy reading!