29. Lily
TWENTY-NINE
LILY
“I’m kidnapping you this weekend.”
My eyes widen and I giggle, looking over at Annabelle and shaking my head. “You can try, but you won’t succeed.”
“Come on, girl,” she whines. “Dish to me! I just started hanging out with you, and then my dick of the week jumped ship and got lost in your vagina, so the least you can do is go out with me.”
My stomach clenches when she so casually mentions the fact that she’s fucked Alex. My Alex.
I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me. It does, but I remind myself that we all have our pasts, and while I can’t fault him for his, it’s hard not to wonder if everyone else experiences him the same way as me.
If everyone gets to know what it feels like to be consumed by him.
Annabelle sips on her Styrofoam cup, placing it above the drink station. “Oh, no, uh-uh, don’t give me that look. I already told you, it’s fine . You don’t need to deny it. Besides, even if you did, I wouldn’t believe you. Every time that man walks in here, he looks more in love than the day before.”
A laugh bursts out of me, and I spin, peeking around the corner to where Alex sits in his signature corner booth, reading his worn copy of The Art of War , so reminiscent to the first time we met.
Who would have thought that it would only take a couple months until I’d find myself willingly falling into some fucked-up reality where my head is filled with possibilities.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my past, left behind my family in pursuit of numbing pain I can’t outrun, but with Alex, maybe I can start fresh. It won’t replace the history or the scars. It won’t heal my broken soul, but maybe it can be a balm, and I can find some peace in the happiness he provides.
Derek is right—I can’t keep punishing myself forever.
“I don’t know. I think I have plans.” My eyes drift toward Alex again.
She rolls her eyes but a smile lights up her face. “Fine. But I’m taking a rain check. You owe me.”
Smiling, I make my way over to Alex’s table, plopping down in the booth opposite him. He glances up from his book and grins. The weight of his stare is heady, causing an ache to flare between my thighs and my heart to skip every other beat. It’s impossible to come to work without remembering how he fucked me raw on the counter, and having him here now, looking at me the way he is…
My stomach clenches, arousal spiraling through me at the memory, followed closely by the comfort in knowing he offers what I need and never asks for more than I can give. The mix of emotions twist and turn like a cyclone. When the storm passes and only the dust remains, it settles around him . Because with Alex, everything I’ve been running from feels a little less dark. A little less scary. A little less suffocating. Because I know he’ll help me take the breath.
I pop a cold fry from his plate into my mouth. “I’ll have you know I just turned down girls’ night for you.”
He grins. “Oh?”
I nod, chewing slowly. “That’s right. So what are we doing on Friday?”
His head cocks to the side. “You don’t work?”
A smile splits my face as I shake my head, my ponytail brushing along the top of my back. “Nope. I’m all yours if you want me.”
His eyes flash. “I always want you.”
My veins heat at his words. “Good.”
He watches me silently for a few moments. “I’m taking you out.”
“Like a date?” I ask, excitement buzzing in my stomach.
His lips tilt up. “Is that not okay with you?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s perfect. I’ve never been on one.”
His smile drops and he does that thing he does—that penetrating gaze that strips away my smile and sears beneath my skin.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I mumble.
He smirks, unwrapping a toothpick from his pocket and popping it in his mouth. “Like what?”
“All sad eyes and sexy.”
He chuckles. “I don’t know any other way to look at you, little bird.” He leans in close, his hands resting flat against the table. “You’re sexy as fuck.”
I suck in a breath, butterflies erupting in my stomach.
The bell chimes above the door and I hop up quickly, not wanting anyone to see me eye-fucking another customer. But I can’t wipe the smile from my face.
A date.
* * *
It’s Friday night. Chase is with Susan and I’m… nervous. I’ve done a lot of things in my life, but a date has never been one of them.
There’s a knock on my door just as I finish smoothing down my blouse, looking at myself in the mirror one last time and cringing at what I see.
It’s a far cry from the fashionista I always dreamed of becoming, but when you don’t have two cents to rub together, you get used to making do with what you have. And the closest I have to a nice outfit is a ruched black halter-style top and my nicest pair of Goodwill jeans. Blowing out a breath, my fingers swipe against my opposite wrist as I make my way to the front.
When I open the door, heat rushes to my cheeks, nerves tap dancing in my gut. Alex’s dark hair is slicked back, his teeth gleaming underneath my porch light with his smile. He holds a giant bouquet of red roses.
His eyes change as he drinks me in, his gaze burning me alive, and suddenly, this outfit doesn’t feel so ratty. Not when he’s staring at me like he wants to devour me whole.
“Hi,” I breathe. “Are those for me?” I point to the flowers.
He clears his throat, and he steps into me, having to duck slightly under the frame of the door. His lips skim my cheek as he hands me the bouquet. “Pretty flowers for a stunning girl.”
I grasp them, my fingers brushing against his, the simple touch sending my stomach flying into my throat. “Thank you, they’re beautiful,” I say, bringing them to my nose and inhaling the sweet fragrance.
“ You’re beautiful,” he rasps, pressing a kiss to my lips.
A smile blooms on my face while I kiss him back, and suddenly a giggle escapes, forcing us to break apart and totally ruining the moment.
He leans back, a hint of a grin cracking his face. “What’s funny?”
“Nothing,” I laugh. “This is all just so cliché.”
His lips turn down like he’s offended, and I pull him back into me by his face, my fingers scratching against his jaw.
“It’s perfect.” I rise up to kiss his pouty lips. “I’ve never had cliché before.”
His lips land on mine again and I sink into him, lost in his taste—in his attention. His arms lock behind me, and I break away, locking my gaze on his as I skim my fingers along his biceps. “Where are you taking me tonight?”
“It’s a surprise.” He grins, his eyes sparking.
My insides quake with possibility, and for the first time, I feel excited for the unknown.
And I fall a little deeper.