Chapter Seven
Pierce
Waking up alone doesn’t feel so bad now.
Because I can still taste Paige, I can still feel her soft body pressed against mine, hear her sexy sounds as she came last night. It was the best first date in history, but it won’t be the last. I said I didn’t know how to do this, and I meant it—I have no idea how to date or be a boyfriend. I also said we would figure it out as we go.
To start with I think I ought to send my girl some flowers.
“Yeah, Sara, two dozen if you got ‘em. I want to fill her place with flowers. Uh…girls like that, after a date, don’t they?”
Talking to my old lab partner who I haven’t seen since high school about sending flowers to my girl makes me sound foolish. I don’t care. I am sure a lot of men do foolish things and say foolish stuff when they’re crazy about a woman.
I couldn’t be crazier about Paige if I tried.
“Yes, we love flowers. What is her favorite color?”
Frowning, I try to recall this bit of information. Last night we talked about music—Heart is her favorite band at the moment—movies, how different we grew up, and just about everything else. Did we talk about favorite colors? Jesus, that is something I should know, I suppose.
“Blue! It is blue,” I answer at last, feeling triumphant. “Last night she mentioned how my eyes were such a pretty blue color.”
“Oh my gosh, that is totally the cutest. Awe, Pierce has a girlfriend, that is like, adorable. Blue it is. How about Forget Me Nots? They’re totally pretty and we have dozens!”
“Yeah, that’s perfect. Thanks, Sara, I’ll swing by to pay and sign the card. Uh, if you think of something clever for me to sign it with, let me know.”
Taking a quick shower, I grab my uniform and head out. I pause at her door, wanting to see her before I go. It feels as if my day won’t be complete without seeing her. I knock at the door once. I can hear Frenchie shuffling about inside, but I turn to go.
Before I can, I hear her sweet laugh and recall when I came to pick her up last night and she teased me about trying to bail. How was that just last night? It feels as if my entire world has changed. Ever since she came into the diner, dripping wet with rain and laughing at the mess she made. My world has totally changed because of her, and I don’t even mind.
“Always trying to run off on me, huh?”
Grinning down at her, I shake my head. Reaching out, I loop my arm around her waist, hauling her against me. I sigh against her mouth as she closes her eyes, tipping her head back for my kiss. Lifting her against me, I start to walk her back into her place before I hesitate. We have time. All the time in the world if we want it.
“Never. I would never want to escape you or this,” I whisper at last.
Paige smiles against my mouth, pressing a few playful kisses t over my face and my jaw. “Good. Good thing, honey. Headed off to cook delicious food for all of Pine Grove? I am jealous.”
Grinning, I give her plump ass a little squeeze. “Give me a few minutes, I can have something delicious here, baby.”
“I just bet. Go, I need to shower so I can go shopping. I will be a teacher in a few weeks, I want to look the part.”
“Hmm, you look just fine the way you look now.”
Stepping back to get a good look at her, I shake my head. No, she looks better than fine. With flushed cheeks, her golden hair a messy halo around her beautiful face, and most of her bare besides the tiny silk robe she has on, she looks fucking stunning.
“Take that back. Better not go teaching anyone looking that good.”
Paige laughs, tipping her head back to wait for the kiss. She knows I am going to press to her lips, Once I pull myself away, I make her promise to come see me at the diner. With a new pep in my step, I climb into my beast of a van, not even caring how loud it backfires or how hard it is to steer it towards the diner.
At the diner, I find myself loving what I am doing. Paige loves food the way I do, and she gave me a lot of confidence about my cooking lately. Commenting on how good my French toast was, how great my waffles were. There were lots of classes I could have taken after I blew my future playing ball. I chose culinary classes because I do love food.
“Imelda,” I call during a rare break after lunch rush. “Think I could…I don’t know, create a few new things for the menu? Or maybe just specials? I would love to try some new things out back here.”
“Why not? Might bring in some new faces, like that pretty girl of yours. How is that going?”
“Good,” I answer with a huge, stupid grin. “Really, so, so good. I am…I cannot believe she wants to date me. We’ve had the best time together. I never…I mean never really had a girlfriend or anything before. Where could I take her for a fun date?”
“There’s a couple’s night at Skateland tomorrow night. That could be fun. Some awful music on shitty speakers, greasy concession stand food, and people hooking up in corners. Could be a radical time.”
Laughing, I shake my head. Paige is too good for a date night at Skateland. I almost blew things last night by forgetting my wallet. What dweeb forgets his wallet on his first date with the girl of his dreams? Way to impress the super classy babe I want as my girl.
Instead of wallowing, I work on an idea for a new special. Imelda tells me to have a good time and says her uncle—the owner of the diner—will love anything I do to draw folks in. Thinking of the coming fall, I decide to go with two soups. A hearty French onion with delicious, melted cheese, and a nutty squash.
Once I finish, the first thing I want is for Paige to taste it. I want her opinion and her input. I think she can make me a better cook. I believe she can make me love it enough that I could do more than flip burgers or scramble some eggs. I could make this a career not just a job I work to get by.
“Hey Chef,” Imelda calls as I prep two bowls to serve to her or her uncle. “You uh…your girl needs you up here, dude.”
Frowning, I round the pass-through, almost dropping the hot bowls of soup. Setting them aside, I rush to Paige, tearing my apron off. Though she is smiling up at me, my sweet girl looks awful.
“Oh, baby, what is it? What happened? Talk to me.”
“Uh…honey, those flowers were the sweetest, nicest thing ever. It’s just…I uh…well, I have these allergies to…well, to almost all flowers and….”
Gulping down the acid on my tongue, I hang my head. I did it again. Made another idiot move. I sent her tons of flowers, thanks to Sara’s suggestion, with cards I signed proudly just a few hours ago. Now here she is, miserable, a mess, and it is all because of me.
Paige’s eyes are swollen and red, her entire face puffy. Even her hands are swollen. Her throat has scratches as if she clawed at her throat, trying to breathe through her allergic reaction. Tears fill my eyes because I am so dumb. So goddamn stupid for trying to do something nice and screwing it up.
“Oh, baby, I am so fucking sorry. It was so stupid…I just...I wanted to do something nice. Come, sit down, let me do fix it.”
“It was nice. It is nice,” she fixes her statement, though her swollen lips and stuttered words say differently. My poor girl.
“Can…Imelda, can I take my girl home? I know I was working on those specials…Zach will be in soon…” I stammer, pleading with my words, with desperation in my eyes.
“Go ahead, darling. Take care of your sweetheart. Feel better, girl. He is not always an idiot, I promise you.”
Paige offers her a half a laugh before she lets me gather her up. I load her up in her cute little pink bug, though I have no idea how to drive a stick. Somehow I get us to the Drug Town, scooping up anything that talks about allergic reactions. Racing home, I take her to my place, heading right for the bedroom.
Calling a favor in, I ask Brenden and Blair to get rid of all the flowers I just paid a fortune for that fill Paige’s place. While they do that, I get my girl in a hot bath with some of the powders meant to soothe her hives. Sitting beside her on the cool tile floor, I apologize over and over.
“Oh, honey, stop. You were doing what a boyfriend does. What the best boyfriend would do,” she whispers, combing some hair back from my face. I am a mess, but she is all that matters, and I love taking care of her.
“Is that what I am?”
Frowning at me, Paige tilts her head in the water. My hands drag the sponge over her bare skin, spreading the medicated powders over her wounds. Nodding her head, her blonde hair bouncing on top of her head, she soothes me too.
“Is that what you want to be? I thought…I mean, I thought I was your girlfriend after…”
“I want to be,” I rush to say it. “I never…I mean I said I never dated before, never had a clue how to do this but that we would figure it out. I will screw up,” I wave a hand at the mess I made of this. “But…yeah, I want to be your boyfriend. I promise I won’t ruin all our dates or make you break out in hives too often.”
Paige smiles, still combing her hands through my hair. It is so peaceful, her touch. It touches parts of me I never thought anyone would want to reach. We sit there for a long time. We don’t talk because we don’t need words. I wash her skin and even wash her hair as she sits back against my chest, soaking my clothes. Not that I mind.
Taking her to bed, I set her down, her skin damp but clear of most of the breakouts. Kneeling at her side, I take the lotion I was told to slather on any hives the soak didn’t take care of. Taking my time, I do just that, feeling her tremble beneath my touch as I spread lotion on her thighs, her breasts, her shoulders, her neck, anywhere I see a spot that might hurt her.
“You’re a good boyfriend, honey,” Paige whispers as I pull a Dukes of Hazzard shirt over her bare body, even though I rather she stays bare.
“I will try to be. Come on, let’s lay down. Let me…let me take care of you,” I whisper, voice needy, my body trembling too. I need to hold her. Need to feel that she is real, she is not hurting, I am taking good care of her.
Stripping down to my boxers, I slide in the bed behind her. Paige sighs and snuggles against my chest, pressing a kiss over my thumping heart. I press a kiss to her forehead. Closing my eyes, I gather her close as a sense of peace, of being complete, washes over me.
I am right where I belong—with who I belong with.
“You really mine?” I whisper in the dim light of my bedroom.
“Yeah, Pierce. I am. If you want me. Does that mean…you’re mine?”
Pulling back, I cradle her face, tears in my eyes again. This time, I am smiling as I nod. Lowering my head, I brush my mouth over hers gently. If I could show her what I feel or say it in pretty words or some big gesture—not flowers—I would.
“Yeah. I am. Whatever you want me to be, baby.”
“Just mine. Hmm, you’re so warm. Can we sleep for a bit?”
“We can do anything you want. Long as I get to hold you.”
“What…what was that you meant earlier? About making a special?”
Paige stares up at me as I comb through her hair, her eyes looking clearer as the medicine starts to work. I can tell she is beat though. I kiss her forehead again, hoping I did enough to take care of this misery I caused her.
“I thought I might try to make a few new things at the diner. This pretty girl told me I am a good cook,” I tease her, laughing when she beams proudly. “I thought I might give it a real shot.”
“Sounds like a pretty smart girl.”
“I think so too. Might not have the best taste in boyfriends.”
“Pish posh,” she mutters, eyes falling closed against her will. “Her boyfriend is the best.”
Smiling, I cuddle closer to her, talking softly about how I will try to be the best boyfriend. Not that I have any clue about it. I never thought I would be one, to be honest. Never dreamed a girl like Paige would go out with me let alone want a relationship with me.
Now I have to figure out how to be the of boyfriend she deserves.