Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
OPERATION GET EZRA THE GIRL
KEN DOLL: Okay, gentlemen. How can Z woo Sutton and make her fall in love with him?
*ten minutes later*
KEN DOLL: Ugh. Fine. I guess I’ll come up with ways all by myself!
KEN DOLL: You need to start being in her life every day. Learn stuff about her. Find her favorite foods, her hopes and dreams. That’s your in.
WEBBY: They already see each other basically every day.
KEN DOLL: He should see her MORE. Show her you’re here for a long time.
ME: For the last time: I DON’T NEED HELP. We’re just friends!
KEN DOLL: we’ll see about that.
This is not how I imagined today would go.
I imagined bringing Sutton some cookies and seeing if she wanted to hang out.
Casual, cool, friendly.
I never expected her to answer the door in lingerie, and spill all her relationship trauma.
Jace was a goddamned idiot, but fuck am I glad she’s no longer with that fucking loser.
It’s taking everything in me right now not to let my rage show on my face. Sutton is clearly very embarrassed about what she’s said, if the way she’s pulling at the string of her robe is any indication.
I hate that she’s embarrassed, and I hate even more that she was with that asshole for two goddamn years and he never cherished her the way she deserves.
I mean, come on.
He wouldn’t let his girlfriend—one of the most stunning people I’ve ever met, not to mention intelligent, compassionate, and hilarious—seduce him?
The image of the way the green lace complimented her skin tone and hugged every tantalizing curve of her body will be ingrained in my brain for the rest of my life.
I had to think about rugby plays so my dick would calm the hell down before she opened the door again.
The forest green satin robe is doing very little to help my situation, but she’s not mine, and lusting after her isn’t appropriate.
Sutton’s shoulders slump. “No, I’m not kidding,” she mumbles defeatedly. “I know. I should have just stuck to our usual routine and not upset him, but I just—”
“Hell no,” I interrupt, shaking my head before she even finishes her sentence.
“You didn’t do a single thing wrong. I’m confused as to how he could look at someone as gorgeous as you and be upset that you want to…
you know.” It feels juvenile to not be able to say it out loud, but thinking about Sutton fucking him makes me itch with jealousy I don’t deserve to feel.
A pretty blush paints her cheeks and I hold back the rest of the words I want to say.
If I were a different man, I would tell her to forget that asshole, and give me a shot.
I would literally get on my knees, and beg for her to take a chance on me.
To show her I can satisfy her better than he ever could.
But I’m not that man, and that’s not what she needs. She needs a friend. Someone to vent to, and support her.
I can be that for her.
“It never did make sense to me. I… I don’t know.
Jace and I never had the honeymoon phase, you know?
Our relationship was practical and perfectly mapped out, no wiggle room for spontaneity.
I was fine with it in the beginning. But then it started to feel like a chain dragging me down.
I asked him to take that pottery class with me, and he refused.
I was never invited to his work events because he said that wasn’t ‘part of our schedule’.
He wouldn’t even try new restaurants with me.
” A tear slips down her cheek and she hastily swipes it away as my heart breaks.
Sutton has always been strong. She’s quiet and reserved until you get to know her, but once the barriers are down, her light shines even brighter.
I feel an overwhelming desire to punch that fucker in the face for ever dimming her sparkle.
“I’m sorry,” she says through a breathy sob. “I don’t know why I’m crying. It’s not like I’m still with him. I guess I didn’t realize how much that relationship was still affecting how I view myself.”
My body is buzzing with the instinct to wrap her in a hug, so I give in and scoot closer to her. I wrap an arm gently around her shoulders, and use my thumb to swipe another fallen tear that’s rolled down her cheek.
“Don’t apologize,” I rasp, emotion clogging my throat. “I hate seeing you so distraught. I want to pummel that jackass for making you feel like you were the problem, instead of seeing that it was clearly him all along.”
I can’t undo this feeling for her, but I can help her take her mind off it.
“How about this: you go get changed, and we can get lunch. Either order in and watch Cinderella, or we can get you out of your apartment and go somewhere. Your choice.”
She blinks up at me with such a hopeful, vulnerable expression it makes my stomach swoop. The gold flecks in her eyes look like little stars, shining through the wetness in her eyes.
“You don’t want to run from the hills because I’m a sobbing mess?” She tries to joke, giving me a sad, watery smile.
Fuck no. I want to fix it.
“It’ll take more than a few tears to scare me away. I’m being selfish, really, because I’m hungry and want to hang out with you.”
She huffs out a small laugh, rolling her eyes. “Okay. Let me get changed and we can go out. I think I need a change of scenery. Who’s driving?”
“I’ll drive, and you can control the music.”
“Deal.”
If I hadn’t been there when she was spilling tears down her cheeks, I never would have known Sutton had been crying. She came out of her room with her make up fixed, wearing leggings and an oversized sweatshirt that hangs off of one shoulder, giving me a tantalizing glimpse of her smooth skin.
Even in the most casual of clothes, she’s the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen.
While she was changing, I ran over to my apartment and grabbed a jacket and my car keys. On the way to the deli, we didn’t even listen to music, too busy talking about everything we’ve been up to the past years.
She told me all about how her friendship with Dakota started, and about the kids she considers her niece and nephew. She told me moving to Southern Utah was a shock because they don’t have the same kind of winters New York had, and it took a while for her to adjust to the dry heat.
I told her about my first college roommate, and how he was secretly doing experiments on mice in our room until our RA found out and he was kicked out.
“WHAT?!”
“Yeah, for real. I think he’s a scientist now, but he doesn’t have social media so I can’t be sure.” At my dead serious statement we both try to hold back our smiles and fail miserably, and my stomach starts to hurt from laughing so hard.
It feels like she never left, but there’s still so much I don’t know about her. Ten years feels like both a blip in time and forever, but I know deep down that Sutton, at her core, hasn’t changed much at all.
When we get to the deli it isn’t super packed like I expected it would be on a Sunday afternoon, so we’re able to order our food and find a table fairly quickly.
I ordered the reuben on rye with a side of fries, and Sutton ordered an Italian sub with a side of chips.
I saw her looking longingly at the chocolate cake, so I grabbed a slice, even when she protested.
From now on, she gets whatever she wants when she’s with me.
“So,” I start, interlacing my fingers in front of me like I mean business. “What are these restaurants you want to try? And what makes you want to try them?”
Sutton—prepared as always—pulls out her phone and opens her notes app.
“Silver Spoon, because I heard it has an amazing brunch menu. Fondue Frenzy sounds like a fun experience, and I’ve never had fondue.
Moochies is supposed to have the best cheesesteaks in Utah.
Vogel’s is a German bakery that’s supposed to have really amazing pretzels, and I’ve heard their cold brew is amazing.
Blue Moon, for their unique coffee flavors.
King Dumpling for their dumpling sampler, and Taqueria 56 for their fajitas and watermelon mojitos. ”
The more she lists, the redder her face gets, and I loathe the idea of her being embarrassed about this. I have a feeling she has more, but she’s been shut down so many times in the past to want to tell me.
“That’s a good start, but I didn’t hear any sushi places.”
Her nose wrinkles at the mention of it. “I already told you I’d go try your sushi place if you tried my sweet potato fry place. Isn’t that enough?”
“Nah. I’ll convert you to liking sushi in no time.”
The worker brings us our food, and the smell of the corned beef and swiss cheese has my stomach rumbling and mouth watering. Sutton’s sandwich is packed full of meats, cheese, and vegetables. It’s so thick, I don’t know how she’s going to possibly fit it in her mouth.
Do not think about what else she might be able to fit in her mouth.
We take our first bites at the same time, both of us groaning. The corned beef melts in my mouth and the rye is perfectly toasted. The sauerkraut is clearly homemade, and adds an incredible texture to the sandwich.
“How is yours?” I ask, dipping one of my fries into the house sauce.
“So good. I don’t know how I’ll finish it all, though. There’s so much. How’s yours?”
“Fucking phenomenal. Do you want to try it?” I extend the half of the sandwich I already took a bite out of.
“Are you sure? That won’t weird you out?”
“What? No! Why would it be weird?” Her shoulder lifts in a demure shrug. “Let me guess, your douchebag ex said sharing food was gross?”
Biting her lip and looking down at the table, she nods almost imperceptively. Fury heats my blood again. What a goddamned idiot. What kind of insecure man-baby doesn’t share food with their girlfriend? I bet if he thinks that’s gross, he probably didn’t eat her pu—
Don’t fucking think about that.
God, it would make sense though. If they only ever had scheduled sex, it’s not unreasonable to believe he was shit at making her come. I bet he was a missionary only kind of guy.
I scoff internally, adding that to my list of reasons to hate the guy. It’s growing rapidly.
Intent on lightening the mood, I lean forward and whisper, “Want me to kill him?” As seriously as I can muster. Sutton bursts out laughing, the sound a cooling balm to the heated fury racing through my veins.
“Take a bite, Sutt. I promise I don’t mind your cooties one bit.” I hold my sandwich out to her again.
I expect her to take the sandwich in her hand and take a bite, but she doesn’t. She leans forward and takes a bite while I’m still holding it.
Satisfaction rolls through me as she chews and hums in delight. Some primal part of my brain is puffing his chest that I provided her with delicious food, and that she trusted me enough to eat directly from my hand.
What the hell is wrong with me?
“Good?” I grunt.
“That’s one of the best reubens I’ve had in a hot minute. Do… do you want to try mine?”
“Hell yeah I do.”
Sutton beams and holds out the half she hasn’t bitten, and I mirror her actions of taking a bite directly from her.
I don’t mean to hold eye contact, but I do.
A bit of red wine vinegar leaks out of the sandwich as I bite, dripping onto the table between us.
We both reach for a napkin and set them on the spill at the same time, our hands brushing as we do.
A spark of electricity passes between us again when our fingers touch, and our eyes snap up at the same time, clashing together. I know she feels it too when she sucks in a sharp breath and yanks her hand back.
“Good sandwich,” I finally say. “Lots of flavor.”
Sutton nods, taking a sip of her water. “Yeah. I would definitely eat it again.”
I file that information away in the part of my brain that’s hoarding everything I learn about Sutton.
Along with the fact that I know she felt that spark.
I just don’t know what to do about it yet.