5. Emma #2
“Fine,” I whispered at last, staring at the name patch on his shoulder because looking him in the eye was too much. “One date. But if you try anything funny, Gator, I’ll tell my father and leave you out to dry.”
His whole face lit up, that wild, triumphant grin breaking through. The cocky vice president was back, ladies and gentlemen. He dropped his head onto my shoulder in relief, then looked back up, mischief flickering in his eyes. “Deal. I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”
I snorted, rolling my eyes. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
We both knew we’d have to keep it secret, at least at first. There was no way I was going out with Gator without letting Harley and Scarlett in on it; those two would smell it on me anyway.
We decided to tell only our little friend group and swore them to secrecy, making them promise not to let a word slip to our dads.
When he finally let me go, his arms dropped from the wall, but his hand lingered on my waist. He bent and murmured in my ear, “I won’t let you regret this. ”
I walked away from that hallway with shaky legs, my heart torn between fear and excitement, knowing everything had just changed. For the first time since I’d arrived, I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to keep my guard up.
Tonight was our first date. He took me to a BBQ joint in Guthrie, the next town over.
We stayed for over two hours, just talking about ourselves and getting to know one another.
The banter was easy and flowed naturally.
I had never connected with someone so quickly in my life.
The connection was instant, just like in one of Harley’s romance books, which I had become addicted to in my short time with her.
I let my guard down a little more with every passing minute.
The way he spoke, the rough affection in his words, made me feel seen in a way that was both unfamiliar and terrifying, as if he could see all the cracks and scars I carried yet still wanted me anyway.
The chemistry was enough to set fire to three states.
When I told him I wasn’t ready to head back to my dad’s brand-new single-wide trailer, Gator brought us here to the sandy bank by the river.
“How did you get your road name?” I asked him, still staring at the breathtaking view of the stars, not paying him any attention as he rustled around in the backpack he brought out here with us.
He chuckles before answering me. “I was a prospect, and we went on a run down to Florida. I’d been run ragged for two days straight.
At that point, I was running on caffeine and nicotine.
I wasn’t even supposed to have nicotine.
When you’re on prospect duty, you can’t smoke, drink, or fuck.
It was close to four in the morning when I went to take a piss behind one of the trees at their clubhouse.
I was so tired I forgot to watch for the gators that hang around the clubhouse.
Mid-piss, a six-foot gator came rushing out of the bushes, hissing at me.
I took off running, trying to get my dick back in my pants while screaming that it was a gator.
All the brothers lost their shit laughing at the sight of me as I came barging through the clearing, tucking my dick in.
The rest is history.” A hearty laugh escapes me at the thought of this large man loudly yelling and sprinting through the woods, pursued by an alligator.
I roll from my back to my stomach to get a look at what he's doing. His black hair brushes his shoulders as his gray eyes twinkle with mischief. He’s leaning against a large log on the beach, one booted leg kicked out and the other bent at the knee, as he licks the joint he’s rolling.
He smiles down at me with a wink after catching me checking him out.
I look down and see he has a bag of what I can only assume is marijuana.
I jerk back in surprise, rising to my knees on the blanket.
Stuttering with wide eyes, I say, “Those are drugs!”
He throws his head back in laughter, clutching his side to regain composure. “Holy shit, sweetheart, I haven’t laughed that hard in months.” He lights the joint, shaking his head. He takes a deep inhale, lets it out, and continues, “You’re an innocent little thing, ain’t ya, baby?”
I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him, trying my damndest to give him a look that says “don’t mess with me.
” He takes another hit from his joint, and I feel his eyes roaming over my body.
It sends fireworks of desire through me.
The butterflies in my stomach kick up, and suddenly I’m so nervous.
My body starts to shake even though it’s still ninety-eight degrees out.
This man could have any woman he wants. Why is he here with boring old me?
Quick as his namesake Gator, he reaches out with his long arm, grabbing me around the waist with his big bear paw before setting me on his lap.
He’s leaned up against a log, supporting me with his knees.
He takes another hit from his joint, then blows it skyward while tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.
“You think too much, baby.” He cups my chin, bringing my eyes to his.
“You told me you wanted to live this summer. With how sheltered you are, you remind me of a pet bird in a cage, sitting on someone’s front porch, watching all those other birds fly by.
Trust me to help you live a little, yeah?
I’m a big guy. I’ll protect you while you fly, pet.
” Tears well in my eyes at his depiction of me.
He’s not wrong. All I’ve ever done is be a people-pleaser.
For once, I want to just let go. I want to fly.
“I trust you,” I whisper. He smiles, grabbing a strand of my hair and twirling it.
He takes another hit from his joint, then cups the back of my head.
He brings his mouth to mine, breathing the thick smoke into my lungs.
I accept it, letting it settle before pulling back and blowing it out.
I cough and sputter, covering my mouth as he smiles at me.