Page 124 of XOXO

At twenty-two, I don’t know what I’m looking for outside of work. I love my life the way it is. I own my home and my car and have a generous retirement plan, and I answer to no one. Well, no one except for my meddling sister. Which means being willing to be set up is me placating her. It’s not my idea of a good time. But what Danika wants, Danika gets, and it has always been that way. Her big, scary biker husband, who seems to be one in a trillion, is about getting his wildflower whatever she wants. He isn’t the first man in our lives to put Danika first. Being that he’s her husband, I get it.

Danika is blissfully happy. And I don’t begrudge her–her happiness. She went through some shit, but Danika isn’t like me. She wants all that flowery crap, and she fought for it; I broke for it, and she has the life she dreamed of. I’m happy for my soft-hearted sister. But that isn't me. I never had dreams of become a wife and mother. I'm not saying I don’t want to, but I don’t see it happening.

So here I am, listening to my sister go over itinerary for the date she planned for me. She is insistent that the guy needed her help in planning things. So, she took the reins in the way she does. What is life if Danika Masterson can’t meddle?

“…sipping on a drink that costs too much and tastes like heaven on your lips. You need this…” I’ve been gritting my teeth for the last half hour listening to Dani, with the same mantra on repeat in my head. Don’t snap. She’s pregnant. Don’t upset her because if she cries, Nitro will have my ass.

“… he’s perfect for you.”

I doubt that.

I’m not saying he won’t be good for a night or two. I’m not a monk. I like sex, love it even, all it is–is stress relief. Looking down at my watch, it’s been thirty-five minutes–she’s still going. Fuck me.

“Are you even listening to me?” The annoyance in Dani's voice means she knows I wasn’t. But I got the gist of it, which is what I repeat.

“Umm, yes. He’s a brother who just transferred from another chapter, and he’s dreamy, just my type.” My eyes roll at the last part. “He’s twenty-five, six-four, brown eyes, and is built like… what did you say…” I chuckle humorlessly. “He’s built like a gawd.” I sigh. “He’s never been married, has no kids, has a bit of a record, and only a little drama. That drama is about his ex-girlfriend, who is a little psycho and got butt hurt from being broken up with and sicked her cop brother on the club. Instead of ridding it out, he and the club thought his coming back to Sacramento, where he is from, was an easier solution. So bye-bye, Vegas. You’ve known him for two point five seconds and think he’s perfect for me. Does that cover it?” My voice is even and matter-of-fact.

And then the sniffling starts.

For fuck's sake.

“Who the fuck are you talking to?” I hear my brother-in-law, and I groan.

Great, just great.

I hear shuffling, and I let out a resigned sigh. I can guarantee that Dani is now perched on Nitro’s lap, giving while he rubs her back, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. It’s their thing. I have to give it to Nitro. The man is good at understanding all the crazy that is my sister.

“Go on the damn date. Will it kill your little ass to be nice?” Nitro growls.

His sudden entrance into the conversation startles me, and I nearly drop my phone. I want to scream, yes… yes, it would. But I don’t

“Well, hello to you too, brother–in–law. And you know damn well it would.” I say, exasperated.

I hear more sniffling and muffled words.

“Wildflower, come on now. I can’t make her do a damn thing.”

I want to laugh when I hear the hiccups; so damn dramatic. Through all of her dramatics, she says something I can’t understand. And I know what will happen next; I pick at my nails as my sister sniffles and explains why she’s so… upset to her man. All the while, Nitro is huffing, puffing, and growling like the love-sick biker he is.

I’m going on this damn date.

Damn.

Chapter Two

DALIA

“Family first. And they use it against you.”

My body flushes as I think about what I’m doing. I’m doing what we women do when getting ready for a date. Pick ourselves apart. I don’t want to look too available even if I am. And I don’t want to give off an unavailable look either, because a girl needs to get laid. So here I am, deciding on cleavage or no cleavage.

“Cleavage, lots and lots of cleavage. And wear that one bra that makes the girls do that thing,” Danika says, showing me exactly what she means, only to wince when lifting her ginormous pregnant boobs. My eyes roll at my well-intentioned sister.

Staring down at the options for tonight that I have on my bed. My eyes close as I shake my head at how ridiculous being nervous about a date is. Daria is only halfway listening as she clicks away on her phone.

So she’s no help…

“Yeah, because no one can ever see those monstrosities from space as is.” Daria snickers.

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