Page 15 of Savage for You

“How Do I Do This by Kelsea Ballerini,” I reply.

“I’m really liking the lyrics to this song. You have a little black dress, huh? I’d love to see that,” he says with a grin.

“I bet you would like to see me in it, or maybe lose it on a floor that isn’t mine?” I reply. Kill. Me. Now. Because I can’t believe I just said that out loud.

“Well, if it’s anyone’s floor, it’s going to be mine,” he speaks.

“Is that right?” I ask with my brow raised.

“Sure is, Killer.” He says looking me dead in my eyes and, in that moment, “Okay” almost slips past my lips. But then I’d have to run and join the witness protection program. Goodbye!

I’m looking at the menu, trying not to embarrass myself and figure out what to say to him, that’s rated G, but he makes me flustered.

The server walks up and introduces herself. Thank you, sweet baby Jesus, that she walked up at that moment. Girl power, girls know girls.

“I’m Liv, what can I get you today?” she asks, eyeing up Rocky like she’s about to score the last donut in the box. “We can start with you.”

We order our meals; he orders a cheeseburger and fries with a Neapolitan shake, and I ordered the same food with water and Dr. Pepper instead of the shake.

“Dr Pepper, huh? Should have known, since you drank it at the lake.” He smirks at me.

I shrug my shoulders and say, “That's my favorite. You were paying attention.”

“When it comes to you, absolutely.”

Our server brings the food and lingers a bit more, looking at Rocky.

Sheesh, is it always like this?

“Yup,” he says, popping the p.

I look up to see amusement in his eyes and she huffs and walks away.

“Oops. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” I shrug, then add, “Look, about what you said about your sister. You don’t need to thank me for being her friend. She’s sweet, and after what my best friend did to me, I'm kind of standoffish but it felt like she was too. It feels like we’re kindred spirits in a way, like I’ve known her my whole life,” I say then take a sip of my drink.

He sighs and says, “Autumn has been through so much, so her telling us she made a friend is big for her. Sometimes, when people find out who I am to her or our dad, they use her to get to us,” he says while sighing roughly.

“Yeah, I can understand that more than you know,” I grumble.

“What?”

“Nothing, never mind…anyway, just know that me and your sister are friends regardless of what happens between us. Which brings me to the date you asked me on.” I sigh and add, “Look, Rocky, I just got out of a relationship with a football player, and he cheated on me. I see how the female population looks at you. I can’t and won't go through that again.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better…if you and my sister become best friends, you won't have to worry about me cheating on you with your bestie,” he says with a big old Cheshire grin.

I laugh so hard that the sip I took almost comes out my nose.

Okay, Rocky, five points to Gryffindor.

“Too soon?”

“No, I’m glad I can laugh about it. It just shows Dylan wasn’t for me,” I say while shrugging my shoulders.

“In all seriousness, Montana, I haven’t dated seriously in college. Don’t get me wrong, I did have a girlfriend who I was with for less than a year. Only to find out she was being horrible to my sister; she didn’t ever tell me. I found out when I walked into the room when she was telling my sister how much everyone hates her and how the world would have been better off without her. My sister slapped her and then she saw me and was so scared I didn’t see any of the interaction. My girlfriend at the time ran into my arms and tried to play it off. Before this happened, I would walk in on my sister going off on my girlfriend and I never let her talk. So, I promised from then on to have a more open relationship with her, but it wasn’t the same. Autumn closed herself off after some shit went down at her senior prom.”

We’re quiet for a moment. Sitting and looking into his eyes, I know he is telling me the truth. But the question is, am I ready to open my heart up again?

“I know we just met, and I can’t explain what I feel. I feel like I’ve known you forever, but I know if you give me a chance, I’ll show you that not all guys are the same. My parents met in college, and they are literally still obsessed with each other.” He looks into my eyes.

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