Page 77 of Fierce-Hyde

She laughed. “You told me. So there you go. Something I know you like in two forms.” She got two plates down and handed them to him while she got the silverware. “Tell me about the Fierces.”

They sat at the table and he helped himself to a big serving. The cheese pulled away, and for the first time making this, she was pretty proud of how it came out.

“You know they like to set everyone up,” he said.

“Yep,” she said. “I’m sure they are trying to set you up. They want to with me too. Diane even stopped me weeks ago to say she had someone in mind.”

“I know,” he said.

She frowned. “You do?” she said.

His head went back and forth. “I heard Diane saying that to you one day. That she has some civil rights attorney or something.”

She laughed. “Yeah. I just pacify her. I had no intention of saying yes, but if I said no, then she’d double down on her efforts. It was right about the time...”

Right about the time he said he wanted to go on another date with her.

She remembered that because she had been thinking about what Diane said to get Hyde out of her mind but then told herself that would be stupid and a waste of time on everyone’s part to take Diane up on the guy she was suggesting.

“I know where your mind is going,” he said. “And that is why I’m bringing this up.”

“Where is my mind going?” she asked. She ate because if there was food in her mouth, she might watch her words better.

“That you think I only asked you out because of that. That I was jealous or something.”

“Is that the case?” she asked.

“That isn’t the reason I asked you out. I’ve told you everything and I hope you believe me.”

She was going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“I do.”

But then he ruined it and said, “But I was jealous over the thought of you going on a date with someone else.”

She put her fork down and took a deep breath. “Please don’t tell me that was your driving force to ask me on that date again.”

“No,” he said. “It’s not. I’m saying that I can’t get you out of my mind. It’s like this crazy addiction I just picked up and it’s got me locked into craving more all the time. I can’t think straight. I can’t talk right. I say the stupidest things and it bites me in the ass, yet I keep setting myself up for more and more. I see the fire in your eyes and I’m like I don’t give a fuck, I’m going to get through this with a few burns because I need more.”

Her jaw dropped. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

He reached over and handed her the fork back. “Eat and process it before you speak again. It might save us both another fight.”

She wasn’t so sure she liked he could read her mind, but she was going to do what he said because she didn’t want to fight.

But she wanted the truth.

And he gave it to her.

He started out doing it too.

She would give him credit for that.

After a few minutes, she said, “This is hard for me. I’ve never dated anyone like you.”

“Like me how?” he asked.

“Aside from your looks, which makes me think you don’t want someone like me.”

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