Page 48 of Trust Issues
“Wow, this place is nice.” She looked around at the bright décor then her eyes landed on the shiny dance floor right in the middle of the place.
“We’re saving that for after you’ve had a few margaritas.”
“Tequila. You know me so well,” she smiled. The longer I stared at her smile, the longer I wanted to make sure it never went away.
A server showed us to our table and before he could introduce himself, Kyle was already placing an order for two margaritas. “Oh, I don’t know what he’s drinking,” she said, waving her hand at me.
“I’ll have a margarita too if this one leaves any tequila for the rest of us non-alcoholics.” The server laughed a little then vanished before Kyle tossed more orders at him.
I leaned in a little and said, “You know, you don’t have to bark at every man you come in contact with.”
“I try to be civil but barking seems to be the only language you men understand.”
“Maybe it’s the only way you know how to communicate.”
“I communicate just fine,” she snapped with a glare. Flames jumped to life in her eyes again. It set fire to me in a way that only Kyle could do.
“Is it strange that I find you more attractive when you’re snappy?” I asked her.
“Only if it’s weird that I find you more attractive when you’re being a dick.”
“You know all about me being a dick, don’t you, Kyle?” I watched her squirm in her seat while I smirked.
“If you’re referring to the three painful years you’ve lived across the hall from me, then yes. I know full well about that.”
“I’m talking about last night. I’m talking about the way you screamed my name and came all over my…”
“Here are your margaritas, folks.” The server came back just in time. I was getting ready to make it my duty to make Kyle extremely uncomfortable. We both smiled and thanked him. Kyle knocked her drink back immediately. I’d succeeded in unnerving her. Good.
“I’m glad you’re getting all warmed up because I can’t wait to see what you do on the dance floor,” I told her. She looked at me over the rim of her huge glass and smiled a little. Another point for me, putting a smile back on her face.
“We’ll dance after we talk,” she said, thumbing through the menu.
“Right. That’s what we’re here for anyway.” I cleared my throat. I was treating this dinner with Kyle like a real date but it was honestly supposed to be us figuring out where to go after our tryst.
When our server came to the table to take our orders, Kyle was already done with her first margarita. I didn’t know if that meant she was nervous or she wanted the night to be over with. I took a long drink from my glass and tried not to let her aloofness get under my skin. Who the fuck was I kidding though? This was Kyla Bradshaw. Everything she did got under my skin.
“So what is thisthingbetween us? Was it a one-time moment or…” Her words were trailed off and I didn’t know how to pick them up.
“I guess that’s up to you, Kyle.”
“I can’t be the only one making the decision. I’ve seen you operate, Max. You’re a whore. You sleep with women and toss them to the side like they’re nothing.”
I’d never do that to you…
“I do. I don’t see any reason to trust women though. So, I do what I have to do.” Kyle’s face crumpled at my response.
“You don’t trust women? Shocker. Well, I don’t trust men either so we must be in a stalemate.” She tipped her button nose in the air and I groaned.
“We’re not in a stalemate, Kyla. We’re both guarded as fuck and you hate it.”
“Oh, and you don’t? When we’re just hanging out, I know I can trust you because I know what to expect. Your weak ass one-liners and a good night getting to unwind. If we were more then…”
“Then you wouldn’t know if you could trust me anymore because I’ve shifted from a friend you love to hate to something…more.” I rattled off my own troubling thoughts wondering if they matched hers. The nod she gave me was confirmation.
“So you feel the same way then?” For a second, I saw her vulnerability peek through. It made her even more beautiful and I was speechless.
“Kind of. I don’t offer trust to many people and I vowed I’d never be in a long-term relationship or get married. This whatever it is that we have is something different though. We’re friends, Kyle no matter how much bickering we do.”
