Page 58 of Beautifully Broken
"Thanks for letting me help you out today. I've been thinking about the little buggers, and it's great to see for myself that they're doing just fine."
"Of course! It made my life easier having you join me. You're welcome back anytime you'd like, ya know."
Shit, was that flirting? There I go, doing what I said I wouldn't.
"I'd like that."
We're at my front door, but neither makes a move to leave.
"I—"
"Do you—"
We both pause before smiling. I gesture for him to go ahead, curious to see what he was going to say.
"Would you like to go out with me sometime?"
I go to respond, but he holds up a hand to stop me, so I impatiently wait.
"I need to be upfront. I've got a lot of baggage that's gonna take me a bit to open up to you about, but you’re the first person I've even wanted to let in for what feels like forever. I'm probably gonna fuck shit up and I might hold some things back, but if you can be patient with me, I'd like to try."
"Absolutely. I'm in. I haven't been able to get you off my mind since you walked into my shelter. Name the time and place, and I'll be there."
"Give me your phone."
I hand it over and watch as Talon enters his number.
"Text me your schedule." He leans down and places a chaste kiss on my lips, and then he’s gone.
It happens so quickly that I almost can't believe it, but my lips still tingle from the scratch of his beard. I have no idea what I just signed up for, but I can't wait to find out.
Chapter 7
Talon
This was a colossal fucking mistake. Why did I think I could handle going on a date, let alone with someone like Ashley Stafford? I'm in way over my head here, and my research only added to my anxiety rather than soothed it. What can I say; I may not be in the military anymore, but I know you don't go on a mission without being prepared.
I knew the basics about Ashley from our conversation while feeding the puppies the other day, but I needed more information to be able to plan the best date. I'm rusty as hell and want to make sure that whatever I take Ash to do, it will be something he'll enjoy.
Googling probably wasn't the smartest move, though. His Instagram pulled up, and I quickly learned his life is much more lavish than my own. He comes from money, and while he doesn't flaunt it, it shows in how he carries himself and in the clothes he wears. I'm also his polar opposite. What he sees in me, I'm not sure.
As if she can sense my downward spiral, I'm saved from my anxiety-induced scrolling by a call from Raven. "Hey, big brother. Whatcha up to?"
"Oh, just cyberstalking my date for ideas on where to take him and wondering why the fuck he accepted when we are polar opposites."
"Hold the fuck up. Did you just say ‘date’?!" Raven shrieks so loudly that I have to pull the phone away from my ear.
"Please, Ray, don't make this a big deal. I know it is, and I'm already freaking the fuck out. I need your cool, calm, and badass self, not the banshee who just burst my eardrum."
"Sorry, Tal, but you took me off guard. I get why you're freaking out, but there's nothing wrong with the whole opposites attract. Obviously, he seeswhatever you saw to ask him out in the first place. What's he look like? What's his personality like? Give me all the deets."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. He's a petite little twink."
"Talon."
"What? I'm not being a dick. That's the best way to describe him. He's probably close to a foot shorter than me, with long brown hair. Skinny with lean muscle, from what I could see under his scrubs, and pretty femme."
"Damn, he really is your opposite."
