Page 8 of Thanksgiving With Dad's Best Friend

I take a step back as she steps up to the pie counter to examine them. She falls into an easy conversation with the vendor and I take the opportunity just to admire her body. It’s making me reel, being able to see her, so easy for the taking, but unable to make a move.

And it looks like I’m not the only one. I glance to my left and see that there’s a man standing still in the crowd, watching her. As the other shoppers push to get past him, he doesn’t move an inch, holding his stance so that he can get the best look at her. I can feel my blood boiling. Who the fuck does he think he is, looking at my woman like that? I feel my hands curl into fists.

The crowd shifts, blocking me from him, and he surges forward. He hasn’t seen me, his vision fixated simply on her, and I watch helplessly as he approaches her. I watch his hand casually touch her ass. And suddenly, the anger inside me is more than I can take. I make a final shove through the crowd.

He’s not going to get away with what he just did.

Lexi

The hand that touches me is horribly unfamiliar. I know that it can’t possibly be Flynn, though I wish it was. When I turn to see the person who did this to me, I’m met with the stench of beer and cigarettes. The man leering at me looks almost proud of himself, as though him touching me inappropriately is going to get him what he wants from me.

“Hey there, pretty thing,” he sneers. I back away from him, feeling nauseous.

“Leave me alone. I’m not interested,” I tell him, my voice coming out as a squeak. I’m so mad at myself for showing my fear, but I wasn’t expecting this. Why should I, when I’m just trying to get some shopping done?

And suddenly behind me, I feel a warm and dominating presence. I know who it is within seconds. My saviour.

“The lady said she’s not interested.” His rough voice sounds like leather dragged over hot coal. The man who touched me smirks at Flynn, like he’s not scared. Something tells me he should be.

“So? What’s it to you, old man?” he asks. I watch Flynn step forward. He’s attracted some attention from passers by, and his shoulders are so tense, that I’m afraid of what he might do next. His fists are curled, his face flushed with fury.

“You cross her, you cross me,” he growls. He grabs the man by his shirt and I see the fear in his eyes as Flynn raises him off the ground.

“Get off me.”

“You listen to what the lady said,” Flynn hisses. “My lady! Apologize, now!”

“I’m sorry!” the man squeals. “I swear, man, I’m sorry. Let me go…”

“Say it again…with more sincerity,” Flynn growls. The whole place seems to have gone silent, but watching him protecting me like this, keeping me safe from this creep…it makes me feel so much safer.

“I swear, I’m sorry. On my life, I’m sorry,” the man cries out. He has tears wetting his cheeks as he looks at me. “I’m sorry.”

“And you’ll never touch another woman like that again, will you? Not without her permission? Say you won’t!” Flynn shouts, his anger at a fever pitch now. The man nods desperately.

“I’ll never do it again…never.”

Flynn sets the man back on the ground, his face still flushed. “Then go. Leave now, before I really lose my fucking temper…never touch what isn’t yours again, you creep.”

The man scurries away, taken down at least ten notches by Flynn’s actions. Several people nearby applaud Flynn. He’s breathing hard and he turns away from them to look at me. To my surprise, he lets his hand cup my face.

“Are you alright?” he asks me, his voice much softer than it was when he was talking to the creepy man. I nod, unable to say much.

“I’m fine,” I breathe. The vendor behind the stall clears his throat and when we both turn, he has a pecan pie on top of the counter.

“For you. It’s on me,” he says gently. He glances at Flynn, looking both nervous and admiring of his strong presence. “You did a good thing there, man. Have a good day, both of you.”

I can’t help smiling. Even after the whole ordeal, it ended as well as it could’ve done. Flynn takes the pie with a grateful nod to the cashier and then his hand returns to my back.

“Come on. Let’s get you home,” he whispers in my ear. My heart skips a beat. Something about the way he said home…it makes me feel like I belong back at his fancy house with him. It makes me feel like we’re partners, not just strangers who only met today. I feel so connected to him that it’s insane. I’ve never had a connection like this…not with a friend or with a potential lover. Of course, I’ve never even been attracted to a man before and now I’m more certain than ever that I want him to take my virginity.

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