Page 87 of Dirty Saint

Betty cackled, her smoker’s voice cracking. “Damn right, I am. So are we going Hawaiian tonight?” she asked, referring to my usual order.

“I dunno. Are you okay with pineapple and ham?” I asked Tori.

She nodded and grinned, her cheeks flushing. “Hawaiian is my favorite.”

The perfect woman did exist, and she sat next to me. She liked Hawaiian, and once I had her to myself on the beach later, I would give her all the Hawaiian she could handle.

We ate, sipped beer, and watched old music videos on the TV above the bar. The place got busier the longer we sat there, and soon, open mic night was on full blast, making it next to impossible to talk with Tori.

I paid the bill, leaving Betty a hefty tip before we left, and stopped at a local store to pick up a few essentials for the night. I didn’t usually need anything extra when I slept on the beach, but I had Tori with me and wanted to ensure she was comfortable.

When we finally reached the water, I parked close to the beach and got off, taking the backpack and helping Tori get down without touching the hot muffler.

“Oh my God. It’s beautiful.” She stared in awe at the waves, and I stared at her as the ocean breeze lifted her beautiful locks from her shoulders and slid across her face.

The sun set behind us, and shadows moved in, yet somehow, the place still seemed to glow for her. She was radiant.

“No, you’re beautiful.”

She turned my way, swiping at the hair, kissing her cheeks, and smiled. I couldn't help myself. I pulled her in for a kiss. Capturing her cheek in my palm, I tested the softness of her skin with my thumb before pulling away and pressing my forehead to hers.

“Ever slept on the beach?”

Her whiskey-colored eyes flared in excitement. “No.”

“Good. First time for me last night and a first time for you tonight.”

I wanted to pull the words back in as soon as they left my mouth. I let her go and spun around to collect our things, but she tugged on my hand, stopping me.

“Wait, stop. Was last night your first time?”

I turned, my eyes meeting hers. When I didn’t answer, her mouth fell open in shock.

“Seriously?”

I nodded, not wanting to kill the mood but knowing she would want answers. “I couldn’t before.”

Understanding filled her eyes before she moved into me and wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her cheek against my chest. I held her close and breathed in the scent of her shampoo.

“What changed?” she asked.

So many things had changed, but she was the most significant.

“You. You fixed me.”

She pulled back and looked at me, her eyes watering before she blinked it away. She captured my cheeks in her warm palms and kissed me. When she pulled back, something in her eyes sent a spiral of panic down my spine. I couldn’t put my finger on the look, but I shook it off and tried not to think about it too hard. Turning away, I took her hand and pulled her toward the beach.

I dropped the backpack in a good space and started preparing a fire spot to keep us warm throughout the night. Georgia wasn’t a cold place, but the breeze from the water in the middle of the night was always chilly, and I wanted to ensure my girl stayed warm.

Tori went to the water, sifting through broken seashells in the sand while I made the fire. Now and again, I would watch her and smile. She was at peace here with me. Her expression was soft and relaxed. It made me want to stay forever—her by my side—and leave Atlanta behind. Her eyes locked with mine, and she blushed before I turned away and focused on what I was doing.

I built a fire that crackled in the ocean breeze, the smoke billowing in a tiny tornado above us. I pulled out my sleeping bag and laid it for us to sit on. We removed our shoes, and she sat before me, her back to my chest as we watched the waves crash onto the shore.

Smoothing her dark locks behind her ear, I kissed her softly on the side of her neck, loving it when I watched goose bumps spread over her skin. Being able to openly show my affection toward Tori was something I could see myself doing all the time. I couldn’t seem to get enough of her—touching and kissing her—being near her in general. It was as if nothing had ever stood between us, and I was glad she had found my secrets. I was relieved to share my demons and darkness with someone other than Joker.

Victoria had a way of making me see things clearly—of helping me push the past behind me and lock it there. The nightmares had all but been replaced with sweet dreams of her, and I found myself smiling when I thought about when we were younger—remembering how sweet and pretty she had been when I first met her. I knew then she would always be something special to me. I just hadn’t realized how special or how deep she would draw me in. I never wanted to let her go.

“This is my favorite place,” I whispered in her ear.

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