“You are familiar with this?”
“No. I’m just sorry you had to go through with it.”
Oh, why the fuck did she have to say something sweet like that? I grabbed the photo of the three of us and held it close. It was time to get to the point.
It was time to finally start taking life out of park.
“But as painful as it was, it was damn fucking worth it,” I said. “For me, the question of if I’d ever try again was never a question. I figured I’d never meet anyone like Tamara, so the extent of my relationships with women was just club bunnies and hookups. But…”
Goddamnit.
“Something about you, Hailey Cook.”
I snorted and continued before she could say a word.
“You’re not like Tamara, so don’t get it in your head like that. But I don’t need you to be, and you don’t want to try to be her. You…I don’t know. You started out, quite honestly, as a chase. ‘Can I bang the reporter?’ But spending time with you, something developed. I fought like hell not to let it fucking happen. But here we are.”
“Here we are,” she repeated.
Rare was the moment when I didn’t know what the hell to do with a woman, and the only reason I didn’t say “non-existent” was because I was sure somewhere in my life, I could find a moment when I’d made a fool of myself. But this was one such moment.
“I guess what I’m saying, Hailey, is that as fucking stupid and crazy as my life is right now, and as much as you’ve gotten caught up in something you probably never anticipated turning into this, you’ve made me feel that urge to try again. And God-fucking-damnit if I’m not going to let that opportunity pass by me without at least grabbing it by the balls.”
“My balls?” Hailey said with a laugh. “You did say I had metaphorical ones.”
“True,” I said, a slight grin forming. This was probably a good sign. “So I’m here to tell you that I want you, Hailey. Yes, sexually, but more than that. I want to see where this goes. You fucking decide if yes or no, but I’ve thrown my lot out there.”
Hailey nodded, bowed her head, and drew in a breath.
“If Melissa knew we were here, she’d remind me about what happened with her and Spawn and call me an idiot.”
Great. Fucking Spawn.
“But if she said that, I’d also tell her that everyone is different and that people can grow.”
She turned her head back up and looked me in the eye.
“I don’t expect you guys to change. But I do expect you and the boys to treat me with respect. If I am yours, that means I am yours, period. I’m not being shared with anyone; I’m not being ‘bet on’ or any shit like that. I’m yours, and nothing more.”
“Please, like the club would ever dare fuck with me.”
“That goes for you, too, Satan. I don’t want to hear that behind my back you made some jokes and shit.”
“Swear on it.”
Hailey nodded.
“Oh, and one more thing. I need to know your name.”
“Satan.”
“We’re not in interview mode. There are no cameras. Just me. Tell me your name.”
I sighed. I really felt like I was pushing back my boundaries now. I guess maybe my balls weren’t quite so sturdy.
Or maybe they fucking were because I didn’t give a shit if this nervousness crept up; I was still fucking doing what I needed to.
“It’s Sam,” I said. “Sam Briggs.”
