But my aim is to change that. Permanently.
What the future holds for us crystalized in my soul the moment we touched. The contact was simple and innocent, but it sure as fucked packed a punch. I can make her mine; nothing is holding me back. Whatever hissy fit Dad wants to throw, he can do it without me as an audience.
Everyone has been paying for sins that don’t belong to us for far too long.
I grin at her and arch an eyebrow, challenging her right back. “I want a date, Greylin.”
Her mouth drops open for a moment before she snaps it closed. “You can’t be serious,” this time there’s a whine in her voice that has me chuckling.
“I’m very serious,” I assure her even though it’s unnecessary. She knows.
“So, I’m buying your loyalty with my body?” She screws up her face, the look in her eyes is pure disdain.
I match it with one of my own and bark, “No. I’m bargaining for some of your time. A date.”
Her eyes soften and my heartrate slows slightly. “You know this is kind of fucked up, right?”
“Maybe,” I acquiesce, “but a man has to use what he’s got, and I can recognize an opportunity when I see it. And it’s not illegal,” I make sure she knows.
“I don’t know,” there’s a tease in her voice, “I feel more than a little coerced, that doesn’t sound legal.”
I shoot her a look, one that tells her how ridiculous she’s being. We both know I’ll tell her what I know even if she doesn’t agree to these terms. Even though I might be willing to try and get something out of the deal, I won’t hold her over the fire. Come on now.
When I give her hand another squeeze, she pulls it free and gnaws on her bottom lip for a moment. I hate the loss of contact; hopefully, she does too.
“Okay,” she whispers and gifts me with a small smile, one that tells me it wasn’t all that difficult for her to agree.
As much as I want to jump up and down, I can’t. This is only step one and there are more steps than I would like ahead of me.
“But I have conditions,” her tone is all sass.
“I would be surprised if you didn’t. Lay them on me, but I can already tell you that I’ll agree to them.” I don’t even care if I sound like I’m gone for this woman already.
I am.
“We can’t go out in public,” she blurts out the words and regret passes over her face.
“As much as I would love to take you out on a proper date,” I admit, “I get why it can’t happen right now. One day.”
She looks at me like she doesn’t believe such a day will come, but I know it will.
One way or another.
“I’d like to cook dinner for you at my place,” I tell her.
What I don’t tell her is how deeply I need her in my home. I hope her scent embeds itself. I take a deep breath and feel the muscles in my shoulders relax just a little bit more.
Hopefully, I can keep my hands to myself during our date.
“I’m not sure if I’m more surprised that you cook or that you want to do it for me,” she muses.
“A man has to eat, and I can’t always get stuff to go from around town, especially depending on what shift I’m working.”
She nods, her face serious as if she’s committing what I just told her to memory. I should be so lucky to have her care so much.
“That makes sense,” she concedes. “So, dinner at your place. I’ll drive myself there.”
My shoulders slump and I gripe, “I’m really sucking at this date stuff. Not even picking you up?”
