I love how nervous she is with me, especially since I know everything about her physically. I'm absolutely willing to take the mental and emotional parts of our relationship slow.
Maybe.
"Would you like dessert, my love?"
Violet studies my face and cocks her head like she's thinking. "Why do you call me that?"
Internally I wince because I just told myself I could be patient, but that one slipped out. On the outside, I play up my cockiness and confidence. Violet doesn't need to know I'm nervous. She needs one of us to take the lead here, and I'm thrilled to be that for her.
"Because that's what you are, Violet. You're my love even if you aren't ready to accept it. I'll try to back off and?—"
"No! No, it's okay," she rushes out, grabbing myhand across the table. Chewing on her lip, Violet battles with what to say. "It feels nice."
Her tone is soft when she admits her feelings. Instead of lingering on the deep stuff, I kiss her knuckles and ask her if she wants dessert. Only Violet isn't the one to answer my question.
"Violet likes ice cream and chocolate-covered almonds like her mom." Ellis sidles up to the edge of our table with Nate on his heels. "Isn't that right, Violet? Or has that changed? I wouldn't know, since you know..."
My temper flares so fucking fast my mouth opens without planning to. "You fuck?—"
"It's still true," Violet blurts, squeezing my hand pretty damn hard for a woman who is now white as a ghost.
"Ellis," Nate sighs, tugging his partner back. "Knock it off. Violet, I hope your hip is doing better. I'm sure it's been hard after the mugging."
Violet mumbles an unsure thank you all the while looking like she's about to cry. These two idiots are ruining our fucking date and her mood. My one goddamn goal was to keep her happy.
Ellis seems to shrug off his attitude and glances at Violet's hand in mine before he apologies. "Shit. Sorry Violet."
"It was good to see you both," Nate adds and tries to pull Ellis away.Good riddance.
"Wait!" Violet scrambles to stand and glances at me for permission. For what I have no fucking clue, but Idon't like the desperation I see in her face to keep them here. "Stay. Have a drink with us."
"What the f?—"
"Please?" Violet cuts me off with a sharper tone that actually makes me shut up.
Ellis grins, and I don't like that either.What the hell is happening right now?
"Sure," Ellis agrees, and walks around behind me while trailing his hand across my shoulders. It makes me shiver, but I play my reaction off by twisting my features into disgust.
Unfortunately, Violet was watching me the whole time. When I meet her gaze, she nods at me softly, like she's givingmepermission. Again,for what?
What?I mouth at her while the other two settle into their seats and order a drink with our waitress.
Violet just lifts her chin at Ellis and widens her eyes at me. I don’t know what the hell she mouths because I'm immediately snapped out of our intense stare down when Ellis opens his fucking mouth.
"This is cozy."
Fucking prick.
Twenty-Three
ELLIS
My plan? I have no fucking plan.
All I want to do is get under Violet's skin. Unfortunately, I'm finding it harder to hold on to my anger the longer I've been sitting beside her. It's been a minute and a half, but my negative feelings have been cut down by a third.
Jamie's cologne wraps around me since I shifted my chair to sit closer to him, but Violet's big eyes suck me right in. She's tanner than I would expect for the middle of the winter in freezing Michigan, which only adds to all of my questions.
