Page 15 of Make Me

“You want a drink?” I ask her. “I’m starving.”

I order a beer, and she gets a glass of red wine. She takes a small sip and cringes before putting the offending glass down. She takes several sips of water to wash away the taste.

“Not much of a drinker?”

“No. I can’t remember the last time I had a drink.” I hand her my beer, and she takes a sip. “That’s disgusting.” She crinkles her nose before reaching over and grabbing her water glass.

“You know what? My mom and sister always order margaritas.” I order one for Laci, and when the waitress brings it, she drinks it way too fast. The drink loosens her up, and she chats nonstop.

“I’m so not in the mood for a salad, that’s for sure,” she says.

“So, don’t get one.”

“Well, I’m trying to lose weight. I can’t blame it on the pregnancy anymore. Ivy’s two and a half.” She runs a hand over her stomach and pinches her skin.

“You’re perfect, and I think we should reward ourselves and eat whatever the hell we want.” She lifts her glass and drains the last of her margarita.

“Yes, to eating whatever we want. And you need glasses.” I flag the waitress down and order her a new drink and get appetizers for the table.

“You’re going to think this is crazy, but you’re only the third guy I’ve ever gone out on a date with, and this is by far the nicest place. The first guy was in college, and his mother kept texting him all night. We ended up at this hole-in-the-wall taco place, and she showed up. I never heard from him after that.” She slurps the rest of the liquid in her glass.

“Well, I guess his mommy did not approve of you.” Her head hikes up, and when she sees my teasing grin, we both start to laugh.

“I guess not,” she says. “What about you? Did you date a lot in college?” I drain my beer and order a fresh round of drinks for us both. I take my time sipping the new beer, and she sips her margarita. When the server returns with our crab cakes and fried calamari, she reaches for the food. I like that about her. Candace’s vegan lifestyle was draining. “You’ve gone silent on me. You must have been a slut in college,” she teases. She puts a piece of crab cake on her fork, reaches across the table, and feeds it to me. I hold her stare and slowly pull the fork from my lips.

“I will not be slut shamed,” I joke. “I dated. I had a couple of girlfriends over the years, but nothing serious.”

“You mean Candace wasn’t serious?” The playfulness is gone now. She’s still as she studies my face.

“That was the problem. She wanted to get serious, but I didn’t want that. Not with her. Getting back together with her was a mistake on my part.” I expect her to give me hell for that statement, but she merely shrugs.

“If you say so, Casanova.” She finishes her margarita and starts to giggle.

“You’re officially cut off.” She lifts her glass and shakes the ice.

“You’ll take my drink out of my cold, dead hands.” I snatch the glass from her and wave it in the air like some sort of victory, so she snatches my beer. “I’ll just drink this then.” She puts the bottle to her mouth, but the smell must offend her because she puts it down and makes a face. “How do you drink that? It’s disgusting.”

We spend the next hour eating and laughing. She makes fun of me for ordering steak at a seafood restaurant, but she ends up eating so much of my food, I switch our plates.

We pass on dessert at the restaurant and agree to get ice cream at a local creamery. But as soon as we start the short walk, the sky opens, and rain pours down on us. She shrieks as if the rain is burning her. She covers her head with her purse. I scoop her up in my arms and hold her against my chest while I run to my truck.

“I have ice cream at my place,” I tell her once we’re both inside my vehicle, but she’s not listening to me. She’s too busy cursing about the rain and trying to dab her face with a napkin. “Come here.” I grab her by the collar, pull her close, and do what I’ve been dying to do all night. I kiss my girl and savor her soft lips against mine. When I pull back, I caress her damp hair. “You’re about the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. I know you haven’t had it easy, but those experiences brought you and Ivy back to Oak Bend. Back to me.”

She cuddles into my side, and I take the shortest route back to my house. The rain is heavier by the time we get home, and because the universe hates me, Sam pounces on me the minute I get through the door.

“I have to take her out. I’ll be back.” I grab a big umbrella and walk Sam as fast as possible. The rain doesn’t let up the entire ten minutes we’re outside. I let out a string of curse words when I step into my house only to find it empty. Sam runs to my bedroom door and starts to scratch. She runs back, grabs my pant leg with her teeth, and tries to pull me back to the room, but I shoo her away and order her to sit.

I stomp to my front door with every intention of going to find Laci, but when I open the door, it’s to find her on my doorstep underneath a big, black umbrella.

“I had to go change, and I checked out your freezer. For your information, sherbet is not ice cream. I got us cookie dough and cookies and cream.” She holds out a bag to me. I take it and gesture for her to come inside, and I admire her ass in black yoga pants and an off-shoulder blue top. She puts the umbrella away and finally looks at me. “Go change. I want dessert.”

So do I,I think to myself,but not in the form of ice cream. Not unless I let it drip down your body while I lick it off. Maybe let some drip between your legs and lick your pussy clean.

“Cooper!” she waves a hand in front of me, pulling me out of my trance.

“Huh?” I ask, having already forgotten what we were talking about before my thoughts took a dirty turn.

“You’re soaking wet. Go change.”

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