Page 8 of My Anchor (Trio Series 1)

“Looks like he was trying to be.”

After tattoo time we head to Jack Shack, a burger bar, to eat and meet up with Rick. He was working so wasn't able to come on the tattoo adventure. Cristal is off since leaving and isn't saying much and she won't show us the tattoo she got. So we just leave it, if we push too hard she will go into shutdown mode. After we eat she decides she wants to go home so Shana takes her. Me and Rick, on the other hand, we stay and start having shots of Seven. Good idea? Probably not but hey when did I ever say I had those. In my drunken haze, I do notice that Rick and I just so happen to be checking out the same men. Interesting. He has never let on one way or another but he doesn't seem to be out. “Do you want to try and get his number?” I chance a question. Referring to sexy blond who is most definitely giving him eyes back.

“What? I'm not gay.” He all but squeaks. Bingo. Not out then.

“Nothing wrong with being gay. Just saying. You're a good looking guy so is he. Why not?”

“I'm not… Shit. Let's just drop it okay?”

“Okay. I'm here, though, remember that.”

“Yeah. You ready to get out of here?” Defeat.

“Yep lets go.”

We call a cab because, well neither one of us should drive. Stumble/walking our way out to the curb to wait for the cab to show up. We are clutching each other like life lines and laughing about something I can’t even remember.

“What the fuck Linn?” An all to familiar sexy voice asks from behind us. Turning around I see a very pissed off Lee. “Thought you said you were doing stuff with the ‘girls’ tonight.” He actually uses air quotes when he says, girls. “But here I find you. Repeating last weekend with someone else?” His voice is harsh and sends me back in time. You’re a god damn whore Linn. Where were you tonight Linn? If you are going to act like a whore you might as well be one Linn. I start shaking hearing those words being spoken in my head. Like always they turn everything to shit.

“Linn you okay?” This coming from Rick. “What the fuck man? You don't need to talk to her like that. Who the fuck are you anyway?”

Wrapping my arms protectively around myself I feel as if I'm a teenager again being called awful names.

“Shit.” I faintly hear Lee curse. “Get your hands off her,” Lee says all but ripping me from Rick’s hold. “She’s my… just… I’ll take care of her. Get in the cab and go home.”

“Look, man, I not just going to leave her with you unless she tells me otherwise.”

I'm still shaking caught in a moment in the past. Stuck there until Lee puts his hands on my face and tries to get me to make eye contact. “Linn, babe, look at me. I'm sorry.” He softly rubs his thumbs on my cheeks. This makes me snap out of it a little and I look at him. He has worry written all over his beautiful face. The corner of his eyes are slightly crinkled and it just makes him look even more handsome. “Where did you go just now?” He whispers maybe to himself it’s so quiet but I hear it.

“Linn you know this guy?” I shake away more of my daemons and answer a puzzled Rick.

“Yes, it’s fine Rick you can go home. See you Monday in class?”

“Yeah. Okay. Call if you need anything.” I turn my head to him and smile. He gets into the cab that pulls up and now I'm left alone with Lee.

“I'm trying to stay calm here but it’s slipping a little.” He tells me.

“I was out with the girls, we got tattoos today and came here after. Rick met up with us then and we all had dinner. Cris wanted to go home so Shane and her left. Rick and I stayed for a few. We were just going home when you showed up.” I may say that last part a little mean but his outburst was shitty.

“Well, I'm sorry for showing up and ruining your fun for the night.” He lets go of me and backs up. “Who is Rick and why did he have his hands all over you?”

“I met him my first day of classes we just clicked same with Shane and Cris. He is a great guy and you really don't need to be all possessive when it comes to him. He is more likely to be attracted to you than me although he would probably deny it.”

“Gay or not I still didn't like seeing a guy with his hands on you. I'm not a sharing kind of guy you need to know that right now.” I'm really just drunk enough to not even care about the way this conversation is heading right now so I just say okay.

“Now, I'm taking you home lets go.” Putting his arm around me we walk around the block to the parking lot and get into his jeep. When we get to his place I'm so tired I really don't have the energy to tell him to take me to my home. I send a quick text to Shana to let her know I won’t be home tonight and follow him inside.

---