Page 19 of Sweet
He pointed to the apartment over the garage. “I have my own entrance, so it’s cool. And if Bill and Ruby go anywhere, I feed their dogs for them.”
“What about if you go somewhere?” She was looking around. “Do you have any pets?”
Spider wanted to get a cat, but he’d decided it was a bad idea. “Where the hell am I going to go?” He put his hand on the small of her back and ushered her toward the stairs before anyone saw her. “Come on. You thirsty?”
What the fuck are you going to offer her, asshole?
Too late, he realized that his choices to get Daisy a drink were water or milk. She was already walking through his door, a silly little smile on her face that made him want to kiss her again.
Fuck, she tasted so good. Her mouth had tasted like mint and her lip gloss had been vanilla or some shit like that because when he licked his lips after he kissed her, it tasted like a muffin. Where the hell did girls even find stuff like that?
“I like your place.” She was looking around at his bedroom. “It’s really… clean.”
He nodded. “Yeah. I like to keep things organized.”
She bit the corner of her lip. “I can tell.”
Spider didn’t own a chair. The sole surface for sitting was his full-size bed, but that didn’t seem like a very good option if he was trying to get control of his dick.
Of course, the only other option was the floor.
“Um…” He gestured to the corner of the bed. “Sit. I’ll get you some water. Or milk. Sorry, I don’t have anything else. I’m not used to—”
“Spider.” Daisy was looking around, and her expression was amused. Not like mocking amused, just sweet. ’Cause she was a fucking sweetheart. “It’s pretty obvious you weren’t expecting company. It’s okay. Why don’t we go get a coffee or something? We don’t have to hide here.”
She thought they should be seen together? In public? “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why?”
’Cause I’m a fucking homeboy and you’re a decent girl.He shook his head. “Daisy, I like you—”
“I like you too.” Her cheeks were a little pink. “And I’m not embarrassed to be seen with you. Are you embarrassed by me?”
“Embarrassed byyou?” He snorted. “That’s not the way this works, princesa. I’m the embarrassing one, remember? You’re Metlin’s golden girl. The last thing your reputation needs is someone like me—”
“My reputation?” She stood and laughed a little. “Spider, it’s not 1965. I don’t have to worry about myreputation.” She looked out a window. “I think you’re embarrassed. Dating one of those silly college girls you and the guys—”
“If you fucking insult yourself, you’re gonna make me crazy.” His voice was low. “Do you really want to get grief from your family about me when you’re already kind of fighting with them about the school thing?”
That shut her up. She sat on the edge of the bed, still staring out the window.
“Daisy, I think you’re smart and funny and sexy as hell. Obviously, since I’m willing to get kicked out of public places for making out with you, that should not be a question.” He knelt in front of her. “But think about this, okay?”
She locked eyes with him, and the sight of her—wide-eyed and sitting on the edge of his bed like a sexy librarian or some shit with a pencil stuck in her hair—would have driven him to his knees if he hadn’t been there already.
“You are gorgeous, princesa. And I’m not just talking about your looks. You’re smart and bright and you make everybody around you feel good. Half the people who walk into your café go there just so they can get one of your smiles. You care about people, Daisy. You’re a good person, and I know whatever you do in life is gonna be a success. If you become a doctor or a psychologist or—”
“I don’t want any of those things. I want to stay in Metlin and run the café. I told you that.”
“You can always do that if you want, you know? But just… get the degree first. Life is…” He thought about his mom, so happy to be a wife and mom, making their home a sanctuary before his father died. “Life can get fucked up. If you have a college degree, that’s a pretty big advantage, you know? You’ll always have that even if shit goes down.”
She squeezed his hands. “I promise I will think about what you said. But none of this has anything to do with us dating. I like you. You like me. What’s the problem?”
“Daisy, I have never really wondered about your eyesight before this, but have you seen my fucking neck?”
“I like your neck.” She ran his fingers along his collarbone, and it took everything in Spider not to lay his head in her lap like a starving dog.
“You shouldn’t like my neck. I was in a fucking gang. It’s not a good thing. It’s not a romantic thing. It’s ugly and violent and kills everything good. Please don’t think this is cool.”
