Page 121 of Clashing
“That was so sweet.” She spoke between kisses. “You coming here like that. It was so sweet.”
“Unnecessary, apparently.” I slid my hands into her back pockets. “You couldn’t have texted?”
“I’m sorry. We had a lot of talking to do. Lots of explaining and apologies.” Easing back, that pink on her cheeks turned red. “Where are we going?”
“I—” I wanted to be with her, but I didn’t know the first thing about taking a girl out. “I’m going to be straight with you, I’m new to this. I didn’t make a plan. Partially because I didn’t know what to expect when I showed up here. But I swear, I’ll get better at this.” I nudged her nose with mine. “I promise, okay? I’ll read a boyfriend book, or whatever. I want to be with you, Scarlett. I don’t give a fuck what we’re doing.”
She grinned then whispered into my ear, “Dinner’s always good. Food can win anyone over.”
My lips twitched up. “All right, dinner it is. Where do you wanna go? What’s your favorite place to eat?” I was certain it was the bar, but I couldn’t take her on a date there.
“My favorite?” She glanced at Danny’s bar and lifted a shoulder. “I mean . . . What’s your favorite place to eat?”
My gaze also drifted to the bar. The food and drinks were the best in town. “That’s—I mean, that’s a bad idea, isn’t it? You always eat there. It’s not romantic.”
“It’s not romantic to have our first date at the place we met?”
Well, when she put it that way.God, I fucking love this woman.“All right.” I gripped her hand. “Let’s go.”
“But I don’t want to sit at the bar. I want a table in the corner, where less people will stare at us.”
“Deal.”
Her fingers weaved through mine, and we entered the bar from the alley. Since it was a weekday, it wasn’t too busy. I led her to a corner table away from everyone else, but it didn’t help. My guys gawked at us. I pulled a chair out for her.
“Take a fucking picture,” I snapped. They whipped their heads away.
Scarlett dropped her face into her hands. “Ryker.”
“What?” I pushed her seat in as she sat. Before I sat, I inched the chair beside her closer. “Do you want them gawking while we eat?”
“Of course I don’t, but there’s this thing calledmanners. You might’ve heard about them at some point in your life.”
“Can’t say I have.” I twisted toward her and took both her hands.
Her attempt to hide her amusement failed miserably when our fingers laced together. A perfect fit. I’d never been so content to hold someone’s hand. The damn woman made me soft.
“Are you guys . . .” Tammy approached the table, eyeing our joint hands curiously. “On a date?”
Scarlett sank back in her seat and covered her cheeks with her hands. “Yes.”
“Fuck yes, we are.” I yanked Scarlett’s seat closer until our chairs bumped against each other. “We’ll be going on a lot more of them.”
Tammy’s shoulders lowered, and she turned away with a heavy sigh. “Finally.”
“Hey, we wan—”
“I know both of your drink orders.” Tammy waved her hand and didn’t bother looking back. “Give me a break.”
Scarlett and I grinned at each other, and I dropped my arm over her shoulders. Now that we were together, there was no reason to not have her close to me at all times.
“What do you want to eat, sugar?”
“I don’t know. I was thinking about one of those ridiculously unhealthy burgers.” She tapped her chin. “You?”
“I’ll get the same.” I leaned forward and brushed a kiss against her soft lips. “Because you know you make it look damn good.”
Epilogue
