Page 78 of Hunt for the Roses
I furrow my brows. “I didn’t give you an answer.”
Dane nods in defeat. “Yes, you did.”
Anger simmers as my defensive walls shoot up into action. “Then why make this harder? Go!”
Dane’s jaw clenches as he watches me start to unravel, but I keep going anyway. At this point, I understand I have nothing left to lose, and thinking about losing Dane stirs chaos within me. I ball my palms into fists, and hit Dane once in his chest, barely knocking his large figure off balance. “Just leave,” I say through gritted teeth, and I look up at him as I continue on by throwing my arms aimlessly in the air. “I can handle it, alright? My past has been keeping me from any kind of happiness the last year, I think I can take one more let down. So go!”
Tears start to pool in my eyes, and my breathing becomes erratic as the rage inside me continues to build. I clench my fists and hit into Dane’s chest again. “Dammit, just leave!” As soon as I get the words out, Dane grabs a hold of my fists. I try to yank them out of his grip, but he’s too strong. I’m being held in place and feel myself become transparent right in front of Dane’s eyes. I know I’m wearing every emotion I have on my face, and if I thought Dane was vulnerable before with his words, I’m putting him to shame right now. The tears start to fall down my cheeks of their own free will, and my chest heaves up and down from my outburst. Dane’s palms release my wrists and quickly cup my face so he can wipe away my tears with his thumbs, and I lay my palms flat against his chest.
Dane places our foreheads together as he wipes the last bit of moisture under my eyes. “Stop. I won’t let you shed tears over me,” Dane whispers.
I curl my fingers into Dane’s shirt like he’s my lifeline, and the one who can make all my hurt go away. The image of Dane walking away from me strikes a dagger through my heart. Thinking about not having Dane’s arms wrapped around me, and having to lock away last night as a distant memory is unbearable. There’s so much more to explore with Dane, and I’d be living a shallow life if I didn’t let myself experience everything I could with him.
I feel Dane press his forehead into mine as he whispers, “You can push me and tell me to leave you as many times as you want, but it’s the last thing I’m going to do. You understand?”
Unable to restrain myself any longer, I nod my head and place my hand at the side of his face, pulling him in for a bruising kiss. Our moans stifle as our lips mold together, and we make out in front of my porch steps under the moonlit sky, not caring about anything else but each other’s embrace.
This was the beginning of a new chapter, and even though I wasn’t sure how it was going to end, I was willing to go all in for a chance at happiness.
Maybe it was selfish.
Maybe it was reckless.
But it wasfreeing.
Thursday, July 28, 2022
Aria and I agreed to go out to dinner Thursday night. I sift my fingers around my hair to make sure it’s styled just enough on top, and I’m wearing a black three-quarter sleeve Henley and tan pants. I’m also sporting just enough scruff on my face, so I don’t think she’ll have any complaints.
When I’m ready to go, I leave my house to go to Aria’s and knock on her door. I wait a few seconds before Aria opens the door, and my god does she lookbeautiful.She’s wearing her long hair down in soft curls, a red spaghetti strap floral fit and flare dress, and black wedge sandals.
“Hey, I’m just about ready,” she says as she walks back into her house. “I just have to put my earrings and lip gloss on.” I walk in as Aria stands in front of the foyer wall mirror to put on her earrings and lip gloss. “Can I get you something to drink?” she offers.
My hands are in my pockets as I pace the small foyer, trying to relieve some of my nerves. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Well that works out.” Aria turns to me with a smile. “I only asked because I was trying not to seem like a horrible hostess.”
I smile back at how adorable she is and walk over to her as she grabs her clutch off the foyer table. “Such a gentleman,” she says as she takes my extended hand.
When we get to her door, I turn so she can exit the door first. “Something like that.”
When we are both off the porch steps, I wrap my arms around her from behind as I put my face in the crook of her neck. She giggles and squirms a little, but I place my mouth to her ear and take on a serious tone. “You look beautiful,” I whisper.
She stops walking and looks back at me from over her shoulder, and I think she’s surprised at my serious tone in the midst of all the joking. “Thank you,” she says as she swallows a lump in her throat. Eventually Aria turns her head forward, and I walk in front of her to open the passenger door of my Mustang.
Aria smiles as she gets in my car, and I walk around to my side to hop in the driver’s seat. Luckily Russo’s is not as crowded as it would be on a Friday or weekend, so outside seating is very much open. When we are seated at a table right next to the railing of the terrace, we have an open view of the water.
“If I knew you were going to pull out all the stops tonight, I would’ve asked you to have the Backstreet Boys sing live here,” she jokes as she takes her seat, and places her cloth napkin in her lap.
“Yeah, totally. I hear they’re what, sixty now?” I say.
She drops her jaw a little. “No. Kevin is fifty.”
I roll my eyes with a smile. “I waswayoff there.”
Aria shakes her head with a smile as she takes a sip of water, then looks through the menu, and I choose to do the same. “Burrata and tomato is a must, so that’s happening,” Ari says.
“I won’t argue with that,” I respond before the waiter comes over to take our drink order. Aria and I order a bottle of Cabernet to split, and a minute later our first glasses of wine are being poured for us.
