Page 151 of The Perfect Spiral
I can see he’s protective of you, and you guys are getting along pretty well based on the stories you’ve told me about you two growing up.”
“Yeah, I’m not committing to anyone. I can’t have someone else ch—”
“Cheat on you?” I nod solemnly at him finishing my sentence. I’m not mentally stable for that to happen again. I can’t go back to that.
“Alex, I understand about not wanting to put yourself in that position again. But sometimes being closed off isn’t the right answer. Find your trust in someone and commit.”
“The only guys I trust are my brothers, Eric, Ace and... you.”
“Well, learn to open up. If you don’t find someone, you can always marry me, sweet cheeks,” he winks, and I lean my head back across his arm, letting a giggle escape.
“I’ll be marrying Andy, honey.” “Hey, I’ll marry Andy too. Always wanted a threesome. And to get one every night when I come home is the dream.”
I slap him hard on his shoulder, making him chuckle. Knox interrupts us by joining us, sitting across the way with a beer bottle in his hand. That last shot hit me hard, I’m struggling to focus my vision.
“No more shots for you, sweet cheeks,” he slaps my thigh while I roll my eyes at him.
“Why do you call her sweet cheeks?” Knox asks, studying the label of the bottle before meeting our eyes.
“She’s got a good ass, a surfer’s ass. That’s why.”
“What?” He tenses, “Don’t call her that! There’s more to her than her ass, although it is a goo—”
“Alright, alright, we’re not talking about my ass! Drop it, plus he calls me that as a term of endearment,” I assure Knox, who softens his gaze on me.
“Why do you call her baby doll?” Ben decides to interject. Knox smiles down at his bottle, lost in a memory.
Why does he call me baby doll? I wonder to myself.
He releases a soft chuckle, “It was your tenth birthday. We were all gathered at your house and you were blowing out your candles. Everyone was crowding around you, handing you presents. My mom gave you the one from us.
It was a doll she used to have when she was a little girl in Savannah. She thought it would be perfect for you.
The doll was dressed in a purple dress, just like you were.” He takes a thoughtful sip of his drink and leans forward, his gaze meeting mine, “On the box, it had the name—”
“Baby doll,” I whisper, the memory of the doll he’s talking about flooding back. A smile tugs at my lips as I meet his eyes.
“I remember,” is all I manage to say. I’m surprised he remembers it, that’s why he calls me baby doll.
“You looked just like the doll, so innocent. Even though your hair was tied up and the doll’s was down, I thought you were her spitting image. Your smiles were identical and you had the same colored eyes.
You looked so b—” He clears his throat, abruptly halting his trip down memory lane.
My eyes remain on him, momentarily forgetting that Ben is also outside with us. I can’t believe I’ve never asked him why he calls me baby doll.
Ben taps my thigh, “I’m going to grab a beer, I’ll be back. You guys want one?” I nod in agreement and he leaves Knox and me alone on the deck.
“That doll scared the shit out of me some nights. Like remember when you guys made me watch Dead Silence one night and I couldn’t sleep so I put the doll in my cupboard and slept—”
“Downstairs in the living room with all of the lights on,” he finishes, laughing at the shared memory and shaking his head.
“My first horror movie, give me a break! Now I’m addicted to them. I watch them all the time. Usually alone because Andy and Hannah can’t stand them.”
“I’ll watch the next one with you. If you want?”
“Okay, but I’m still jumpy despite my love for them. Just so you’ve been warned. So don’t scold me!” I tease, trying to suppress my laughter.
“I’ll keep you safe, baby doll, don’t worry,” he winks playfully.
