Page 34 of The Playboy and the Waitress

“Are you going to give me a hint?”

“You are impossible. Ohh, look I just saw one!” I point towards the darkest patch of woods in front of us. “Look, another one, oh I'm so happy we didn’t miss this.”

“I feel like I’m missing it now… what the Hell am I looking for?”

“Oh, city boy…look at the little lights appearing in the darkness, you can’t tell me you don’t see the lightning bugs.” He is concentrating way too hard.

“Relax, this isn’t a test or a race to see who can find the most of them. The darker it gets the clearer they will become. They usually only live in this form for a few weeks and the ones you see flashing are males looking for females.

“When I was little, catching them was a favorite pastime for me. I would put them in a jar for a few hours and then let them go only to dance and play as they lit up all around me.”

“Are you telling me that we are sitting in chairs in the middle of the woods to watch lightning bug males dirty dance as they lure in willing females? Bug porno at its best. This is also a first in my world.”

“Bug porno…whatever, city boy. Look at it this way, you are in good company sitting outside on a pretty evening. Something we won’t be able to do much more as summer gets closer.”

He kisses my hand, and I can tell he has something on his mind.

“Spit it out, what are you thinking?”

“Jenna, do you have to work this weekend?”

“No, I’m off this one, we rotate weekends to keep it fair for everyone. Why?”

“I need to run home this weekend, it's Mom’s sixtieth birthday, and Dad is having a surprise party thrown for her. I realize you are not a big fan of my world, but I really don’t want to go alone.”

“Dage, I don’t know. I simply walked in the room with your other friends, and I might as well have had warts on my face. I…I don’t have anything to wear and… Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful you still have your parents and I realize how important events like this are, but…”

“I know you are worried about how they will react to you, but I already told mom I was bringing you. So no one will be looking for warts on your face. It’s about a four-hour drive or so, and I really don’t want to go by myself. It would only be for one night. We could even go up later in the day, getting there right before the party if that would be better.”

“What the hell do you even wear to an event like that? Do I need a prom gown or something?”

He pulls me over into his lap. “You would look good in a sack.”

“Maybe, so, but I don’t have a clean one to wear, so pick something else.”

“Look my little country girl, I know you have a pair of slacks in that closet somewhere.”

“I own one damn pair and I bought them years ago at a consignment shop. I guarantee you those bad boys are out of style.”

“Do you want to go shopping Saturday morning before we go?”

“That may not be a bad idea. Ok, I’ll go… but only if you promise not to leave my side.”

His lips nibble on mine as I relax in his arms. Just as he starts to get seriously focused on seducing me, the metal folding chair we are both sitting in collapses underneath us and we fall hard to the ground, nothing but a tangle of legs and arms. I’m literally sprawled on top of Dage, my arm is caught behind his back, and I think my foot is stuck in the chair's arm. I try to lift myself off of him only for him to pull me back down. “Did I kill you?”

When he starts laughing, I can’t help giggling. “Ok, I think if you lean up a little bit I can free my arm, and then I can crawl over your head.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I believe I just got beat up at a game of Twister.”

I can’t help laughing. “I think your head ripped through the back of the chair too.” I finally crawl over him, wiggling out of the bar that is holding my foot hostage. I no more get out of the way than Dage turns on his side, crawling on all fours as he untangles himself from the chair.

He grabs me by the ankle before I can stand up, yanking me back against him. He twists me around until I’m laying underneath him this time.

“Young lady, I do believe my whole damn ass is bruised now.”

“That’s a shame because that’s a really nice ass. Do you need me to inspect you for further injuries?”

“Yeah, check this place out on my arm.”

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