AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Are you for me or against me, Petal? Because so far, you seem to be siding with these creeps who I call friends.”
The SUV turns a corner, throwing me into him, and with my legs smashed against his, my dress slides up my thighs. Rake keeps glancing down but quickly looking away like he hasn’t noticed.
Yeah right, buddy.
I grab the oh-shit handle as we fly around another corner. “I’m not taking sides. I don’t know any of you and have yet to decide which team to ally with. It’s an important decision, and I’m making it carefully.”
Tito claps his hands from the seat in front of me. “Yes. Someone else is a Survivor fan. Petal, you’re gonna be just fine.”
“First stop, Del Frisco’s,” Jonah hollers, watching the crowds as we whiz by the hotels on the Strip. “I am starving for a nice rare hunk of cow.”
I look up at Rake. “We’re not going to the hotel first?”
He shakes his head. “No need. I texted our concierge, who already arranged a room for you. They’ll take care of getting your toiletries and things. Don’t worry.”
Nice. “I’m not worried,” I say, looking right at him.
A slow smile grows on his face and he looks down at me. “Sure thing, tough guy.”
I shimmy in my seat and look straight ahead.
We arrive at one of Vegas’ top restaurants, and it doesn’t disappoint with its polished dark wood and big leather chairs. Hipster music plays in the background, and I’m pretty sure Cameron Diaz just walked in with her husband.
We settle into a private booth in the back of the restaurant after parading through and attracting a shit-ton of attention. The wine starts flowing and I have Rake on one side, Daria on the other.
“So what’s your deal, Petal Parker?” Rake asks.
I sip my wine. It’s a tasty one. These guys know what they’re doing. “My deal? You’re interested in my deal?”
His eyebrows shoot up. He’s clearly not used to someone not impressed by him. I intend to keep driving that message home.
“Hey, I figure we’ll be spending the next few hours together. We have to talk about something. Unless you prefer religion and politics?”
“Nah. Way too soon for that.”
“Soooo, that means there will be another time? You planning on hanging out with me again?”
He looks at me, like really looks at me, in a way that Andy never did. The man is either interested in what I have to say, or damn good at faking it.
“No promises, Rake Hanson. No promises.”
He laughs. “Fair enough.”
So confident. Like he’s never been toldnoin his entire life. Wait till he spends a bit of time with me.
I catch Tito and Wendy watching us, and when I do, they look away, embarrassed. They’re adorable and have barely stopped holding hands since we arrived.
I know someone’s going to have a fun child-free night.
“Your friends are very invested in the outcome of this date,” I say, waving at them from across the table.
Rake grins as the waiter sets a giant slab of beef before him. “They’re just nosy fuckers. That’s about the extent of it.”
“They’re very nice. I can tell they care about you.”
The waiter delivers my shrimp and Rake frowns. “Who orders seafood at a steak place?”
“Back off. I love shrimp, it’s my favorite. Anyway, what do you want to know about me that you haven’t already read online?”
