Page 57 of Good Girls Beg

"You know what, I should go." She went to step around me, into the grocery store.

“Wait," I ordered, before she could go inside. "Come with me.” I left no room for argument, but to be honest, I knew she'd argue anyway. It seemed to be her default mode. Not putting up with shit from anyone.

"Give me one good reason why I should," she said. "It's not today's rule that I have to go where you tell me to go."

I made a mental note to make that tomorrow's rule. I knew full well what today's was. She couldn't touch herself. Fade’s idea, because he knew what that stupid movie would do to her. Teddie wasn't shy about fucking. He knew that and used it against her. Used it to make her so horny she'd wanted him to touch her.

I knew all of that because I'd walked past. I stopped to listen. Peered through the doorway and heard. Maybe not everything but enough. I hated him for doing it, but I hated myself more for not having the guts to step in and watch. To join them. To even think of doing what he’d done. I should have been the one to think of it first. How was I supposed to show her she was mine when he did shit like that?

Asshole.

"Because you need to eat," I said finally. "It's time for lunch if you hadn't noticed. I'm buying."

I gestured for her to walk ahead of me away from the grocery store before I fell in beside her. Leading her down the street to my favorite restaurant, Heartbeets. Yes, they served beets, but also other things. Most of it good for the heart, some of it good for the soul. Or so they said. I was all about putting good things into my body. Why bother trying to nurture a soul that didn't exist?

"Do they serve real food here or stuff rabbits eat?" she asked.

If I was Fade, I'd threaten to put her over my knee for that question and the tone of voice she asked it in. Hel, he'd look at her before stepping into the restaurant with her.

Trying to channel both of them, I opened the door and gestured for her to step in first, not dignifying her question with an answer.

She glanced up at me but stepped into the restaurant and over to the table when the server handed us menus and told us where to sit.

"This doesn't look so bad," she said, her gaze scrolling down the menu.

"It's not," I said. I'd already chosen, the same thing I always had when I came here. A fresh fruit smoothie with no ice cream, and a wrap with grilled chicken and fresh vegetables. Everything grown and sourced locally. The owners had a garden on the roof of the building, including a greenhouse. If they didn't grow it, they got it from within an hour away from the city. No preservatives, nothing nasty. Just good healthy food that tasted good.

"Can I take your order?" the server asked stopping beside the table.

"We'll have two chicken wraps, and kale smoothies," I said before Teddie could open her mouth. I took the menu from her hand and gave them both to the server while she stared at me, irritated.

I looked back at her, unwavering. I wasn't going to apologize for ordering from her. She'd like what I picked and I'd like to watch her eat it. I wanted her to wrap her mouth around what I'd chosen for her. I wanted to watch her lips around the paper straw as she sucked her smoothie.

I wanted to imagine her mouth was around my cock, but this would do. For now.

"So you know, I'm capable of ordering my own food," she said.

I leaned back in my chair and rolled my shoulders. "I don't care."

"I'm starting to think you're as annoying as Fade." She shook out her napkin and placed it over her lap before pouring herself a glass of water from the jug in the center of the table.

"Think again," I said simply. "He’s on a whole other level. All I want is what's best for you."

I probably earned the skeptical look she gave me before she took a sip of her water and looked out the window at the cars driving past.

If she was going to give me the silent treatment, it was going to be a long lunch.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

TEDDIE

I wasn't giving him the silent treatment, not exactly, but I wasn't happy he ordered for me. I was twenty-five years old, not five. Hell, even if I was, my dads didn't order for me. They guided me, but they'd always let me make my own choices. If I wanted chicken nuggets every dinner for a week, then that's what we'd have. They always knew I'd get tired of them eventually. On day three, as it happened. A girl could only get so much of the nuggety goodness.

Some of my irritation at Oak lessened when I tasted the food. I hadn't eaten here before, but I had to admit the smoothie was delicious and the wrap was perfect.

Would I have chosen either of them for myself? Probably not. Would I in the future? That was a complicated question. If I was here by myself, I absolutely would. If Oak was here with me, I might not. On principal.

Was I that petty? Probably. Did I care? At this exact moment, no.