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“I know it may sound cliché, but that life was getting old for me. And with you, Mel,” he continues, his eyes holding mine seriously. “You make me forget, and remember, everything.”
“I don’t understand.”
A soft smile plays on his lips and he rubs his hand over his jaw. “You make me forget all the shit I try running from every time I get on my bike. But you make me remember all the good that could be if I have you right there with me.”
“Alex,” I whisper, my mouth suddenly dry. That is the sweetest thing he could have said.
“You don’t have to say anything, baby. Just know that the Alex Amber thinks I am, isn’t the Alex you know. The one I want you to know. The one I want to be for you.”
If I wasn’t so in shock, I’d think the sting behind my eyes were tears threatening to form.
No man has ever said such sweet, beautiful words to me.
He keeps surprising me, and each time he does, I slip a little more under his spell.
“Okay,” I whisper, my throat closing around the emotions trying to bubble up.
He nods once, and takes a long sip of his beer. I do the same with my wine, but wish it was whiskey instead.
I need to calm my nerves. I need to calm my heart. I need to calm my mind and all the thoughts I have swirling around. But I know if I order a glass now, he’d somehow know all of that.
So, I keep sipping my wine, hoping it’ll somehow turn to whiskey when it hits my tongue.
“I’m so glad I didn’t drive you home that first night in my truck,” he says, smirking, lightening the tension.
“What?”
“You remember that old Ford pickup in the lot?” he asks, and I nod. “That’s mine.” He shrugs.
“Seriously?” I laugh. “Well, wasn’t that clever of you?”
“I think so.” He smiles. “I wanted you to stay with me, and I wanted to feel you pressed up behind in the morning. And I did.”
Rolling my eyes, I take a sip of my wine. “I’m glad you lied to me, too, then.”
“I didn’t lie, gorgeous. I just didn’t tell you I could take you home in an alternate way.”
“Semantics.”
Smiling, I shake my head. I really am glad he didn’t tell me. Because I don’t know if, or when, I would have had the courage to make a move on him if I wasn’t stranded with him.
It’s a quiet Monday night, and so Amber is back with our food pretty quickly. She puts the plates down and then flips her hair over her shoulder again to get Alex’s attention. But he doesn’t give it to her. He just keeps his eyes on me and sips his beer.
And for the first time, I feel like maybe Iamdifferent to him. Maybe hecangive up the flirting and the line of women just waiting for their turn or another chance to have him. Maybe Icanbe enough for him. Maybe Icankeep him.
Taking a deep breath, I square my shoulders and decide to show Alex that I can be what he needs, too.
“We’re good here, thanks,” I tell Amber, and she turns to look at me like she forgot I was here.
Narrowing her eyes slightly, she pinches her lips together, and I just stare right back. I give her nothing but my stare until she finally turns on her heel and walks away in a huff.
She looks back over her shoulder to shoot me a death glare that Alex can’t see, but I just smirk back. Bitch, he’s not yours.
A low chuckle has my eyes darting back to the man in front of me and I bite my lip, nervous.
“You’re so fucking sexy.” Smiling, he picks up a fry and pops it in his mouth, and my eyes are immediately drawn to the movement of his jaw as he chews.
“Someone had to tell her to leave.” I shrug, acting like it was no big deal. When in reality, it meant everything. I want to show him that I can handle this. Him. I can stand my own ground and not let it get to me.
