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“I know him. He’s cool. Now you on the other hand, I don’t know who the fuck you are, so you get to leave. Got it?” Chet struggles in the restraint so Jake tightens his grip a bit more. “Got it?”
“Fuck. Shit. Yeah. Got it. Now just let me go.” Jake releases him and pushes him away in the process. “Come on, guys. Let’s go. Nothing but trash here, anyway.” Jake fake lunges at them. The three of them flinch and scurry away.
“Thanks Jake. Sorry about all the commotion.” Seth clenches and unclenches his fist.
“Don’t worry about it. You need some ice for your hand?”
“Yeah. That would be great.” Jake turns and heads back toward the bar.
“Oh my God Seth. Are you alright?” He flinches when I lift his hand. I run my fingers over his swollen knuckles.
“I’ll be fine. They definitely make punching someone look a lot cooler in the movies.” He continues to stretch out his fingers. I start to bring his hand up to kiss his knuckles like my mom would do when I was a child and I hurt myself, then it hits me where we are and who’s watching and I drop his hand like it’s on fire. When I look up, I’m met with sad eyes gazing back at me.
“Holy shit Rocky. I never thought we’d see the day that you would punch someone. I feel like such a proud father.” Trey wraps his arms around Seth’s shoulders. “Now son, next time, you need to hit him with a right hook and then a left jab. He’ll be counting stars after that.” Trey starts singing “Eye of the Tiger” while throwing punches into the air.
Seth shrugs Trey off him. “There won’t be a next time.”
Jake returns with a bag of ice and Seth grabs it to place on his swollen knuckles. He just punched a guy to defend my honor. I don’t know how he does it, but right when I think I’m immune to his charm, he does something to surprise me. A guy has never stood up for me like that and I can’t even show him how much I truly appreciate him.
“I gotta get back behind the bar, but the next round is on me.” Jake makes his way back to the bar as another bartender comes over with a mop and broom and cleans up the mess.
“Seth, you should get into fights more often. Free drinks.” Trey fist pumps the air and makes his way to the bar.
“I don’t think I’ll be staying. I’ll need to get some fresh ice for this soon.” Seth holds up his hand, then he bolts toward the exit.
“Yeah. I’m going to get going too. Too much excitement for one night for me.”
We do another round of goodbyes and hugs. When I look up, Seth is already out the door. Hastily, I move through the crowd of people and push open the door. Instantly, the cool air hits my heated face. Jogging down the sidewalk, I catch up with Seth at the end of the block. “Hey Seth, wait up.” He turns around and I stop a foot shy of where he’s standing, disappointment etched across his face. “Thank you. For back there.” I hike my thumb toward the bar. “I really appreciate you standing up for me when you didn’t have to.”
“No big deal, Parisa. That guy was being an asshole and no girl deserves that.”
“And you punched him. For me.” I reach for his hand and this time I do bring it up to my lips and place a small kiss on his knuckles that are starting to bruise. While still holding his hand, I gaze up into his eyes and all the feelings from before the fight come rushing back to me like a tidal wave. “Come back to my place?”
Nineteen
Scream my name
Seth
“Come back to my place?”
Parisa looks up to me through her lashes, a lust filled sparkle in her hazel eyes, my hand still nestled in hers. I want to say no. Make her realize she can’t continue to push me away and then pull me close when it’s convenient for her. But I’m a glutton for punishment and I’ll take her anyway I can.
“My car is right around the corner.”
She tugs on my hand, and I wince from the pain as she drags me down the sidewalk. “We’ll pick up mine later.”
Once we’re close enough, I unlock the doors with my key fob. I open the passenger side door and wait for Parisa to get in. She sits down, her feet dangling out the open door. Her fist grabs the front of my shirt and tugs me down. “Times like these a tie would be much more convenient.” Her lips crash to mine in a bruising kiss. Her hands thread through the short hairs on the back of my head while I run mine up her thighs. Eventually the dome light shuts off, shrouding us in the dim glow from the streetlight. Her legs wrap around me and tug me closer, and I lose my balance, falling into her as her back hits the center console and a murmur of pain escapes Parisa. I pull away. “You alright?”
“This might be more comfortable if we get in the back?”
“How about we just go back to your place? Plus, it’s a little cold out here. Then you can scream my name as loud as you like because we all know you’re a screamer.”
“I am not!” She playfully pushes at my chest.
Before she can move her hand, I cover it with mine. I lean down, my breath a whisper on the shell of her ear. “I’m pretty sure your entire building knows my name.”
“Well, I just got new neighbors and I don’t believe they know your name yet.”
