“Nope, you’re the one that said we should go on a date and you’re right. Things have happened so quick with us, Hale. I’m just afraid something is going to go wrong like it always has. It seems like every time we find some semblance of happiness, it’s ripped away...” Turning to face him, I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face in his chest. I feel like all I’ve done is cry for the past week and I wanted tonight to be fun and light, a night of pushing the rest of the bullshit away. Of course, I mess that up with my tears. “I’m sorry Hale, I’m trying to be strong,” I whisper to him.
He lifts my chin with his fingers, bringing my eyes to meet his own, “Hey, you have nothing to apologize for Sweet Girl. The shit we’ve been through Ember... It’s only going to make us stronger. It just gives us something more to fight for. We will make it through this.” Bringing his lips down to meet mine, he gives the sweetest, most tender kiss. Even if Hale isn’t the best with his words, he moves mountains with his touch. Even if we could never speak another word to the other again, our bodies could communicate in a way that our words never could.
Grinning, he grabs my favorite leather jacket from the coat rack and helps me slide it on and cuts off the lights.
“You know, maybe we should stay home. I’m feeling a little tired.” I joke, waggling my eyebrows at him. He halts mid-step. “Get your ass in the car Ember Ann before I take you in that house and fuck the shit out of you.”
I think I may need to back inside and change my underwear. Jesus Christ. This man is so yummy and he is all mine.
Hale
She’s so fucking beautiful, I can’t keep my hands off of her. The entire ride to the restaurant I kept glancing over at her until she caught me staring. I’m like a love-struck puppy. I planned on bringing her into the city and walking around downtown, but my leg has been fucked up all day, from moving all of her stuff from the apartment. I couldn’t sit it out and let all the other guys move shit while I watched. Now I’m paying for it. So I’m going to take her to her favorite Italian place in town and to see a movie. Whatever, call me cliché, but at least she’s mine for the next four hours.
I pull the Camaro into a parking spot at the very back of the lot while she laughs at me for being “paranoid’. I love this car and these assholes around here can’t even respect their own shit let alone anyone else’s. So, I’ll take a little extra walk. Leg be damned.
Opening the door I step out and tell her, “Stay put. Don’t even touch the handle.” I shoot her a smirk, and walk around to her side, opening the door and holding out my hand.
“Beautiful?”
She giggles and places that soft sweet hand in mine and I yank her to me, bringing my mouth against hers. Those soft, supple lips beg for my teeth and I slide my hands into her hair, pulling her closer. I swear it’s as if every time our lips touch we’re lost. Now I sound like a pussy. Pulling back, I whisper against her jaw, where I’m kissing “As much as I love that we’re like horny teenagers, I did promise you a date babe.”
I put my arm around her shoulder and clasp her hand in mine as we walk towards the diner. We used to come her as kids all the time and the memories still play fresh in my mind. I hope to see that light in her eyes again and know I fucking put it there. All the fucked up shit of mine aside, my goal is to give Ember everything I can. To make a home for us. Marry her and put as many babies in her belly as she’ll let me. She’s it for me. There’s no other soul on this planet who fits with mine. It’s not fate, its reality. I know there won’t ever be anyone else for me, just as much as she does.
I open the door for her and place my hand on the small of her back guiding her inside.
“Two for Jarreau please,” I tell the hostess that greets us. She looks at me with a smirk, her eyes inviting way more than dinner. “Right this way Mr. Jarreau.” She winks as she grabs two menus, and walks off towards the table.
I look at Ember and the look on her face is priceless... She looks like she may murder the poor girl right here in the middle of the diner.
Kissing her head, I pull her to me, “No one but you, Ember. Don’t even let it cross your mind. It’s you that’ll be riding my cock tonight, not some slut who has no respect for anyone else, let alone herself.” She stands there with her mouth hanging open and her cheeks flushed, like she can’t believe I just said that.
“We will talk about that statement later. Let’s go.” She leads me to the booth, throwing daggers with her eyes at the girl waiting for us to be seated. I nudge her to scoot over so I can slide in beside her.
“If there’s anything else I can do Mr. Jarreau, please come let me know.” The hostess giggles, twirling her hair around her finger. Is she serious? This isn’t Clueless; that shit isn’t cute. I actually like a female with something in her head besides fucking air. I open my mouth to tell her to fuck off when Ember stops me.
“Okay, you can cut the shit and go back to the little podium you left behind. We’re obviously together and you’re obviously looking to find a new job. Now run along,” she waves her hands to shoo her. She just fucking shoo-ed a girl. My feisty girl is full of surprises. The confidence that radiates off her body is the biggest turn on.
“Just wait till I get you home Sweet Girl. I’ll let you show me just how feisty you can get,” I smirk, dropping a kiss to her cheek as she rolls her eyes.
Picking up the menu I see that it hasn’t changed a bit. Good, I know exactly what she’ll order. Looking around, I’m thankful the place isn’t packed tonight, and that I’m facing the door. I can’t sit with my back turned without having a panic attack.
I feel her elbow jab against my ribs, bringing me from my thoughts. “Earth to Hale. Hello?” She’s saying.
“Sorry babe, just thinking.”
“I’m dreading going back to school. It’s funny, before all of this I welcomed the escape that school offered me. Now I’m dreading it consuming all my time. With dance and school, I won’t have much free time to spend together, and now I resent it.” Her eyes fill with tears.
“We’ll spend whatever second we can together baby. Eventually things will calm down and we’ll have some sort of schedule. I’m going to continue working on Dad’s house and at the shop with Jared. We will make it work. What are you majoring in?” I ask her, kicking myself that it’s something I don’t know. Another thing that was ripped away from me.
“Early childhood education. I want to be a teacher. At first, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but sometimes I work with the younger girls at the studio and just seeing their faces light up when they learn something new or get a move, just right makes me happy. It gives me purpose. I think Nash is going to end up moving into the apartment with B,” she shakes her head.
“Well at least she won’t be there alone Sweet Girl. I’m sure she understands.” I know she feels guilty about leaving Blayr behind, but she shouldn’t. Blayr understands and chose to stay behind.
“I’m going to start working on Nan’s house. I want to use some of the money that she left me to put furniture in the house. I want to work on making it mine.”
“I already told you that I will help Ember, you don’t have to hire someone to do it. I can do it.” I tell her for the tenth time, since we’ve had this discussion before.
“I don’t want to put too much on you Hale... You need to rest more and prop your leg up.”
“Don’t worry about me baby, I’ve got this. How about we go furniture shopping this weekend? I’ll bring the truck and you can pick out whatever you want.” I see her eyes light up at the thought. It’s sad that something as simple as that would be what makes her happy.