Page 81 of Run
I open the door and Fonz passes in front of me before I enter. We immediately see the bartender, Matt, behind the pine, and he gives us a nod and a smile as we wave and make our way to the back corner where our group congregates. Ari has her back to me. She’s sitting next to Sophie and across from Knox, who is sandwiched between Lizzie and Dee. His face fills with relief when he sees us approach. “Oh, thank God, some more testosterone.”
I give Lizzie, Dee, and Knox a salute since they’re on the far side of the table. Fonz plops down next to Sophie, who I greet with a kiss on the cheek before making my way behind Ari. Sliding in next to her, I lean in to kiss her temple. “Hey, baby.” My lips move against her skin.
“H— Hi.” She looks at me questioningly.
Yeah, I’m gonna call you baby now. Get used to it.
Before sitting, I grab the seat of the tall stool next to Ari and drag it closer. She scrunches her eyes at me.
“I couldn’t reach you from all the way over there.” I put one boot on her footrest, drape my arm across the back of her stool, and stare at her. Memorizing her profile as she chats across the table with Lizzie, I let my gaze caress her perfect features. A cute, button nose. Big, bright eyes. Pouty lips. Those freckles speckled across her nose and forehead. Red hair spills over her shoulders, and I can’t help myself from twirling it between my fingers with the hand that rests behind her. She must feel it because I see her eyes dart to the side as she continues talking.
She nervously tucks a piece of that hair behind her ear as she keeps talking animatedly, and I see she’s wearing dangling earrings. Reaching up and gently grasping the silver loopy jewelry, I then drag my fingertips down Ari’s neck. From thecorner of my eye, I see Lizzie glance over at me and make wide eyes at Ari, but they still don’t stop talking.
I can feel the pulse in Ari’s neck as I trail my fingers over her collarbone and across her exposed shoulder. She’s wearing a cream-colored sweater that hangs off one shoulder, and I’m dying to just kiss all that smooth, exposed skin. To replace every harmful touch she’s ever had with tender ones.
And what the hell does it mean if I don’t see a bra strap? Does it mean she’s not wearing a bra? Or she’s got one of those ones with no straps? The kind that just hooks in the back. How does it stay up?
I’d love to find out …
My hand trails down her covered arm and, just like I suspected, the sweater she’s wearing is soft as shit and I just want to wrap myself around her wearing it and die that way.
Feeling watched, I freeze, and look up to find Ari’s eyes boring into mine. She tilts her head to the side, ever so slightly, and I look in that direction and see the whole table is staring at me. “Uh, everything OK, there, big guy?” Ari asks.
“Everything is great. Why do you ask?”
She clears her throat, looks at the rest of the table, then back at me. “Well, I’m kind of feeling like a circus freak with you pawing at me in front of everyone.”
“Do you not like it?” My hand finds hers and I entwine our fingers, pulling her hand into my lap.
She blushes and smiles. “Um, I mean, I don’t hate it. But it’s just, kinda new, I guess.”
We stare at each other for what could be eternity for all I know before Knox clears his throat and blurts out, “Anybody seen the latest episode ofYellowstone?”
“OhmygodI would totally mount Casey and his dad, tag-team style,” Dee gushes, and the table erupts into discussion.
Except for Ari and me. We are still staring at each other. “What’s all this?” Ari looks at our joined hands and gives a little squeeze.
“Honestly?”
“Honesty would be nice.”
I hold her gaze. “You are the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid eyes on.” Ari’s eyes widen, and I continue. “You are the strongest person I’ve ever known. And that’s beautiful. And despite all the fucked up shit you’ve been through, you still treat everyone with kindness, and you always look for the good. And that, too, is beautiful.” This time it’s me who squeezes our hands. “I just can’t take my eyes off of you, Red.”
Ari’s eyes narrow slightly as she takes in my words and what they mean, and then likely the reason I’ve had this revelation. “You saw the scars.” It’s not a question.
“Yeah, baby. I saw the scars.” With my other hand I reach up and tuck her hair behind her ear again. “And you and I are going to talk about that soon. But right now, I just want to be here with you. Now. Tomorrow. The next day … I don’t want to think about the bad stuff in our past right now. Is that OK with you?”
Ari nods and smiles.
We stay like that for a short while, sitting next to each other, holding hands, stealing glances at each other as we make polite small talk with the others. And I can feel the energy between us buzzing.
“I need another margarita,” Sophie declares, draining the last of her drink.
“Girl, same,” Dee cheers as she hops off her seat and slides behind Knox and Lizzie.
“Anyone else thirsty?” Sophie looks around the table. She knows Ari doesn’t drink, and since I’ve learned that, I don’t either. Last week she realized Knox doesn’t drink, and Lizzie isone of those spouses of an addict who either doesn’t drink, or drinks to oblivion.
“Make mine a double!” Lizzie yells as she makes finger guns in Sophie’s direction.
