Page 25 of Silver Edge
“Scarlet?”
I cringed and shrank back.
“Touch. That’s what happened earlier tonight with those guys. I saw him touch you, then an instant later you had them both on the floor crying. Just now, I wrapped my arms around you and pressed your body too hard or something.”
I only shook my head and turned away, my knees up to my chest once more. “Just go.”
“No, you promised to return to Bands, and we have a job to do.”
The million bee stings on my skin faded to annoying mosquito bite itches. “Bands is closed today. It’s Sunday.”
He bit his bottom lip and eyed the floor. “Well, you’re not staying here.”
“You can’t force me to leave.”
He chuckled. “Okay, then how about this, you made a promise to save my club. I can’t do it without you. Will you help me?”
I dared a glance, and I knew he cared less about the job and more about my crazy at the moment, but I needed the job. I wanted the job. Fighting my urge to retreat into my upstairs haven and never return, to curl up and cry myself to sleep, I forced myself to focus on business instead. The itching faded into a slight tickle until it disappeared for the moment. “You mean you want me to help pick the groups to compete?”
“Yeah, I do.” He shifted back on his heels then stood up.
“I-I’m sorry about last night.”
“Don’t.” Drake held one finger in front of my lips but didn’t touch me. “Let’s go. I have something I need to do today and you need to go with me if we’re going to have time to get ready for the Battle of the Bands.”
“Okay.”
He stood with a few pops and crackles in his joints and offered me his hand. I took it and he lifted me from the ground. “Would you be okay if I held your hand?” he asked, smiling.
I nodded, but the apprehension that I’d have to focus on that more than anything else worried me.
Drake squeezed my hand slightly. “If you need your hand back, just let me know. I won’t be upset. I promise. Just tell me what you need. Deal?”
This guy must be a figment of my imagination, some dream I’d concocted while high. I looked around and thought I’d fallen into the same old world of self-medication, but with one more squeeze, I knew it was real.
We headed out of the building and I secured the chain around the door. “Can I ask for one favor?”
“Sure. Anything.”
“Can I use that shower of yours? I’ve been sneaking into the YMCA since arriving in Atlanta. I wouldn’t mind a longer, hot shower.”
“I think I could oblige.” His eyebrows rose high on his head and he smiled crookedly, but he averted his gaze and then led me down the road.
We meandered down Peachtree Street and the fresh aroma of coffee drew me to my one addiction I still allowed. “Do you mind?” I pointed to the coffeehouse.
He tugged me through the door into a make-everything-better aroma of coffee. “What would you like?”
“Latté, please.” I pulled money from my pocket, but he held up one hand and stepped up to the cashier.
“I don’t need you to take care of me.”
He smiled that melting smile of his that made my legs quiver. “I’m not taking care of you. It’s kind of a date. We’ll call it a practice date if you go with me today. Guys pay on a date.”
My hands started to tremble.A date?I’d never been on a real date before. Was this really a date? Is this what people did on dates?
“Don’t worry. Just be yourself.” Drake handed the cashier a credit card before I could even process what he was doing. I noticed it was the barista from before, the one with the snake tattoo with a tongue ending in an X. I nodded and she nodded back.
“How long have you been living there?” Drake asked and we scooted around the counter from the ordering line to the pick-up side.
