Page 76 of The Downside of Love
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Imake a left turn into a parking lot and briefly watch Rory as her eyes light up and a smile falls across her lips. She turns toward me, excited as I park in front of a very familiar, white, orange, and pink building.
“You brought me to Amy’s Donuts.”
I sure as hell did.
I take the key out of the ignition and turn toward her where I cup her cheek. “It’s been a place where I go when I want to be alone, when I need to think. I don’t want it to be about that anymore. I want it to be more than my solace, I want it to be filled with happy memories too, so I figured bringing you here for our first date would make some of the best memories.”
She leans her cheek into my hand and says, “I could not be happier right now. With you, here, opening up to me. You make me happy, Stryder.”
If only she knew how goddamn happy she makes me by just being in the same room as me.
“You make me happy, too.” I press a soft kiss on her lips, lingering for a few seconds, my tongue parting her mouth. She groans and reaches around me for more but I stop her. “If we begin that, we’ll never make it inside.”
“Making out is better than donuts.”
“Agreed, but remember, I’m wooing you.”
She groans in frustration. “Fine.” She playfully smiles. “Woo me.”
We exit the car and when we reach the shop, I open the door for her, letting the smell of freshly fried donuts hit us square in the chest. The smell familiar and comforting.
I take in the glass case full of different flavors from traditional to wildly original. Heavy toppings like Twix and Snickers grace the tops of some donuts while some are just simply glazed. It’s a donut lover’s paradise in here and the place I used to call my second home, especially when my dad was on a war path.
I lean over and whisper in her ear, “Want the Stryder special?”
“I really do.” She links her hand with mine and leans into my body as I order a half dozen donuts; two Elvis donuts, two Fruity Pebbles and two German chocolate glaze. We grab two milks and head over to the corner table, thankfully it’s open. I lay out napkins for the both of us and pop open the box.
I swear it almost feels like light flies out of the box while angels sing above us. That’s how good these donuts are.
Cutely, she rubs her hands together and asks, “Where do we get started?”
“Fruity Pebbles, it’s always the first.” I pick one up and hand it to her and then grab mine.
I go to take a bite when she stops me. “Hold on a second. We should cheers our donuts. It’s our first date after all.”
A smirk pulls at my lips as my heart thuds in my chest for this woman. She’s so adorably sweet and beautiful. I don’t know how it happened, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt luckier.
And even though there is a small voice in the back of my head telling me this is wrong, that I shouldn’t be this fucking happy with my best friend’s ex-girl, but I can’t stop myself from falling further and further in love with her.
I straighten up, “Okay, let’s cheers.” I hold my donut out to her and she clinks mine with hers. “To . . .” I draw a blank.
“To the start of something great,” she finishes for me with a wink and then adds, “And may you not hold out on me for too long.”
I laugh out loud as she takes a bite of her donut, eyes closing, complete ecstasy crossing over her face. Her look of pleasure just about killing me as she sinks down in her chair.
Christ, this is a first for me, a hard on in Amy’s donuts.
“I think I’m in trouble.” She talks to the donut, savoring every bite.
Yeah, I think I’m in trouble too, but for entirely different reasons.
Chapter Twenty
RORY
Ipractically sprint up the stairs, desperate to see him, desperate to capture another one of his kisses, desperate to hear his voice rumble over my body.
