Page 9 of Clueless
“You’re early,” I said, sliding into the seat across from him.
“Yeah, I thought those losers might be here giving you a hard time if I showed up late.”
“Aww, that’s sweet.You do care.”
He rolled his eyes.“You want a beer, or what?”
He was grumpy as all hell, and I wanted to know why.“Bad night?”
“No, why?”
“Then you’re always like this?”
“So I’m told.”
The waitress arrived to take our order and I tried to ignore the way my heart was beating double time when he looked at me like that.It was a cross between lust and loathing.And I kind of liked it.
We waited until she left, promising to return soon with our drinks, before I asked, “So, how do you know Mav?”
“You mean your sister didn’t tell you all about me?”he asked, tapping his knuckles on the scarred wooden tabletop.
“No, she said it was your story to tell.Not hers.”
He grunted, breaking eye contact.
My gaze travelled to his hands.His knuckles were scarred and he had a tattoo on the back of his hand.Three dots etched in the gap between his thumb and forefinger.“What does that mean?”I asked, pointing to his hand.“The tattoo?”
His eyes were dark, almost lifeless, when he said, “It’s a gang tattoo.Got it before I went to prison.”
I sucked in a breath, shocked by his candor.“Oh.”I swallowed, wishing I had that beer to coat my dry throat.
The waitress returned with our drinks, breaking the awkward silence, and I could have kissed her.
“Aren’t you gonna ask me why I did time?”
I pinched my lips together.“Only if you want to tell me.”
“Are you in therapist mode now, psychoanalyzing me?”
“You know what?This was a bad idea.”I grabbed a twenty-dollar bill out of my purse and threw it on the table, but before I could leave, he snagged my wrist.
“I’m sorry for being an asshole, okay?I guess women like you just…” He released me, slicing his hand through the air.“Intimidate me.”
I laughed without thinking, making him frown.“I intimidate you?Surely, you’ve been told how intimidating you are.You know how much courage it took for me to ask you out tonight?I’ve never asked a guy out before in my life.”
His eyes narrowed before he took a swig of beer.“Why did you ask me out?”
I shrugged.“Because you’re hot.And sexy.And not the kind of guy I usually go for.”
He smirked.“Yeah, I heard about your ex.The corporate lawyer.”He mock yawned behind his hand.“Sounds like he was a lot of fun.”
I smiled, shaking my head.“Yeah, not so much.”I leaned in, whispering, “I had to fake it with him.Every.Single.Time.Once, just once, I want a guy I don’t have to fake it with.”
“Then baby, you found your man.”
Panty-drenching-moment.“Is that so?”
“We could sit here all night, making small talk, pretending to give a shit about each other’s favorite food, favorite color, and best childhood memory, or we could skip all that bullshit and get to the good stuff.What do you say?”
