Page 40 of Expressionate
I match her smirk. “I’m here to see you, Lovely.” I reach out and touch a tendril of that mixture of blonde-brunette hair. There’s a little auburn in there as well. The light catches and sets her on fire. My little ice queen, burning alive. “When do you get off?” Iask.
"When the next manager comes in," she starts, looking up at the big clock hanging above the counter at my back, "which will be in about anhour."
"Good," I reply, turning and walking towards the café that the little blonde from earlier is now working in. She studiously attempts to keep her gaze from meeting mine. When she fails and I flash her a smile, she blushes hot pink. I restrain my laughter...barely, and turn back to Love. "I'll be right here when you getdone."
Love looks at me curiously, but shakes her head and turns away, disappearing back between the bookshelves. I sit my happy ass down in one of the overstuffed chairs and proceed to flip through yet another boring magazine until my eyes cross and everything blurs in front of me. If any of the patrons mind having a tatted up guy in jeans and a t-shirt just sitting around, they certainly don’t show it. I toss the magazine to the side and pick up another and when I’m finished with that one, another. Time crawls by. I count into the hundreds before I finally can’t stand my own fucking brain anymore. I decide to fuck with Blondie, who keeps shooting worried glances between me and the bookshelves. Before I can think of anything, however, Love finally returns with a skinny, older, redheaded woman wearing a BookWorm apron over her summer dress, and a name tag that reads ‘Manager.’
"Thanks for looking out, Love," the woman says. Love nods as the woman turns and heads for the cafécounter.
Tossing the mag to the side, I stand up when Love approaches. She pulls off her apron and for several seconds, we just stand there.Until...
"So," she begins, "where are you takingme?"
* * *
When we stepinto the small sushi buffet restaurant, a petite Asian woman in a loud pink sweater and jean shorts bounces up to us holding menus. "Two?" she asks with a slight accent. I nod and follow her as she turns and heads toward one of the booths in the far back, against the row of windows that look out to theinterstate.
"You actually meant a date," Love says as we sit, sounding surprised andconfused.
I laugh, setting my elbows on the table and leaning on my hands as I watch her reach for her rolled silverware and undo it to put the fabric napkin on her lap. "What did you expect I meant?" I ask, stillsmiling.
"To be honest," she starts as she folds the napkin over her lap and opens the menu, "anotherfight."
"Well..." I sit back and rub a hand along my jawline. "I'll still consider that night one of our firstdates."
"Oh." Love smirks at me. No full smile for my gorgeous ice queen, just the hints of one. "Are we datingthen?"
I turn serious eyes on her. "Yeah," I state, "we're dating." I spread my hands wide. "That's what this is. You and me. On a date. Hence, we'redating."
Love shakes her head, but before she can say anything more the waiter arrives. He takes our drink order, and I shoot Love a quick glance before telling him we'll use the buffet rather than order from the menu. Love closes her menu and hands it over before we both get up and head for theline.
"If we're dating," I say, grabbing a plate and passing her one, "let’s talk aboutyou."
In the middle of allowing her to go ahead of me, her back goes rigid. After a brief pause, she reaches for one of the tongs on the end and starts to make her selection. "What about me?" she asksstiffly.
"What's your favorite color?" I ask, deciding against the list in my head. The list of questions she might not be able to handle just yet. Questions like: Why do you seem so distant to everyone around you? Why did you move in with a chick who obviously doesn't give a shit about you? How do you like sex? How would you like to be flat on your back while I pound into the prettiest pussy I've probably ever fucking had in my goddamn life? And please tell me you go commando...I eye her ass as the questions I shouldn't ask flit through mymind.
"Gold," she says, pulling me from mythoughts.
I jerk my gaze up as she turns, her plate full while mine still rests empty. Green eyes flecked with the summer sun look up at me. "Gold?"
"Yup." She pops herp,sounding sexy and child-like all in one breath. It's unusual coming from her, but her eyes still have that heavily guarded ice wall up. She moves in front of me and once again, that ass of hers takes centerstage.
I cough and try thinking of something to say. "Um...why gold?" Imanage.
She shrugs. "Why not gold?" Then she looks over her shoulder at me. "It's because it's the color of the sun and I could use a little sunshine mostdays."
"Sunshine clears away the darkness a bit, huh?" I guess. She doesn't reply as she heads further along the buffet, but I know I've got it right. My dirty thoughts don't exactly dry up – how can they with an ass like hers? – but they do take a backseat to food as we head down the aisles and make ourselections.
I'm the last back to the table, sliding into the booth section across from Love as she separates her chopsticks. I do the same to mine and start rubbing the ends together to get rid of any splinters. Her eyes track mymovements.
"What?"
She shakes her head. "Nothing."
"No, what is it?" I put my chopsticksdown.
She sighs and purses her lips. "I thought it was considered rude to rub your chopsticks together," she saysquietly.
