Page 33 of Fate In Fiction

Her comment pangs my chest as I pull into an old roadside diner parking lot. The kind open all hours with a rickety blinking sign and the best milkshakes. I didn’t bother asking if she’s hungry because we only shared a quesadilla over an hour ago.

“Josie, you’re beautiful, and I mean that.” I make sure her eyes stare directly into mine as I speak. “I want you to get everything out of life that your little heart longs for.”

“Thank you. You’re totally hot, though, and you know it.” Now she grabs my attention. “What? You know you are.” She giggles as I feel my eyes dry from enlarging at her forwardness. “Especially with that ink popping out of your unbuttoned shirt some days.” She smirks. “I still haven’t seen the full design anywhere on social media, Rookie.”

“Should I be worried about you?”

“Oh my goodness, nooo.” Her laugh would be contagious if I wasn’t so fucking stunned and fighting with my cock to stay down so I can stand. “Especially after listening to your boy band music and terrible singing.” She shakes her head and reaches for the door handle. “I knew you’d appease my father and weren’t as boring as his other options.”

“How do you really know you aren’t completely my type?” I ask, knowing it shouldn’t matter if she finds me attracted to her or not.

“I’d rather not know. My attraction to freedom far exceeds what you really feel about me.” I hold the old roadside diner door open for her as we enter. We take a seat in a corner booth before caring on the conversation.

“Alright, you succeeded in making me feel like a giant dick.” My mouth opens, then closes as I refrain from the obvious joke I could make. “Tonight, your personality has shifted to another level of an enigma, and I don’t know where to place you. You’re sweet, but also have sass. I see your sweetness isn’t fake, and your sassy side is playful. Which makes it attractive instead putting you in the self-centered Stella category.”

“Gotta keep you on your toes.” She opens her menu and flips through it. “Don’t fall for me.”

“I’m quite confident I can differentiate physical and emotional a lot better than you.” The waitress comes to take our order, pausing on Josie’s reply. Once the waitress is out of earshot, Josie brushes a strand of hair behind her ear and sighs.

“Emmett, I know I have better self-control, and that tops everything.”

“I haven’t seen you go this long without opening a book.” I decide to change the subject, and keep the banter going over her hobbies throughout our meal.

“Maybe I’ve been busy thinking up my own.” She picks up a fry, taking a small bite as she keeps the soft smile on her lips. Her soft, tempting lips.

“Go for it, little book nerd.” I catch the fry she tosses my way and pop it into my mouth.

When it’s time to pay, I leave a generous tip, but hesitate to leave. She’s been fun and easy to talk to all night. But once I have that thought, her hand lifts to cover her mouth as she yawns.

“It’s past my bedtime.” She sits up, crackling her spine. “We still have quite the drive back.”

“I’ll carry you up to the suite if you fall asleep in the car.” My reply takes me by surprise, and I’m left with the curiosity of how she looks fast asleep. Are her features even more angelic than when she’s awake?

“Oh, well, aren’t you perfect boyfriend material.” We slide out of the booth and spend most of the drive home in comfortable silence.

“You’re waking up early with me on Saturday, Rookie.” Moonlight dances off her skin as we near the hotel.

“I need to work until lunch.” Why did that just pain me to tell her?

“Fine. In the afternoon, we are going on a little adventure.” The glow off the dashboard adds a twinkle to her eyes as she smiles.

“Where to?”

“Should I pick out your clothes for you as a hint?” The humor rings through her voice as I pull into the parking lot.

“No. And stop suggesting the mommy kink. It’s not my preferred one, little darlin’.” I laugh at the look she shoots my way.

“Yeah, definitely not my go-to either.” I hold her gaze with challenging eyes as I wait for her to reveal what hers is. “Nope. Not happening, Rookie.”

“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours,” I sing as we make our way across the parking lot. It’s quicker to not park in valet.

“Maybe I have trouble choosing just one.” She shrugs, as the cool night air washes away my heated thoughts. “Stella doesn’t even know my kinks so, technically, there is no need to share.”

“You’re killing me, woman.” I rest my arm around her shoulder as we walk into the lobby. I still haven’t been able to bring myself to hold her hand since the first time. It felt too good.

“I could be messing with you. I might not even have a kink.” Her fingers absentmindedly weave into mine on her shoulder as my stomach gives off this odd flip-like tingle. The diner food better not have made me sick.

“Everyone has a kink.” Bringing the back of her hand up to my lips for a soft kiss, we walk pass the front desk. “I bet yours is something strange. Someone reading a book to you during sex or something.” She pauses, tilting her head, as if I just unlocked something in her brain. “Dammit. That wasn’t a kink until now, was it?”