Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (6 page)

“Why can’t you just accept it? Is there a problem with being my friend? I mean, your body and eyes sure say something different altogether, but if that’s the way you want it to be. Then I’ll have to learn to live with it. For now.”

“No, there is no problem! I just never really had friends. No one’s ever met my Nana before. I keep to myself. I work. I go to school. There never seemed any time to just have friends. And for your information, my eyes and body don’t speak for me.”

Yes, I did look at him as if I wanted more than just friendship, but I needed more time. This felt like it was going light-year fast. I could be his friend right now though. Slow and easy.

In high school, I didn’t get close to anyone. Maybe fear of abandonment. Which in itself was just ridiculous. The only person who abandoned me was my mother, and if I remembered correctly, I didn’t cry when she left. Just a vast amount of relief. Even at age four.

“Nana? Where are your parents? They dead?”

Whoa. Did not expect him to be as blunt as that. Dax pushed his empty plate back, and propped his feet back on the cushion across from us.

Sigh.

“Worse. They are probably alive.”

“What do you mean by that?”

I never spoke about my mother to anyone. Who knows who my father is? Marybeth never told me his name and I never asked when I was a kid.

“You really want to know?”

I had to ask. Just in case there was a way to avoid the subject-I would. I didn’t like talking about her. The only good thing she ever did was leave me in Nana’s care.

“Yes. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to know, Scarlet. Is this a bad subject for you? Did they do something to you?”

His voice turned into steel with the last few words. His jaw tightened and his hands clenched tight.

“What could you do? Find them and punish them? Ha.”

His face snapped to mine with all seriousness and he was about to open his mouth when I continued. “No, they didn’t. I don’t know who my dad is. Marybeth never told me who he was and she dropped me off at Nana’s doorstep when I was four and the next morning she was gone. No bye. No love you. Ha. Like she ever said those words to me anyway.” I shrugged my shoulders, laughing without mirth and said, “Not even a letter. Just gone. Best thing to ever happen to me.”

He stared attentively at me; his focus was absolute. He was really listening to what I was saying. Like learning about me was his sole mission in life. Was he waiting for me to say more? “Don’t worry. I’m not going to cry. I didn’t cry then and I have no reason to cry now. It’s just-life. It is what it is. I was four and she dumped me on someone who didn’t even know I existed. Nana-you know-she’s great. She took me in. Gave me a home. This orphan girl that no one loved.”

Crap. I did not mean to say that much. And what-what the hell was falling down my face? Before I got a hand to wipe away the errant tear, Dax’s hand cupped my face and his thumb slowly swiped it away. Like a desperate and needy chick, I took that comforting gesture and curved my cheek into his hand.

It just felt right though. Then, he did something that totally took me unawares. I don’t know if it was sweet or creepy. He took the droplet and kissed the tear to his lips.

I know my eyes widened with bewilderment.

Then he said the sweetest thing, “No more tears, Pix. Besides, it seems like Nana loves you. That’s all you need. So no more tears for people who aren’t worth the trouble. Okay?”

“Yeah. Sorry. I guess that was some repressed abandonment issues running wild.”

I turned away, trying to not let him see the effect he had on me. I lifted my bag on the table and pulled out my wallet.

“I can deal with repressed issues. I think. What are you doing? And don’t worry about it. Your tears don’t bother me.”

“Thanks Dax. I’m getting out my debit card so I can pay for my food.”

He sucked in a breath, and I looked up to see his jaw clicking tight in place. The softness in his face faded like quicksand. “Put that away. Now.”

“Uhm. Sorry. No. I pay my own way.”

“Are you really this difficult?”

“Difficult?” What was he talking about? This wasn’t a date! “This isn’t a date. I’m paying for my food. What’s the problem?”

“Women.”

He snatched my debit card out of my hand.

“Hey!”

He stood and walked over to the counter. What did he think he was doing? I shuffled out of the seat, snagged the check and made my way after him. Dax handed the guy an AMEX (figures), and I stood close to Dax, daring him to look at me. I stared him down, hoping to drill holes into his alpha ass.

Of course, he continued to ignore me. Like I was invisible.

“Aren’t you forgetting something, Dax?”

“No.” His voice was tight, closed in so I had to lean forward to hear him.

The counter guy gave him the card slip and his card back. Dax signed and tipped the waitress-WTF-Twenty bucks? She was practically eye-fucking him the whole time we were sitting there. That’s totally rude. Way over twenty percent. Agh. I was a waitress and I knew I shouldn’t be such a hypocrite. I never eye-fucked a guy though or made sexual innuendos with them to get a bigger tip. That was just wrong. For me anyway. I honestly thought if you had it, flaunt it. But if the guy was on a date or with a girl, there was no trying to grab their attention.

Dax handed the paper back and walked out the entrance.

“Thanks!” I said to the counter guy and I ran out after Dax.

“Hey! Gimme back my damn card, asshat!”

He didn’t stop until he was leaning his-damn-hot, hard, tense and so-freaking-sexy body against the hood of my truck holding out his hand with the card flipped out towards me. Before I snatched it away, he pushed his arm in the air, taking the card out of my reach. I wasn’t playing this game. I wouldn’t be able to jump and grab it so I just stood there. Stared straight at him. Waited him out.

He put his other hand up and started counting. “One. No cussing at me. Two. Never take this,” he wagged the card side to side, “out while you are with me. Three. Nah. One and two are the only things I can think up for now. I’m sure there will be at least a few more. But since these are early days, we’ll stick with one and two for now.”

“What is this? A friendship with rules? That’s not right.”

“Have you had a real friendship before, Scarlet?”

Rolling my eyes, I said. “Maybe not a real one.”

“Ha. Three. Don’t roll your eyes at me. It’s rude.”

“Bite me.”

“Ha. Maybe later. And what other kind is there? Oh. Did you have imaginary friends?”

I play-punched his arm and laughed. “
Nooooo
. I haven’t had those since I was a little girl playing with my teacups. But I have fictional ones.”

He just blinked like he was trying to think up something witty.

“Well, that’s a relief. I think. But, you understand? Number two is non-negotiable. You don’t pay while you’re with me. Okay?”

I knew he wouldn’t let that up, so I nodded in agreement.

“Promise me.”

What?

“Why?”

He just looked at me with a straight face. No expression. He gave nothing away as he just watched me, waiting for my promise. His body seemed calmer so he waited with unruffled patience. I suddenly felt like a little girl throwing a tantrum.

“Okay. I promise.”

He brought his hand down quickly and gave me back my card. I really wanted to yank it away, but I knew that would be childish so I reached for it slowly.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Pixie. It’s almost eleven so I’ll follow you home and make sure you get there.” There was no way he would just let this be the end. I kinda liked that though. It was a sweet gesture to make sure I got home safely. Almost like a boyfr-no! Like a good friend who cared about his friend. Who was I kidding? I doubt he followed his guy friends, if he had any, home to make sure they got through the front door safe and sound.

This friendship was off to a semi-rocky start but that’s okay. I liked that he made an effort. I nodded and walked to the door of my truck. He walked with me and held the door open until I was seated and belted in.

“Drive safe.”

I nodded and said, “I will.”

He nodded once and walked slow and sure to his own. I waited until I heard his engine start before backing out and making my way home.

With no traffic I was able to put my lead foot down and go about eighty, close to eighty-five, on the 225 before I slowed to go over the Fred Hartman Bridge. I lived in old Baytown, so the neighborhoods were quaint and small. My exit was the first one and made my way home in no time.

Pulling up into the driveway, I got out to wait for Dax at the front porch steps.

He pulled up to the sidewalk and parked. It seemed to take him a few minutes before exiting. I wondered what was wrong.

Dax slammed the driver’s side door, hard. When he didn’t move from the door, I was tempted to just say thanks and see ya later. Why was he acting so weird?

He slowly walked around his truck and up the walkway to me with his head cast down and his hands fisted tight at his sides. Whoa. He looked mad. Like scary mad. Oh, crap.

Scarlet

He stood right in front of me. Not looking at me, but at my feet. As if he was trying to control the rage I felt radiating from him. It was permeating the air around us, and I wasn’t really afraid, but I didn’t want that anger coming towards me. I was almost afraid smoke would steam out of his ears. But I don’t think now would be the time to be humorous if I said something to that affect. I just stayed still, and waited.

It wasn’t long before his voice hardened and rough as told me, “Four. Do not
ever
drive like that again. That scared the fucking life out of me. You could have gotten hurt. Or fucking pulled over. Or God for-fucking-bid, hurt.”

I really didn’t feel like arguing with him, so I said, “Yes. Okay. Sorry. I didn’t think-

He leaned in closer, and his tone became rough. “That’s right. You didn’t fucking think. You know what I would have seen if somehow you had lost control of the truck? Watch you fucking die by stupidity.”

“Hey! Here’s number one for you. You
never
get to treat me like that. Number two!” I could see he was about to blow a gasket by the widening of his eyes and the red creeping up his neck, “I’m not done, buster! Don’t speak.
You
don’t talk to me like that, either. Ever. Understand? Or this ends…now.”

I’ve never yelled like that before. It got my heart rate pumping wildly in my chest and his eyes sparkled with anger, and regret. He leaned back and I could see his hands fisted, then released, straining his fingers out as if he was releasing his anger from the tips.

Yeah, I totally saw pain hidden in the depths of his eyes. As if getting hurt would have upset him. I never wanted to get hurt, but him caring enough to be upset? I kinda liked that. Twisted, but he really wasn’t as badass as he thought. He sighed heavily and bowed his head. Looked as if he was taking deep breathes.

“Understood. Please, don’t drive like that again.”

“Alright, Dax.”

“Okay.”

He seemed to be shaking whatever hostility he felt. He raised his head back up, and smiled at me. It was a really nice smile. Okay, better than nice. It was totally swoon-worthy. There were like hundreds of tiny little fireflies skirting around in my stomach.

“So. I need your number.”

I couldn’t help it. I started laughing. “You need my number?”

“That’s what friends do. Exchange numbers. Or would you rather me give you mine. That’s fine. Here, gimme your phone.”

I liked his take charge attitude. Most of the time. Throughout the night, it sometimes got irritating, but I didn’t really mind it. I took out my iPhone and swiped it open before tapping the contacts app.

I gave it to him and after a few moments, I heard Buckcherry’s “Crazy Bitch” ringtone.

“Fitting, huh?”

“Ha. I’ll change it.” He seemed embarrassed that he had that as his ringtone. So I did something he would never have expected so he didn’t have to worry about feeling self-conscious. As if he ever could.

I sang the chorus line.

My voice was good, (no modesty, just truth) and I did a little shimmy, so I could make him get over his embarrassment.

His face went from mortification to fascination.

“Whoa. My dick is so fucking hard right now.”

God! He had a thing about being open and totally free-rein with his body’s reactions. I started laughing hard and not a minute later a snort came out.

That made him laugh right with me.

“Shut up. You shouldn’t say stuff like that. And don’t laugh at my snort!”

“Five. Don’t say the word ‘fuck’ in front of me. That was so damn hot. Do you like Buckcherry and hard rock? Didn’t picture you as the type. Also, I can’t help it, I’ve never actually heard someone snort before. It was cute. I like it. It brightens up your entire face when you laugh like that.”

“Whatever. And not necessarily, but I had a phase in high school. I know all the words to that song. Want me to sing it for you?”

“No, please.” He was bowling over with laughter. “I wouldn’t survive you singing
that
song. Please. You saying ‘fuck’ is going to kill me.”

Laughing, I brushed my hair behind my ears, then said, “Maybe that’s my master plan.”

He reached his hands back to cup his neck, which puffed out his chest. The shirt he was wearing lifted and a span of steel hard flesh greeted me. He was really so easy to look at. It was totally hypocritical of me, but I wanted to just smooth my hand right over his muscles.

“Nah. You couldn’t hurt a fly.”’

I rolled my eyes, “Whatever, Dax. You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

“Yet, anyway. And you broke number three, Pixie.”

I shook my head with laughter. “What are you gonna do about it? Huh,
Declan
?”

“This, little Miss-Sassy-Pants. I’m gonna do this.”

He bent down, reached around my knees and hefted me over his shoulder.

“Hey!” I tapped his back saying, “Put me down, you caveman!”

“Me-man. You-woman. Roll-eyes. Get-spanked.”

“Get what?” I knew my voiced squeaked. Was he really going to-?

He smacked my behind. It wasn’t a soft tap either but a full hand spanking. What I felt wasn’t pain though, it did sting, but only a little. I felt something stirring low in my belly.

“You’re crazy!”

“Spanked.”

Then, he did it again.

“Ah! Dax! Ugh! Declan Dax Dixon! Put me down!”

I reached out and smacked him on his behind. Damn. His ass was just as firm as the rest of him. It wasn’t small either. It was…really nice.

“Nuh-uh-uh! That deserves another.”

Smack!

I just laughed. I didn’t know how to feel right now. My vagina was reacting strangely to this pseudo-punishment. I didn’t know if I should like it or not.

Neither one of us heard the door unlocking, opening and Nana leaning against the door frame with a smirk on her face.

“Am I interrupting something, kids?”

Dax whipped around to face Nana, with me still over his shoulder. With strength I know I didn’t have from laughing so much, I lifted myself as much as I could so I could at least see half of her.

“Hi Nana, this is my friend, Dax. He was making sure I got home in one piece.” Then to Dax, “Say hi, Dax. This is my Nana.”

He slowly brought me down over his shoulder and set me on my feet. I turned to Nana and shrugged my shoulders when she looked over at me with questions in her eyes. I didn’t know what to tell her. Dax was my friend.

My hot friend. Who didn’t think I’m his type. Who was freaked out by the fact that I’m a virgin. Who made me laugh harder than anyone I’ve ever known.

“Hi, Mrs.-

“Just call me Nana. Hi, Dax. Scarlet? Would you like to invite your friend inside?”

I could feel his eyes on me. I didn’t know if I was ready to let him in my world. This home had been my sanctuary ever since I was four. Was I ready?

I looked back at Dax. With fear. Shyness. Confusion. Apprehension. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, “If you don’t want me to, Pixie, it’s okay. I won’t have a problem with just leaving tonight like this. I had a great time. Best time I’ve had in a while, or probably ever. So if you don’t want me to go inside-

Whispering back, “It’s not that I don’t want you to. I just don’t know if I’m ready. You’re the first person I’ve ever brought here.”

“Hmmm, sounds serious then.” He shifted away from my ear and just stood there. Looking right at me, keeping me ensnared in his crystal-blue irises. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him. His eyes were intent on mine. I knew he was waiting patiently. Letting me think it over in my head. When I couldn’t look anymore, (his stare was really intense and probing), I turned back to Nana.

My eyes were burning with pressure to tear up. I didn’t know what to do.

I felt at an impasse. I looked passed Nana and over the house. The only home I’ve ever had. The one place I felt safe and secure. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready to share that yet. I could feel Dax’s eye’s fixed on me. I knew he hadn’t looked away when I did. I just knew it.

I had noticed throughout the rest of my shift and sometimes at IHOP that he would just stare at me with this fierce look of concentration on his face. Like he was memorizing every inch of my body.

I felt bad that I couldn’t let him in. I hoped he understood. I turned back around and I felt something stopping me from letting the words come out. Something told me to be brave and let go of my fears. That it was okay to let him in. I felt my eyes blur and I shook my head as a tear escaped from my eye.

“I’m sorry.”

He cupped his hand around my neck, laid his forehead against mine and massaged the small kinks in the back.

Gently, he said, “What for? You said you might not be ready. It’s okay. I’m not pressuring you. We can go at your pace. Remember? I’m new to this friendship, too. This is a boundary for you. You’ll let me in when you’re ready. I’m okay with leaving this as it is. Right here.” He broke our connection to kiss my forehead. “Just breathe.”

I let out the breath I was holding and nodded. “Thank you, Declan.”

“My pleasure, baby.” He let me go and walked a few steps to Nana and held out his hand. She gripped his hand in a firm handshake.

Something she told me Grandpa taught her to do when she wanted to know a man’s character.

“Ms. Nana, it was nice meeting you, but I need to go ahead and head home. I was just making sure Scarlet got home safely.”

“Why, how nice of you, honey. You be safe.” He turned her hand and kissed the back of it.

“Bye, ma’am.” He made his way back to me and just looked over my body one more time. Felt like he was taking his time going from my head, down to my feet and slowly grazing his way up. “Memorizing you. Just like this. Be happy. No worries.”

“I am happy. Tonight was-it was really awesome. Except for the whole debit card thing. And the slore. And the creeper at work.”

He chuckled and ran his fingers’ through his hair. “It
was
awesome. Don’t worry about the ‘slores’ and I’ll make sure
all
creeper’s stay away. I’ll text you later, okay?”

“Yeah. Lemme know you got home safely.”

He winked at me and made his way back to his truck. He got in and turned the ignition. After a few minutes of just watching him sit behind the wheel and not leaving, he honked and flashed his bright lights on and off.

Ugh. I shook my head.

“Why did he do that? Why is he still sitting there?” Nana asked.

I knew exactly why he was still sitting there. I stepped into the light, where I knew he could see me. Then, I rolled my eyes, and held up the number three with my fingers. I knew I was breaking one of his dumb rules, and I’d probably hear about it later. Which would be fine. I didn’t mind him arguing with me. For the most part anyway; it was challenging and fun.

“Oh, Nana, Dax is a creature unlike any other. He wants us to go inside before he drives away.”

“Oh. That is so sweet and protective of him. Let’s not leave him waiting then, baby-girl.” She tucked my arm into hers, waved at the dark tinted windows. As did I. Then we went inside.

I knew she was dying to ask me a bunch of questions.

After locking up, I sat my purse on the floor by the stairs. “Let me take a shower first before you start asking questions. Okay?”

Nana laughed heartily and waved me away.

I really liked having a friend. Even one such as Dax.