Of
course, I was supposed to be at Bailey’s and I didn’t want anyone telling Larry
otherwise.
Eventually, we took sandwiches and sodas to the
back screened in porch. As we ate lunch, the dogs ran around the backyard searching
for something.
“Rabbits,” Aaron said, answering my unspoken
question. “We get rabbits running around here and the dogs think they’re
hunters.”
“Is there a reason you have Boston Terriers?”
“Don’t you like them?”
“I like any dog that likes me. Larry’s dog thinks
I’m a rabbit needing to be hunted.”
Aaron smiled, but his blue eyes held anger whenever
I mentioned my stepdad’s name.
“My mom breeds dogs. Not like a puppy mill, just as
a hobby. She and Cooper are always talking dogs when they get together. He
loves them big and scary. She likes them small and cuddly, but they’re dog
lovers at heart. It’s pretty fucking adorable to see them showing each other
pics on their phones.”
When I grinned for too long, Aaron leaned over the
table and kissed me softly. Returning to his seat, I felt my skin flush at the
expression on his face.
“Anyway, my mom had these two sickly runts that no
one wanted. I took them since I had moved in here and the house felt creepy
back then. Like a horror movie house. I thought something might come up through
the floor as I watched the game. Figured if I had dogs, the monster would eat
them first.”
We both laughed as he glanced at Pollack chasing a
butterfly.
“The sad thing is I would try to save them. How
lame is it when someone tries to save a dog in horror movie. Fuck. I hate when
people do it, but I’d want to save the little turds. They’d expect me to save
them too. They’d stare with those big eyes and how could I say no?”
“I don’t even know them and I’d try to save them
too.”
“Yeah, but you’re a sweet dove.”
“I’m not sweet.”
“In my reality, you are the sweetest. I like my
girls sweet. I also like when they can throw a punch. My delicate roller derby
girl.”
“Do you want me to show more of my moves?” I asked,
wiggling brows.
“Soon,” he said, smiling in an odd way. “I wish I
could see you during the week.”
“If you still like me by the end of the weekend…”
“If?”
“Things happen.”
“Nothing is going to happen. What were you going to
say?”
“I could spend next weekend with you too.”
Aaron nodded. “For how long do we need to sneak
around? I get why you need to do it, but how long do we need to hide?”
“I don’t know. Larry is being an asshole. He’s been
an asshole since I met him, so I can’t imagine anything is going to change
soon.” After a quiet minute, I added, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I just want more of you and I
couldn’t give a shit about fucking Larry and his rules.”
“I want to go to college and I can’t do that and
pay for rent.”
“Maybe you’ll be in a position to live somewhere
else rent free soon.”
Avoiding his gaze, I tried not to read too much
into his comment. Aaron sensed as much and seemed cranky afterwards.
“Can we go to your studio so I can look at your
artwork?”
“Sure,” he said, sounding bummed.
As I walked to the studio, Aaron followed slowly
behind me. I felt him planning things that were too much too soon. A week
earlier, I barely knew him. Even after talking on our date and last night, I
was still learning about Aaron. He wanted to save me though. A part of me
wanted to be saved. A bigger part of me wanted to be with Aaron every possible
minute. The logical Lark knew we were rushing into things because of Larry. Of
course, the asshole wasn’t a good reason to ruin a good start to an amazing
opportunity.
Moving around his studio, I was again amazed by how
different I looked to him than the way I saw myself. In the art, my eyes were
full of such energy that I never saw in the mirror. Glancing back at Aaron, I
smiled. However, he was deep in thought and didn’t notice.
Wearing
course, I was supposed to be at Bailey’s and I didn’t want anyone telling Larry
otherwise.
Eventually, we took sandwiches and sodas to the
back screened in porch. As we ate lunch, the dogs ran around the backyard searching
for something.
“Rabbits,” Aaron said, answering my unspoken
question. “We get rabbits running around here and the dogs think they’re
hunters.”
“Is there a reason you have Boston Terriers?”
“Don’t you like them?”
“I like any dog that likes me. Larry’s dog thinks
I’m a rabbit needing to be hunted.”
Aaron smiled, but his blue eyes held anger whenever
I mentioned my stepdad’s name.
“My mom breeds dogs. Not like a puppy mill, just as
a hobby. She and Cooper are always talking dogs when they get together. He
loves them big and scary. She likes them small and cuddly, but they’re dog
lovers at heart. It’s pretty fucking adorable to see them showing each other
pics on their phones.”
When I grinned for too long, Aaron leaned over the
table and kissed me softly. Returning to his seat, I felt my skin flush at the
expression on his face.
“Anyway, my mom had these two sickly runts that no
one wanted. I took them since I had moved in here and the house felt creepy
back then. Like a horror movie house. I thought something might come up through
the floor as I watched the game. Figured if I had dogs, the monster would eat
them first.”
We both laughed as he glanced at Pollack chasing a
butterfly.
“The sad thing is I would try to save them. How
lame is it when someone tries to save a dog in horror movie. Fuck. I hate when
people do it, but I’d want to save the little turds. They’d expect me to save
them too. They’d stare with those big eyes and how could I say no?”
“I don’t even know them and I’d try to save them
too.”
“Yeah, but you’re a sweet dove.”
“I’m not sweet.”
“In my reality, you are the sweetest. I like my
girls sweet. I also like when they can throw a punch. My delicate roller derby
girl.”
“Do you want me to show more of my moves?” I asked,
wiggling brows.
“Soon,” he said, smiling in an odd way. “I wish I
could see you during the week.”
“If you still like me by the end of the weekend…”
“If?”
“Things happen.”
“Nothing is going to happen. What were you going to
say?”
“I could spend next weekend with you too.”
Aaron nodded. “For how long do we need to sneak
around? I get why you need to do it, but how long do we need to hide?”
“I don’t know. Larry is being an asshole. He’s been
an asshole since I met him, so I can’t imagine anything is going to change
soon.” After a quiet minute, I added, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I just want more of you and I
couldn’t give a shit about fucking Larry and his rules.”
“I want to go to college and I can’t do that and
pay for rent.”
“Maybe you’ll be in a position to live somewhere
else rent free soon.”
Avoiding his gaze, I tried not to read too much
into his comment. Aaron sensed as much and seemed cranky afterwards.
“Can we go to your studio so I can look at your
artwork?”
“Sure,” he said, sounding bummed.
As I walked to the studio, Aaron followed slowly
behind me. I felt him planning things that were too much too soon. A week
earlier, I barely knew him. Even after talking on our date and last night, I
was still learning about Aaron. He wanted to save me though. A part of me
wanted to be saved. A bigger part of me wanted to be with Aaron every possible
minute. The logical Lark knew we were rushing into things because of Larry. Of
course, the asshole wasn’t a good reason to ruin a good start to an amazing
opportunity.
Moving around his studio, I was again amazed by how
different I looked to him than the way I saw myself. In the art, my eyes were
full of such energy that I never saw in the mirror. Glancing back at Aaron, I
smiled. However, he was deep in thought and didn’t notice.
Wearing
Similar Books
