“Gee with such sweet sentiment like that, I can’t figure out why a girl hasn’t just snapped you up, Davis,” I mutter.
“I know, right? I’m a regular Vincent van Gogh with words,” he brags.
“He was a bi-polar painter who cut his ear off and gave it to his girlfriend, not a poet, you freak,” Mike mutters, shaking his head.
“Actually, he gave it to a hooker as a token of his affection,” I correct him, taking another one of his fries.
“Shit, really?” both guys ask together, and I just nod affirmatively.
“Hell, maybe you are a regular Vincent van Gogh, Davis,” Mike mutters.
“Nah man, I wouldn’t cut off an ear to give to a hooker, but I’d tip her extra,” Davis denies, causing both me and Mike to roll our eyes. “Are you two at least going to Devil’s Tooth Friday night? It’ll be boring as hell with just the football jocks and cheerleaders there.”
“I thought you liked cheerleaders,” I giggle.
“I like single cheerleaders. Although, there is a lot of new talent that transferred in this year. I might try some of that out—present company excluded—sorry Violet, Mikey would chop off my dick if I got it near you.”
“Mikey wouldn’t have to. Violet would beat me to the punch,” Mike tells him and for some reason that makes me so happy that I lean over and give him another kiss.
“Gag. All this happy shit is giving me a headache. You might as well cut your balls off and hand them to Violet for safe keeping, dude. I’m going to head out of here. You two are coming right? I don’t want to be the only one from our group there.”
“I don’t know. Violet? What do you think? Are you free?”
I frown. I do have Friday night off—which is very rare. I didn’t really want to spend it with anyone from BMA though, unless you count Mike.
“I guess…”
“Fine, we’ll be there. Now, leave us alone numb-nuts. I want some time with my girl—alone.”
“Jesus, if you are going to make out why not go into make-out cove?” Davis asks, getting up with his tray.
“Make-out cove?” I ask, having no idea what he’s talking about.
“Yeah under the stairs by the hall that leads to the gym,” he says, and I frown, because I know exactly where he is describing. That’s where I first saw Mike and Lindy.
Mike’s hands tighten against my body, and I know he can feel my tension. He waits until Davis is gone before turning my face around to look at him.
“Stop, Violet.”
“Stop what?” I ask, hoping to sound like I had no idea what he’s talking about. From the resigned look on his face, I know I’m not fooling him at all.
“It was before I met you, Angel,” he says softly.
“Not technically,” I remind him, and he frowns, but for some reason I can tell that he’s more unhappy with himself than me.
“I can’t erase the shit I did before I met you Vi,” he mumbles, extremely uncomfortable and not even bothering to disguise it.
“I haven’t asked you to,” I tell him.
“What I can promise you is that no one meant a damn thing to me, Violet, not until you came along.”
“We barely know each other.”
“Bullshit. You feel what’s between us and I think, just like me, you know that every day we spend together does nothing but strengthen that connection we have.”
His hand comes up to cup the side of my face, his fingers sliding behind my hair to rest on my neck.
“It does, I…care about you,” I admit, not wanting him to think for a minute that I’m not feeling the same about him.
“I know you may not believe me and I also know how fucked up it is that I didn’t really care for any of the other girls—”
“I’d be okay if we never spoke about your past,” I tell him, unable to keep some of the displeasure out of my voice.
“No one has ever seen the real me, Violet. I didn’t let them. You get that from me. I promise you, no matter what, I am one hundred percent in this with you.”
I close my eyes, because the sweetness and urgency on his face claw inside of me. They light a hope that I know I won’t be able to extinguish.
“I believe you,” I murmur.
“Good, because no matter what—good or bad, I won’t lie to you, Violet.”
“Do we really have to go to Devil’s Tooth Friday? I would rather spend time with you alone.”
“We’ll make an appearance and head out shortly after. How’s that sound?”
“Horrible, but I can make it work. You’re going to owe me, though.”
“Now that sounds promising. How are you planning on making me pay, Angel?”
“I’ll think of something,” I laugh. My heart feels as if it flips in my chest when he pulls me closer and kisses me.