21 Days (Time for Love 2)

Shelly’s eyes misted over and she took my hand in hers, “You’re so sweet, Sasha. Thank you! I’ll let him know. Oh … we’re talking about getting everyone together to go out to dinner this weekend, and maybe dancing. It’s been a while since we’ve all gone out together.”

“Ugh, well, my dad is going to be in town Friday night and I have to meet him for dinner, but I can do Saturday. I’ll check with TJ and see if he has any plans.”

Shelly looked at me with a smirk and I realized what I said.

“I mean since he lives at my house … and I’ll see him tonight. Not because I have to check with him before I make plans,” I said, backpedaling.

“Mmm-hmmm,” She said with a wink. “You just let me know and I’ll set it up for Saturday. I think Gaby’s going out with Brock on Friday night anyway. Maybe she can bring him on Saturday, I’ll ask her.”

“Sounds great!” We got up and threw out our trash, then gave each other a quick hug on the sidewalk before going our separate ways and heading back to work.

I checked my phone and got in the car, smiling when I saw I had another text from TJ.

Looking forward to it.

Shit, Shelly was right. Those four words did make me feel giddy.

Chapter 13 – TJ

I pulled up and grinned when I saw Sasha waiting for me outside. She didn’t wear jeans and tennis shoes often, but she sure as hell made them look good. The tight jeans, combined with the low-cut shirt, were guaranteed to drive me crazy tonight.

“Hi,” Sasha said when she opened the door and climbed inside. She looked around the car and met my eyes with a look of surprise on her face. “You’ve fixed it up.”

“Yeah, a bit,” I agreed with a hint of pride. When I’d bought this old El Camino, I knew that although it looked like a piece of shit on the outside, it had real potential. I’d started fixing up the interior and upholstery, and it was looking much better. I’d have to wait a little longer to do any real work on the exterior, until I was back on my feet and a little more secure, financially.

“It looks great,” Sasha replied, then looked at me, her face eager. “Now, where are we going?”

“Bowling,” I answered, laughing out loud when her face dropped and her lower lip stuck out in a cute as hell pout.

“Bowling?” she whined, making me laugh even harder. Sasha didn’t whine about much, but when she did, she gave a superior performance. “You know I don’t like bowling, TJ.”

I let my voice drop a bit.

“Just give it a chance, Red. I’ll teach you how to throw, you can watch me bend over, I can watch you bend over, it’ll be great. Especially since you’ve got that tight little outfit on.” This night was going to turn out better than I’d ever imagined.

Sasha looked at me, her face flushed, and I knew my words had affected her, so I gave her a wink.

“Okay, I’m game.”

“Atta girl,” I responded, reaching my hand over to pat her leg, then leaving it there for the duration of our drive.

We walked into the bowling alley and proceeded to the counter to book a lane and get our shoes. We’d come here a few times as kids, so I knew that Sasha wasn’t a huge bowler, but it was during one of those outings that I’d begun to look at Sasha differently. We were all juniors and had come to the bowling alley on a Friday night for Cosmic Bowling. Shelly and Cal were pretty deep in their relationship, and Scott was crushing on some girl who worked the counter at the restaurant of the bowling alley. We’d mostly been messing around and talking shit about school, but when Sasha had gone up to bowl, bending as she threw the ball, then turning and jumping up and down when she’d hit two measly pins, my seventeen-year-old body had responded. That night had changed the way I looked at Sasha forever. I thought it would be fun to recapture that moment, knowing that when I left the bowling alley this time, it would be with her on my arm.

We walked over to our lane to

put our shoes on and get our balls.

“Do you want me to order some food for you?” I asked as I programmed our names in.

“Um … Yeah, I’m hungry, but I’m not sure what kind of stuff they have.”

“I’ll find something you like,” I responded, stopping to lean down and brush my lips along hers.

“Mmmm,” she murmured against my lips, pulling back and saying, “Oh, I forgot … Shelly wants everyone to get together Saturday night to go out for dinner and maybe a bar or dancing after. You game?”

“Sounds good,” I responded. I turned to go order our food as she got her cell phone out, presumably to text Shelly.

“You ready?” I asked when I walked back to our lane.