Fucking behave. Shit. She's a million miles out of your league.
"No, but I'd like to. My parents are super controlling, and a job isn't part of the deal." She took another bite of her burger and started to wrap it up.
"You throwing that away or taking it with us?" I reached out and touched her hand.
"Throwing it away. You want it?" She pushed it toward me as a smile played at the side of her mouth.
"Hell yes, woman. We don't throw food away." I smiled at her. "It's too hard to come by for us poor folk."
"Hey, I know I was a bitch the other night. I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. You were scared and stuck on the side of the road with a blizzard coming. It's understandable." I took out her burger in four bites as she studied me.
I wanted to feel self-conscious or uncomfortable, but her expression wouldn't let me.
She liked what she saw, which just seemed to force me into wanting to see her again – soon.
"Yeah, it was stupid to take the damn car out in the first place. My father told me not to, but I love being a rebel. Not like a real rebel. Just a semi-rebel, I guess." She was getting flustered. Time to save her.
"You looked hot the other night, all dressed up. Where were you going? A party or something?" I glanced down at the fries. "You all done, princess? I'll be the cleanup crew for us."
She smirked. "Yes. Eat all of it, just don't touch my drink."
"No?" I reached for her drink playfully to have her pull it back.
"No. Germs. Ugh." She lifted her straw to her pretty pink lips and took a long sip. "I went to a party, but I shouldn't have. It sucked. Bad."
"Worse than having some scary biker guy accost you on the side of the road in a blizzard and then eat your lunch and drink your drink the next day?" I leaned back and licked the salt from my fingers, loving the way her eyes widened as she watched me.
"You're not getting my drink. Stop thinking about it. It's not happening." She leaned back and cupped her drink close to her.
"But I want it. It looks better than mine. Give me a taste. Just one." I leaned forward, teasing her as my smile lifted farther than it had in weeks.
"No!" She turned and we both laughed, unable to help ourselves.
"Why was the party so bad?" I moved back as she relaxed again.
The sound of some guy beside me caused my shoulders to stiffen. "Because her boyfriend fucked up, and he's sorry. He loves her very much."
I glanced up to see a cookie-cutter jock standing beside me with several other guys from the football team.
"I'm not talking with you." Val's expression hardened, and I could tell that she didn't need help defending herself, at all. She had a tough side that had been hidden up to that point.
"Yeah, you are. I told you that I'm sorry, Valentine." I stood as the guy moved around the table.
Valentine. Beautiful.
"Hey. If the lady isn't interested in talking to you, she's not going to." I turned to face the guy, ready to fight if necessary.
"No one's talking to you, riff-raff." He poked me in the chest as three other big guys moved up behind him.
"Paul, stop it. Now." Val moved out to stand in front of me, but I bumped the guy with my chest and pulled her behind me.
"Fuck off, dude. I'm not a pussified rich kid. I'll jack you up good and be more than happy to leave you bloody on the floor." I got in his face, and the fear that moved across his eyes was too familiar.
"Valentine, this guy is dangerous. Where did you pick him up? He's not like us, baby." The guy tried to move around me to get to her, and I grabbed his arm tightly.
He jerked it back, and Val moved in front of me. She slapped the guy hard in the face before I could do anything more.