Protect Me(14)

“You live in the apartment above the bakery?” I ask. How did I miss that?

“Yeah. It’s pretty convenient when it comes to getting up and being to work at five a.m.”

“I bet. I drive thirty minutes one way to start at six in the morning,” I tell her. “So, if you’re looking to patch nail holes, you’re looking for this,” I say as I pull a small container of putty from the shelf. “It’s easy to spread and easy to paint over.”

“That’s what I’m looking for,” she says as she takes the jar from my extended hand. When our fingers touch, it’s electrically charged and courses like lightning through my bloodstream. Lia gasps, eyes wide with shock, as she looks down at our touching fingers.

“Then you’ve found exactly what you need,” I reply, referring to so much more than the spackle.

Lia clears her throat. “What…what are you looking for?” she whispers.

“The same thing you are,” I reply and reach forward and grab a larger container of the putty.

“Huh. I’d say I’m pretty fortunate that you turned up in my aisle tonight then,” she replies, her beautiful eyes still locked on mine.

“Indeed,” I reply and clear my throat. “So, I was planning on grabbing a quick sandwich. Are you hungry?”

“Oh, well,” she starts. I can see instantly when the light in her eyes fades and the door slams closed in my face. “I have an early morning tomorrow with work so I should probably just head home and go to bed.”

I cock my head to the side and study her reaction. She’s interested but for some reason, she’s trying to shut me out. Interesting.

“Don’t say no. I wasn’t asking you to go out all night. Just a quick sandwich and then I’ll return you safely to your car. You’ll be home in plenty of time for bedtime,” I say.

She’s considering it, I can tell. She’s mulling over the pros and cons and wrinkling her brow in this cute little way. As I watch her internal battle play out, I prepare for the letdown. I’m not sure what’s holding her back, but something definitely is. It’s written on her beautiful face.

“Umm, okay. Maybe just a quick sandwich,” she finally answers quietly.

I’m in complete shock. Honestly. I wasn’t prepared for her to actually say yes, though I’d hoped it would go that way.

“Great. Is this all you need?” I ask, as a reach down and grab a small putty knife from the shelf and hand it to her.

“Yes.”

“Then let’s make our purchases and head out,” I say and I link my fingers around her elbow. She tenses instantly from my touch so I casually drop my hand as to not draw attention to the fact that I noticed it. She doesn’t say anything and continues towards the check-out counter if not a little stiffer than before. I may not say anything, but I definitely make mental note of her reaction.

After we’ve each paid, we head out to my Mustang parked in the small lot next to the hardware store. “Hop in, and I’ll drive. I’ll bring you back to your car after dinner,” I tell her casually as I hold open the passenger door.

Again, she hesitates slightly just enough that I notice. She walks around me and slides down into the gray leather interior. Once she’s nestled inside my ride and has secured her seatbelt, I close her door and go around to my own.

“Frankie’s?” I ask as I slide into the seat and secure my own seatbelt.

“Is that the burger joint just down the road?” she asks.

I shake my head up and down. “Best burgers around.”

“Sounds good,” she replies with a small smile.

We drive in silence the few blocks to Frankie’s. I feel nervous. Nervous! I haven’t felt nervous around a girl in years. You’d think this was my first time taking a girl to the drive-in burger joint. Shit, I’ve been taking girls to this burger joint since I was old enough to peddle my bicycle to town and ride with the girl sitting on the handlebars. But this is just another reminder of why Lia feels different.

Lia glances at the menu on the board next to the speaker. I love this drive-in. You don’t have to get out of your car. Push the button, order your food, and they deliver it to your window as soon as it’s ready.

“Know what you want?” I ask and glance over at the beautiful woman sitting in my car.

“Yep. Just a cheeseburger, deep fried pickles, and a cherry coke, please.”

“Deep fried pickles? I think I love you,” I tease with my best smile.

Lia laughs. “I could eat pickles all day long,” she tells me.

“Me, too.” I reply. “How about I get fried cheese curds and we share?”