“Sounds good,” she replies with a smile. “But if there’s an odd number, I get the extra one,” she adds seriously which makes me smile.
I order her food, a double cheeseburger, the cheese curds, and a large coke for myself, and then we sit back and wait for our food to be delivered.
“So, where do you come from?” I ask.
Lia’s reaction is instantly closed off. I almost miss the way she starts to mess with her fingers and her leg starts to bounce. Almost. “Oh, you know. Here and there.”
“Here and there? That’s vague,” I reply casually.
“I’m just a private person, Nate. You can never be too careful, you know?”
And there she goes with the ‘be careful’ bit again. I’d like to know what has her so closed off and scared. She might be the most evasive person I’ve ever met. I’m intrigued more than ever.
I decide not to push again and steer the conversation towards her work. “So how do you like working for my sister?”
“Avery is wonderful,” she replies with a friendly smile. “I worked at a bakery while I was going through college and then afterwards for a few years,” she adds with a shrug.
“Where did you go to college?” I ask, hoping that she doesn’t clam up again.
“Down in Florida,” she says nonchalantly. She doesn’t elaborate, and, again, I don’t push. I have a feeling that if I’m going to get answers from her, I’m going to have to bide my time and take this slow. She’s completely withdrawn and the last thing I want to do is push her away. “What about you?” she asks as she picks at her cuticles.
“Born and raised here in Rivers Edge. Thought about leaving for about two minutes after high school. Ended up enrolling in the fire academy before the ink was completely dry on my diploma.”
“So you work in St. Charles, is that right?”
“Yep. Been there for ten years already.”
“You must really love it. Your eyes light up every time you talk about it,” she says with a small smile.
“I do. Don’t get me wrong, though, it’s a hard job. The days are long and the work is grueling. And not every call has a happy ending,” I reply and look distantly out the windshield. If she only knew some of the ghosts that haunt me in the dark, quiet night.
About that time, thankfully, the server brings out a tray of food. Saved from the heavy shit by mouth-watering, greasy burgers.
I hand the server a twenty as I start to distribute our food. Lia doesn’t hold back as she removes the paper wrapper from the burger and dives in. With the first bite, she moans and her eyes roll back in delight. Fuck me. That was the sexiest, most erotic display of eating I’ve ever witnessed. Check my damn pants if you need proof.
I clear my suddenly dry throat. “Good?” I ask. It sounds deep and husky. Like sex.
“This may very well be the best burger I’ve ever had,” she replies with a mouthful of food.
I can’t help the laugh that erupts from deep within my gut. I don’t think I’ve ever had a woman sit in front of me, devouring her big, juicy cheeseburger, and talk with her mouth full. She’s not eating a salad, and I love it. I’d take a girl who will eat real, unhealthy food, any day.
“Told you they were the best in town,” I reply before taking a huge bite of my own greasy burger.
“Well, you definitely didn’t exaggerate. I may have found a new favorite while I’m in town,” she replies. Something deep within my gut tightens. The thought of sharing this favorite with her is thrilling and yet terrifying on so many levels. Or maybe it’s the fact that she said ‘while I’m in town’ like she knows she’s not staying.
We make small talk, nothing too heavy, as we consume our dinner. Lia let me steal a couple of her fried pickles without giving me too much grief, and in return, she ate more than her share of fried cheese curds. I don’t even care. I would gladly give her every bit of food I have if it makes her happy. That smile. I’d give my left nut to see that smile on her face all the time.
Knock this crazy shit off! Quit thinking like a chick, you emotional bastard. I mentally punch myself in the face.
Maybe I need to go get laid.
I wonder if I could make Lia moan like she did earlier while her eyes roll around in that pretty little head of hers as I drive myself deep within her sweet wetness.
Damn with these tight pants. Maybe it’s time to get a bigger size?
I adjust myself as casually as possible as I ball up my burger wrapper and throw it back up on the empty tray. Lia all but licks the bottom of the square wrapper before mirroring my action.