1. Roll the Die


    Date: 8/17/2016, Categories: Love Stories, Author: Delphi, Rating: 7, Source: LushStories

    little gated smoker’s area in the back of the grill. She clapped a hand against her chest, shaking her head. The other bartender straightened. “Why you want to ruin that old guy’s life with your shit anyhow? Ya know I love you, but that is too much for someone like him. You’ll break him. You know this.” “I don’t know.” Roxie sighed. “He’s just... different. There’s something about him.” “He’s quiet. That is all. Don’t get ‘dreamy white girl’ on me.” Aisha took a long drag from her cigarette before tossing it in a puddle. The flame sizzled dark. “He’s intelligent. Kind.” The other girl rolled her eyes and stalked over to the back door. “And there you go.” **** Jesse settled into the uncomfortable booth. He slipped his hand inside his shoulder bag. Pulled out the thin, tattered book and started reading. As always, he got lost in the words, pulled and threaded together by two people so different and pinned with affection. It never ceased to ease him. Every break and pause, every description of life. It reminded him of her. “Hi.” The seat across from him sighed with the drop of her body. His eyes fixated on the tattoos sleeving her arms. He used to think they were beautiful, that anything adorning her body would be gorgeous by default. Now he was sure they’d hidden her bruises well . She cleared her throat, making him meet her dark eyes. “Hey, hot stuff. Come here often?” Her lips spread, dimples sinking into her cheeks. As if she didn’t battle a terrible past. Like she wanted ...
    to cover it all with a grin. Okay. We can do this. “Two glasses pinot noir, please.” “Two?” Her smile faded as she glanced at the door. “One for you, if you please.” “Oh.” He grinned, closing the book he was no longer paying attention to. Ran his hands over the polished backing. The soft edges. “Someone told me you liked to read.” “Those filthy rumors.” She clasped her hands on the table, her smile creasing the corners of her eyes. “Yes. Those.” Jesse’s fingers rapped on the thin book before sliding it across the table to her. “You like stories and poetry. This is one of my favorites. It uses both.” The shadow between her collarbones seemed to deepen as she looked down. Her hand rested on the paperback. Fingered the creases. “You’ve read this a lot.” “Yes.” Roxanne’s dark eyes met his gaze again. “There’s something human... peaceful, inside. It’s a beautiful piece of work.” “If you’re giving it to me, I know it is.” He wasn’t trembling, but it felt like something inside him was. Scraping his knuckles over his stubbled jaw, he leaned back. “Your friend talked to me the other day.” “She told me.” She pulled the book to her lap and stared at it. What is she thinking? Jesse wanted to take her home, to talk to her away from her job, away from all the distractions. His arms ticked, needing to wrap around her and pull her close to him. To smell her hair and wander the delicate curves of her young body. He rested his hands in his lap. “Hope none of what she said was a deal breaker.” ...
«12345»