Twisted Perception (Flawed #2)

by T. L Smith

  The door shuts heavily with a thump as I remove my hip and lean up to switch on the light. Everything is black and silver, so you need a light to see where to walk. He follows me into my office and pulls up the chair, coming closer to my desk, opposite of me. I take my coffee downing it fast and smile up at him.

  “Today won’t be much fun for you. You may actually wish you stayed in bed,” I say shuffling my paperwork. “I fully understand if you want to bail.” I give him his out. My boring morning continues and time moves slowly. He doesn’t want to go, but he does reach over and take my payroll book. I grab my receipts and start on accounting and taxes. We sit in silence, with me sneaking a peek every now and then to see him lost in what he’s doing. A few hours pass, with not much conversation other than work.

  “I can’t look at this another second,” I say, throwing my pen on the desk letting the book I was working on close, rubbing my eyes. I hear him stand, then feel my chair being pulled out. I open my eyes to see him standing in front of me, his hand outstretched. I give him mine and he pulls me up, keeping some distance between us.

  “Come on, I have to feed the monster before she explodes.”

  “Fine, but I want a big, massive, juicy burger,” I tell him, my mouth watering even thinking about it.

  “Burger it is,” he says, pulling me along with him.

  Derrick is at the bar when we walk out and he looks up to greet us.

  “Boss.” He nods his head looking to Mika then back to me.

  “Derrick. Going for lunch. Do you want anything?” I ask, but he shakes his head so we head out. We climb into Mika’s car, he turns on some music and begins the drive.

  “Where’s Gabrielle?” I ask, wondering why he’s here with me instead of with her again.

  “Not sure,” he answers, pulling into the parking lot of the local restaurant. I hop out and he meets me at the end of his car before walking to the doors. We are seated and he orders for me without even asking.

  “You two have a lovers quarrel?” I tease.

  “No, we weren’t really a thing, Aria. She was just there, it happened, she expected more, but she knew it wasn’t going anywhere,” he says, his eyes boring into mine daring me to challenge him.

  “Plenty more fish in the sea,” I reply, he shakes his head.

  “What about you? You going to try to date again?” His question is serious this time. I was expecting a laugh thrown into that considering how my last date went down.

  “Don’t think I’m cut out for that dating crap.” I smile to myself.

  “What about me? Would you date me?” he asks, throwing me throw for a loop. I sit there, considering.

  “Why would we need to do that? We’ve already fucked,” I remind him.

  “Yes, but the point to dating is not just fucking. It’s the end result that matters, usually ending in a relationship.”

  “Oh, why do people do that? Fucking is just so much more fun.”

  “Aria, will you go on a date with me?” he asks, clearly not agreeing with my statement.

  “Will there be fucking?” I ask. Just then the waiter places our drinks down and spills some of it on Mika’s lap. She apologizes, but he just waves her off and she scurries away fast.

  “No, not right away. Maybe on the third date,” he finally answers me.

  “Why the third?” I ask, curious what he knows about dating.

  “By then there’s a connection established, trust is built. That’s the next step to see if you match sexually.”

  “We do, though, our sex is great, you eat pussy like a motherfucker,” I state. His head shakes hiding his grin.

  “Date me, Aria?”

  “If you can guarantee me sex on the second date.”

  “Third,” he strikes back.

  “Second,” I retort and his head drops.

  “Third, Aria.”

  I throw my hands in the air. “Fine, I won’t get my pussy eaten until the third, are you happy? I’m really looking forward to that third date now,” I emphasize, as the waiter walks over with our food. She manages to catch the plate before it drops. Mika hides his smile as he takes the plate from her. I devour the burger, soaking up each delicious bite.

  “Hold up, this can be our first! So, only two more to go.” His whole body starts to shake, his laugh is so loud.

  “No, we start our first date tomorrow night,” he finally says, once his laughter dies down enough for him to speak.

  “You’re such a pussy buzz kill,” I mutter.

  Chapter 33

  For our first date, we’re at the movies. It’s busy and I look at the posters while he goes and purchases tickets. Walking back to me with candy and popcorn, he’s dressed the way I like him. Normal, not business. Jeans, long sleeve shirt, beanie. He looks good. I’m dressed similarly except my hair is down, my beanie pulled over my curls making them escape around my face.

  “Are you taking me to see an action film to get me all hot and bothered?” I play with him. He passes me the popcorn and I take it, picking some up and throwing them into my mouth. He starts walking.

  “No, we need to brush up on our romantic skills. We suck at them.”

  I laugh at him. I don’t watch those type of films, they bore me to death. I usually am asleep within minutes of them starting.

  “This is going to be torture,” I groan, leaning my head on his shoulder as we wait in line. He doesn’t say anything and we make our way in, we sit and soon the movie starts. We don’t touch either and it’s torture. I at least expected a hand on my thigh, a kiss on the neck, but there’s nothing. We sit there like two friends just watching a movie.

  By the end of the movie, I can say I enjoyed it. That could possibly be because the main character was rape worthy. You know, a man you’d rape and happily go to a fictional jail for doing so. Yes, he was that.

  He takes my hand on the walk out toward his car. He looks pleased with himself. “You enjoyed it?” he asks me.

  “Yes,” I tell him honestly.

  “What did you learn?”

  “That I may want to rape Scott Eastwood,” I say, fanning my face.

  “Other than your crush?”

  “That maybe you should dress up like a cowboy and take me to a lake, or rodeo, and make me swoon. Just like he did. Please?”

  “Aria, I’m not a cowboy.” He holds the car door open for me as I step in, then closes it.

  “I think we should stop dating. I need to find me a cowboy,” I say.

  His mood is contagious, teasing me the whole ride home, talking to me with a southern accent. But, of course, failing miserably. Soon we pull up to my house, he gets out of the car and follows me. I invite him in expecting my invitation to be refused, but he accepts and follows me to the kitchen. I turn on the pot, starting the coffee and lean over the counter watching him.

  “Are you going to woo me?” I ask and he smiles. I like being able to do that to him.

  “I haven’t done so already?” he questions.

  “Movies isn’t wooing. Maybe you need more lessons than me. I, at least, know that much.”

  “Touché!” We haven’t moved, still inches from one another, leaning on the counter staring.

  “I like being the one to make you smile,” I tell him honestly and he looks at me and his eyes squint for a second.

  “I think you’re the only one that gets them.”

  “I like that,” I say, standing up as the water boils. I make our coffee and hand him his cup.

  “So, what do you have planned for the next date?”

  He shakes his head then picks up the cup, his lips seal over it making me wish they were going to go somewhere else.

  “Gutter, Aria, get out of it.”

  “Oh, shut up.” I have no idea how he knew what I was thinking.

  “I’m not telling you what the plans are, that would ruin the surprise.” I jump up on the counter while he stays seated on a stool, his eyes assessing me.

  “You don’t even know, do you
?” I laugh. He must be rolling with the punches figuring it out as he goes. He stands and walks around to me, inches from my legs hanging over the counter.

  “I know.”

  “You lie.”

  “Hey,” a voice calls from the front door and Jagger strolls in. He spots us, stops and grins, then starts walking backward the same way he came in.

  “I think it’s time I head out anyway,” Mika says, walking back around to his stool and picking up his coat. It’s large and black and it makes him look dangerous, I like it.

  “No kiss?” I pucker my lips and he shakes his head no.

  “Third date, Aria,” he reminds me, then nods to Jagger and looks back to me again. “Tomorrow night, be ready at six,” he calls out.

  “I have to be at work by eleven!” I yell as he opens the front door. He nods and closes it as he goes, leaving Jagger and me in the kitchen. He looks to me, then to the door, then back to me.

  “Was that? Was that…a date?” I nod my head and he leans over holding his belly as he laughs. I jump off the counter and walk behind him giving him a swift kick in the ass and sending him straight to the floor, hoping to stop his laughter. It didn’t work.

  “Next foot will end up in your face,” I warn, lifting it again and he hold his hands up in mock surrender, unsuccessfully trying to contain his laughter.

  He manages to stand and looks at me. “No kisses even?” he asks, obviously hearing me state that fact previously.

  “Nope.” I shake my head.

  “No sex?” he asks, raising his eyebrows.

  “Nope, not till the third date.”

  “Oh, he’s good, building up the suspense.” He nods his head in understanding and starts to walk off toward his room. He looks back over his shoulder.

  “You’re going to be one cranky bitch. I’m staying away from you,” he says laughing again, ducking into his room and slamming the door shut.

  Jessa pops over soon after Jagger disappears. She opens the door and sits on our couch and puts on the television, her feet up on our coffee table looking very comfortable. I walk in front of her wondering what the hell she’s doing here. It’s late, she should be at home studying or partying or something else on a Friday night.

  “Why are you here?”

  She ignores me, and I lean down snatching the remote from her hands and flicking the television off. She turns her head away and I can tell she’s been crying. This is weird.

  “Why have you been crying, Jessa?” I ask, sitting back and waiting. She turns to me and her face is red and she clenches her fists.

  “Like you care,” she spits out.

  “I do. Now tell me, so I can get you out so I can sleep.”

  She gasps and glares at me like I’m the person who made her cry. I quickly think back to anything I may have done, worried it may be me and realize there’s nothing.

  “How can I have sex better?” she asks. I look at her, stunned.

  “Sex? Better?” I ask, taken aback. This was not something I was expecting.

  “Isn’t that what I just said, Aria?” she snaps at me again, tears now running down her face.

  “Why would you want to know that?”

  “He dumped me. Said I was bad in bed.” Her hands cover her face and she cries harder. I so don’t know how to deal with this, my mother didn’t teach me how to handle this. I always ran the other way when someone cried. She was different with Jagger and Jessa, she favored them. Me, not so much.

  “Jessa, do you think you're bad?”

  Her hands fly from her red face and she scrunches her nose at me. “No, of course not.”

  “Well, I don’t see the problem. I’d drop kick the dude, he probably said that to hurt you and it obviously worked.”

  “Can I stay here?” she asks. Standing, I throw her a blanket from the couch and she takes the remote and turns the television back on.

  “How was your date?” she asks as I begin to walk out.

  “How did you know?” I ask her. I haven’t told anyone.

  “He was planning it the night he came to the opening. Asked me what you like to do.”

  “Don’t tell me you said that I love movies?” I shiver and she giggles.

  “No, I said you just like all things involving sex.” I don’t comment back to that, I had no idea she knew anything about what I did. And I don’t want to talk about it. It may make me start to miss it, miss the thrill of it, make me crave it. It may make me want it back.

  Chapter 34

  Tonight’s date feels different, he seems more reserved. He hasn’t said much since he picked me up but spoke to Jessa for awhile. I turn my body in the car, bringing my leg up and watch him as he drives. His hand is on the gear stick, shifting between gears as he takes each turn. I smile, dropping my head to the side and assessing him like he sometimes does with me. He turns and finally looks at me when he pulls the car to a stop, so I have his full attention.

  “You’ve been planning to ask me out on a date for a while?” I question him.

  “Let me guess? Jessa?”

  I nod my head and he shakes his. “I hope that’s not normal behavior, having one girl and going after another? You know I’m fine with more than one partner, just the other should know about this.”

  “I’m not okay with more than one partner. Only one.” It feels like he’s telling me that’s all I can have.

  “Are you saying you want to be exclusive?”

  “Yes,” he tells me, watching me closely for a reaction.

  “I’ve never been exclusive,” I muse over it. “Will you be able to fulfill everything I need?” It’s a serious question since I don’t know if one man can.

  “More so,” he says proudly.

  “We can try, I guess.” He leans over, and at first I think he’s going for my lips, but he turns and kisses my cheek. Then he slides back and climbs out of the car, walking around to my side and pulling me out.

  I look around, not having noticed where we are. I see a sign that tells me it’s a roadhouse in Atlanta. I hear the purrs of fast engines and start walking toward the noise. A racetrack. Mika follows behind and guides me the right way with a hand on my back. He stops to talk to a man dressed in racing gear and then the man turns and smiles at me.

  “Have we come to watch the races?” I ask, looking up and not seeing any fans or any audience. I look back at him and he shakes his head.

  “You get to race,” he says. I clap and jump up and down with excitement. The driver gives me some gear and he takes me to his car. Then he shows me everything and takes me on the fastest lap of my life. By the second lap, he has explained everything. I actually learn quite a bit and, when we pull up, the driver climbs out and Mika climbs into the passenger seat dressed in protective clothing.

  “You ready?” I ask, hoping I don’t flip the car, which is obviously a possibility. He nods his head and I take off. Adrenaline runs through my veins, my gloved hands sweating hard. Mika laughs when I take a corner and I scream with excitement. I may not be going as fast as the driver, but it sure as shit is faster than driving my normal everyday car.

  I slam the brakes on after my lap, coming to a screeching halt. I take my helmet off and let my hair flow down my back. Mika does the same, then turns to me.

  “Better than a rodeo?” he asks and I can’t help the smile that takes over my face.

  “So much better,” I say with excitement.

  “Still one more place to visit, then I can take you to work,” he tells, me grabbing my hand. After we remove our suits, he walks us back to the car.

  He comes to a stop at a lake and I can see a bench placed in front of it. He gets out of the car and pulls a basket from the back seat, then comes around to take my hand, walking me to the seat. He throws a blanket over the seat and pulls out strawberries, then melted chocolate. A bottle of champagne follows and he passes me a glass then pours one for himself. We sit there sipping champagne and looking out over the water as the moon begins to brighten and shine
down on the water, making it glisten and sparkle.

  “Second or third date?” I ask him, not sure how this goes.

  “This is our second. Monday night will be our third.” He smirks, knowing full well I’m waiting for the third.

  “Monday is days away,” I groan, crossing my legs.

  “It will be worth it,” he says and my eyes shoot to his.

  “It better be,” I warn.

  “Tell me something sad,” I whisper, picking up a strawberry, dipping it in chocolate and eating it while waiting for his answer.

  “Something sad…mmm…okay…” He thinks on it for a second. His eyes go to the water, then his mouth moves. “My mother was a beautiful woman, full of life, scary, sad, mesmerizing. Anyone that met her was instantly drawn to her. They wanted to be her, like her, love her. But one day when I was ten, I came home after school and she wasn’t there. Usually, she was home at this time. She would finish work, then come home and make a snack for us so we could do my homework together. I remember walking in thinking it was so quiet. My house was never quiet. There was always music blaring from the speakers and she was usually singing so loudly it hurt your ears. But this day it was deathly quiet. I started in the kitchen, but she wasn’t in there, then her room, she wasn’t in there either. Her car was outside so I knew she was home, I just had no idea where she was. I walked out into the backyard, it was dark as if the heavens had opened up and dark clouds engulfed the skies. I saw her hand then, I noticed she was in the pool. I walked a little closer, not fast, something just seemed off to me…” He pauses, his eyes darkening, watching the lake. He turns back to me, his face the scariest I’ve seen. He looked haunted. “The pool was red, she was red. Her body floating. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen. She died for being beautiful. Her friend was jealous, afraid her husband loved my mother so she killed her.”

  I don’t say anything, what’s there to say. We sit for a few minutes in silence, not eating. We continue looking out over the water, taking in the silence and the beauty of the scenery in front of us.

  “Tell me something beautiful,” I say, breaking the silence.