Dinner
971 Words
LEXIE
Dinner at the Reaper’s Den was nothing like I expected. The bar had filled up by evening, but Mia had saved a quieter table near the back for us.
Chaos sat across from me, looking unfairly good in a black shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders. Brick and Crow joined us, along with Mia who kept bringing plates of food like she was feeding an army.
The smell of grilled meat and fries made my stomach growl loudly. “Easy there,” I muttered to myself. “Don’t embarrass me in front of the leather crowd.”
Chaos’s lips twitched, he had definitely heard “Hungry?”
“Starving,” I admitted, reaching for a plate. “I worked up an appetite sorting your chaos today. You’re welcome, by the way. That storage room almost looks organized now.”
Crow grinned as he piled food on his plate. “You survived the back room? Most girls can't do it.”
“I’m not most girls,” I said sweetly, stabbing a fry with my fork. “I have a high tolerance for dust and disappointment. It’s a talent.”
Brick gave a rare, low chuckle. I noticed he didn’t talk much. Chaos watched me the whole time, his storm-gray eyes steady and warm.
Mia slid into the seat beside me with a cold beer. “So, Sara. You sticking around for a bit?”
“Looks like it,” I said, taking a sip. “Turns out my wallet and I had a little disagreement about my travel plans. We’re on a break.”
Chaos leaned back in his chair, one arm resting on the table. His fingers tapped lightly against his bottle. “You’ll like working at the drug store. Mr. Harlan is tough but fair.”
“Tough I can handle,” I replied, waving my fork. “As long as he doesn’t expect me to smile at customers before ten in the morning. That’s where I draw the line.”
The table laughed, even Brick smiled a little. The conversation flowed easily after that. At one point Chaos caught my eye across the table. “You’re good at this,” he said quietly.
“Good at what? Eating? Talking? Surviving on pure stubbornness?”
“Fitting in,” he said. “Even when you don’t want to.”
I felt my cheeks warm. I looked down at my plate and shrugged. “Don’t get used to it. I’m still planning my dramatic exit once I save enough money to disappear dramatically into the sunset.”
Chaos didn’t smile, but his eyes softened. “We’ll see.” He said.
After dinner, the guys slowly drifted away. Brick and Crow went to work on something outside, and Mia disappeared into the kitchen. Chaos and I stayed at the table. The bar lights were low now, casting warm shadows across his sharp jaw and tattooed arms.
I played with the label on my beer bottle, peeling it slowly. “So… is there a clothing store around here? Nothing fancy, just something cheap where I can get a few outfits. I can’t keep wearing the same two shirts forever. People might start thinking I only own one wardrobe.”
Chaos leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His big hands were relaxed, but I noticed how his shoulders tensed slightly. “There’s a small store on Main Street. They have affordable stuff, not high fashion, but it’ll do.”
“Affordable is my middle name right now,” I said with a dramatic sigh. “Along with Broke and Slightly Terrified.”
He chuckled softly, the sound was deep and warm. “I can take you tomorrow after your shift at the drug store if you want.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You’re really playing the full-service tour guide, huh? First the job, now shopping. What’s next? Holding my hand while I cross the street?”
Chaos’s gaze dropped to my lips for a second before returning to my eyes. “If you need me to.”
The air between us suddenly felt thicker. I swallowed and looked away, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest.
“You know,” I said, trying to keep my voice light, “for a big scary biker president, you’re surprisingly… nice. It’s suspicious. I keep waiting for the catch.”
“No catch,” he said simply. “You needed help. I’m helping.”
“Careful, Chaos. Keep being sweet and I might start liking you. Then where would we be?”
His smirk returned, slow and dangerous. “Maybe right where we’re supposed to be.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. “Smooth. Very smooth. Do lines like that usually work for you?”
“Never tried them before,” he admitted, his voice lower. “You’re the first.”
That confession hit harder than I expected. I stood up quickly, needing some space before I did something stupid like blush even more.
“Well, I should get some rest,” I said. “Big day tomorrow. New job, new clothes, new life of pretending I know what I’m doing.”
Chaos stood too. He was tall, towering over me in the best way. “Goodnight, Sara.”
“Goodnight, Chaos.”
I turned to leave but paused at the bottom of the stairs. I looked back at him. “Hey… thanks, for everything. Even if I give you a hard time.”
He nodded, eyes never leaving mine. “Anytime.”
I walked upstairs feeling lighter than I had in weeks. Once I was in my room, I closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a long breath. “Lexie, you’re in so much trouble,” I whispered.
- Writer
