a couple steadying breathes before grabbing my cell.
Ready, wild one?
Wild One suited her better than Angel Baby. She wasn’t a kid anymore. She didn’t need to guard me, and she sure as hell didn’t need to be good for my sake.
More than.
Meet me out front.
I bounded down the stairs and out the front door, calling bye to my mom on the way. I was excited to see Savy. Giddy even. It’d been a whole day and I was suddenly salivating at the thought of being near her again. I paused at my car door when I heard her front door click closed, the sound so familiar to me. She skipped across the green grass, her hair bouncing behind her. She wasn’t wearing a stitch of makeup, and was the prettiest girl I’d ever seen.
“Good evening, gorgeous.”
She blushed at my words. “Hey.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and took a few timid steps in my direction.
I rounded the front of the car, opening her door before she could even reach for it. She climbed in smiling shyly. I clenched and unclenched my fists while I got in the driver’s seat. Savy looked good, her smile was sweet and I wanted to kiss her lips so bad. She was the most innocent temptation I’d ever laid eyes on, and she didn’t even know it.
“We’re going to go pick up my friend Max and then we’ll head into the city. The band we’re seeing is playing at a dive bar downtown.” I put the car in reverse and backed out of my driveway, my hand on the back of her seat, my fingers inadvertently brushing her silky hair.
“Oh, uh, I don’t have a fake ID or anything.”
I glanced over to the passenger seat as I threw the car into drive. Savy was wearing tiny cut off blue jeans shorts and a flowy bohemian looking tank top. Her long legs were crossed and the ankle boots she was rocking were perfect. Her blonde hair was wavy and once again blowing in the wind. She was a sight to behold, and any man would be absolute putty in her bashful hands.
“I don’t think we’ll have any trouble getting you in. No worries, okay?” She bit her lip as she nodded, and I thanked god that I was driving and had to look at the road. I reached forward and turned the radio up. “This is the band playing tonight. I’ve seen them a couple of times in Boston.” They were a small band, mostly played college towns but they were good and always drew a fun crowd. That’s what I wanted for Savy tonight. I wanted to see her have fun. I wanted her to let loose again, to dance and laugh. To not worry about anyone but herself. She was no one’s keeper when she was with me.
When I stopped outside Max’s house, I threw my arm over the back of Savy’s seat once again, ducking to look out her window at his front porch.
This time I touched her hair on purpose, rubbing the soft strands between my fingers. I glanced down at her lap, her hands were fidgeting, twisting the bottom of her top. I bought my palm to the nap of her neck, touching her like that was a dangerous game, but in the moment I couldn’t seem to care.
“Hey, you okay?”
She nodded, biting her lip and not making eye contact with me. “Yeah, I’m good.” She studied Max’s house, wincing. “He’s not, uh, going to say anything to Nate is he?”
I squeezed her neck gently. “Look at me, Savy.” I waited until her gaze met mine before smiling. “I’m not going to let anything bad happen here, okay?” She nodded again and I used my thumb to caress her jawline. “Max won’t say anything to anyone, and no one else from around here has even heard of this band. Plus, it’s a twenty-one and up venue. Not many kids you and Nathan go to school with could even get in.”
“It’s so silly, isn’t it? We’re allowed to be friends, aren’t we? I’m my own person. I can choose who I spend time with. I shouldn’t even feel like I have to hide anything,” She licked her bottom lip.
My thumb followed her tongue’s path. I really hadn’t meant to do that, but when I felt her small gasp I realized it’d been worth it. I was touching her too much, and too casually. I knew I was toeing a dangerous