Page 32 of Risking it All

“I mean security.”

“Oh, forever, I guess. It’s part of my family’s business. I branched out on my own when I was old enough to make those kinds of decisions. I know a little bit about wanting to distance yourself from family.”

“Man, listen,” I said, shaking my head.

“I want to know you, Z, but I’m not even sure what kinds of questions are safe to ask. You said you worked as a seamstress. Is that a family business?”

“I wish. I met the owner of the boutique I worked at through her family business, though. My family isn’t exactly into legal activities. That’s what I want to get away from.”

“I get that one hundred percent. What’s your favorite movie?”

“The Temptations.”

“Girl, what you know about The Temptations?”

I shrugged. “I probably can recite it word for word.”

“We’ll have to watch it. What’s your favorite food?”

“Fried chicken. I’m a simple foodie.”

“Foodie?” He frowned.

“A person who has a particular interest in food. You didn’t think I got these hips, thighs, and belly from drinking water, did you?”

“I like all of it, so whatever you’re doing to maintain it, keep up the good work. Don’t let nobody in the world tell you that you’re not fine as fuck.”

“I’m not insecure about my body. I admit it took some getting used to. I went through a dark time and gained a lot of weight over the course of a couple of years. My dad is more worried about it than I’ve ever been.”

“Well, your new man is going to make sure you stay well fed.”

His comment made me smirk. “My new man, huh?”

“I see your ears work.”

“Aren’t we cocky?”

“I have the right to be. I told you I’m going to put in the work to earn my title. You just come along for the ride.”

“I hear you,” I said, dipping a forkful of my lobster in the buttery sauce.

We enjoyed the rest of our meal over casual conversation about our favorite books, one place we wanted to go that we’d never visited, and the most embarrassing moment from high school. His favorite book was Lord of the Flies. He mentioned that he wanted to take a trip to New Zealand of all places. I told him that I wanted to go to Italy, and he said he’d actually been a few times.

I howled laughing as he told me a story about him running into the wrong locker room in the middle of football practice and getting beat down by the whole cheerleading squad. It felt freeing to have a good laugh. Sawyer was so animated with his storytelling that I could almost see him cowering on the floor as he tried to explain himself to those girls. I just knew they weren’t hearing it, because I wasn’t even sure if I believed him, and it had been over twenty years, according to him.

“So how old are you? I feel like a tramp for not having asked all these basic questions before I opened my legs for you.”

“I’m thirty-five. It’s cool. I have that effect on women,” he teased.

“Oh, wow, you’re old as hell, a womanizer, and a wannabe comedian.”

He chuckled. “No, you didn’t just call me old.”

“Don’t worry. You’re a handsome old man.”

“I am not old, lady.”

“You’re right, but I definitely didn’t think you were almost forty.”