Truth In Wildflowers Read online

  “Yes, you do,” She smirked at me, “and based on his awkward shift in stance I’d say there’s a pretty good chance he liked it.”

  I smirked right back at her, “I do have a pretty good ass.”

  “You do. You have that whole dancer’s ass thing goin’ for you.” She said before taking a sip of her drink making me laugh. She always had something to say about my apple bottom. “Hey Kens,” She said losing the amusement from her tone. “Have fun tonight.” I could pretend not to know what she was getting at, but I knew. “Have fun getting to know him, and let him get to know you. Don’t overthink it.”

  I nodded, but didn’t respond. Talk about a tall order. I overthink. It’s what I do. I have a difficult time allowing myself to get to know someone without thinking about how I’d fit in their life, or how long they’d be in mine before moving on. For me there are two kinds of people. The people I am acquainted with, and the people I have a relationship with. I trust the relationship people. I’d like to trust August.

  * * *

  “Is he always such a flirt?” I asked August nodding towards Wes who had surrounded himself with a gaggle of giggling women. Capri and Lennon left to use the restroom leaving me alone with August; so sly those two.

  “Yep.” August laughed taking a sip of his beer. “He’s a charmer.”

  “It seems you're missing out. There are plenty to go around.” I kept my eyes on Wes while he showed off his tattoos.

  “Huh.” August regarded me with narrowed eyes.

  “What, you don’t like to share?”

  “No, I don’t,” he said, “but I’m trying to figure out why you keep trying to pawn me off on other girls.”

  “What are you talking about?” I feigned shock, though not well. I’d never make it as an actress.

  “Well first, you pointed out the red head checking me out.” He nodded towards her beer bottle in hand.

  “She gave you fuck me eyes.”

  He smirked, “Then you said the waitress was giving me special attention.”

  “She kept coming over here sticking her boobs in your face.”

  “I think she was just clearing the empty glasses.” He said still smirking.

  “With her boobs in your face? She sicced them on you.” I was not amused.

  His smirk rippled into a steady chuckle. I found myself smiling along with him. “So tell me Kensie, do you want me to leave you here at the table and indulge my admirers, or is it okay with you that I’d rather indulge myself right here with you?”

  The smile fell off my face and landed somewhere around the sticky residue on the floor. Indulge would never sound the same again. Visions, inappropriate, yet oh-so-right visions of August and chocolate swirled in my brain. I had to set him straight before he got the wrong idea.

  “Look, I get what this is.” I started and he cocked his head to the side studying me while taking another sip of beer.

  “What exactly is this?” He asked leaning forward placing arms on the table.

  “You chat me up.” I leaned forward too placing my arms directly across from his. So close, in fact the hair on his arms tickled my own.

  “Oh, you’re British now?” His breath stroked my cheek. He smelled like beer and a hint of mint. His tongue slipped out from between his lips and swept across the bottom one leaving a glisten in its wake.

  “No, let me finish.” I said softly tearing my eyes away from his mouth. “You chat me up, you feign interest, and you…you take me home.” I tripped over the last words.

  August sucked in a sharp breath and jolted back choking on a sip of beer.

  “You okay?” I asked sitting back myself trying to shake off the absence of his close proximity. How did that even happen? One minute I was sitting in my own space, and the next I was practically crawling across the table towards him. If he hadn’t choked I wouldn’t have been surprised to find myself straddling his lap.

  He cleared his throat. “Yeah, um, wow.” Wow exactly.

  “It’s how it is August, I get it.” I said regaining my composure, and I did. I undoubtedly got it. “But I’m not going home with you, so you can move on.” I waved my hand around the room towards all those damn girls who were fixated on him. Hussies.

  He smiled at me, but didn’t speak right away. I chewed the inside of my cheek wondering what he was thinking when he finally spoke up. “Well, that’s good then I guess. ‘Cause I don’t want to take you home.”

  My jaw dropped and my face warmed. I thought he was interested in me, but I’d misread him. Oh god, he was being cordial because I’m his little sister’s friend. I groaned and put my head in my hands staying burrowed in my palms when he spoke again. “The taking home kind leaves an hour later, never to hear from me again. I’d like you around a lot longer than that.” I peered through my fingers at him. He did? “ So, can I chat you up some more?” He asked and I lowered my hands laughing.

  “Only if you talk British to me.”

  Lennon and Capri joined us again giving me noticeable winks and nods of encouragement towards August. He pretended not to notice but smiled and winked with them when they weren't aware. He had me laughing. Laughing was good.

  Wes paraded to our table a short time later with a round of shots. “No thanks,” I slid the shot back towards him, “not tonight.” With a history like mine, one learns to drink cautiously. My growing regard for August didn’t need a veil of alcohol to inhibit my heedfulness.

  “Well, I guess you need to make sure you play fair. Then, you won’t have to take your shot.” Wes said sliding it back towards me.

  “What are we playing?” Capri asked Wes and sniffed her shot followed by the scrunch of her nose.

  “Truth or Dare.” He said eliciting a round of groans, except for Lennon who pumped her fist and yelled, “Yes!”

  The rules seemed simple. Each person went around the table choosing a truth or dare. If you chose not to answer your truth or perform your dare, you had to take a shot. Of course, Wes wanted to go first and he was obliged.

  “Okay little lady,” He turned to Lennon, “truth or dare?”

  “Dare.” That didn’t surprise me at all. Lennon’s ferocity is just one of the many qualities I love about her.

  “I dare you to give one of us a lap dance.” He said with squinted eyes for added affect.

  Lennon didn’t hesitate. She stood up and pulled her chair away from the table giving herself enough space. As if the stars aligned in Wes’s favor, Brittany Spears’ “I’m a Slave 4 U” began to play through the speakers. He rubbed his palms together and bounced up and down in his chair. Lennon executed her slow, seductive strut in Wes’s direction with perfection.

  With each exaggerated sway of her hips she ran her hand delicately across her collarbone. She teased her hand across her body until she stood just inches from Wes’s legs. Then she smirked grabbing Capri’s hand from next to him and pulled her towards the chair. “What?” Wes ran his hands roughly down his face. “You tease! That’s not fair.”

  Lennon glanced a sexy smirk over her should and pushed a giggling Capri into the chair.

  “She’s too sweet for a lap dance.” Wes slumped into his chair, “You're wasting your time.” Someone was a sore loser. Capri's eyes cracked in the dim light, but she covered it well with determination pulling Lennon down on her lap.

  August and I watched the girls tease Wes with their dancing. They playfully touched each other and made kissy face looks at him. The poor guy looked so distressed pulling his eyebrows together and huffing his arms across his chest. I think I even heard a whimper from him a time or two. How traumatic.

  “I think I deserve a re-do.” Wes pouted when the girls sat back down in their seats.

  “How did you not enjoy that?” I asked him from across the table. “Two smoking hot girls groped each other for your pleasure.” His chest puffed up and peered back and forth between Capri and Lennon.

  “You’re absolutely right.” He said, “I’m a lucky bastard.” He grinne
d at the girls, “August your sister is fuckin’ hot, and you’re not so bad yourself little lady.” He winked at Lennon deserving the wadded up napkins she and August threw at him. Capri scanned the crowd around the bar and seemed to not notice, but I saw the blush staining her cheeks. Interesting.

  I’d somehow been volunteered into going next. By somehow, I mean Lennon kicked my chair on her way back to her own seat and told me I was up.

  I scanned the group running my finger around the rim of the shot glass considering my options. Lennon performed her dare, and fantastically so. I had no doubt Wes would choose a dare. Capri would choose truth although; she might surprise me tonight and choose Dare to prove Wes wrong again. Oh, whom am I kidding? I’m picking August.

  I squashed down the tremor in my stomach when my eyes met his, “August.” He smirked and sat up placing his elbows on the table. “Truth or dare?”

  “Truth,” he said without reserve. I could work with that. I’d kind of hoped he’d pick a dare so I could integrate some creative clothing removal, but truth might work out in my favor.

  I contemplated everything I could ever want to know about August. What inspired his tattoo for one? His biggest turn offs, biggest turn on, his….shoe size? As much as I wanted to let go of my insecurities for the night, though, I couldn’t. So instead of asking him a question that would likely make me swoon more, I chose a question to help me keep him at arm’s length.

  “What is your biggest weakness?” I made sure not to look in Lennon’s direction because I’m sure she knew exactly what I was scheming.

  “Weakness, difficult question for a man of strength.” His eyebrow cocked at me accompanied by a cheesy grin. Wes encouraged with a pound of his fist. August sat a minute and seemed to contemplate my question seriously this time. “I guess I’m too loyal.” He said staring at the beer between his hands.

  “Yes, you are.” Capri jumped in.

  “C.” Wes warned her in a whispering tone, more affectionate than I think he intended. He shifted back in his chair further away from her, and Capri did the same.

  “Too loyal?” I asked August. “That’s your answer?” This is freaking ridiculous. I didn’t need to look at Lennon to know she was smiling. I sensed her toothy grin mocking me.

  “Too loyal.” He focused on his hands gripping the beer.

  “Take a shot!” I said throwing my hand up. Ridiculous. Loyalty? How about I bone random chicks, or I get bored easily, or even I chew with my mouth open.

  He jumped and widened his eyes. “What?”

  “Take a shot. Your answer is ridiculous.” It also doesn’t make him any less appealing. In fact the opposite, he might a well have told me he owned Pemberley and answered to the name Fitzwilliam.

  “What are you, the truth police?” He laughed, but I kept my poker face.

  “How is loyalty a weakness? Girls love loyalty. Every girl within earshot dropped her panties for you with that admission.” His eyebrow lifted. “Except me.” I finished. Panties were firm in place.

  “I have to agree with Kensie on this August.” Lennon smiled smugly at me. “Loyalty is pretty hot, right Kens? Take your shot.”

  “No.” August pushed his shot away. “It’s my truth. Deal with it and drop your panties.” He sat back in his seat and folded his arms over his chest. Damn if the flex in his forearm didn’t momentarily distract me. In that moment, I found a new love for forearms. “What’s your weakness then, officer Truth Ruiner?”

  “Does this count as my truth?” I asked him buying myself some time to choose a weakness. I had a healthy list to consider, but thought to go with one he’d find unattractive since it was clearly impossible for him to be.

  “If you want it to be? Or you could go with a dare?” He shrugged.

  “Truth it is, then.” I said, “I’m a floater.” Lennon sighed next to me. She’d heard enough about this over the last three years. Too much, I guess.

  “That’s disgusting, Kensie.” Wes said looking repulsed. “I mean, really, you were pretty hot two seconds ago. Now?” He shivered and waved his hands in front of his face. Wow, I hadn’t expected Wes to be the person most horrified by my fault.

  “I don’t think I understand. What do you mean you float?” August asked paying close attention to me.

  “I float through life. I’m not headed in any particular direction. I just float, hoping I’ll drift towards a purpose.” I surprised myself with my honesty.

  “Oh, thank fuck.” Wes said making us all sit up straighter, “ I thought you meant you were a floater, like ya know, you drop giant shits.” What?

  “Oh, Wes,” August shook his head and squinted his eyes in pain. He threw another bunched up napkin nailing Wes in the forehead. Capri scrunched her little nose at him and shifted away again. Lennon, of course, laughed her ass off.

  “That’s disgusting.” I said to Wes still taken aback at what he thought I had meant. “I just meant that I don’t know what I’m doing with my life. I float through it.” Giant shits? How is it possible woman are charmed by this man? It must be the tattoos.

  “I don’t know Kens, I’m having a hard time here.” August said and spun his beer around in his hands on the table. “Are you sinking?” He worried his bottom lip between his teeth. By all appearances I succeeded in deterring him from me, but instead of feeling relived I felt the churn of disappointment. Twice now, in a matter of twelve hours, I’d admitted to him what a deadbeat I was. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Ouch.

  “Not anymore.” I answered honestly. I’d already sunk. I drowned.

  “Well that’s something then isn’t it?” He stopped spinning his bottle and studied me. “Now, you swim.”

  Time froze. The bar patrons silenced, music evaporated, walls and lights faded into the background. All I saw was August. All I heard were his words. Swim. What was it with this guy making life sound so simple? Keep moving. Swim. I suppose they could be simple suggestions had I been able to trust the direction I’d go in.

  “Take your shot, Kensie.” August’s firm voice tore me from my isolation.

  “What?”

  “I said take a shot.” I stared at him still unsure of why I had too. “Just because you haven’t made it to where you want to be doesn’t mean floating it a weakness. Especially not when you’ve pulled yourself up from wherever you were before. ” I scrunched my nose in confusion over the way he flipped my weakness on me. He smiled and nodded down at my glass. Before I could pick it up, Lennon swiped it from my hands and tossed the shot back. I mouthed a silent “thank you” to her.

  “Moving on.” She said and pointed over to Capri. “You’re up.” Capri squinted around table at us while Wes hummed the Jeopardy theme song. Her eyes stopped on him, and a pleading grin spread across his face.

  “Wes.”

  “Yesss.” Wes clenched his fists.

  “Truth or…”

  “Dare!” He shouted before she finished asking.

  “See those girls you were talking to earlier? Showing off your tattoos?” Capri nodded toward the bar.

  “Yeah?” Wes furrowed his brow.

  “I dare you to show them one last tattoo.” His face fell and Capri nodded her head silently smirking.

  “Shit.” August mumbled to himself and covered his face in his hands.

  “You!” Wes shouted and pointed across the table at August.

  “Oh, this has got to be good.” Lennon whispered next to me.

  “You told her? I can’t believe you told her. You were sworn to secrecy!” Wes stood up and leaned over the table gripping the edge with white knuckles. August shrugged at him sheepishly.

  “It was too epic not to tell someone, Wes. Capri's a safe tell. She’s a vault.” Capri never told a secret. I guess that loyalty “weakness” ran in the family.

  “Until now, you fucker.” Lennon and I laughed while Wes straightened out his clothes and stood up a little taller. Atta boy. You look confidant, you feel confidant.

  “You c
ould always take your shot.” I suggested snickering.

  “Shots are for pussies.” He said before sauntering over to the group of girls who had already had their predatory eyes fixed on him.

  “What is this tattoo of anyway?” I asked my friend as Wes approach the gaggle. They immediately surrounded him in a ring of batting eyelashes and flipping hair.

  “It’s a portrait of Siegfried and Roy, right August?” Capri asked her brother who laughed into his fist.

  “When he finished his apprenticeship, the guys took him out to celebrate and ended the night with a free tat of his choice.”

  “That’s what he chose?” Lennon was doubled over in a fit of giggles.

  “Yeah,” August chuckled along, “but the best part is the text under it says, I can be your tiger, bitch.” I couldn’t believe it, but I could. I really could. We all laughed hysterically, the room barely visible through my teary eyes.

  Wes disappeared in the sea of silicone, but the moment when they saw his tattoo was clear. They gasped. They cringed. They twirled ends of hair in confusion. Then they slowly parted and walked away leaving Wes alone and glaring daggers at the table. He stomped over pointing at August before he even got back to us. “You. You secret teller, are going down. For that, you get a dare.”

  August shrugged his shoulder and took a sip of his beer. “Name it. Your dares don’t scare me.”

  “Alright Augustus, right here, right now, you have to get up on that piece of crap stage and sing to the crowd.”

  Capri groaned. “Wes, you know August can’t sing worth shit. This is supposed to torture him not us.”

  I looked over at August's pale skin and shaking his head at Wes. “Uh,uh dude. You know I hate karaoke. I’d need a bottle of Jack to get up there and you know I don’t drink the hard stuff.”

  "Torture.” Wes grinned at Capri. She shook her head and for the first time all night gave Wes a small smile.

  “Alright! This is going to be fun! Let’s go Augie. I can’t wait to see this.” Lennon cheered him on, though August remained frozen.