I get out of the car, grab the pizza and my piercing kit out of the backseat, and walk up to the door. Juggling everything in my arms, I hit the doorbell and put a smile on my face.
Only a few seconds go by and the door swings open. Dawson is in his faded jeans and a black sleeveless T-shirt. He doesn’t say Hello, how you doing, nothing. He looks at me with his mouth hanging open, I’m sure wondering what I’m doing here.
“So can I come in?”
He nods, and I push the pizza box into his arms as I breeze past him.
I go straight to the kitchen and start grabbing plates out of the cupboard. I’m a nervous wreck, but there’s no reason that Dawson needs to know that. “So I hope you like pepperoni. You can’t go wrong with that, right? I mean, who doesn’t like pepperoni?”
He doesn’t answer me. He puts the pizza down on the table, and he’s openly staring at me. Geez, don’t let me be wrong about this.
“So what are you doing here?” he asks.
I gesture to the pizza and then roll my eyes. “Well, I have to eat, and you have to eat. I thought we could eat together.”
His movements are rigid as he slides by me to the refrigerator. “Water, soda, beer?”
“Uh, water, please.”
He grabs two waters and carries them to the table. I sit down and put pizza on his plate and a slice on mine. I don’t really feel like eating, but that’s my excuse for being here, so I’m going to at least nibble on it. I take a bite and gesture at his seat. He looks so confused why I’m here, but at least he doesn’t call me out on it. He stares down at the table as he takes a bite. Since he’s not looking at me, I take this opportunity to look at him. He hasn’t shaved in a few days, and the stubble on his chin is getting thick. His hair is mussed, like he’s been shoving his hands through it all night, and his eyes are tired.
“I bet you’re tired, huh. I wasn’t even thinking. I can ask you another night.”
He stops mid chew. “Ask me what?”
I swallow the piece of pizza in my mouth and take a drink of water to stall for time. “Well, I have a favor to ask.”
He sets the pizza down and leans back, crossing his arms over his chest. He’s waiting for me to continue. I stand up and grab the kit that I laid on the counter and bring it over to the table. “I brought my stuff.”
He looks at it and back at me. “Your piercing kit?”
I nod.
He laughs and starts shaking his head. “You’re not piercing me.”
“I don’t want to pierce you,” I tell him, and I can see the instant he makes the connection.
“What? You want me to pierce you?”
I nod, and his mouth drops. “No way. Not happening.”
I shrug as if it’s not a big deal. I knew he would probably refuse me. This was a stupid plan, and obviously I’m an idiot for coming up with it. I pick up the slice of pizza and take another bite. He wipes the napkin across his lips. “What are you wanting to get pierced?”
I pick a piece of pepperoni off the pizza and take a bite before lifting my eyes to look at him. “I want a VCH.”
He chokes on the water, and I get up to slap him on the back at the same time he gets up, coughing with his eyes wide. “You want a vertical clit hood piercing?”
I nod, and he’s still shaking his head. “I can’t do it, Emily.”
I wait, thinking he’s going to give me a reason, talk to me, but he doesn’t. I shrug my shoulders like it’s not a big deal. I take our plates over to the sink and wash them, then dry them and put them away. I clench my eyes together, debating whether I should give up or not.
I fold up the dish towel and lay it on the sink.
Dawson’s voice is so low I can barely hear him. “I’m sorry, Emily.”
I laugh because what else can I do? I wave him off. “It’s no big deal. I’ll just go into Jasper and have someone else do it,” I tell him as I walk out of the kitchen.
He’s on me quickly. “No. That’s not fuckin’ happening,” he says gruffly as he steps in front of me, blocking my path to the door.
I blink in surprise and cough to cover up my smile. I hoped he would feel this way. “Yes, I will, Dawson. That’s what I want, and I would feel more comfortable with you doing it, but if that weirds you out, then I’ll go somewhere else. It’s not a big deal.”