"can you give that to november for me?" asher nodded, his mouth full of sandwich.

"what is it?" i asked, walking over to where she stood

"a pair of earrings that i know she will love," she said, running her finger down july's cheek. her face changed so drastically that i couldn't breathe; she wanted this. i could feel she wanted a family, or at least a baby; the longing in her eyes couldn't be misinterpreted.

"are you okay?" i asked. she startled, taking a step back.

"yeah, just tired."

"you wanna take a nap?" i asked, handing july to her. she didn't answer, but her arms went around july, her head tilting down. "do you?" i asked again, my lips going to her hairline, breathing in her scent. it was unusual, like musky vanilla; i wasn't lying when i said that her smell makes me want to eat her. that smell, that's all her, made my mouth water. something about it made me hungry. i'd never been one for going down on a female, but i could see myself spending a lot of time consuming her.

"yeah, i think i'll just go home after this."

"that's not what i meant."

"trevor," she shook her head; asher's advice came back to me.

"we're still going to dinner tonight. if you want, we can go to your house, pick up some clothes, go to mine, and take a nap for a couple hours before we need to get ready for dinner."

"i don't think we should have dinner," she whispered, looking over at asher, who was sitting on the couch pretending not to listen.

"too bad. now, do you want to take a nap before, or not?"

"geez, fine!" she glared, and i couldn't help but smirk. she was fucking cute as hell when pissed.

"good. kiss july and give her back to my brother," i said. her lips thinned, but she listened; taking july to asher, she kissed her forehead, before handing her over to my brother. then she walked back to the kitchen, grabbed her bag off the counter, swung it so it slammed into my stomach, and called goodbye to asher as she walked out of the house.

"jesus, you've got your work cut out for you, bro," asher said, laughing. i had to agree, but knew that in the end, if i got my way, it would be worth it.

when liz walked out of my bedroom in the dress she was wearing for dinner, i felt my zipper imprint on my dick. the floral sundress that hugged her body, showing off every single curve, made me want to drag the dress up her thighs and slide into her. the front was low, showing a fair amount of cleavage; the bottom reached just above the knee. on her feet were a pair of cream high heels that wrapped around her ankle, making me think of nothing but feeling them in my back as i plowed into her. her hair was down and wavy, laying over the tops of her breasts. it didn't look like she had on a lot of makeup except for on her lips; they were shiny with pink gloss. "what the fuck?"

"what?" she startled, looking down at herself. i didn't even notice her looking at me while i was checking her out. i had on a pair of black jeans, a dark grey button-down shirt, and a black vest. this was me dressed up; i only wore a suit if forced, and there hadn't been too many occasions where that was necessary.

"you look beautiful."

"oh, thanks." she smiled, her cheeks turning pink. "you look very nice yourself, mr. mayson."

i shook my head. "the only reason i'm going to look good tonight is because you're on my arm."

she smiled, shaking her head, "you really are good at that, aren't you?" she grabbed some stuff out of her purse and put them in a smaller bag.

"good at what?"

"making a woman feel like she's all you see."

"you are all i see." i told her truthfully.

"whatever, can we just go?" her eyes got wet, and my chest squeezed. i thought that we were making progress, but it seemed like we were stuck in limbo. i put my hands to her waist, lifted her onto the counter, stood between her legs, and fought the urge to look at where her dress had ridden up her thighs. "now what are you doing?" she snapped, pushing against me. taking her wrists, i held them behind her back.

"baby, listen to me." her breathing changed.

"i don't have a choice; you're a bully and bigger than me," she mumbled. she looked so cute that i leaned in and kissed her softly, before laying my forehead against hers.

"i know i fucked up, but i want you to give me a chance. if this doesn't work out, you don't ever have to see me again. but try for me."

i watched a tear slide down her cheek. i released her wrists, and holding her face, i slid the tear away with my thumb. "how do i know that you're serious about this?"

"have you ever heard of me being in a relationship?" she shook her head in response.

"i haven't been in one. i never even thought about it until i saw you sitting on my parents' porch with your legs to your chest, a cup of coffee in your hand, your hair in a crazy mess around you. you looked beautiful; then you laughed and i knew that it was you for me. i wondered who you were, and when i found out that you lived in town and i had never even seen you before, i was shocked. so i started hanging out with you and found out that not only were you gorgeous, but also sweet. i didn't know what to do with how i was feeling about you, so i used the only thing i could to push you away. the problem was i didn't like it much when you gave me what i wanted." i brushed her hair back from her face; she still looked uncertain. so i walked over to the junk drawer and riffled through it until i found a pen and piece of paper. i wrote on it and handed it to her. she sat there, looking at it, and biting her lip. i handed her the pen; she took it, made a circle, and then handed the note and pen back to me.

will you go out with me?

yes or no

she circled yes. i smiled and she giggled, shaking her head. "you do know you're crazy, right?"

"i figure i missed out on this when i was young, so i should start now." she laughed, shaking her head again. i went back to her, and standing between her legs, i put my hands on her calves, running up her smooth silky skin to behind her knees. i pulled her deeper into me; i could feel the heat of her against me. running my hands up her thighs, watching as they traveled up, then to her waist, i looked up to see her watching my hands too, while biting her lip. "you're going to have to be patient with me and grade me on a curve." i ran my thumbs on the underside of her jaw. "can you do that?"

she swallowed. "as long as you don't hurt me again." i knew that until i fixed the trust i had torn apart with her, she would be on edge. but as long as she gave me the time, it was fixable.

"i can't promise that things will be perfect, but i can promise that i will do my best to keep you happy." i pulled back, kissing her forehead. "we need to get on the road so i can take you out on a date," i told her, pulling her off the counter.

"alright, but i need to be home kind of early. it's my turn to open the store tomorrow."

"i told you, you're staying the night."

she laughed, patting my cheek. "awww, trevor. you have so much to learn about dating; you'll be lucky if you get to first base tonight." she stepped around me, grabbing her purse off the counter. "are you ready?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. i was stuck in place.

"you're joking, right? i mean, you look like that and expect me only to kiss you?" she nodded. i know that i don't know much about dating, but seriously, what the fuck? shaking my head, i walked to the back door and opened it for her to step out before me.

"i thought we were leaving?" she asked, probably confused that we weren't walking out the front.

"we are, but i'm not letting you climb in my truck wearing that dress. we'll take my car."

"you have a car?"

"baby, there's a lot about me that you don't know," i told her, opening my garage. my black-on-black 1969 chevy nova was looking back at us. i drive my girl a few times a year; most people don't even know she exists.

"wow!" liz whispered, putting my hand on the small of her back. i led her to the passenger side, helping her inside. once i had her buckled in, i went to the driver's side, sliding behind the wheel.

"you ready?" i looked over to where she was sitting; her fingers were running along the leather of the seat.

"hmm?" she mumbled, her fingers running along the dash. i chuckled, watching her.

"you ready to go?" i asked again. this time, she startled, and her hand went to her lap.

"oh yeah, sure," she mumbled.

"you like my car?"

"when i was in high school, i wanted to buy an old car and fix it up. my friend cassy and i used to talk about doing it all the time."

"you know about cars?" i asked, surprised. my brothers and i are always doing something to our cars.

she started laughing, leaning her head back against the seat. the column of her throat was exposed, and my dick hardened while imagining her in that same passion underneath me, head thrown back, cheeks flushed, and eyes clouded with lust.

"i never said that," she laughed harder, shaking her head, taking me out of my thoughts. "i just wanted to do it. good thing i couldn't afford to buy a car to fix up. god knows it would have ended up covered in house paint, and upholstered in old fabric with dogs or cats on it."

laughing, i reached over and grabbed her hand, pulling it to my thigh. her skin is so soft. "i'll tell you what." i take my eyes off the road for a second to look at her. "you stay the night with me, and i'll let you help me fix up a car."

"will you let me choose any fabric i want?" she asked. i can hear the smile in her voice.

"fuck, no!" i shook my head. i did not need to have a car upholstered in kitten fabric.

"sorry, then i'm going to have to pass." she smiled, and i noticed she has two small dimples in the corners of her mouth. "so...you should call nico and cash and tell them that a girl at the bonfire is trying to get knocked up."

"what?" i asked, laughing.

"this girl at the bonfire was saying that she wanted to get knocked up by a mayson. she didn't care which one, just as long as she ended up with one of you guys."

"what the fuck?" i yelled, causing liz to jump.

"sorry," she whispered. "i was going to call cash this morning and tell him, but i forgot until right now." she said quietly, trying to tug her hand away, but i refused to let up.

"jesus, some of the women in this town are so fucking whacked." i looked over and saw liz biting her lip. i let go of her hand and pulled down on her chin. "stop doing that, baby. your lips are gonna be hurting too bad to kiss if you keep it up."

she took a breath. "sorry about telling you like that; it just came out."

i shook my head. "since asher settled down, things have gone from bad to worse." it made me pissed to think of one of those bitches getting pregnant and one of my brothers being stuck with her. "who was it?" i asked, grabbing her hand and putting it back on my thigh.