Tank: Devil's Rose MC #6

Chapter 12: Hazel Martinez

"Are you ready now?"

"Tank, you don't understand. You haven't told me anything about what we're going to do. I can't pick an outfit with no context of the situation."

"Liar," he hisses out with a roll of his darkening eyes.

He looks hotter when he's annoyed.

"I have told you what's going to happen."

"You said it would be cliché and we wouldn't be jumping off cliffs."

"So, no need for a bathing suit and you can wear a dress. We also aren't hiking, so you don't need to dress up in outdoor gear. But we will also be outside, just not jumping off cliffs."

"You have to read between the lines."

"I have a bachelor of science in childhood education, not English literature. There's no reading between the lines in my job. Kids are brutally honest at all times."

I can hear him chuckle from my living room, his boots are heavy against the hardwood floors. He peers his head into my bedroom after taking the cue from my open door that it would be okay. I stand in the middle of my room, staring at my closet with a pile of clothes on my bed behind me. 

He rummages through the clothes that have already been tossed away from my view and buried beneath outfits I said no to. It takes him about a minute before he pulls out light blue skinny jeans with rips at the knees, a white turtle neck crop top, and a light blue, tan, and white plaid flannel jacket. 

He throws the clothes at me while pulling Dr. Martens close to my feet. Tank backs away from me, eyeing the clothes he picked out from afar and nods his head in confirmation. I shake my head in disbelief but kick him out of my bedroom to try the outfit on.

I honestly don't hate it. It's warm and cozy but also good enough for first-date material. He's already seen me at a pretty bad moment in my life, so I don't think it can get much worse than that and he stuck around. I strut dramatically into the living room and give him a spin while he checks out the outfit.

"That's it right there, pumpkin."

Pumpkin? Really? That's what he landed on?

What is it with men and pet names?

"Hate that one too."

"It's either that or miss sassy pants so take what you can get."

"You're such an idiot."

"Uh, you're the one going on a date with me."

He does have a point. I can't argue with that.

I grab my purse off the kitchen counter and take the hand that Tank holds out for me. We talk about random stuff as we make our way to his motorcycle. Another helmet sits on the seat of the bike along with his, and it trips me up for a minute. Did he buy another helmet just for me? 

I could've paid for it. I mean, I'm living on a teacher's salary, but he also didn't have to spend money on me. But when he smiles at me like he just did the best thing on the planet as he hands me the helmet, I can't help but let my guilt go. 

He looks so fucking happy with himself.

Instead of saying anything about paying him back, I let him have his moment, and I will secretly pay him back later. I slip it on over my head and watch how smoothly he ties his on. 

I try to mimic the movements of his fingers, but he's doing it so fast that I can't even see what's happening. I play around with the strap, however, it takes me about ten tries before I finally allow Tank to put it on for me.