Harvey

"So, you mentioned that you play the guitar?"

I nodded in response, cocking my head slightly to the side from her attempt to change the subject. But this was a topic I definitely enjoyed talking about.

"I don't exactly know when I started, but it had been imprinted in my life for as long as I could remember. My uncle was a recording artist and was a big influence on my love for music. He actually taught me how to play the guitar."

"You mean he was actually like a celebrity?" I nodded in response. "That's pretty cool." The interest was painted all over her face. I liked that her expressiveness was finally showing.

"You could say that. But for me, he was always just Uncle Bill," I answered humbly.

We were interrupted by Ashley, who placed two glasses of the Irish stout in front of us. Ally's eyes sparkled with excitement and I couldn't help but smile at her eagerness. We ordered our entrees and Ashley left us to ourselves.

"What type of music do you listen to?"

"Just about any genre, depending on my mood. I can't do anything without music. I listen to it as soon as I wake up, when I shower, get ready, eat, drive, study. You name it. It's my escape from this world," she answered with excitement.

"That seems unfair."

"Unfair?" Her forehead wrinkled, puzzled by my remark, "I don't understand."

"Keeping a beautiful and interesting person like yourself out of this world for others to discover or have the pleasure to meet seems a bit unfair, don't you think?" I explained.

She chuckled, "that's a bit corny for a guy like you to say. Do you use that line a lot?"

"Did it work?" I teased, a grin spread across my face.

She rolled her eyes at me. So fucking cute. I could sense her feistiness and I couldn't wait to test it some more. "I meant what I said."

"Yeah, sure. But I'm really not all that," she brushed off my compliment as she rolled her eyes, again.

That was strike four. Every time she rolled her eyes, I wanted to teach her a lesson. If she kept at it, she was going to be in big trouble.

"You are a hard one to please, aren't you?"

"No one should be easy in the first place. Where's the fun in that?" she explained.

"That is one hundred percent true. Speaking of music, I would like to play and sing to you one day."

Twinkles appeared in her caramelized brown eyes from my offer. "I would love that."

"What about you? Any hidden talent?"

"I play the very basic chords. Sometimes, I sing."

"Have you ever performed before?"

"Me? No way!" She puffed instantly. "I choke when I sing Karaoke in front of family or friends. Imagine me performing in front of a crowd. I would probably piss my pants before the song would even start."

I couldn't help but laugh out loud from her bluntness. She smiled in return. Her shyness was slowly fading away.

"Hey, if you have the talent, you should share it with the world."

"That's the thing. I'm not that good. I just do it for fun."

"I have a feeling you're better than you take yourself for. Why don't you let me be the judge of it? I have my guitar in the trunk."

"Ha! Nice try, but I really don't sing in front of anyone, especially strangers." That last part hit me differently.

"So, we're back to that, huh?" I was getting tired of being just a stranger to her. I wanted to be more and she should've known that by now. Maybe I needed to be more aggressive without scaring her away.

"Hmm?" She said, perplexed as she tilted her head to the side, letting her smooth brown hair touch the oak table in between us.

"You're addressing me as a stranger again. I thought we've passed that stage?"

"Would an acquaintance be more accurate at this stage?"

"I prefer a friend, but I'll take that instead of a stranger. So, let this new acquaintance of yours hear you sing. Please," I begged, attempting to convince her to sing in an almost empty room. "There's no one here but us." A half lie.

"No way! I only sing in the shower. I don't want to torture another soul with this horrendous voice."

I grinned at the thought. Her in the shower was a pleasing imagery. "Trust me, I'll take the torture if that's what it'll take for you to do it for me."

Her eyes widened as her cheeks blushed into a rosy hue. She tried to stop the smile that was an instant reaction to my comment by biting her bottom lips. I couldn't help but stare at those moistened, pouty lips of hers.

"Come on. I'm sure you're not as bad as you say. You have a sweet voice. I'm sure it's even sweeter when you sing," I said, determined to give her a boost of confidence.

She smiled at my compliment and I almost saw the light at the end of the tunnel until she shook her head in disagreement.

"Fine. I'm not giving up though cause you'll give in one of these days."

"Let's see you try."

There was a challenging glint in her eyes and I couldn't help but cover a crooked grin on my face. She was challenging my competitiveness and I fucking enjoyed it.

Ashley appeared with the basket of assorted bread and the plate of the appetizer.

"Hmm, finally!" She was engulfed by excitement as I moved the appetizer closer to her. Without hesitation, she picked the steaming scallop onto her plate. Then, she went for a second one. But to my surprise, she reached for my side plate instead.

I couldn't conceal the stupid smile printed across my face as she subconsciously served me the appetizer. She cut the scallop in half with the fork and started blowing the heat off of it rather loudly.

It was so fucking cute that I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Oh my God. I'm sorry. That was rude of me," she apologized with a shy smile, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Please. You shouldn't have to apologize for being so fucking cute."

I didn't know how much more she could blush, but the more she tried to hide it, the more her cheeks radiated that rosy flush that just made her glow even more.

"Gosh, Harvey. Are you always this blunt."

"Yes. Does it bother you?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing bad. I'm just not used to these compliments."

"Well, you should be. I assure you I'll have more coming your way."

"You just surprise me and I don't think I'll ever get used to it."

"Good to know. I'll keep surprising you if it makes you smile and blush like this."

She rolled her eyes, dismissing me as she bit off a mouthful of the scallop. She closed her eyes while savoring the tenderness of the seafood and crunchiness of the bacon. She seemed to enjoy the taste so much that a satiated moan escaped her busy mouth. It was a view and sound worth recording in my memory. I felt a sting of jealousy of that damn scallop. I wanted to be the one inside her mouth. I wanted to be the reason behind her sweet moan.

"You're staring, again" she said, bringing me back to reality and catching me off guard.

"I couldn't help it. You made it look so good that you even moaned."

She chuckled. "You enjoyed that way too much, didn't you?" She rhetorically asked before rolling her eyes at me, again. Strike six. I swore she was in big trouble now.

"You have no idea," I answered.

Before I could say anything else, my mouth was suddenly filled with the scallop that was on my side plate.

"Eat!" She firmly instructed, placing my fork back on my plate after feeding me. I was left in shock for a second. The savory flavor in my mouth brought me back and my jaw started moving in a circular motion.

Now I understood the pleasure I saw on her face. This was fucking delicious.

Ally laughed at me. "Look who's enjoying it now. You like it, huh?"

"Yes ma'am," I respectfully answered, swallowing the last bit before downing a few gulps of Guinness.

"Ma'am?" She inquired, "that's quite formal of me."

"It's just out of respect. Something I learned from my mother and being in service," I explained.

"You're a soldier?"

She placed the fork on her side plate, following my lead, she took a few gulps of her stout.

"A Marine." I clarified.

"Ah. Thank you for your service. Always faithful, right?" She added. I smiled as she mentioned the meaning of the United States Marine Corps motto.

"Semper Fi, indeed," I acknowledged.