Dirt

I didn't have to wait very long. It was two days later that Matt texted me to let me know that he had something really special planned, and I needed to make sure I bought not only a nice dress, but also something nice to wear underneath. I laughed but decided to do just that. I made a special trip to the mall with Jessi and Erin and bought a navy blue off the shoulder mini dress with large light blue and grey flowers on it. I thought I could pair it with my bronze strappy heels that I had at home. I also picked up a set of black lacey underwear.

The three of us went back to my place and they helped me get ready. We were interrupted about halfway through by Brian. He had come over to pick up Erin for their own date, but she told him he had to wait. So he parked himself on my bed and watched as Erin did my hair and I finished up my makeup.

I decided to try and mess with him. "So Erin, you never did finish telling me about that sex dream you had about Jimmy." She snickered and I looked in the mirror at Brian.

I expected to see the 'someone just kicked my puppy' face from him, but he was smiling. "Instead, why don't I tell you guys about the sex dream I had about Jimmy. It's really steamy."

We all burst out laughing. "Okay, and on that note, I'll be leaving," I said with a giggle. "You guys are so crazy," I told Brian.

"Hey, listen," he lightly grabbed my arm, "I know we're not really all that close, but Matt's my best friend. He really likes you. I mean, really. More than he even liked Val, and they were together for five years. I just...I dunno, I just kind of want to know where you're head is at."

"I could ask you the same thing. That's my sister over there, and I will kill you if you hurt her." We both looked over at Erin and she smiled innocently at us. "But I have no intention of hurting Matt. I really like him, too. Short of him turning into some crazy psycho, I'm not going anywhere."

I said goodbye to the three of them and got in my car to meet Matt at the restaurant. He had told me he made reservations for the two of us at seven. I pulled up to the restaurant to see Matt standing outside waiting for me. He looked so handsome. He had on some black pants and a dark grey button up shirt with white pinstripes and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He left his aviators at home. He spotted me as I was getting out of the car. He came over with a smile and helped me out of the car.

"That dress looks amazing," he told me. He leaned over to whisper in my ear. "If you're not careful, I'm going to peel that thing off you later." I laughed as I questioned him. Wasn't that the point? He groaned lightly as we stepped inside.

Once we were seated and had ordered, I told Matt all about Brian coming over and wanting to tell us about his sex dream about Jimmy. Matt laughed and told me that the five of them had all probably had sexual dreams about each other at one point or another. I couldn't help but laugh at the jokes he was cracking. We had a really good time during dinner. We talked about everything from my finals, to spending the summer at the beach, to if we thought aliens existed.

The waitress came over and handed us the bill. Without looking at it, Matt placed his credit card on the table. I laughed and told him he did that just like a boss. He laughed as well. "You know, I make it do what it do when I do what I do."

We were interrupted by a man walking over to us and sitting down in the booth beside me. I immediately sensed the situation for what it was, but decided to play dumb for the time being. He was average in height, but was pretty muscular. He had shaggy black hair and dull grey eyes. He looked so familiar, but I couldn't place him. It wasn't until he spoke that I recognized him.

"Matt. Sorry to interrupt your date. You two seem to be having the best time. But we still have a small business matter to attend to. Now, Ashlynn, I'm sure you won't mind if I steal him away for a while, would you?"

Matt looked pissed but there wasn't a lot he could do in the restaurant with the guy in such close proximity to me. I turned to him. "I know you," I said quietly. "I'm not exactly sure from where, but I know you. You obviously know me, as well. Whatever it is you have with Matt, you need to handle it somewhere else. Now is neither the time, nor the place." Matt tried to silently tell me to be quiet, but once my mouth opened, I couldn't stop it. "I'm sure you're used to everyone doing as you say, and all that, but I'm not scared of you. You don't fool me. Now go away, you're ruining my good mood." The man moved his jacket slightly so I could see the gun he had tucked in his waistband. Matt made to come across the table but I shook my head at him. While the guy was trying to be intimidating, I had taken my knife out of my purse. I pushed it up against his side. "Nice try, but a girl's got to protect herself out in this world. Before you could grab that gun, I'll remove your balls. It's up to you. Make your decision."

The guy gave me a smirk. "Little lady, you just made a terrible decision yourself. I was going to leave you out of this, but now...you'll both be seeing me soon. Have a wonderful evening." With that he got up and walked out of the restaurant.

I looked at Matt. "That's who you've been dealing with?!" He quickly ushered me outside to his car. "What the hell? Do you guys know who that is?!"

"I know who it is. Do you? Do you know what you just did in there? That's Johnny Capone, one of the biggest drug lords in California. You don't talk shit to Johnny Capone."

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "His name is Terry Black. He graduated with my father, and he's Harrison's uncle. When did shit start going south with you guys and him?" Matt guessed about month and a half ago. "Yeah, something doesn't feel right about this whole thing. Let's get out of here. I need to think this over."

I made to get in Matt's car, but before I could open the door, I was being pushed against it. Matt caught my mouth with his in a steamy kiss. "I didn't know you carried a knife around with you. That's both incredibly sexy and extremely scary at the same time." I laughed at him and slipped in the car. "Do you feel like going back to mine?" he asked me once he was in the driver's seat.

(Matt's POV)

We talked in the car on the way back to my house. Ash seems to think Harrison had something to do with the bad blood that the guys and I suddenly had with our dealer. I had to admit it seemed legit. Why else would he all of a sudden have issues with the guys and me? Why else would he suddenly triple his prices without so much as a warning if Harrison weren't involved? The thing that I was stuck on was why? Did he really have feelings for Ash and this was his way at getting back at me? Or did he have something else in mind?

"Hey," Ash got my attention by putting a hand on my arm, "are you okay over there? You're awfully quiet."

"Yeah," I told her, "just thinking about that little fucker. You know that I'm gonna have to kill him now, right?" She laughed and agreed. "As long as we're on the same page here." We pulled up in my driveway and got out of the car. Ash wrapped a hand around my arm as I unlocked the front door. There was something about that small gesture that made me forget all about Harrison and focus on her in that dress.

"Oh, my God I'm so happy to be taking off these shoes," she said while slipping off her heels in the foyer. "Let's be honest here. I love dressing up and being all pretty and shit, but I love my sneakers, and flats, and biker boots better. That shit is way more comfortable."

"Then why do you wear them?"

She smirked. "Cause guys like that kind of thing. And, you know, I'm trying to attract guys, so..."

"Are you now?" She nodded and told me that her goal was a new guy every week. "Um, I kinda have a problem with that, so you're gonna need a new goal. I'll kill any motherfucker who thinks he's getting near you."

"Well that escalated pretty quickly." She walked into my bedroom and sat on the bed. "Can I borrow a shirt? I know we talked about you peeling this dress off, but I'd like to ditch it now if possible."

"Oh, no," I told her. "You're not getting out of this that easy. I'll loan you a shirt, but you owe me now." She rolled her eyes and smiled at me, telling me to go start a movie and she'd go change in the bathroom. I quickly popped in a movie and changed into some pj bottoms. As I was getting into bed Ash came out of the bathroom. I had to admit, there was always some inner caveman part of me that got a thrill seeing that small frame and long slender legs sticking out of my oversized shirt on her. It really turned me on. She climbed in next to me and immediately rested her head on my chest, throwing a leg over mine. I couldn't resist running my hand down her side and resting it on the curve of her hip. I lightly moved the shirt up so I could feel her soft skin.

"That tickles," she said quietly.

"Well if your skin wasn't so soft I wouldn't have to do this all the time." She laughed at me. "I'm serious. I'm starting to think you're doing it on purpose. I'm being serious. Quit laughing. Get thy soft curvaceous self away from me temptress!" She laughed and told me how dumb I was. "I love you, Ash."

She sat up stick straight and turned to me. "What?"

"Yeah." I did my nervous habit of rubbing the back of my neck. "I love you. I'm pretty sure I have for a bit, I'm just now getting the balls to tell you."

Ash smiled and kissed me. "Wow. What a way to get a girl to sleep with you."

"No! I didn't say it to get you to sleep with me. I said it because I felt it."

"I know you did. And that's exactly why I want to sleep with you."

I know I looked confused because I sure felt confused. "What? You mean if I said it to get you to sleep with me, then you wouldn't want to. But because I didn't say it to get you to sleep with me, you want to?"

She giggled and took off my shirt. "The logic doesn't make any sense, I know. Just go with it and kiss me. And by the way, I love you too."