#Longhorn Restaurant

[fiddlehead-soup]

this is Raphael

[themenuland1]

Longhorn Steakhouse Menu – Best Steaks, Quality Beef & Ribs

Are you a steak lover? Then, you’re in the right place. LongHorn Steakhouse is the best restaurant chain with casual dining in the United States

[phillyrestaurantreviews]

Longhorn Steakhouse

Casual steakhouse chain known for grilled beef & other American dishes in a ranch-style space.

Located in: Columbus Commons Address: 2120 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19148 Hours: Closed ⋅ Opens 11 AM Phone: (215) 218-9600 Menu: longhornsteakhouse.com

Review

Longhorn Steakhouse, while not a Philly native in the truest sense, has firmly established itself as a reliable option for a hearty, satisfying steak lunch or dinner in the Philadelphia area. My recent visit to the Longhorn Steakhouse offered a predictable, yet pleasant, experience, landing squarely in the 'good, dependable' category.

Stepping inside Longhorn is like stepping into a familiar friend's place. The warm, rustic décor with its wood accents, dim lighting, and Western-themed artwork creates a comfortable and inviting atmosphere.

Outlaw Ribeye

Our server was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu. They were quick to refill drinks, answer questions about the different cuts of steak, and even offered helpful suggestions on sides and pairings. The attentiveness contributed greatly to the overall positive dining experience.

I opted for the Outlaw Ribeye, a bone-in cut seasoned with Longhorn's signature blend. Cooked to a perfect medium-rare, as requested, the steak was tender and juicy with a good char on the outside. While it wasn't the most mind-blowing steak I've ever had, it was certainly enjoyable and well-prepared. The seasoning provided a pleasant, slightly peppery flavor without overpowering the natural taste of the beef.

My dining companion chose the Flo's Filet, a leaner cut that was also cooked to perfection. It was incredibly tender and practically melted in your mouth. We both agreed that the quality of the meat was consistently good.

Flo Steak

Longhorn Steakhouse offers a decent value for the price since you are getting a sizable portion of steak that is generally well-prepared. Also the lunch specials offer an even more affordable option.

Longhorn Steakhouse provides a solid and predictable dining experience. The consistent quality of the meat, coupled with the attentive service, makes it a reliable choice for lunch or a casual night out with friends or family.

[michaeldagaymerx]

Went out for dinner at Longhorns with my mom and cousin Karen. Nice to get out for a bit and see some family. Then I went to Cracker Barrel to shop around 😅🛍️🤑💰💸

[givemeanarchy]

Steakhouse Wheat Bread for the Bread Machine Instant coffee, cocoa, and honey may seem like strange partners in a bread recipe until you actually try this one made like a favorite steakhouse version. 1 cup bread flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon white sugar, 1 tablespoon butter softened, 1/4 cup honey, 1.25 teaspoons bread machine yeast, 3/4 cup warm water

[diggers-colorful-world]

Steakhouse Wheat Bread for the Bread Machine Until you actually try this bread recipe that is modeled after a favorite steakhouse version, instant coffee, cocoa, and honey may seem like odd partners in a recipe for bread.

[xingwenyu]

Longhorn Steak House with a Western & Texan theme, My Favorite Restaurant

[misshoodoolady-arc]

Steakhouse Wheat Bread for the Bread Machine Instant coffee, cocoa, and honey may seem like strange partners in a bread recipe until you actually try this one made like a favorite steakhouse version.

[cera-writes]

Kurt from X-Men evolutions having a crush on rogue’s new friend she’s a new Transfer student from Roswell (hance a bit of a western accent little bit similar to rogues southern accent) and her mutant abilities have something to do with a western/cowgirl theme,

(reader doesn’t stay at the Institute because she is living with her aunt and uncle place, but likes to visit the Institute sometimes) but one time he gets so nervous, trying to confess his feelings for her, so he had to ask his sister (rogue) for help?

A/N: Cuteeeeee idea! Sorry this took a while to write! I've finally been getting caught up with requests! Pairing: Nightcrawler (X-Men: Evolution) x F!Reader Tags: fluff, confessions, mutual crushing

Lassoin' Hearts

The holographic sand swirled around Rogue's boots as she dodged a Sentinel's laser blast. You were their newest trainee (though not technically a student since you lived with your aunt and uncle a few miles out). You whipped your lasso, Sunstorm, crackling with bio-energy. Your drawl, a touch rougher than Rogue's Southern twang, echoed through the Danger Room, "Hold your fire, darlin'! We gotta flank 'em!"

"Watch your six, sugah," Rogue retorted, unleashing a closed fist punch that sent a Sentinel staggering. "These bots are more trouble than a herd of angry longhorns."

From the corner of your eye, you saw a blue blur materialize next to you, nearly tripping over his own tail. It was Kurt, his teleportations lately seeming to coincide suspiciously often with your training sessions.

"Uh, hey," he stammered, his voice laced with a nervousness that clashed with his usual stoicism. "There's something I…" He trailed off, the faint scent of brimstone clinging to him like a nervous sweat.

You raised an eyebrow, your lasso twirling expertly. "Spit it out, Kurt. Your entrances are about as subtle as a runaway stagecoach."

A frustrated puff of brimstone erupted from behind him, momentarily obscuring the holographic cacti. Rogue, ever the observer, smirked. Finally, with a deep breath that seemed to deflate his chest, Kurt blurted, "It's just… the way you handle yourself out here. You make the Danger Room look like a lazy afternoon. And that lasso work? It's… impressive."

A warmth bloomed across your cheeks. Here was Kurt Wagner, the teleporting demon with a reputation as intimidating as a dust storm, confessing a kind of… fondness for you? The situation felt surreal, like a tumbleweed rolling through a five-star restaurant.

"Kurt," you began, then glanced at Rogue who winked and said pointedly, "Sometimes the most direct path is the best one, even if it's not through a portal of brimstone."

With Rogue's playful nudge, you leaned closer, keeping your voice low. "Kurt, you don't need fancy teleportations or smoky entrances to impress me. Just maybe next time, try a less… dramatic approach."

Kurt's eyes widened, a flicker of surprise momentarily replacing the usual shadows around them. Then, a genuine smile, as rare and beautiful as a desert bloom after a monsoon, spread across his face. "So, maybe you'd like to see a real desert sometime? No training bots, just… stargazing under a sky full of stars, maybe?"

A slow smile curved your lips. "Now you're talking my language, Nightcrawler."

Forget awkward teleports and intimidating entrances. Maybe Kurt just needed to be himself, a charmingly enigmatic demon with a surprising amount of courage hidden beneath his blue fur. Perhaps, the key to navigating his feelings wasn't through flashy portals, but through the more straightforward path of honesty.

[insimniacreations]

Longhorn Steakhouse Custom Food Part 2

Dine Out is Required for the Restaurant! If you don't have Dine Out, you can get the food through Insimnia Eats only.

Check out the restaurant lot made by the talented @beansbuilds! Check out her build on her here!

Menu:

Baby Back Ribs

Flo's Filet

Outlaw Ribeye

Renegade Sirloin

Ribeye

New York Strip

Fire-Grilled T-Bone

Molten Lava Cake

Strawberries & Cream Shortcake

Chocolate Stampede

More info on the Patreon mod post on Required Files, How to Install etc.

Terms of Use

Please be respectful and do not release my early access content. They are only early access and will be free.

Please do not include my items in uploaded builds. Link back to my Patreon page for others to download separately

Please do not recolor, convert, and/or edit my meshes

DOWNLOAD

Now on Early Access. Public Release: 8/8 @ 7pm EST

[velvetures]

omg hey just here to shoot a request, idk if you do gaz as well but only soap is ok too. maybe something like soap x reader where the reader is a transfer from the american sector and she's just this super energetic, "AMERICA SCRAAAWWW" kind of person but is also super in learning about cultures and stuff. then the boys take her to this texas themed pub that she just criticizes the shit ton as she's from texas. i think it'll be funny to see a scot x texan lol thxx

God Bless Texas... and Scotland

A/N: I believe my goal here is to make something a little more on the joking/humorous side here... I'm not trying to get into politics or country pride on a deep level. This is just for fun. Nevertheless, thank you for requesting, I hope you enjoy the direction I went with this. This is sooo damn cheesy... Summary: On shore leave, you and Soap get into a conversation about what it was like in your home countries. A couple funny stereotypes and light-hearted argument later, the 141 decide that experiencing both sides of the coin are necessary to settle the score. T/W's: stereotypes ofc, cursing, friendly banter/teasing, and as always not proofread.

It all started when you came out of your private quarters into the shared living room with an old t-shirt on with the admittedly cliche statement 'God Bless Texas' printed boldly over the front inside of a state-boundary shape. Out of all of the members of the 141, you were undoubtedly the most... shall we say... patriotic. At least in terms of your state pride and your unwavering happiness of having family still living there who were so in support of you and your work. Having family in the first place was something different compared to the rest of the squad, and it made the whole pride of where you came from a lot more difficult to understand.

You'd spent years at this point being around the 141 and learning all kinds of very unique and traditional habits that they carried with them despite oftentimes not having a family to share them with. Most of those, they shared with each other, and after getting comfortable with you was extended as a way to bond with you outside of the missions and other job requirements that you did together. From Soap's requirement of the "First Footing" tradition on New Year's, Captian Price never missing a Soccer World Cup no matter where he is, and Gaz's refusal to have a Christmas dinner without Christmas pudding, there isn't a time when someone isn't explaining their desire to incorporate some country, cultural, or family tradition in one way or another.

So, naturally, Soap was ecstatic when he found out about some little niche place that had opened up an 'American, Texas-Themed' restaurant. He knew it would be totally overdone, as did everyone else, so they all thought it would be something of a light-hearted way to poke fun at your loyalties by taking you there as a "resident expert" that could point them in the right direction and away from everything else. Truly the idea of having at least on full hour of teaisng you with everything they could just sounded like a damn good way to spend an afternoon.

The place was a little hole-in-the-wall pub with a little bit of seating that wasn’t directly at the bar. Dim lighting made it feel pretty inviting, but the obvious country music choices including Texas natives: George Strait, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson made it feel a little cheap. Especially with the taxidermy Longhorn head above the bar and the “cowboy” style of practically everything hanging on the walls. Although it wasn’t quite the most miserable place you’d even been, it certainly felt like a little more than just a healthy appreciation.

“Home away from home, right lass?” Soap’s devilish grin only made the wound sting your pride that much more.

"Ya know... actually, not one bit." You answer a bit awestruck and looking around the place with bated breath and the hope that it wouldn't get much worse than it already was.

To your irritation, it got worse. Much worse.

After getting seated by an -obviously- British woman forced to fake a deep and southern drawl, you were all handed menus that named off the most "popular" foods in the Southern United States that not only made you chuckle out loud with disbelief but actually voice the total inaccuracies of certain dishes that the men sitting around you actually thought were legitimate staple items.

"You actually eat rattlesnakes often?" Gaz thought it was a bit far off since he spent quite a bit of time in his service in South Carolina, but thought he'd clarify with you anyway.

"For Christ's sake, Garrick. No!" You roll your eyes, taking a drink of the iced sweet tea you were actually shocked to see was listed as a drink option.

That in itself was the largest contention point with Ghost who stared at you with an iron-clad will of hatred seeing you pleasantly drinking iced sweet tea like you were enjoying the abomination. To his horror, you were quick to compliment that they'd actually gotten it pretty close to how you made it yourself or people at home did.

"What is a pecan pie?" Captain Price was quick to question the dessert menu before a waitress had even come back around to take main course orders.

His question sounded somewhat confused and downright scandalized at the same time. And to be honest, you really didn't know how to explain that it was simply a pie with corn syrup and brown sugar-based sweet filling, covered with pecans that were baked in a regular pie shell. You attempted to describe the basic ingredients and how it was made to the table of interested men, only to have them all stare in guarded horror... Save for Gaz. He'd actually tried it while in the States and said he'd enjoyed it. Luckily he was on your side for that particular topic.

The men as a whole hilariously didn't order anything that you -or they- considered uniquely "Texan" or "American". Soap insisted that you pick a meal that sounded the most authentic to you and that they would try some of the food off of your plate. Of course, the idea sounded good to them, but you weren't sure you wanted to share a plate of food that could possibly be decently "American" when it would still be months before you could go back home.

You folded quickly and picked a meal that you believed would be safe enough to keep them from being outwardly horrified with you but would still be interesting to compare to the meals you grew up with at home. The most simple and safe option was what they called the 'Home Run Special', most certainly a knock-off of the American chain breakfast restaurant. It came with pancakes, fried eggs, bacon, biscuits, sausage gravy, grits, and hashbrowns.

When the platter came out, you were pleasantly surprised at the look of everything, seeing as it visually had promise and even smelled just about right as well. With one glance around the table, you saw every single man staring at the three-plate meal sitting in front of you and couldn't believe that all of that food was supposedly for one person. That comment alone did make you laugh. It was one thing that you weren't afraid to admit. You could eat a whole lot. And it was a family thing that you never could be shy to not own up to. Eating all of that breakfast to them might've seemed totally unacceptable, yet for you, it looked very accomplishable, given the food tasted good. They each wanted you to give your own personal opinions before they tried anything and watched you intently for any sign of your acceptance or lack thereof.

By the end of the meal, the men had all tried everything and had mixed opinions of what they thought was actually good or not. You believed the biscuits and gravy were totally garbage and vowed that you could make them better, and wouldn't even allow them to taste them for fear of cementing an even more concrete belief that biscuits weren't meant to be savory. They were half-and-half on the bacon, some saying it was really good while others complained it wasn't enough meat for so much grease. You... were quite pleased. Eggs were fine, they all didn't really pay them much mind, while the grits were such a contested topic that you weren't sure if they lost respect for you since you finished the entire serving.

"Although I've enjoyed the majority of the food and I was surprised with it... this isn't anything legitimate." You mutter with a full stomach, looking around the place and beginning to feel a little more homesick than you thought such a tacky pub could produce.

Soap, who was finishing off your pancakes nudged your shoulder a little and smiled. "You'll have to take me home with ya. Then I ken' really find out why ye' think Texas is so damn special."

"You have to take me home with you too Johnny," You take the fork out of his hand and eat one more bite of pancakes. "So I can see if God blessed Scotland, too."

Reblogs & Comments are Appreciated

[gawdlysims]

Details

Fully Functional Restaurant

Dine Out IS REQUIRED for Functionality

Get To Work to Own

40x30 Lot

438MB

LittleMsSam has a mod, where you can lock the doors for employees if you don't want NPCs in the kitchen.

Recommended

@insimniacreations Longhorn Steakhouse Custom Food Part 1

CC Used Details

Gawdly Games - Longhorn Signs

Nickname - Metal Kitchen Counters

Syb - Ratatouille Chef Kitchen Station

Packs Used

Dine Out

Get To Work

Cats & Dogs

Get Together

Download Here Public 7.28.23

[thoughtslikeaminefield]

Dr Sexy stat. 💙

HAHAHA right??? I’ve only been playing with this thing for 3.5yrs.

WIPs Folder Post HMU! xox

This is a frivolous little fluff piece I came up with in the fall of 2021 based on an unhinged conversation I had with a friend about how mad it makes us that Jensen looks good in golf clothes — especially the shirts lmaoooo

It's a group of college students and restaurant co-workers who utilize the physical therapy services of Dr. Dean Winchester, PT. The fic is structured with chat logs from the group and each appointment that one of them has. Below is a snippet of your appointment.

Dr. Sexy, PT - no pairing, just fun fluff

#Dean’s a physical therapist, #Objectification of Dean Winchester, #Dean Winchester as Dr. Sexy, #No actual sex, #Just a lot of body manipulation, #Because Dean’s a PT, #Get your minds out of the gutter, #But don’t, #Capable Hands is a tag, #I’m trademarking Uncle Crush, #Have fun

Mark: just made an appt with Dr. Sexy He said that he was ~looking ~forward to ~~~seeing me

Ally: :eye roll x 3:

Mark: He’s very concerned about my groin, Allison

You: Y’all are shameless. The man is a professional.

Trish: He’s a professional IN MY PANTS

You: TRISH

Trish: tRiSH

You: omg stop I’m late for my appt What’s he wearing today?

Mark: THE MAN IS A PROFESSIONAL BETH GAWD Red golf shirt and black shorts Like the real thin material kinda golf shirt soooooooo

You cluck your tongue and shove your phone into your pocket before pushing through the door to your physical therapist’s office. You hate being late to anything – especially for therapy – but with finals next week, you have to get in as much study time as possible, and group sessions never go as planned. “Hey,” Patience, the receptionist, greets you with a smile as you rush through the door. “Hey,” you return, out of breath. “Sorry I’m late, does he still have time?” “Always got time for you, darlin’,” Dean’s voice fills the waiting room and his grin is easily a thousand watts. He’s drying his hands, the muscles in his forearms rippling, his biceps bulging, and his pecs jumping under the thin shirt. Ugh, Mark was right, that shirt is thin, and it looks so soft and hangs just right and- “C’mon back.” Dean tosses the dampened paper towel into a nearby wastebasket as he waves you over to the therapy tables, and you follow.  “Hop up.” He brushes one of those big, work-worn hands over the surface of the padded table, and you drop your burnt orange Longhorns messenger bag to the floor. “Shit,” you curse under her breath. “My laptop.” You frown down at your bag, and Dean peeks inside. “You got a case on it, and your bag’s padded. I’m sure it’s fine.” He looks down at you, chin tucked into his chest.  He gives you that comforting smile with the crinkly eyes that make you gooey.

More to come? Hopefully??

[raph-fangirl]

Chapter Six - Demon x Reader

Just a snippet not the full chapter. You can find the whole full on my pinned masterpost

Ares walked you around to the other side of the restaurant while the trucker got back in his eighteen-wheeler. The demon escorted you into a rundown, dusty blue Chevy. You glared at him as he helped you into “your carriage”, as he so eloquently put it.

Once you were both inside the Chevy, you checked your appearance in the mirror. Your hair and makeup were holding up well, everything considered.

Ares hopped in on the drivers side. The engine roared to life and he pulled around to the front of the diner, making way down a barely-existent road. The eighteen-wheeler followed suit behind.

“So, are you gonna explain to me what’s going on?”

“Nope,” he jeered.

You groaned in frustration.

��Kidding, sweetheart.” He smiled at you. “This one isn’t so much of a secret. Just a classic case of ‘prairie madness’, as you humans call it. You stare at the road too long, take a wrong turn, things start to get blurry—and you end up in the Borderlands.”

“So, we’re still in Nevada?”

“Yes, and no. Like I said, it’s the border between this realm and the Land of the Orcs.”

“But where is the Land of the Orcs?” you asked, your head starting to spin.

“An entirely different dimension.” He looked over at you. “If your puny human brain can comprehend such a thing.”

Your face turned red. “It most certainly can! This is just… a lot to take in…” You pressed your hands over your head. “So, humans can travel to these other places if they get in an altered state of mind?”

“Yep.” He took a turn where there wasn’t even a road, and suddenly the dust was starting to look not so ashy white, but more yellow in hue. “Some are easier to get to than others. That’s why so many humans end up in Tir na nog. Fairies are pretty laissez-faire with their borders.”

“And orcs aren’t?”

“Eh, the Land of the Orcs is harder to break into than Tir na nog, but nowhere near the level of Hell’s exclusivity. You pretty much have to die or give up your soul to end up there.”

“Well, what about Heaven?”

“Hah! You wanna talk about border control? Heaven’s the toughest out of all the realms to get into. Petty snobs.”

You peered out the window. It was starting to look more like the Earth you knew now. The sky was a crisp clear blue instead of that horrid gray haze. The weird horned rabbits had disappeared by now, replaced by Longhorn skulls.

“So, where do you think my mom would’ve ended up? She died in childbirth with my little brother.”

Ares thankfully didn’t make a joke about that. He sighed. “She could be anywhere, even still on Earth.”

You turned from the window to face him. His voice sounded so dark and solemn, out of character from the demon you’d come to know. He just stared off into the road, expressionless. “What, like a ghost?”

“Yeah.”

You hadn’t considered that. You always figured she’d ended up in Heaven, but after hearing how exclusive it was, you weren’t so sure.

If your dad had died since you’d last seen him, you knew exactly where he was.

[capypub]

The Ex - Mafia!Joel Miller Extended Scene

Part of my AU Mafia!Joel Miller x OFC Series

Without Warning Masterlist

Rating: 18+ (swearing, allusions to smut but no actual smut, brief mentions of drugs)

Summary: Joel takes his girl out to dinner. Her ex-boyfriend happens to be bartending. Joel asserts his dominance.

AN: Again, big thanks to @diversemediums for their prompts!

When Ethan raved about some new steakhouse that opened up downtown, Joel saw it as the perfect opportunity to treat his girl after a stressful couple weeks.

She had a break between the spring and summer semester, a much needed one that. He came home on a Friday afternoon and told her to get ready, that he’d be taking her out on a date. She didn’t refuse or question him either, excited at the prospect of going out to dinner with him, doing something together after he’d been gone for a couple days doing business in Dallas. 

“You look absolutely gorgeous, baby,” he nearly growled in her ear, fisting the material of her little black dress at her hips. 

“Joel, dinner,” she reminded him with a soft laugh as he began to kiss along the curve of her neck, lips wet and hungry.

“We got time,” he muttered, one of his large hands slipping between her thighs to rub over her clit.

“Joel, I swear,” she gasped, grinning as he stroked her clit through her panties with rough fingers.

“Swear all you want, baby, lemme hear it,” he grunted, his smile evident in his tone as gripped her shoulder and turned her around to face him. 

She rolled her eyes, smiling as she took his hand and tugged him towards the door. “I’m hungry.”

“I got somethin’ to fill you up,” he remarked without skipping a beat, smirking as he reached around to grope her ass with a low, rumbling chuckle. 

She laughed, shaking her head as he dipped his head down to kiss her again, one final attempt at getting her to give in before they left. 

The restaurant was crowded when they arrived. Thankfully they were only late by ten minutes and Joel seemed intimidating enough in stature that the host didn’t argue about seating them. Once seated near the bar, Joel pulled Indi’s chair closer to his at the small, round table, so both their backs were to the wall, allowing them the view of the whole restaurant from their corner.

“That’s a nice touch,” she said with a giggle, pointing at the giant metal longhorn statue near the entrance of the restaurant, propped up on a platform with a plaque in front of it.

Joel scoffed lightly, his arm around the back of her chair. “S’alright,” he muttered, bringing his glass of whiskey to his lips. 

Their waiter was fast, attentive, but also knew to leave them alone for the most part. Indi figured it must be because of Joel’s intimidating scowl, one always directed at others but never at her. 

“Hey, this kid keeps lookin’ at you,” Joel said lowly after they had ordered. “You know ‘m?”

She looked up at him, having been too distracted by the decor of the restaurant to feel anyone’s eyes before following his gaze to the bar. Joel seemed to be glaring at the bartender. The bartender was casting long glances at Indi.

“Oh…” she choked, her back stiffening as she realized who she was looking at. “Oh shit.”

“Who is that, darlin’?” Joel asked again.

“Um…th-that’s my…” she chuckled nervously, anxiety filling her stomach as she kept glancing over at the bartender. “Remember when I said I used to date a drug dealer?” she asked quietly, leaning close to him. “That’s him.”

Joel stared at her for a long moment, his brain short-circuiting for a minute as it tried to process the fact that he was currently sitting in the same room as his fiance’s ex-boyfriend. From the few things she’s mentioned about him throughout their relationship, a no good punk ex-boyfriend at that.

“That’s him?”

She nodded slowly, watching closely for his reaction. “What’s his name?”

“Joel,” she sighed, shaking her head in exasperation, “don’t start.”

“Name, darlin,” he demanded, keeping his voice low, but his tone left no room for argument.

“Joel,” she insisted.

“Don’t make me ask you again, sweetheart…I have no problem tyin’ you up tonight for makin’ me repeat myself,” he warned, leaning in close, his lips brushing her earlobe as he practically growled his threat at her.

She gripped his forearm with a shiver, that tone immediately sending a wave of desire between her legs. He chuckled, already knowing the effect he was having, reading her desire like an open book. “I’m waitin’, sugar,” he drawled, bringing his free hand up to caress her jaw, his thumb brushing her lower lip as she shuddered against his touch. 

“Derek,” she sighed, blinking slowly up at her fiance, brain already beginning to shut off and fully submit to him.

“Thank you, baby, that’s all I needed to know,” he cooed at her, his dark tone vanished, replaced with a gentle warmth. 

He drops the topic after that. Joel does an excellent job of keeping his girl focussed on him and their date, engaging her in conversation about things he knew would keep her talking, keep her smiling at him. All the while, he would sneak glances at the kid behind the bar, who still blatantly stared at their table as he worked. It annoyed him, but not to the point he felt he needed to act. 

And then his phone vibrated in his pocket. “Fuck, it’s Tess. Give me a minute, baby, I’m sorry,” he sighed, scooting his chair back to step away.

“It’s fine, Joel,” she insisted, continuing to eat as he walked towards the men’s bathroom, bringing the phone up to his ear. 

Joel had been gone all of ten seconds before Derek approached their table, hands in his pockets, smelling like stale alcohol and a hint of weed. 

“Hey Indi,” he greets her with a smirk. “What do you want?” she sighed, having a feeling this might happen if Joel left her side. 

“That’s your new dude?” he asked, shifting his weight to one side as his eyes trailed down to her chest.

“Yes, that’s my fiance actually, so get lost,” she declared, bringing her wine glass to her lips.

“You know who that is right?” Derek continued with a low chuckle and a shake of his head. “You thought I was into some shit, baby, that’s the kingpin of the whole city…” 

“So you’re still dealing, then?” she muttered, setting her glass down slowly.

He shrugged, trying to appear confident and nonchalant. “Not like I used to, only the natural stuff now.”

She didn’t believe him for a second. “That’s great, you can leave now,” she huffed, her eyes sharp as she glared at him. 

“Damn girl, chill out. Just tryin’ have a conversation with you. You know, catch up,” he insisted with a flirtatious grin. 

“That’s not a good idea,” she stated, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed across her chest.

“Come on, babe, you know we had fun,” he cooed at her, only causing her glare to harden.

“Fuck off, Derek.”

He sighed, rolling his eyes, his easy smirk shifting into a scowl. “Look, is your man needin’ another guy? I’m lookin’ to make some cash and rollin’ with the Millers is guaranteed bank,” he said, leaning on the table, his palms flat on the tablecloth as he spoke to her.

Before she could go off on him for his sheer audacity, another figure approached the table. Indi exhaled a breath of relief, finding Joel standing tall beside his chair, eyes cold and jaw tense as he stared down at Derek.

“Best be gettin’ away from her, kid,” he growled, taking his seat. 

“O-oh, uh, Mr. Miller, I’m…I was just catching up with Indi, we, um, we used to date, you know?” Derek stuttered, standing straight with his hands in his pockets again.

“That so?” Joel drawled, bringing his arm around the back of her chair, his hand protectively on her shoulder.

“Y-yeah, yes, sir. I was tellin’ her that I’m still in the game…thought maybe you could use another guy on the streets, uh…workin’ for you, sir.”

Joel glared at him, his free hand on the table, holding his whiskey glass as he scanned Derek who shifted nervously from one foot to the other. He raised a brow at the younger man with a cocky smirk.

“I don’t need some punk-ass kid touchin’ what’s mine, including my product. Get back to your day job, Derek,” Joel stated in a low tone, stating the other man’s name with obvious warning. 

Derek gulped, intimidated by Joel already knowing his name without him having mentioned it yet. He looked at Indi and then back Joel. Her expression was blank as she leaned into Joel’s side, her gaze steady on Derek, standing her ground with a disinterested shrug.

“Y-yeah, alright,” he nodded with a scoff, ducking his head as he turned around.

“Hey, kid,” Joel said as Derek went to walk away.

He turned back around, a slight spark of hopefulness in his eyes. 

Joel’s gaze was icy as he glared at the younger man. “Speak to my girl again and I’ll break your fuckin’ jaw.”

She knew she shouldn’t be as turned on as she was when Joel so openly threatened her ex-boyfriend, but she couldn’t help it. When he got like this, he seemed to radiate power and dominance even more than normal, his energy drawing her in like a magnet.

When Derek was gone, she leaned into Joel’s side, her hand on his thigh as she whispered in his ear. “That was really hot, handsome.”

He chuckled, a low sound deep in his chest as he watched her eyes dilate fully in the low light. “Got you all hot and bothered, baby?” 

She nodded, biting her lower lip, leaning into him to kiss him. “Very…”

He smirked, bringing one large hand to her jaw and kissing her hard, his fingers curling into her hair as she sighed. He felt her hand inch up his thigh further, her engagement ring clinking lightly against his belt buckle. 

“Let’s get you home,” he murmured against her mouth. “I’m ready for dessert.”

[al-perthe]

Want to Help Punish Ron DeSantis?

Boycott some of these Florida-based businesses!

Some notable examples:

Tourism (Disney World, Universal Orlando, Busch Gardens, etc)

Bealls Outlet Stores

Bloomin' Brands Restaurants (Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, others)

Checkers/Rally's

Chewy Inc. (online pet retailer)

Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, others)

Hertz (Car rentals)

National Beverage (soft drink producer - notably La Croix and Faygo)

Office Depot (office supply store)

Publix (grocery store chain)

Restaurant Brands International (the American restaurants - Burger King, Firehouse Subs, Popeyes)

Winn-Dixie (grocery store chain)

There are others, and some of these are more common in the southeastern USA (notably Publix & Winn Dixie), but if you can avoid buying from these brands, please consider doing so!

DISCLAIMER: The key words are IF you CAN avoid. Please don't feel guilty if there are necessities that you can only get from certain businesses, like pet medications through Chewy, or the only grocery store in reasonable distance happens to be Publix.

EDIT 06/02/2023:

Back in 2015, the Tampa Bay Rays were one of three pro sports teams (the others being the San Francisco Giants and New England Patriots) to sign an amicus brief in support of same-sex marriage.

If you want to support a FL sports team, that's your go-to!