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Was he crazy? He was damn crazy. “You sure like to make decisions that aren’t yours to make.”
“A dog will teach your girl responsibility.”
She sighed. “No, it’ll create more work for me. I’m a vet tech, remember? I know how much work a pet can be. And Daisy is already a handful on her own. I’ll get her a turtle. Or a fish.”
“Nothin’ like a loyal dog. Or a loyal man.”
“Not looking for either. But thank you for the suggestion.”
“Just dick.”
“Dick is enough for now. Unless it’s attached to someone who is trying to run my life for me.”
“Ain’t tryin’ to run your life.”
“No?”
He lifted his gaze from her exposed cleavage to her face. Then he smiled.
Cassie did not like that smile.
Well, she did. But not at that moment.
“Ain’t gonna lie. Got a thing for you, Cass. That shit don’t normally happen to me. You’re makin’ it happen. Ain’t gonna ignore it.”
“Do I have a say in this at all? Or because you want to sleep with me you suddenly feel the need to control my life so you can do that?”
He cupped her face and tipped his down. “You act like this is a one-sided fuckin’ thing. You did not kick me outta your bed last night after I fucked you. You know what you fuckin’ did?”
Did she need to answer that? Because yes, she was there and knew what she did. She really didn’t need a reminder.
He answered it for her, anyway, like she hadn’t been in that bed. “You fuckin’ curled around me, put your head on my chest and fell the fuck asleep. More than dick. You don’t do that shit with only a fuck.”
“And you know that how?”
“’Cause as soon as I’m done bustin’ a nut in... in... whoever the fuck’s in my bed, their ass is out the door. Said that already. Thought you saw the difference.”
“So, let me get this straight... You think this could possibly be more than just sex?”
“Ain’t it?”
Her heart was thumping as she jerked her face from his hands and stepped back, covering herself better with the robe and tightening the tie more securely. “I don’t...” Breathe. “I can’t...” Swallow. “I’m not sure...” Think. “I have a daughter.”
“Yeah, Cass, I fed her fuckin’ breakfast. Pretty sure I’m aware of that.”
“I need to protect her.”
“From what?”
“From a man we hardly know burrowing into her life. With everything that happened with Dennis, with us splitting, and then us moving and her father disappearing...” She shook her head. “I’m worried how this will all affect her.”
“Just gotta give her a steady home. You settle in Manning Grove, you got family here to help with that. Get a place. Get her into school. Let her meet some friends. Kids will bounce the fuck back, Cass. I’ve seen it.”
“How?” What experience did he have with kids? Was it about the son he mentioned briefly and never mentioned again?
What kind of father didn’t talk about their child? Not just a father, but what kind of man?
“My sister was your girl’s age when a whole bunch of shit went down. Lost our parents, lost our home, lost everythin’ we knew. She did okay.”
Holy shit. That had to be difficult. “And you?”
“Not talkin’ about me.”
The way he said that made it sound like he wasn’t going to talk about it, either, which made her even more curious. But she wouldn’t pry. If he wanted to tell her about his past, that was on him. The same way it was if he wanted to tell her about his son. She wasn’t going to demand things from him like he was doing with her.
She needed to go check on Daisy. It was not like her to sit still for this long. And she could only imagine what mess she’d find when she went back into the kitchen. Maple syrup art on the walls, most likely.
“My concern is letting a man into our life, her getting attached and then him disappearing like her father did. She misses him.”
His jaw shifted enough she could see it even through that bushy beard. “You miss him?”
“No. But I miss him for her. No matter what, he’s her father. He loved her and wasn’t a bad father, he just made bad choices.”
“Ain’t askin’ to be her pop, Cass. Just askin’ to bang her mother.”
Cass threw up her hands and rolled her eyes. “Ah, okay, then. Well, that settles it. Go pack a bag, I’ll make some room in the closet for you.” She shook her head. “I need to check on Daisy.” As she turned, he grabbed her wrist and spun her back toward him.
“Didn’t let me finish.”
“Oh? There was more? Sure sounded like you were done.”
His lips flattened out. “Yeah, there’s more.”
“I’m all ears.”
“Did you use ‘em to hear the fuckin’ part where I said I got a thing for you?”
