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“Then say it!”
Christ, the kid was going to grow up to be a dominatrix. He lifted his gaze from the mini-me to her mother. “Hi.”
“I’m so sorry she’s bothering you,” she said quickly. “Daisy, let’s leave this nice man alone.”
“Far from it.”
Her just as bright blue eyes flipped from her daughter up to him. “What?”
“Nothin’.”
“Mommmmmmmaaaaa. He hasn’t told me his name yet.”
Holy fuck.
“She’s not normally like this, she’s just tired and needs a nap.”
“No, I don’t!” Stomp. “If he doesn’t tell me his name, then he’s still a stranger and Aunt Heather says I can’t talk to strangers. So, if he’s a stranger, I can’t talk to him. So, he neeeeeeeeeds to tell me his name so I can taaaaaaaaalk to him!”
Blondie rolled her eyes just like her daughter had done and it was kind of cute. “Good lord, child, you’re going to give me an aneurysm.”
Daisy blinked up at her mother. “A what?”
“Never mind, we have to go.”
“No!”
“You need to listen to your momma,” Judge told Daisy.
“Don’t wanna ‘til you tell me your name.”
God help the man who got saddled with that demanding woman. Though, if she grew up looking like her momma, most men might tolerate the attitude. And some other men might not like it and try to beat it the fuck out of her. “If I tell you, you gonna listen to your momma?”
Daisy’s lips pressed tight.
So did Judge’s.
Then the little girl stomped her foot once more with a loud huff.
Judge swung a leg over his sled and got to his feet.
Daisy’s blue eyes went wide as she took in his height. “You’re like the giant in Jack an’ the Beanstalk!” she whispered in awe.
“What’s the giant’s name?” Judge asked her.
“Momma, what’s the giant’s name?”
“I... I don’t know, sweetie.”
“It can be your name,” Daisy decided with a sharp nod. “What is it?”
Judge squatted down beside her and looked her directly in the eyes. “You sayin’ we won’t be strangers if I tell you my name?”
Daisy nodded her head like a little fiend. “No! Then we’ll be friends.”
Judge glanced up at Mom, who was nervously chewing on her bottom lip. “Not sure your momma will let us be friends.”
“I’m not askin’ her!”
Judge’s eyebrows shot up. “How old are you?”
Daisy lifted a hand with all her stubby fingers spread wide. “Five!”
“Then you always gotta ask your momma everything first.”
“Oh... please,” her mother groaned, “not everything.”
Judge’s lips twitched and his eyes dropped back to Daisy’s. “My name’s Judge.”
The little girl made a face. “Never heard that name before.”
“Bet you heard a lotta names in all five of your years.”
“I have.” She nodded. “A lot.” She pursed her little lips and searched his face. “Now we’re friends, can I touch your face?”
What the fuck? “Why?”
“You look like a shaggy doggy. An’ I wanna pet you ‘cause I’m not allowed to have a dog.” She huffed again.
Judge pinned his lips together. After a few seconds he had his shit together enough to say, “Not sure you touchin’ a stranger’s a good idea.”
“You’re not a stranger now, Judge,” she reminded him with so much sass, Judge could taste it.
“You’re right. I’m not.” He pushed to his feet. “’Nother time, Daisy. Sure your momma don’t want you touchin’ men you just met.”
“Then next time.”
Judge met the bright blue eyes of Daisy’s mother. “Yeah, maybe next time.”
As he looked down at the woman, he noticed her hand shaking as she reached once again for her daughter.
“You afraid of me?” Judge asked softly.
He didn’t miss her throat move as she swallowed. “Should I be?”
“Probably,” he muttered under his breath.
“Sorry?”
“Nothin’ to be afraid of. Ain’t gonna hurt you.” He flipped his eyes down to the little girl at her side. “Or your girl.”
“Okay, well... N-nice meeting you.”
He didn’t even try to bite back his snort. Liar.
Lies otherwise known as polite bullshit. He hated fake. He wanted real. “Why was it nice?”
Her grip tightened on her daughter’s shoulder. “I... I’m not sure what—”
“Said it was nice meetin’ me. What was nice about it?”
Color flushed her cheeks again. “You... you were nice to my daughter.”
“She’s got quite the attitude. She get that from you?”
The woman’s mouth dropped open. And after a second, she snapped it shut. “We need to go. Sorry for bothering you...”
He pointed to the rectangular patch on his cut. “Judge.”
“Judge,” she finished, snagging Daisy’s hand in a tight grip and yanking her along as she rushed across the parking lot.
“Hey, you got a name?” he called out.
His answer was the slamming of a car door.
He waited with his arms crossed over his chest as the silver CRV sped out of the lot.
Then Judge smiled.
Until he saw it had New York plates.
That meant she was just a tourist and not new in town.
“Fuck,” he muttered, smoothed out his beard, and grimaced.
He shook his head and headed across the street to the diner, bracing for his ass to be ridden hard for striking out.
