This time I was certain he blushed. Aww, I felt kind of bad for him. I was used to Mama’s teasing, but he wasn’t.
“Something like that,” Dade mumbled, stuffing a bite of pie into his mouth, probably hoping to spare himself another inquiry.
“You poor baby,” I said, curling my hand around the back of his neck. “Women stripping naked and propositioning you like that.” My hand glided up the back of his head, making him shift in his seat as I reached for my wine glass with my free hand. “How do you handle it?”
He eyed my wine glass before I tipped it back. Probably wondering if I was getting touchy-feely because I was tipsy. I might have been a little tipsy, but who could blame me with Mama firing questions at us like a damn trial lawyer.
“I don’t like it,” he said, zeroing in on my lips. “Any more than you would if some random guy showed up to surprise you like that.”
“Point taken,” I said, raising my glass in a mock toast to him. At least he had standards. I liked that.
I drained my glass and set it down, intent on making that drink my last, but Mama refilled my glass.
At my questioning look she said, “What? You’re too uptight sometimes. Maybe this’ll help you relax.”
She couldn’t be more obvious if she tried. She thought if she plied me with alcohol I’d let my guard down with Dade. But that was wishful thinking on her part. I’d let alcohol be the catalyst the first time we slept together. I wouldn’t make that mistake again.
Chapter 14
Dade
Iwas enjoying a stogie with Chee in his man cave when he looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “I’d planned to hate you, just so you know.”
I took a long draw of the cigar, tipping my head back and letting the smoke escape. I didn’t smoke often anymore, but after the evening I’d had, it felt like getting loaded or a cigar were my two best options for stress relief, since sex was off the table.
“Yeah, I figured as much.”
“Nothing personal,” he said, stretching his long legs out in front of him. “Heard a lot of shit about you. No reason not to believe it.”
“Hmm mmm.” I wasn’t going to defend myself to Chee or anyone else. I’d learned a long time ago that people would form their own opinions whether I liked it or not.
“But when I realized my baby girl was gonna spend time with you, no matter how I felt about it, I figured I’d best do my own homework. See if I could figure out what you were all about.”
“Oh yeah?”
I set the cigar down in an ashtray beside me and laced my fingers, cracking my knuckles. I was tense as hell, and it had nothing to do with Charli’s parents. The last words she said to me before she walked out of my office had been replaying in my mind all night.
I just want a guy who’s all in, who’s willing to fight for me. I’m tired of men who find it so easy to give up on me.
She deserved a man who was willing to fight for her. I just didn’t know if I could be that guy.
“Can’t say for sure yet,” Chee said, reaching for his coffee. “But I think you might be alright.”
I smiled. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but at least he wasn’t looking at me like he wanted to haul out a billy stick and beat me with it. “I appreciate you tryin’ to give me the benefit of the doubt.”
“I’m used to being judged,” he said, gesturing to his long white beard and tattoos. “People look at me and assume I’m this badass.” He laughed. “They wouldn’t be wrong, of course, but when it comes to my girls, I’m a bit of a softie.”
I had no doubt his daughters had this tough guy wrapped around their fingers all their lives. “You don’t say.” We shared an amused look before I said, “I get it, Chee. You want to protect Charli. I don’t blame you. If it were my daughter showing interest in a guy like me, I’d be trying to warn her off too.”
“It’s not so much that I was trying to warn her off,” he said, rubbing his forearm. “I just wanted her to keep her eyes open. Be cautious. I’ve seen her get hurt too many times, by losers who claimed they were in it for the long haul when I knew damn well they couldn’t think past next month.”
“And you must be questioning my issues with commitment, given the fact I’ve never been able to make a relationship work.” I knew if Charli and I had a chance of going the distance making her father an ally would make my life a hell of a lot easier, so I didn’t mind confiding in him about my past.
“I’m old school,” he said, draining his coffee mug. “I believe you marry once and spend the rest of your life figuring out how to make it work.” He chuckled. “Believe me, bein’ married to Aidy ain’t always easy.”
I smiled. I’d seen them bickering all night, but their affection for each other was obvious. Especially when he hauled her into his lap, smacked her bottom soundly when she passed him, or grabbed her wrist to steal a kiss when she walked by. They were still in love after all these years, and I was a little envious. I wanted that too. I just didn’t know how the hell to go about getting it.
“I didn’t bail on my past relationships because I expected easy, Chee. I can do hard, believe me.”
