Page 8 of The Best Bad Decision

Neighborly Interlude 2

Betty

“Hurry to the window. Atlee’s going over again.” Elaine’s voice was filled with excitement. “This time he’s wearing that suit. The one that Casimir said made Atlee look like a GQ model.”

Oh.

“No…I’m not home.” I was going to miss it. “Gerald said we had to leave the house today.”

I knew it’d been a bad call…delivery was invented for a reason and his groan said he knew he’d screwed up.

When Elaine sighed, I knew it was going to be bad. “Oh, Betty…it’s a date…”

Their first date…and I was going to miss it.

Tacos were not worth it no matter what Gerald kept saying.

Chapter 3

Casimir

He just couldn’t resist tempting me.

“A sexy suit and picking me up at the door?” Leering at him a little, I couldn’t resist checking him out. “You’re playing with fire.”

His eyes sparkled but he shrugged and kept a straight face. “I had to make it look good. Clearly I picked correctly.”

For a guy who didn’t radiate any sexuality whatsoever, he liked being teased and appreciated. I could understand that, though, so I winked for him and for our neighborly audience. “You did. I’ll have to find a way to reward you for it later.”

And for making sure every busybody in the neighborhood watched him walk over to get me.

I loved it.

“Now you have me curious.” He was careful about how he replied but there was something playful in his dry tone that made me wonder what he kept under that careful exterior. But I let him keep it in place for the moment and kept further cheekiness to myself. His smile peeked out before he smoothed it away and gave me his arm. “If you’re ready to go?”

“Such a gentleman.” I loved that too. “Yes.”

Locking the door behind me, I stepped out onto the porch and looped my arm through his. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”

Turning his head toward me, making sure his lips were facing me and not the busybodies, he raised one eyebrow. “Dinner out or driving everyone watching insane?”

I scoffed, getting another smile from him. “Both, obviously. But I think you’re going to be good company and that’s something to look forward to as well.”

I didn’t want him to think he was just the leftover bit to the evening. I might’ve technically been his fake date but that didn’t mean I had to act like it.

“I’d like to think I’m good company.” Something about the way he said it prickled at the back of my mind. “At the very least, the Italian place I’ve picked out has wonderful food and a great atmosphere.”

“Sounds good.” Pressing tighter against his arm, I let my head rest on his shoulder for a moment as we got to his car. “But I still maintain good company and lots of attention from a handsome man is going to be the best part of the evening.”

His lips barely twitched but I could almost feel the pleasure coursing through him. “Handsome, huh?”

“I’m on my best behavior, otherwise I’d have said sexy and gone into more detail about what that suit does to me.” Suit porn was some of the best visuals on the internet. “Later I’ll make you walk in front of me so I can get a view of the back.”

He couldn’t seem to decide if he wanted to laugh or roll his eyes, but as he opened the passenger door for me, he settled on ridiculous. “You don’t have to tease me about that kind of thing.”

Huh?

He couldn’t be serious.