Page 80 of My Greatest Joy

“Iwas. But he never wanted to make it official.”

His jaw twitches. “And how long did you date?”

“Six months. He kept stringing me along, saying all the right things at the right times, buying me gifts, and showering me with countless compliments. I was certain he wanted to make thingsofficialbecause we hit it off so well. But I was very wrong and stupidly fell for his act.”

“Christ. Was he a frat boy? What man doesn’t make it known that you’re his?”

My heart pounds at his words.

I lower my gaze. “A lawyer.”

He breaks out in a humorless laugh. “Oh, Fallon.”

“I know. Trust me. As soon as he hesitated and came up with some stupid excuse about not ruining a good thing, I should’ve walked away.”

“It’s not your fault,” he reassures me, which only encourages me to keep talking.

“I thought he was different, just busy with work. So I kept waiting, wanting to take our relationship to the next level. I honestly believed we weretogether together, but I needed the confirmation. I wanted to hear him say it, but when he didn’t, I was gutted. He’d already met my family, and I’d met his. He took me to his cousin’s wedding and introduced me to his nana! I didn’t know putting a label on what we had would make him run. I thought I was in love, and it hurt to learn he was a player, and I got played.”

“Take it from a former fuckman, if we want a woman, we’ll make it known and do whatever it takes to win her over. You know the sayingif he wanted to, he would? Because that’s exactly it. He didn’t appreciate what he had. You deserve better than that, Fallon. Asking him that question, as hard as it might’ve been and as much as it hurt later, helped you in the long run. Sorry bastard.”

I suck in a deep breath, taking his words to heart. Then I smile. “Former, huh? When did that change?”

“About twelve days ago when a brunette bombshell entered my life. Weirdly enough, I haven’t been able to get her out of my head ever since she maced me.”

My cheeks burn as I hold back a laugh. “I’m tempted to add that into my article.”

“Do you need a replay of events? I can model naked for you.”

This time I don’t hold back and bellow out a hearty laugh. It feels good to be around someone who makes conversation easy and fun.

I tap my temple. “Trust me, I still have that visual right up here. Engrained forever.”

“That seems like an invasion of privacy.”

I shrug with amusement. Considering his tongue’s been between my legs and ass cheeks, the man has no room to talk.

When our food arrives, I realize how hungry I am and dig in right away.

“I think this is the best steak I’ve ever had.”

“Told ya. It complements the wine nicely too.”

“It almost helps me forget this place looks like a neatly arranged storage warehouse for Santa’s toy factory.”

“Have another glass, then,” he taunts. “Or bottle.”

“I might. But considering my business card was canceled, it’s not happening. They get weird about alcohol when I file for a company reimbursement.”

“Fallon, I’d never take you on a date and make you pay. You know how to bruise a man’s ego.”

“This is adate?” I meet his eyes.

He looks flabbergasted that I even asked. “Nice restaurant, fancy dinner, you looking hot as fuck. Of course it’s a date. You mustreallythink I’m a serial one-night stand kind of guy.”

“Aren’t you?”

He leans forward with his elbows resting on the table and clears his throat. “The last woman I slept with was six monthsbefore I met you, and I broke it off when I found out she was married. The woman before that was four months earlier. She lied about having children. I love kids and would’ve had no problem being with a single mom, but she lied to my face, and I don’t fuck with liars. The woman before her, I took out a few times before she told me she was moving to Japan for work. I can deal with long-distance, but she had no plans to ever come back, so it was pointless to try. We ended on good terms, and she’s now married with a baby on the way.”

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