Page 24 of Love Is Ale You Need

I collect my wallet from the back room. When I’m strolling toward the exit, Trey’s already waiting for me like an eager puppy, a beaming smile on his face. He’s fully removed his tie and kept the top two buttons undone. It’s sexy as hell. I hate myself for not being able to tear my gaze away.

I slide past him inhaling his signature leather and spice scent. It’s a unique blend, one not overpowering the other. I push open the door and he follows behind.

“I had a client meeting earlier this afternoon.”

I peer over my shoulder. “Huh?”

He catches up and is meeting me stride for stride halfway across the parking lot. “The answer to your question about the suit. I had a client meeting. Today was the only time he had available before leaving town.”

I nod. So, he works on the weekends, much like a certain someone else. While I appreciate him sharing something about himself, it's still something I can't do. “You don’t want to date me or have dinner with me. There’re enough skeletons in my closet to fill a cemetery.” This will send him running across the parking lot. It has with every other guy, and they weren't Trey. Self-proclaimed bachelor for life.

“Good thing I have a shovel. Or do we need an excavator? I’m sure I could pull some strings. Call in some favors.”

My heart jumps to my throat. That wasn't the answer I was expecting. “Maybe all of the above.” I come to a halt at the rear corner of my SUV, and I hike my thumb over my shoulder. “This is me.”

“Oh yeah. I remember this car. It was parked next to mine where you rode,” he takes a step closer to me, “my dick,” another step, “as if it were mediocre and would’ve preferred to spend the time painting your nails.”

I snort out a laugh and slap my hand over my mouth. After I catch my breath, I drop my hand. “Is that more telling of me or you?”

“We can always go a second round to determine the answer.”

The corner of my lips tip up into a smile. “Or we don’t.”

“Okay. Then how about dinner?”

“I thought this was our date.” I motion around us.

“But we’re missing a key part. Food.” He inches closer to me.

“I might have some chewing gum between the seats—”

His fingers brush over my cheeks, holding me in place as his lips press to mine. It’s soft and sweet at first until I grip the front of his shirt, pulling him closer. I moan into his mouth, and he deepens the kiss. Twisting us around, the cool metal seeps through the back of my shirt. He breaks away, resting his forehead on mine. I take the few extra seconds to collect my breath. This kiss almost trumps the first kiss, and the first kiss was good. So good.

“Should we finish this somewhere else? Perhaps your place.” After a few seconds of silence, he adds, “Or we can have another go at it in my backseat.”

“As tempting as that offer is, I can’t.”

“I guess if you want, we can go to mine.”

“No, it’s not that.” I slide out from under his arm. “It’s not just me at my house.”

“Wait. Are you dating someone? Is the ex not an actual ex? Because I may do a lot of things, but sharing isn’t one of them.”

A weak smile floats over my lips. “No. It’s not that.” I wring my hands together, building up the courage to tell him. It’s not that I don’t want to tell him, but I'm aware of his stance on kids, and I like to keep my private life private. “I have a six-year-old daughter.

He’s silent. Instead, he only stares at me. Is he surprised? Except there’s a slight clench to his jaw, so he’s angry? His expression is unreadable and a little unnerving. At this point, his silence says more than anything he could say with his words.

“Okay. I’ll take your silence as meaning this is over. Thank you. It was fun.” I spin on my heels and stomp away. After two steps, a hand wraps around my wrist, spinning me around.

“I’m sorry.” His eyes soften, pleading with mine.

“Sorry that this is over or sorry for…”

“Sorry for my silence. You caught me by surprise.”

“Either way, it doesn’t change anything. I have a kid and you don’t like kids. This whole thing we started should have never happened.” Immediately, all the walls around me and my heart rise. I was a fool to even get involved with someone like Trey, even if it was just sex.

“It’s not that I don’t like kids. Some of my best friends have kids and they’re the greatest things ever. I just have no plans to have any of my own. You having a daughter doesn’t change the fact that I like you. I enjoy what little time we’ve spend together, and I want to continue spending time with you. Even better if we take it outside the Porter’s parking lot.”

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