Page 69 of The Twelve Days of Christian
“Good to know my plan to make myself indispensable has worked. The way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach.”
“Well, this woman anyway.” She pops a chunk of chicken into her mouth, casting me a sheepish look from beneath dark lashes. “Although I’m rather attached to some of your other practical skills.”
Her mouth slants in a sly smile, although she blushes at her innuendo. Haley is so damn cute when she slips into sexy banter, a good girl venturing across the line on a dare and then scurrying back as if unsure whether it’s safe to let me glimpse the temptation to be wicked she normally holds in check behind her sweet, innocent face.
“Seriously, Christian,” she says, while not looking at all serious, lips curling up at the edges. “Stay. At least till the last of this mess is over.”
“And then?” I’m struggling to hold back the neediness in my voice.
“And then we figure it out together. I mean, it’s kind of back to front. People generally don’t move in together first and then start dating.”
“You want to go on dates? Damn, I thought I was off the hook.” I love teasing her.
“Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?” Her brows raise and she tilts her head in a quizzical look, just like one of her dogs.
“You might change your mind when you see what dates with me are like.”
“Believe me, I have very low expectations. Let me tell you about some of my dates.” She leans forward, propping her chin on one curled hand, mouth tipped up in a bemused smile.
“Is this going to make me feel inadequate?”
“Unlikely. I did say low expectations.”
“OK. Tell me what I’m up against.”
“First there was Jared. Got it into his head we should go up the London Eye, as I’d never been. Forgot to mention he had a fear of heights. Ended up on the floor of the pod, curled like a limp pretzel, while I sat there pretending it’s totally normal to be having a conversation with a guy lying at my feet.”
“Firstandlast date?” I grin at her.
She nods and rolls her eyes. “Absolutely. How the hell did I get tangled up with a dickhead like that?”
I’m as mystified as she is.
“Then there was Josh.” She huffs out a sigh. “We went to a French restaurant in Soho. Very nice. Except he insisted on hogging the menu and ordering for us both, even though he had terrible French. Oddest meal I’ve ever eaten. Then to top it off, he’d forgotten his credit card, so I ended up with the whole bill.”
“You’re safe with me. Don’t really like French food.”
“As for the last one, Julian—invited me over for dinner, then fed me frozen pizza while expecting I’d find it absolutely riveting to watch him playing online games against a twelve-year-old in Atlanta.”
“Haley, stick with me and you’ll be fine,” I tease. “I think I have exactly what you need to break the bad date curse.”
“What?” Her eyes crinkle at the edges.
“A name that doesn’t start with J.”
“Of course! How come I never worked that out for myself? Just think of all the shitty dates I could have avoided.”
She laughs, and I join in, although I immediately feel regret at pointing it out, considering the ‘J’ man she hasn’t mentioned: Jack, who did a lot worse than take her on a shitty date. I decide it mightbe better to get it out in the open. Ask her about him—and then bury all mention of the bastard once and for all.
“And Jack too,”
“Jack too,” she repeats, her voice quiet. “If only I’d known what I know now—don’t trust a dentist.”
“A dentist?” More evidence of what a prick he is. Surely there’s some code of ethics—like a doctor—that says a dentist shouldn’t hit on their patients?
“Yeah. Not mine.” She’s read the distaste in my expression. “Jack was Ollie’s dentist.”
“Really?” My brows raise again in disbelief. How is it I never knew this? But then, Ollie always plays family stuff close to his chest. Especially where Haley’s concerned.
