Page 43 of New Girl in the City
“That is true,” he agreed, and then he sucked on his bottom lip and sighed, “you make me want to be smart about this. Something I’ve never much tried to be.”
“You keep saying that, but I don’t believe you,” I told him, moving to sit up on my knees.
“You should, Mel. I’m more of a jump in first and think later kind of man, but this I want to do right. That means I have to think.”
“So starting something with the woman you’re paid to drive around?” I asked.
“That would not appear to be a good, or smart decision, when you first look at it. I know that but…” his voice trailed off and he stood and crossed his arms. “I’ve learned that the smartest decision isn’t always the most logical, or easy one.”
“And this probably isn’t either.”
“Oh, for sure it’s not.” He laughed and rubbed at the back of his neck, looking back toward the kitchen. “I’m going to get you more water. Then I want you to get some rest.”
“And you’re going to go?” I was unable to stop the disappointment in my voice.
“Yeah, I’m gonna go,” he said, “someone’s gotta drive you to the office tomorrow.”
I frowned and sighed because he was right. Someone did and I didn’t want it to be anyone but him. “Fine, fine, but this is gonna get revisited. I was promised something stupid and that’s what I’m gonna get,” I informed him, not bothering to hide the pout in my voice.
“Sounding a lot like the spoiled princess I’ve come to know.” He picked up my empty glass from the table and turned and strode towards the kitchen.
He was right, but we both knew he didn’t hate it.
“You love it,” I called out to him with a laugh.
He paused in the doorway and looked at me over his shoulder, one hand on the doorframe and he smiled. The sweetness that I knew he had in him shining out at me. He gave me one definitive nod.
“You’re right, I do. You’re lucky I got a thing for spoiled princesses, Mel.”
“Your spoiled princess? “I ventured, and the way his smile brightened was unmistakable. He liked that I’d said it. I liked it even more that I wanted it.
“Yeah, my spoiled princess,” he said, his voice lingering onmy. The word rolled off his tongue like honey and filled my living room with the sweetest sound I’d heard in a long while—just like the man. And then he was moving, pushing away from the doorway and going back into the kitchen to get me a glass of water like he’d done it a thousand times before.
