Page 57 of Sins of the Father

He squints. “Harper, can we not do this?”

“What?”

“We’re on a date. Even if we weren’t, I wouldn’t let you pay. It’s not in my blood nor is it negotiable.”

I take a shaky breath.

He steps forward, holds my head, and kisses the curve of my neck and then ear, before murmuring, “Can we get back to our date now?” His breath seeps into my skin, and I inhale his leather, roasted almond, and lavender scent while he continues frolicking on my neck.

My loins burst back into flames. “Mm-hmm.”

“Good answer.” He places my glasses and hat on me, puts on his, then laces his fingers with mine. He kisses my hand and tingles run up my arm.

I didn’t notice his car waiting on the side of the street, but he leads me across the road, and we get in.

“Billy Goat Tavern,” he says.

“Is that the place John Belushi had a skit about onSaturday Night Live?”

He grins. “You know it?”

“Yes. I love that episode. My dad had it on video when we were kids and watched it all the time. Have you been there before?”

“Yep. It’s the one touristy thing every Chicagoan has done.”

“Well, I’m excited.”

“Good.”

Within minutes, the car stops. Steven leads me down a flight of stairs. There’s a red door with a goat on it andButt In Anytime.Steven holds the door open, and I step into what would be considered a stereotypical hole-in-the-wall restaurant.

An employee with a triangular white hat and matching button-down shirt is screaming, “Cheezborger, cheezborger, cheezborger.”

There’s a line of people almost to the door. A big sign reads,Billy Goat Tavern, Enter At Your Own Risk.Red barstools sit under a white counter attached to the wall. Wooden tables fill the rest of the space.

We get to the front and order cheeseburgers, chips, and beers. The restaurant is full, and we find two empty barstools.

“Mmm, just what I love after a night of too much alcohol consumption.” I take a bite of the greasy burger.

“So true,” Steven says.

“And to bite the hair on the dog and have a bit more.” I hold my cold beer out. “Cheers.”

He clinks mine, and we both take a long drink.

“What would you be doing if you were in New York right now?”

“I usually go to yoga with Quinn and then visit Hope for a few hours. Sometimes I hang out with Anna, but it depends on what Mitch wants to do.”

“She can do so much better than that dick.” He takes another bite.

“Yep, he’s a twatwaffle.”

Steven chokes on his burger. “What does that mean?”

“You haven’t heard of twatwaffle before?”

“Nope, can’t say I have.”

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