Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
“You haven’t even told me your first name, though.”
“You haven’t earned it.”
He rolled his eyes. “Anyway…you’re talking like something’s gonna happen here.”
“I’m going on instinct.” I winked.
“I wouldn’t bet on it.” Tate shook his head.
“Don’t be an ass.”
“I’m only trying to protect you,” he said, not a hint of jest in his expression.
“Are you done with your questions?” I crossed my arms.
“No.”
“What do you want to know now?” I chewed on my lip.
Tate rubbed his chin. “Why did you swipe on me?”
“Because I find you attractive, even if you might be too old for me. You remind me of a Viking.”
He narrowed his eyes. “A Viking…”
“Yeah. Maybe it’s your hair or the beard, or just how generally big you are. A combination of everything. I’m not sure. But it’s a positive thing. In fact, you’re so attractive, I just assumed you’re not the type of guy looking for more than a good time anyway. And that’s the level of non-commitment I need right now. I can’t afford to truly like anyone at this point.”
He chuckled. “So you think I’m attractive and unlikeable. Got it.”
“More like unattainable. That’s probably a better word. I was shocked to see you on the app, to be honest, since I had this preconceived notion that you were someone’s hot dad or husband. But once I realized you were looking to hook up, I assumed you were a player.”
“Did you expect that I would take advantage of you without question?”
“That’s what I’d signed up for, wasn’t it? Not like that app is very discreet about its users’ intentions.”
“Don’t you think you should be more careful than hooking up with strangers at a resort?”
“Are you seriously lecturing me when you were doing the same thing?”
“We’re just having a discussion. It’s not a lecture.”
“Why do I need to be careful of you?”
“Because I’m a lot bigger and stronger than you are. What if I were a bad person?”
“The bigger and stronger thing was kind of the point.”
“Fuck,” he muttered. His face reddened again.
I’d made this powerful man blush more times than I could count tonight.
“My turn.” Smirking, I turned the tables on him. “Why did you swipe on me?”
“Because you’re beautiful, and I was feeling lonely. It was impulsive.”
“You really recognized me right away?”
He nodded.
“So you knew I was the girl you saw checking you out and assumed I’d be interested?”
“Maybe.” He sighed. “I fooled myself into thinking you might actually be twenty-nine, that maybe my eyes had been tricking me that first day. Then I saw you up close and suspected otherwise again. It was your fake name that gave you away, though.”
“But after everything, you’re still attracted to me...”
“It’s human nature. I can’t help that I’m physically attracted to you, even if you’re too young for me.”
I rested on my forearms. “In a way, does it make me more attractive since you think I’m forbidden because I’m too young for you?”
He shifted in his seat but didn’t answer my question.
“Did I just make you nervous?”
“You’ve made me nervous from the moment I met you, Doris-Delores.”
“Because you don’t want to want me?”
“You’d be correct about that.” He began tensely shredding a napkin.
I looked to my left and froze at the sight of the waitress giving me a funny look. I realized she might’ve heard our conversation and was probably wondering why I was calling my fifty-year-old “father” out on “wanting me.”
Ugh.
I leaned in and whispered, “It might be time to leave.”
Chapter 5
* * *
TATE
Warning bells had been going off all night, but I kept ignoring them. I had no desire to leave this girl and go back to being alone again. I just didn’t know what the fuck to do with her. All I knew for sure was what I couldn’t do with her. That list seemed to be endless. But damn, I was having fun.
As we walked from the restaurant back toward the main building, I turned to her. “Where to, DD?”
She raised a brow. “DD?”
“Doris-Delores...”
“Oh.” She laughed. “You mean, you’re not ditching me?”
“My better judgment is nowhere to be found at the moment.”
Her eyes lit up. “Did I see something about a Wednesday late-night dessert bar?”
Yes. Good. Whatever we did tonight, it needed to be in public, so the dessert bar was perfect.
“Yeah, it usually starts at ten.”
“Usually? You’ve been already, huh?”
Many times over the years. I wasn’t about to admit my family owned this place. Not that I was ashamed, but I’d never lived off my parents’ wealth, and telling her the owners were my folks would give her the wrong idea about me.
“I heard someone talking about it,” I explained.
“Oh, okay. Let’s check it out.”
I nodded. “I think it’s this way.” I led her down a hallway to where I knew they set up the dessert bar. I also needed to continue walking in front of her because I couldn’t seem to stop staring at her pert little ass, which was torture. I hadn’t felt this feral over someone since I was a damn teenager myself, and I needed to get my freaking dick in check before I made a mistake I’d regret. But she made me feel young and carefree, and that was addicting as all hell.