Although she didn’t say the words back, her smile grew wider, but that could have been because her dark little heart was happiest while causing chaos. Still, Nolan was taking tonight as a win.
“Enjoy the show. I’ll get the check,” he said. Fuck it, he leaned in and kissed her hair. “Unless you want another drink?”
“I can pay.”
“I’m sure you can, but I promised I’d be a gentleman, and that includes paying for dinner.”
Her mouth set in a thin line.
Nolan crouched beside her. “I know you like to be in control, but I have a pathological need to take care of you.”
“You should probably see a therapist about that.”
He sighed. “I’ll pay for dinner, and you can cover the tip. Deal?”
“Okay, deal.”
When Nolan came back from the bathroom, the flustered server was trying to explain that there was a problem with the card machine, and Nolan caught sight of the tip line. Five thousand bucks. Hot damn.
“Alexa, wait…”
“We had a deal.” She sauntered toward the door. “You think you can out-control-freak me? Think again, sucker.”
He caught up with her as she pulled an exaggerated sad face at the guy in the golf shirt.
“Oh, your car won’t start? A real man would know how to fix an engine.”
The man’s face was turning red as Nolan bundled her into his pickup. Fucking Alexa. Life with her was an adventure, he could say that much.
CHAPTER 19
ALEXA
“Sit.”
Juno sat, and I gave her a dog cookie.
“Okay, now go away.”
She didn’t move.
“I thought you were supposed to be smart.”
She just stared at me.
“Okay, fine. One more, but then you have to get lost. Go follow Nolan around or something.”
The back door opened, and my favourite victim walked in wearing a pale pink pantsuit and a frown that would lead her down the slippery slope to Botox if she wasn’t careful.
“I thought you’d left,” Marielle said.
“Clearly not.”
“Well, I wouldn’t get too comfortable. And I’d stay away from that dog if I were you—she isn’t friendly.”
Juno curled her lip and gave a soft growl when Marielle took a step toward us, and perhaps she was smart after all?
“Nolan isn’t here.”
