“Yes.I didn’t know which was better,” I grumble.
“I can't believe you did all of this for me.”
“Of course I did.You deserve to be pampered.”
Without another word, she points to the steak she wants and after placing it on her plate, I settle back into my seat.We silently fill our plates and cut our steaks.
“Oh my gosh!Where’d you get this potato salad?”She mumbles around a bite of food.
“I made it.”
“Shut up!You did not!”
“I did.From scratch.”My grin stretches to the point my cheeks hurt.It’s nice to know I can impress Dixie.“Everything is made from scratch.”
She stares at me for a few moments.Then she takes my hand in both of hers and shakes her head as her gaze drops to our connection.
“Thank you for making me dinner.This is one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time and it’s really nice to not have to cook.”
“You’re welcome, Little Fox.”
“Are you ever going to tell me why you call me Little Fox?”
“Maybe one day I will… I wanted to talk to you about the other night.”
“What about it?”She cuts off a piece of her steak and places it in her mouth.She chews slowly as she waits for me to answer her.
“Why did you want to leave my apartment the night you got drunk?”I watch her carefully.I have a few questions about that night.Ones that have been tumbling around in my head ever since.
“I told you, I don’t really remember going to your apartment.”She nibbles on her bottom lip, a telltale sign she’s lying.
“Nice try.I don’t believe you.”I shake my head, keeping my attention on her and nothing else.“As soon as you found out your dad approved of you being at my place, you wanted to leave.I want to know why.”
“Please, drop it.I don’t want to talk about it,” she whispers, dropping her chin so she’s staring at her lap.
Without saying a word, I spin her chair so she’s facing me.The legs scrape against the floor, creating an awful noise, but I don’t care.
“Why, Dixie?”I know what she told me that night, but I want to hear her say it again.I want to make sure I heard her correctly.
“You weren’t taking care of me because you wanted to.You were doing it because my father told you to.The obedient Storm Jeffery would never do anything against Porter Reeves’ wishes, including spend time with his daughter.”She meets my gaze, anger and frustration filling her honey eyes.“I didn’t want to be a job to you.I only wanted to be taken care of if you actually wanted me here.”
She motions around my place, letting her eyes linger on a few framed photos I have around the living room.There’s one of me and her at a clubhouse barbeque.It was the summer after she graduated high school and Porter threw a massive party for his daughters to celebrate.
Her attention is still on the photo of us when I grab her chair and drag it closer.She’s pinned between my legs, giving her no space to get away from me.A gasp falls from her lips when I cup her cheek and stare deep into her eyes.
“You weren’t a job or a requirement that night.Iwantedto take care of you.You were all I cared about.Ineededto know you’d be ok.”
“But my dad…” her words trail off as her mind processes what I just admitted to her.
As much as I know I should keep my mouth shut and not tell her any of this, I don’t want to.I want to spill all of my secrets to her.I want her to desire me just as badly as I desire her.I want her to be mine.
“Your dad saw me carrying you into the clubhouse.He stopped me and said he didn’t want you to be alone.I asked if I should take you to my place or to his since you were so drunk.If I had never offered, he never would’ve asked me to bring you here.I wanted you in my bed, Dixie.”
“Why?”
“Nah, I have a few more questions for you before I'm answering any of yours.”
“Storm!”
