“All a girl’s got is herself.”
That’s when Marcus Sloan rocked my world.
He did this by declaring, “You’re entirely wrong.”
“I—” I began and I got that one letter out but it didn’tcount because he talked right over me saying it.
“A woman like you should have had a momma who loved her.Adaddy who adored her.Friends who thought the world of her.She should havegrown up every day knowing that straight to her soul, never doubting it, notfor a second.”
I felt my eyes narrow for no other reason than to beat backwhat his words were making me feel.
“You don’t know what kind of girl I am.”
“I know precisely the kind of woman you are, Daisy.And ifyoudon’t understand it, then it’ll be up to me to show it to you.”
Oh Lord.
Time to try another tack.
“Marcus, I’mtellin’ you, youdon’t got apla—”
He put his hand up between us and shook his head, cutting meoff saying an impatient, “No.”
I kept trying.
“The food was real good and it was sweet, youbein’ all…” I didn’t know how to express the gorgeousnessof it so I used the universal, “whatever with me whenM’Lynnlost it at Shelby’s funeral.And I’m notsayin’ Ihaven’t hit a rough patch.I know I have.I’m not in denial ornothin’.I’mworkin’ through it,butdoin’ thatmy way.What I’msayin’ is, this is sweet and all, but you don’t have aplace in that.”
“You’ve made that clear.I just don’t agree.”
Again, I was getting mad.
“Okay then, I’ll explain it this way.I’m notgettin’ used to some fine manshowin’me attention,bringin’ me fancy food andbein’ sweet only to hit that time when I get my goldbracelet and a good-bye.”
He stared down at me, something flitting through his eyes.
Then he murmured, “Ah.”
“Ah, what?”I snapped.
It was then he got closer.Still not threatening, but comingon strong.
I held my breath.
“It’s understandable, in a sense, that you’d say that.Youdon’t know me.But I’ll tell you and then I’llshowyou that I am nota man who would come into a woman’s life, a woman who had what happened to youhappen to her, with the intention of doing what I had to do to get what Iwanted and then give her my good-bye.”He drew in breath and didn’t release mygaze when he finished, “Although understandable, it’s still insulting as allfuck.”
I blinked and felt my stomach twist painfully.
He shifted back.
“Goodnight, Daisy.”
And with that, he turned, walked down the hall, anddisappeared.
Chapter Five
Prince Charming
Daisy
