But I got serious when I asked, “You pay me?”
“Yes.”
“Is that…uh,gonnacontinue?”
“Do you like stripping?”
“I’m fucking amazing on that stage.”
He shook his head, but did it with his lips curled up,holding me tight.“Then yes, it’ll continue as long as you want to be on thatstage.”
“I rocked a private dance, sugar, but I can’t say they weremy favorite things.They were just below having my eyes burned out with ared-hot fire poker, having my nails ripped out at the roots, and having areally bad hair day.”
He started chuckling.
It looked good on him but I didn’t join in.
When Marcus noticed my seriousness, he sobered and asked,“What?”
“There’s nothing I can ever—”
He let me go with one hand to put two fingers to my lips.
When I shut up, he took his fingers away and said,“Something else my sister taught me.If you can give it, you don’t blink atgiving someone you care about something they need or they want.No matter howdeep it cuts, how much it costs, how steep the price might be in a differentway.It’s an honor and it’s a blessing.So giving you the things I can give youmeans I’m honored and blessed, Daisy.Please don’t take that away from me.”
I stared up at him thinking Marcus Sloan wasn’t like adream.
He was just a dream.
And on that thought, I blurted, “Miss Annamae would loveyou.”
Again, something new moved over his face and I held mybreath at its splendor.
“Consider me paid back,” he whispered.
Lord.
He.
Was.
Killing.
Me!
“Oh my God!”I snapped.“You’regonnamake me cry again.”
“Cry in your linguine, darling, it’s getting cold,” hereturned, pulling me to his side and guiding me back to my chair.
I sat.
He sat.
Then I groused, “Whowouldathought some assholecheatin’ on me orbeatin’ on me would be easier to take than some hot guyhonoredandblessedto spoil me rotten.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Marcus murmured to his linguine.
I stared at his dark head bent over his plate right alongwith feeling my heart contract.
