“You have to stand up to bullies.”
“I tried that,” she admitted, frowning at the memory. “It was awful. He caused a scene and embarrassed me.”
“Were you alone or with a date?”
Maybe it was time she made a few things clear. “I was at a club with friends, no date though. That’s how I prefer it.”
“Okay, fair enough.”
Wait, what? It couldn’t be that easy. As soon as she saw his smile, she knew he had more to say.
“Another guy wasn’t around because you’re not interested. Understood. Can I just point out that going it alone isn’t working great so far? That’s why you visited me today, right?”
“I can’t exactly deny it.”
“So this is me, volunteering further. Feel free to use me.”
Heated visuals flashed through her brain. “Useyou?” Surely, he didn’t mean that the way it sounded.
His voice went low and rough. “I wasn’t offering up my body, so don’t get ideas. It’s this pretend stuff I can handle.”
Trying to cover her reaction, she eyed him. “Your friends seemed to think even that would be difficult for you.”
Jokingly putting his nose in the air, he stated, “Nothing with women is difficult for me.”
That was so absurd, she laughed. How had she not known her neighbor was funny, too? “This whole situation is a mess, and still you’re amusing.”
“It’s a gift.”
Appreciating him more by the second, she said, “I agree.”
His expression softened. “You have a dinner, and then a party, right?” When she nodded, he said, “So take me along. I can discourage your ape and ensure he can’t bother you. He’ll eventually get the message and tire of hanging around.”
She wasn’t at all convinced.
“The offer comes with no strings attached.”
“Last time I tried that, I ended up with an obnoxious ape.”
“Ah, so that explains Clyde. I did wonder.”
“You thought I was awful, didn’t you?”
Instead of denying it, he said, “Maybe a little. The good news is that I’m nothing like him. For whatever reason, you don’t want to get involved. I probably have just as many reasons for feeling the same.”
She listed two of those reasons easily enough. “You’re a diehard bachelor, and you enjoy playing the field.”
“Not precisely true, not all of it anyway.”
“No?” she asked with a lot of skepticism.
“If you ever want to share stories, maybe we’ll discuss it. Until then, let’s just say we both have our reasons. In the meantime, we can hang out, right? I got a smile or two out of you, and even a laugh. My company won’t be an awful hardship, and Clyde doesn’t intimidate me.” He held out his hand. “What do you say?”
“Your offer is almost too good to be true.”
He didn’t retract his hand. “Then let me surprise you.”
Remembering the charge she’d felt last time she’d touched him, she should have been reluctant; instead, she felt only relief as she put her palm to his.
