“I don’t need ice. Come on, sit down. We came here to have dinner. That’s exactly what we’re going to do.” Placing my hand on her lower back, I lead Poppy back over to the booth. Just as she slides in, Jessie returns with two beers, a bowl of ice, and a towel. “Thank you.”
“Cheers,” Poppy says when I hand her one of the beers.
I take a swig. I’m not a beer person, but she ordered it so I’m going to drink it.
“I’m really sorry.” Poppy sighs.
“For what?”
“My cousin, who did that.”
“You aren’t responsible for other people’s actions, Poppy. If your cousin wants to be an ass, it’s on him, not you,” I tell her. “I am curious, though. What did he mean by that wholeshe’s my responsibilitything?”
I watch as she shifts uncomfortably. “He’s the oldest of us kids.”
“You know, if you don’t want to tell me, you can just say it’s not my business.”
“It’s not your business.” She smiles up at me.
“Okay.” I shrug as if I couldn’t care less. I’ll find out whatever secrets this woman is hiding anyway.
“That’s it? You’re not going to push me on it?”
“Nope.” I bring the bottle to my mouth again.
“Thank you.” She stares at me with wonder in her eyes. “Why are you so… easy?”
I laugh. “Easy? In what way?”
“You’re just easy to be around, easy to talk to, easy to get naked with. You’re different from anyone else I’ve ever met.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“For me, probably bad.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t do this. I don’t go out with men I’ve already slept with. I don’t sleep with people more than twice, by the way. So make the most of tonight. And I don’t have any intentions of starting to break my life rules. So, yeah, you being so damn likeable is bad for me because it’s really freaking hard to resist you.”
“Then don’t resist me,” I tell her. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
“I could get attached, get too comfortable. Then you could die, leaving me alone with a child I can’t cope with, and I’ll end up killing myself.”
I blink. That’s not what I was expecting her to say. “That’s very specific.”
“It could happen,” she says.
“It could,” I agree. “Or you could just enjoy some really fucking great sex until you get tired of it.”
Poppy’s nose scrunches up. “Who in their right mind would get tired of great sex?”
“Obviously no one.” I smile.
Jessie arrives with two plates of food. “Need another drink?” she asks.
“I’m good. Poppy, you want another?” I look over. Her beer is already half empty.
“Not yet. Thanks, Jessie.”
