Page 96 of The Bluffing Game

“What do you mean, you have to cancel them?”

“I have to go somewhere.”

“But I thought we were going to go dancing and then go to a hotel, and I even bought something special.”

“What did you buy?”

“I’m not going to tell you now.”

He growls, leans forward, and kisses my lips.

“What are you doing? We’re out in the open.”

“I don’t care,” he says. “What did you buy?”

“Not telling. Where are you going?”

“Brett and I, we have to …” He sighs. “We have to go and see Toby’s mom.”

“Are you ever going to tell me about that?” I ask softly because my heart is thudding. I still don’t know the story with Toby’s mom. I don’t even know if Dalton is still in love with her, if he ever was in love with her, and I don’t know if I want to know.

“Hey,” he says. “I’ll tell you everything as soon as I can, okay? Smile for me, Sage.”

“I’m not going to smile just because you told me to, and actually, I think it’s quite rude that you’re breaking a date with me so you can go and see another woman, and you think I should be okay with that. Maybe I’ll go drinking with Rosie and see who else I can find.”

“It’s not like that, Sage. Honey”—he grabs my hand and squeezes—“I promise you, I’ll tell you all of it tomorrow. You and I were supposed to hang out tonight, but I’m going out of town, and I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

I shrug. “Well, fine. You do you, and I’ll do me, and tell me whenever.”

“Don’t be like that, Sage. Please understand it’s for Toby.” His voice drops.

His eyes search mine, and I can see the worry there, the apprehension, the fear, and even though I don’t know why it’s there, my heart goes out to him.

“I guess if it’s for Toby,” I say.

Because the fact of the matter is, I love that Dalton is putting Toby first. I love that he’s a good dad. I love that he’s the sort of man who stands up for others, even if I’m the one who is the sacrificial lamb tonight.

“Well, good luck,” I say softly.

“I’ll miss you tonight,” he whispers in my ear. “I’ll miss sucking on those nipples and sliding my fingers⁠—”

“Dalton.” I pull away before he can finish.

“What?” he says. “You’re not going to miss that too?”

“Maybe.” I look around to make sure no one’s watching, and then I slide my fingers down the front of his pants and squeeze. “Maybe I was looking forward to letting Dalton Number Two out tonight. Maybe I bought a certain pair of panties and a new bra that would make things very exciting. And maybe,” I say as I press my lips against his, “I was going to let you do that one thing that you’d begged me to do last time, but I said no.”

He gasps, his eyes going wide. “You’re going to let me⁠—”

I press my fingers on his lips. “Well, right now, I’m not going to let you do anything. You have a good evening, big boy. Hopefully, Rosie and I don’t get into too much trouble tonight.”

Chapter 26

DALTON

“So, does Sage know then?” Brett looks over at me as we pull up outside of a desolate, dusty-looking motel.

“She knows that I’ve come to see Toby’s mom. She doesn’t know the entire story.”