Page 11 of The Best Bad Decision

Oh.

I hadn’t been sure if it was work or crazy, but he’d looked like he’d needed a minute.

“Tell me.” Leaning forward, I ignored the last of my ravioli and tried to see his screen as he set his phone on the table. “What’s going on?”

He sighed but it wasn’t too dramatic or anything I had to take seriously. “Someone tattled. I’ve already gotten texts from my mother, my ex, and someone that is claiming to be my wedding coordinator.”

Atlee looked down at his phone and frowned like that was the point where things had gotten confusing. “She’s asking…well, I’m assuming she but the name is unisex. She’s asking me not to stress out my fiancé under the circumstances. I’m getting a lecture that I’m not being discreet enough.”

Best date ever.

Oh.

“Hey, no silencing notifications. I need to know when the chaos is exploding so I know when to bug you.” He couldn’t learn to be sneaky this early in our relationship…fake or not.

Based on the grin he flashed me, he wasn’t going to agree to that. “Oh, would you have wanted to know? I’m sorry. I was focused on my date.”

Brat.

He was cute when he was playful.

“I’ll dish out punishments for less, brat. Tell me.” I wasn’t going to miss out on the good stuff. “It’ll be all over the neighborhood by tomorrow, so I need it first.”

Atlee rolled his eyes but that grin still wanted to come back out. “You’re ridiculous. But between lectures on my behavior, she’s asking about my preferences on dinner. My mother has decided we need to do seafood.”

What?

“You’re allergic to shellfish.”

How did I know that and his mother didn’t?

Hell, what about his ex-wife?

Shrugging, Atlee couldn’t seem to decide how to respond for a few seconds. “You know, I’m not sure how you know that and I’m not going to ask, but it’s sweet that you remembered.”

“I’m nosy enough to file everything away, but I don’t forget the details of the hottest man in town.”

I’d just never thought I’d have a chance with him, so I’d put all my focus into not using him as jerk-off fodder.

“You’re very confusing sometimes.”

He blinked and looked a bit like reality wasn’t computing.

“Aww. That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me on a first date.” He was definitely a keeper…even if he didn’t seem to know that.

He blinked a few times then grabbed his water.

Smart man.

Now we just had to see if he knew if all those brains had ever wondered about anything kinky. He was already perfect on two sides of the dating triangle…not straight and not a bum…now we just had to see about the last side…not vanilla.

Chapter 4

Atlee

Either dating had changed since I’d last done it or Casimir was odd.

“If you stand with your back toward that oak, no one nosy will know what we’re doing.” Barely nodding toward the side of his yard as he climbed the stairs, he turned as he reached the top. “And I would like it noted that I kept my eyes to myself and stayed in front of you on our date.”