not the dating type, Poppy. I don’t commit. And he seems like a really nice guy.”
“You want me to marry him?” she asked, pulling the multi-colored ring from her black dress pants’ pocket and rolling it between her fingers.
Fear, in the form of hot sweat, beaded across his forehead. “You’re asking the wrong guy about marriage. I don’t believe in it.” He surprised himself at how well he lied. “Don’t assume I’m telling you to go and marry the guy, but don’t dump him because of me either. You have history together. He’s stable and non-pushy. Someone who lets you take things slow, right?”
A tear tumbled down her face. “You’re really that guy?” she said, wiping her cheek.
“I wish I weren’t,” he said, cursing himself as he watched her walk away. “Welcome to Dallas, Poppy.” He ended their conversation defeated, angry, and physically sick to his stomach at how he’d treated a woman—the woman.
He made a beeline for the exit doors but before he’d gotten ten feet, Rob caught him by his arm. “What was that all about?”
“Gotta keep it professional,” said Damian, hoping Rob would drop it. He didn’t want his brother’s advice.
Rob stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “Whoever that boy was on the plane, he wasn’t a man, and it wasn’t you. You’ve only ever kissed, what…three girls in your entire life? You’re a complete nerd. Why are you pretending to be a player?”
Damian’s fingers curled into fists. “Back off. You have no room to talk.”
Rob held his palms up in surrender. “I’m just saying that that isn’t how you’ll get her to like you,” he said, motioning to Poppy. “You’re gonna get bit in the backside.”
Poppy leaned over and picked up the small dog, then glanced Damian’s way while she stood back up. The anger in her eyes pierced him to his soul.
“I stand corrected,” said Rob. “She’s crazy about you.”
“Shut up,” said Damian with an angry grunt.
Rob ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m not kidding. I know how to read women, and she’s into you.”
Of all the positions to be in, this is not one Damian thought he’d ever be in. “But I don’t want her to like me. Not yet.”
“Why?” asked Rob.
Damian breathed his frustration out through his nose. “This is messed up. I want her to like me enough to not marry that guy but not so much that she breaks up with him. Does that make any sense?”
“Nope. none,” said Rob, staring at Damian like he had when Damian was ten and purposefully ate a firecracker to see if it would extinguish while it traveled to his stomach. It did. “Let me know if you change your mind and want to bring her to one of my places to eat. Or if you want the keys to the gardens for a moonlight walk. She seemed to enjoy kissing you. Just lay one on her.”
Damian licked his lips. He could still taste her raspberry lip gloss from the last kiss she’d given him—the one where she thought he’d already fallen asleep. Inspiration flickered through his mind, giving him renewed hope. “Hold on. Maybe I could use that table reservation after all.”
“Kent, I’m at a loss for words,” said Poppy, kissing Charlie’s wet nose in the center of baggage claim. Her doggy licked her chin, causing her to smile. The mere act of smiling lifted her broken spirit. She needed her dog more than ever. “Thank you for bringing Charlie home.”
“Home? As in Dallas?” Kent’s brown eyes filled with pain, pain she’d caused.
“Kent,” she said, dropping her shoulders. She was spent, both physically and emotionally. “I’m not sure what I can give you. This should’ve happened a long time ago,” she said, handing him the peacock ring.
“It was a gift,” he said, pushing her hand back. “You don’t have to wear it, but please keep it.”
“I wish I could give you what you want, Kent, but I don’t think I can.” She choked up. This was much more difficult to do in-person, with a broken spirit, while not upset with him like she’d been last night when he’d accused her of messing around with Kai. Yesterday, it had been easy to break up with him. Now it didn’t feel as right, or even justified.
Kent swayed from side to side. “We don’t have to talk. You don’t have to forgive me. I’m only here to deliver Charlie and take you to breakfast. That is…if you’ll sit with me for a few minutes.”
“Breakfast