Dropping The Ball - A New Year’s Billionaire Romance - Weston Parker Page 0,45
someone else on you immediately because you wouldn’t be able to say he’s your boyfriend if that photo does get out. But it’s more than that. He’s a good friend of mine. He knows a kiss won’t impair my ability to do my job.”
“How about many kisses?” I asked.
He arched a brow, his eyes heating as they stared into mine. “How many are you thinking? You do remember that we still can’t be anything more than friends, right?”
“Right. Sure.” My head knew it, but my heart and body weren’t on the same page. We couldn’t talk about it here, though.
At the restaurant, we’d been cuddled so close together that no one would’ve been able to hear what we were saying. We’d also chosen the restaurant and the table at random, so there was no way someone would’ve been able to do something really creepy like bug it.
Here, however, we were on opposite ends of the table. It was a small one, and we were keeping our voices low, but it was still too much of a risk. Especially since we don’t know where Nathan went.
Carter was facing the window and keeping a very close eye on it, but we couldn’t be sure he wasn’t out there in the dark. Watching us.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked, proving again that his feelings for me definitely hadn’t bred complacency.
I mentally shook myself out of it. “Bart actually. I like him.”
It was fun to see the blatantly masculine possessiveness flaring up in him, but that wasn’t what I was after. I’d never play with him like that. It just wasn’t me. “I should have phrased that better. I like him for Tani, not for me. We’ve gotten to talking on Sundays when he’s there, and I think they would be great together.”
“I met Tani today. She seems nice.”
I felt my smile brighten up. “She’s the best. They have a lot in common. I wanted to talk to you about whether you think it’s okay if I introduce them?”
“If you want to do it, do it,” he said with a shrug of one of his shoulders. “I should warn you that he’s not interested in single mothers, though. Cash is her son, right?”
“Yeah, but what does he have against kids?”
“It’s not that. Bart had a shit dad and he won’t mind me telling you. He’s very open about it. He’s terrified of kids because he doesn’t want to do to a kid what his father did to him.”
Interesting. It would be fine, though. “Cash is a great kid. I’m not suggesting they get married. I’d just like them to meet each other. It’s up to them what happens from there.”
Tani wasn’t looking for a man to be a father to Cash. I just knew she was lonely and wouldn’t mind having the companionship. Even if it was just as a friend.
They could be great together, but they had to meet each other first. Anything else regarding what they wanted from life or from each other would be up to them to figure out.
“Thanks for telling me. If they meet, I’ll be sure to let her know. The last thing I want is to set her up for heartbreak.”
“You mean you’re not trying to play matchmaker?” he asked, his tone teasing. “Who would’ve thought you’re such a romantic at heart?”
“I’m not,” I protested, but considering Tani had said the same just the other day, I was starting to suspect they might be onto something. “I just want everyone to be happy.”
“What about you?” He looked right into my eyes, and that strange sense of familiarity leaped out at me again. I had a flash of something at the back of my mind, but he spoke again before I could grab hold of it. “Don’t you deserve to be happy?”
“I am happy.” I’d just be happier if I could figure out why he seemed so familiar, and if I could convince him to give us a chance.
When we got home later that evening, Carter dropped down on the couch and wiped a hand over his face. “What do you think? Are you up for a movie, or are you just going to head to bed?”
Even while we were at home, our relationship had taken on a comfortable domesticity where it was sometimes easy to forget who we really were to each other. I no longer hid out in my room and he didn’t feel like he had to sneak around after I went to bed