It's A Wonderful Midlife Crisis (Good To The Last Death #1) - Robyn Peterman Page 0,85

were asking for it.

“Daisy, could we have a word?” Gideon asked.

I could still hear the amusement in his tone and I wanted to throat punch him. So much for being classy.

“Of course you can,” Steve volunteered quickly, yet again doing the wrong thing. “I’ll just float on into the house and you two can have a little privacy without me sticking my foot in my mouth and pulling it out of my ass.”

On that paralyzing note, Steve floated right through the closed front door and left me stuck outside with Gideon.

“Your dead husband is trying to find you a date?” Gideon inquired.

“It’s a long story,” I replied, staring at the wooden floor of the porch. Eye contact was impossible.

“Would you like to share?”

“Nope,” I said. “It’s none of your business.”

“I’m gay,” Steve yelled from the other side of the door. “Daisy didn’t know. I couldn’t accept it and I ruined her life.”

“Oh my God,” I shouted. “You didn’t ruin my life, but you’re doing a damn good job right now.”

“Sorry, my bad,” Steve shouted back. “I’ll go to the kitchen now. But… man on the porch?”

“Yes?” Gideon answered.

“Do you have a name?” Steve questioned. “Man on the porch sounds really cold. And considering all that I overshared, we should probably be on a first-name basis.”

“Gideon,” Gideon said with a grin that made me have to look away.

Why in the hell was the Grim Reaper so charming? Or better question… why did I find him so charming?

“Gideon,” Steve yelled. “Daisy’s a catch. And she’s single in case you were unaware.”

“Oh, I’m very aware,” Gideon said softly, staring straight at me.

The idiot made me tingle from head to toe with just a damn look. And he did it with my dead husband standing on the other side of the door. This could not be my life.

“One more question, Gideon,” Steve shouted.

“Yes?” Gideon replied.

“Well, two,” Steve amended. “Are you straight and do you have honorable intentions toward Daisy? Because if you answer no to either of those questions, I won’t approve of this relationship.”

“There is no relationship,” I growled and threw my purse at the door. “Steve, you need to zip it. NOW.”

“The answers are both yes. Yes, I’m straight. And yes, I have honorable intentions,” Gideon said in a voice that Steve could hear. Of course, he had to add a little something extra for me. “And carnal.”

I nearly fainted.

“Great,” Steve shouted. “I’m clearing out now. For real. Daisy, be yourself. You’re perfect.”

The silence was deafening, and I was torn.

Did I pretend like none of this just happened? Or did I acknowledge it and ask Gideon to leave and never step foot on my property again?

He probably wanted to run like hell. I knew I would. Running was still on the table for me too. I could just sprint off into the woods and find a cave to hide in for a few weeks.

“I want to take you to dinner,” Gideon said.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Did you miss the one-sided conversation that was just had?” I snapped, running my hands through my hair. “I don’t know how to do any of this. I’m not good at it.”

“I am,” he replied smoothly.

“I’m sure you are,” I shot back. God, I couldn’t take my eyes off his stupid lips. The memory of our kiss was one I’d take to the grave.

“You have to eat. Right?” Gideon said.

“Most people do,” I countered rudely.

Gideon grinned. “You fascinate me, Daisy. I’ve never come across anyone like you.”

“I’m working on being less fascinating,” I said, trying to yank my eyes from his lips. “And certainly you’ve come across far more interesting people than me in the last few centuries.”

“Is that the problem?” he asked with a lopsided smirk on his face that I wanted to smack right off his head. “My age?”

“No,” I said, deciding to look at his eyes. He needed to know I was serious. “You’re out of my league.”

“I disagree,” Gideon said, now staring at my lips.

My mouth went dry. I clasped my hands together so I didn’t reach out and touch him. What in the ever-loving hell was wrong with me?

“Come to dinner with me. Tonight,” he said. “If you don’t have fun, I’ll leave you alone.”

“And if I do?” I said, narrowing my eyes.

“Then I won’t.”

Inhaling and exhaling slowly, I eyed him cautiously. The man was almost impossible to resist. Did I even want to resist him? When I’d kissed him, I thought I was broken. Now… well, I was still broken but I knew it wasn’t