Need Me - M. Malone Page 0,13

sauce all over his face.

It’s almost time to leave. I open my closet and pull out the finishing touch for my outfit. Wait until he gets his first look at just how crazy I can get. Imagining Vin’s reaction is totally worth going on this date.

Washington DC is similar to most big cities in that space is at a premium. Women traveling alone are at particular risk for guys who use it as an excuse to get too close.

After one too many accidental ass-grabs on the metro, I devised a system to gain myself some space. It’s amazing how hard people will work to stay away if you seem strange enough. My little accessory keeps anyone from getting too close. But tonight it has a different purpose.

This is the final nail in the scare-him-away coffin.

Once Vin gets a full serving of Ariana Unplugged, he’ll probably leave skid marks behind as he runs away.

Oreo pads into the room and then hops up on the end of my bed. Now that Mya’s back to spending all her time at Milo’s place, I’m sure she’s feeling a little lonely.

“It’s just us now, huh? Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to bring you back a treat from dinner.”

She grumbles in satisfaction as I scratch behind her ears. Her black and white fur made her stand out immediately when I went to the shelter looking for a dog five years ago. She’s some kind of Pomeranian mix and when they found her she’d clearly been abused.

For the first year I had her, she wouldn’t bark at all, almost like she was scared to draw attention to herself. Remembering that time makes my throat feel like it’s closing up. Oreo gave me someone to care for when I had no one else. This was right before I met Mya and back then I truly was all alone.

This adorable little pup saved my life just as much as I saved hers.

“I won’t be out late. It’s taking a little longer to get rid of this one. But he’ll disappear just like all the others. Mama’s bringing out the big guns tonight.”

6

Pressure is a part of business. Working with Fortune 500 companies and some of the wealthiest and most demanding people in the world have made me no stranger to thinking on my feet.

But tonight, this date, feels like the most critical interview of my life. My goal is to convince the most amazing woman I’ve ever met to give me a chance.

As I approach the restaurant, I look down at the navigation on my phone in confusion. There’s a huge neon sign that looks like a pig right where…

Of course. My hand falls to my side before I glance down at the exquisitely tailored, hand-embroidered linen suit I’m wearing. Inwardly I groan. Andre is going to kill me if I ruin this. It’s a sample from next season’s line.

“You got me, my little troublemaker.”

She’s probably somewhere getting quite a kick out of the thought of me eating barbecue in a fancy suit. Little does she know I’ve eaten worse things while wearing fancy clothes. I can only wonder if she plans to laugh at my predicament from afar or if she even plans to show up tonight.

Nothing about this girl is predictable and even though I’m the target of her little prank, I can’t deny I love it.

I see her coming and quickly school my expression into one of indifference. The quickest way to lose our little game is to let her know that anything she’s done has actually gotten under my skin.

As she gets closer, my pulse elevates. Her long blond hair falls around her shoulders in natural waves and she appears to have no makeup on at all. Maybe she thought that would matter but seeing her barefaced just makes me want the same view on the pillow next to me tomorrow morning.

Her hazel eyes flash as she stops. “Here we are!”

“Yes. Here we are.”

I was so focused on her laughing eyes that I hadn’t had time to catalogue anything else about her appearance. But when she arches her back, pushing her chest out my attention is naturally drawn to the baby carrier on her chest.

Wait, she has a baby?

“You’re a mom? I didn’t realize. I mean, I p-probably should have asked.”

There’s no hiding my stammer and the triumphant look in her eyes tells me she’s thrilled at finally cracking my resolve.

But I’m not that easily cowed and I actually like kids. Not that I expected