I’d expected more of a challenge, maybe some pleading. I found myself a little disappointed. I took long breaks in between men, and being in such close quarters with such a man as Beckett made me realize how long it had been. There hadn’t been a man in my life since I’d moved to Mossy Oak.
Beckett flashed a wicked grin. “You look disappointed.”
“No. I’m just surprised.”
“That’s not my idea of romance, Lacey.”
He cut another bite of cake and offered it to me. I leaned forward and closed my lips over the fork.
“Romance is different than sex. Until you mentioned your sexy underwear and made me picture ripping them off you, I hadn’t even given much thought to sex tonight.” He laughed at the incredulity on my face. “Okay, well maybe a little when you climbed on my lap in the limo.”
The waitress deposited the check just in time to hear Beckett. She gave me a wink as she turned to leave.
“I did not climb on your lap,” I said in a low voice when she’d gone. “You put me there.”
“You stayed. And you liked it.”
I recalled how hard he’d been pressing against me and smiled. “You liked it too.”
“I sure did.” He pulled out his phone. “What’s your email?”
“Why?”
“You didn’t sneak out the window, so I’m sending the chapters.”
I took a business card from my purse and passed it across the table to Beckett.
“It looks just like you.” He peered down at the business card, then looked up at me with a wicked gleam in his eye. “You don’t actually own an outfit like that, do you?”
The girl in the cartoon picture was wearing a black mini-skirt, knee-high boots, and a tight crop top.
“I might.” I tapped my finger against my lip. “There is something I’m dying to know about you,” I said.
“Oh?” Beckett peeled four hundred-dollar bills from his wallet and tossed them on the tray with the bill. “What’s that?”
I eyed the money, wondering how expensive this dinner had been and how much of that was tip. When I glanced back at Beckett, he was waiting for my answer.
“Your socks,” I said. “What’s the story with them?”
Beckett burst out laughing. “You want to know about my socks?”
“Admit it, they are unusual. They don’t really go with the rest of your vibe.”
“What vibe is that?”
“The boss-man vibe.”
His mouth curved in a smile. “Did you know I have seven sisters?”
“No.” I wondered what that had to do with anything.
He nodded. “My parents have been married nine times between them. My dad five. My mom four. There are eight of us siblings total, including halves and steps. I’m the only male.”
“Wow.” I was an only child who hadn’t talked to my family since I left Milwaukee years ago. My parents had been married forever and had hated each other for about as long. “Holidays must be fun.”
He nodded. “My sisters started giving me socks as gifts a few years ago. The crazier the better.” He pulled up his pant leg and showed me his black-and-white zebra print socks. “Now I get socks for every holiday.”
I smiled. “Valentine’s Day is in a few weeks.”
