God, I was so tired. All the time.
“Hold onto it for me.”
“No,” I protested, shaking my head and shoving my clenchedfist at him.
“Youwill,” he said with a nod and a smirk.
“Why?” My teeth clenched around the word, my eyesnarrowing.
“Because I’mgonnaneed ittonight.”
My toes instinctively curled at the mention oftonight,as though the word held some secret connotation that my brain wasn’t yet awareof.
“For what?”
“We’regoin’ out. I’ll meet youhere at seven?” I shook my head. “Oh, no? What time, then?”
“I’m not going out with you!”
Patrick snapped his head toward Graham, making sure he wasstill browsing, and bent at the waist to lean against the counter again. Hiseyes sought mine. Hunted them. A Celtic tiger hunting his prey. They dancedwithin mine, those blue-green eyes glinting under the overhead light. The guywas good and held my angry gaze. He was daring me, and he knew with just theright nudge, the perfect little shove, he’d get exactly what he wanted out ofme.
It was those eyes. Always those goddamn eyes.
“Please, Kinsey.”
“When are you going to stop?” I hissed, feebly holding myground.
“I’ll stop when you finally agree to go out with me.”
I am so, so tired.
I considered the options, crossing my arms over my chest,money still clenched in my hand. “So, you’re saying that, if I go out with youonce,you’ll give up?”
Slowly, almost reluctantly, he nodded. “Yes.”
The word dripped slowly from his mouth. His voice wasgraveled and sultry, like he had every intention of taking me in the bed of hispickup on that old dirty blanket, but his eyes were honest and sincere. Theysaid he needed me to accept, once and for all, and I swallowed the remnants ofmy pride.
For old times’ sake.
For my heart’s sake.
“Fine.” I shoved the money into the pocket of my jeans in ahuff.
“Wait, you’re serious?”
It was my turn to nod slowly, almost reluctantly. “Yes.”
The door jingled open, and in walked Mayor Connie Fischerand her little toy poodle Baxter.
“Good afternoon, Mayor!” Graham greeted enthusiastically.
“Well, isn’t this a lovely surprise!” she exclaimed,ignoring him and bounding over to the register.
“Connie, what did I tell you about bringing Baxter inhere?” I sighed, looking down at the little dog, sporting a tiny tank top andpurple bows at the base of his ears. “It’s a health codevio—”
“Oh, never mind all that, Kinsey. Look at you two!” Sheslid her Prada sunglasses off, stuffed them in her bag, and looped a pudgy armaround Patrick’s waist. “He’s on the market again, you know. Now’s your chance,Kinsey. He’s quite the catch, but oh, you already knew that, didn’t you?”
“You hear that,Kins? I’mquitethe catch.”
