Page 190 of The Dixon Rule

“I’m not,” I say softly. “I don’t want anybody else, Dixon. I want you.”

“Why?”

I furrow my brow.

“I’m serious. Why do you want me?” She’s chewing on her bottom lip, and I can practically see the insecurities rolling off her. “I’m drama, remember? I needed to tone myself down before meeting your family—”

My chest clenches. “Fuck. I’m so sorry I ever gave you the idea that I wanted you to change yourself.”

She clutches the top of her towel to keep it in place. “I won’t,” she says, unwavering. “Change myself, that is. I’m melodramatic and weird and I argue a lot, and that’s my personality. If that scares someone—”

“Doesn’t scare me,” I interject. “I don’t want you to change. I want you for you. Drama and all.” I grin at her. “So will you please be my real girlfriend?”

Diana plants one hand on her hip. “I’ll have to think about it.”

“Gonna make me sweat, huh?” I chuckle.

“For a little while. But I’m not mad at you anymore.”

“Good.”

“And…” She lifts a brow. “I might be falling for you too.”

“Falling?” I feign outrage. “But I’ve already fallen.”

“I’m not telling you I love you on the night that you chose to go with your ex-girlfriend.”

“Fine. I will await it with bated breath.” I approach her towel-clad frame and touch her cheek. “Are you okay? Gigi told me what happened with Percy.”

“I’m fine.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “I just can’t believe his arrogance. This sulking asshole sitting there in his car. He told the cops he was out for a drive and just happened to find himself at Meadow Hill, so he pulled over because he wanted to reminisce about our relationship. According to him, there was no malicious intent. It wasn’t meant to be a threat.”

“Bullshit.”

“I know. But the cops aren’t going to do anything because whoever wrote up the restraining order wasn’t clear in their language, so he’s off on a technicality. He didn’t break it. But either way, I’m calling Detective Wendt in the morning.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not letting this creep anywhere near you. If he shows up here again, he’s gonna have a word with Shane Junior and Shane the Third.” I raise my right fist and then the left.

“We need better names for your fists,” Diana says frankly.

“I know. In my defense, I’ve never called them anything before, so I was sort of winging it.”

“We’ll brainstorm.”

“Maybe bring it up at the next HOA meeting,” I suggest.

“Good idea.” She’s smiling.

I open my arms. The moment she steps into them, her towel falls to the floor.

I snicker and peer down. “Oh. The seduction has started?”

She snorts. “I’m not seducing you. But…now that I’m naked…I guess you can atone for tonight’s sins and give me an orgasm.”

Chuckling, I pick up her naked body, walk to the kitchen counter, and set her ass down on it. “I shall begin my atonement.”

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

SHANE

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