Page 9 of Tempting the Tender Guy: Imperfect Heroes

“Do you think I’m a slut?” she asks in a small voice.

“No! Anything but,” I sputter. “I’m very attracted to you.”

Wincing, she pulls further away. “You don’t have to yell.”

A lump forms in my chest that drags away the happiness of moments ago. Volume control has been an issue lately for me and one that I’m really struggling with.

Shoving that to the side to deal with later, I reach out for Sadie, needing to explain and make things right between us again. Her hand is limp in mine, but she doesn’t pull away.

“Sadie, I was thrilled when Yvonne called me about a date with you. For two years I wanted a chance with you and now-”

She cuts me off. “If that’s the case, why didn’t you just ask me out?”

I give her fingers a slight squeeze. “It’s not that simple. We met at my work and I can’t just ask women out there. I gave you my personal number hoping that you would call because you were interested too, and we could go from there.”

Her eyes widen as her lips part. With a curse, she yanks her hand from mine. “How was I supposed to know that?” she demands. “There I was giving you come fuck me looks, and you were giving me the cold shoulder. I thought that number was merely to book times with you, not to book dates.”

Rueful laughter shakes me even as I feel like doing some cursing myself. ‘Come fuck me’ looks? How did I miss those?!

“I fucked up, big time, it seems. And it cost us a lot of time.” I blow out a breath. “I don’t want to waste any more time, Sadie. I’m thirty-nine and not looking for only a good time. I’m wanting more, and I hope you’re on the same page when it comes to that.”

“No smash and dash?” she says, a smirk quirking up her lips.

Unable to resist, I grab her shoulders and steal a kiss from those tempting lips. When I pull away, we’re both breathing a bit fast and my erection, which had gone down, is back painfully tenting out the denim of my jeans.

“No, definitely no smashing and dashing.” I chuckle. “I can’t imagine anyone sneaking out of your bed in the middle of the night.” Hell, if Sadie lets me into her bed and life I have no intention of going anywhere.

Soft pink highlights her cheeks as she grins up at me. “Seeing Yvonne and her boyfriend Henry made me realize how much I want a relationship.” She lets out a giggle. “Okay, not the wicked ex-wife and the terrible ex-step kids. No thanks!”

She loses me on that part.

Her blue eyes narrow. “You’re not divorced, are you? Do you have kids?”

Sadie doesn’t give me a chance to answer, immediately answering her own questions. It sounds odd, but it’s one of the things I love about her. Her energy seems boundless. She’s so joyful and full of life. Happiness radiates from her like sunbeams.

“I’d think that’s something you would have mentioned before,” she muses. “If you had kids, that is. Everyone talks about their children. Okay, maybe not deadbeat dads. You don’t strike me as that type. Now exes are a different story. Nobody enjoys talking about those.”

Her eyes widen as her face scrunches up. “I’m talking too much, aren’t I? It’s a problem I have.”

“Not at all. I love hearing you talk.” And I do, among other things I adore about her.

It’s crazy that there’s so much about her that I don’t know, but over the years I’ve picked up on things. Like how she goes crazy happy when summer hits and she can get peach milkshakes. Or how sunflowers make her smile and rainy days are perfect for staying in and watching horror movies. Which scare the crap out of me, but with her to share a blanket with I’d be willing to watch them all with her.

Bright pink flares in her cheeks and that’s another thing that makes me smile. How she can be so bold and brash yet also blush like she’s shy. Reaching out, I brush my fingers along that rosy glow and smile as she leans into my touch.

“No kids, no ex-wife, a few exes in my past, but nobody that is going to pop up and go stalker crazy on you.” I don’t mention Terry, who works at the shop. We had a very casual fling when I first started working at Ink Expressions and that was the extentof it. It wasn’t a great love affair and was over as quickly as it started. We’ve both long since moved on from it.

“Good!” Sadie exclaims. “I have an ex-fiancé. Totally a mistake. Trust me.” She rolls her eyes, grins, and waves her hands. “I have no clue what I was thinking.”

She’s very expressive when she talks, using her hands and whole body to illustrate her point. Super animated and completely adorable.

I’m beginning to second guess my decision not to go home with her. We both want more, so what would be the harm in moving on with the physical side of the relationship?

No. It’s all too easy to fall into that trap and have other needs being neglected.

A car drives up, the headlights momentarily blinding us. The driver’s side window glides down and the man from the entrance frowns. “We’re closed. You need to leave the area, please.”

Sadie and I exchange a look.

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