Page 29 of The First Spark

“Absolutely not.”

“Why not? Seems like you have a good time.”

Do I, though? If you asked me earlier today, the answer would have been a resounding yes.

Lots of fun times. Lots of women.

Lots of moments that didn’t equal up to anything special.

Unlike right now, where I’m hanging on Ori’s every word, truly blown away by every facet of this woman.

And I have yet to discover my favorite facets—on her.

“Casual sex isn’t your style. You’ve got toys for that.” Ilean in, feeling the tension crackling in the air like a live wire. “You want it all. No exceptions.”

Her eyes widen at my words. I’ve hit the nail on the damn head.

“Easier said than done.”

“Easy as fuck with the right man. The right guy won’t think you’re too much. He’ll think you’re perfect.”

Ori rolls her eyes, but I catch the hint of a smile playing on her mouth. She appreciates my sentiment, even if she won’t admit it aloud.

“Your turn, Ori. Hit me with a good one.”

She cocks her head, skewing her mouth to the right. “Let’s see. Okay, I’ve got one. What’s your weakness, and don’t say you don’t have one.Everyonehas one, even big tatted bad boys like you.”

Lifting my glass, I nod in her direction. “Right now, my weakness is a tiny librarian type who, I suspect, knows exactly how sexy she is—but would sooner die than admit it.”

Her eyes widen, a spark of fire igniting in their depths before she masks it with a practiced smirk and a snap of her fingers. “You’re damn good at delivering those lines, Asher Hammond. Right on cue. Smooth as hell.”

Shaking my head, I release a frustrated grunt. For once, my words weren’t meant to butter a woman up. They were the truth. “A woman who also apparently still hates me, contrary to what she’s said otherwise.”

“I don’t hate you. I barely know you, although we are working on that. Now, answer the damn question.”

“I just did.”

A slight flush colors her cheeks, upping the ante on hercuteness factor. “Fine, but since I don’t believe you, I get to go again. What’s your biggest hang-up?”

Downing some whiskey, I shrug. “I suppose it would be the fact that I don’t date.”

“You mean, you don’t call it dating? I’ve seen you with scads of women around town.”

Nodding, I focus on my glass, feeling like a fraud for the first time in years. “It’s never serious. I’m a lone wolf.”

Why do I care what this woman thinks of me? What is going on in my damn brain?

“Wolves travel in packs,” Ori adds, her expression smug.

“True, but I’ve got my boys for that.”

“They also mate for life.”

Scoffing, I fix her with my green-gold gaze, shaking my head in disbelief. “You have an answer for everything.”

“Just calling you on your bullshit.”

Her observation makes my back go up. I can’t be sure if she’s hit a sore spot, or I’m pissed she reads me this well in such a short amount of time. “Okay, Ms. Smarty Pants, why doyouthink I don’t date?”

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