Page 14 of Saving Shepperd

I tilted my head with confusion, and she went on. “She was checking you out. Big time. When you hugged me, she was giving me the death stare over your shoulder. Quite entertaining, actually.”

“What’s this?” I teased. “Feeling territorial?” And why did that thrill me instead of freak me the fuck out like it normally did? Thoughts for another time.

“There are times being part of one gender or the other is downright embarrassing, you know?” Shepperd asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Sometimes the way women behave, especially to each other.” She paused. After a shrug, she added, “I don’t know, it makes me not want to be in the club I guess.” She looked up at me again, and the vulnerability on her expression sucked the air out of my lungs.

Abruptly, I stopped walking and pulled her into my embrace again. Yeah, I could totally get used to holding this little doll.

“Maybe we should start our own club?” I offered with a slow smile. “We’re the only two members, so we make all the rules.”

She leaned back in my arms to meet my gaze. “I like the way you think, mister.” Her smile suddenly faded, and she looked away.

“What? What just happened?” I asked quietly.

“I just realized…I don’t even know your last name. And my bad if you’ve told me because I definitely don’t remember you doing so.” She looked away again, and I squeezed her closer to my body.

“It’s Masterson.” I said it with the likeness to a mike drop. This was the part where things always got weird with new chicks. I watched as the facts lined up in her mind, and she swallowed so hard I saw her throat constrict.

“Masterson? Why does that sound familiar?”

She was either doing a great job covering her natural reaction or was one of the five people in the city who didn’t know of my family’s fortune and fame.

“Let’s have the rest of this conversation over dinner tonight,” I said as an invitation.

“Are you asking me out?” she asked with a mischievous smile. I really enjoyed this playful side of her. “Or telling me what to do?” By the way the temperature dropped around the woman, I knew what my answer better be if I had any hope of seeing her tonight.

“I’m sorry, where are my manners? My mother would smack me in the back of the head for acting so presumptuous.” With formality completely unfitting of our surroundings I asked, “Would you do me the honor of your company at my home this evening? I’d be happy to cook, or we can order in,” I offered with a sexy smile.

“I would love that. Any girl who turns down your cooking is a damn fool,” she said, and I held my tongue regarding how little she ate the last time I cooked for her. If that was how she dug into a meal she enjoyed, I’d hate to see the effort she gave toward something unpalatable.

“Perfect!” I grabbed her hand to hold while we walked across the strip mall’s parking lot to our gym. “Let’s get a workout in and then hit the grocery store,” I said, excited to spend the afternoon with her too. “If you’re up for that?”

“I would love that, but I’ll have to go home to clean up. I don’t want to sit in my sweaty gym clothes all evening.”

“You’re welcome to shower at my place after the market. Up to you, but the offer stands. I don’t want to be pushy here.” I didn’t mean a word of it. I totally wanted to be pushy. I wanted to tell her she was spending the day and night with me, and I wouldn’t take no for an answer. Wisely, I held my tongue.

“Okay, let’s see how it plays out. Fair enough?” she asked as I held the door open for her and followed her into the gym.

“Perfect. Now let’s get this done. I’m on legs today,” I said as we checked in by scanning our membership cards.

“I think I’m going to take it easy today. Maybe some cardio and floor work. I had a terrible night’s sleep, again, and the morning from hell with my parents. If I didn’t want to get out of that damn house so badly, I probably wouldn’t even be here today,” she rambled as we walked through the massive fitness center.

That was the most personal information she’d freely offered up—well, ever.

“Do you want to talk about it? Get it off your mind?” How did I get it through to her that I was a safe space? That she could vent to me as easily as she could tease me.

Time. It was probably the answer to a lot of things. Especially in a new relationship. I just needed to work harder at being patient. It had never been my strong suit, but over time I would prove that I was present and interested in what she had going on. Eventually, it would be the norm.

Well, look at me thinking mature thoughts.

Thoughts beyond the quickest route to get into a girl’s panties. With age really did come wisdom. I also knew that telling her repeatedly that she could confide in me wouldn’t make her trust me any sooner. That was a place she had to arrive on her own time.

I just had to continually remind myself to be a patient man. The reward would be worth it.

My workout went by in a flash knowing I’d have my hands on her again afterward. Every time I searched the weight room space for her, I’d find those incredible blue eyes watching me too. It reminded me of the months we spent playing I Spy with each other before I finally asked her to hang out. During those weeks, seeing her in the tiny little clothes she wore to work out was the highlight of my existence. I lost count of the number of times I had to jerk off thinking about her little ass in those neon-green shorts. Definitely my favorite of all the ones she wore.

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