Page 20 of Desperate Needs

“Chez Paul? In downtown Jersey City?” I asked excitedly.

“That okay, Darlin’? They have the best dessert, and their Irish coffee is perfection.”

“Yeah, um, actually, I love that restaurant. And I live nearby, too,” I blurted, and immediately felt like an ass.

“Um, not that I meant for you to feel obligated to come over. I mean, before was just flirting, I get that. Seriously, I wasn’t suggesting you had to do any, um, thing with me, that is. Shit.”

Classy, Clem. Really classy.

So much for my new sexy and mature persona.

I closed my eyes and hoped for a black hole to just open up and swallow me.

“Hey, look at me,” Connor said, and I felt his finger on my chin, turning my head so I was forced to look at him.

“First, I’m glad you like the restaurant. Second, I’d love to go back to your place, Darlin’, but not unless you want me to, okay? Anything that goes on between you and me, it’ll be with both our eyes open, got it?”

“Yeah, I got it,” I whispered, mesmerized by him.

“Good. Now, why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

“Okay, well what do you want to know?” I asked, crossing my legs.

Connor’s eyes immediately drifted to the place where my dress parted. It wasn’t indecent or anything. The dress parted halfway up my thigh, allowing me to move comfortably.

Connor cleared his throat and sat up straighter. His gaze flicked to the front, and that’s when I saw his expression change.

I followed the direction of his gaze and saw his driver had been looking right where Connor had been a moment ago.

His dark eyes narrowed, and he growled, sending lightning bolts of awareness shooting through me.

The driver coughed and switched his signal on. But his eyes were now on the road.

I had to avert my gaze to hide my smile.

Seemed like Connor Callahan was just like Pop and my uncles.

“What?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing,” I lied, and shimmied a little in my seat to steady the nerves shooting up and down my spine.

I would be a real liar if I said I was unaffected. But Connor was just so, so much.

The man was just super fine with broad shoulders, and what I imagined was an insanely tight body beneath that suit of his.

Just sitting next to him, I could feel heat and raw, masculine power radiating from his body.

I knew myself well enough to realize I was not the type of person to change her way of life for anyone, but I wondered if I was to stay with him, if Connor would mind the differences in our appearances.

Not that I thought I was ugly. I wasn’t, and I didn’t. I was plenty cute. But I was not a gung-ho, let’s go to the gym kinda gal. And I never would be.

Period. End of story.

I’d dated men who were into fitness before. At first, they always claimed to think I was pretty. But it was never long before the hints started. The whole I can fix you attitude so many people had towards men or women who carried extra weight.

The fact was, I did not want to be fixed. I was overweight, true. But I ate healthy foods, and I did exercise, but mostly in the form of stretching or yoga to videos I watched.

When the weather permitted, there was walking, swimming, and horseback riding. It all depended on the season.

---