Page 8 of Fierce-Michael

Then add all the other bad dates and boyfriends over the years.

Yeah, trying to push it aside for now.

He snorted again. “Yep.”

“How is Ty doing?” she asked. “Your son, right?”

“He’s good,” he said. “Thanks for asking.”

“He’s four?”

“Yep.”

“Is he off limits to talk about?” she asked. It was the short answers he was giving. “I’m fine either way. Just saying we’ve got a date coming out of this short time together and I’d like to know what I can and can’t say to you.”

“Sorry,” he said. They’d gotten into the other room with items he was going to show her. “It’s not off limits. I’m not used to talking about him much more than saying he’s fine. I guess you know I’ve got a son so that takes that awkward conversation off the table. I’m sure you know how I ended up with custody too.”

“Not really,” she said. “I don’t pry. I’ve only heard tiny bits and pieces. I might be outspoken and like to talk, but I don’t share a lot of my personal life with my coworkers either. Maybe there are things that I don’t want others to know.”

“Bad things?” he asked.

“I don’t think so,” she said. “But others might. And I don’t think right now is the time or even one date in.”

“Date instead of a drink?” he asked. There was that smirk again.

She pointed her finger. “I’m getting close to a smile.”

His eyes lightened some and she knew he was actually holding the smile back from his lips because there was a sparkle in his gaze.

“Maybe,” he said.

She let out a little giggle and wiggle of her shoulders. In the process her hips moved some too and his eyes lowered. “That’s my little victory dance.”

“Just a little one?”

“I can make it a bigger dance if I win,” she said.

He laughed. Then she could see he hadn’t meant to. “Well then, I guess the bet is over.”

“I was winning whether you smiled or not,” she said. “But now I can see how much more attractive you are.”

“I’ve been seeing it with you all along,” he said.

Her smile dropped and he laughed even harder. “You got the last word in. Do you do that often?”

“I don’t try to,” he said. “But it was fun.”

At least she knew he found her attractive. Winning again.

3

DEALT WITH IT

“We’ve got food, Mom,” Ty yelled when Electra opened her apartment door.

“Hi, Tyson,” Electra said to their son. Michael didn’t care for the name, but it wasn’t his decision in the end. Everyone shortened it to Ty but Electra. His son had told his mother to call him Ty, but she did what she wanted.

He supposed that was her right as the mother in some cases. It was just a name.

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