Page 156 of Romeo

She finally cracked a smile, too. “Thanks for proving that youaresimple.”

“Said simple life.”

He needed to come up with a better plan. Winging it wasn’t working.

He wracked his brain. What the hell did women like?

He had no idea. He never “dated.” He never had to “romance” any of them to get them naked.

He only ever wanted one thing from them, and he preferred women who only wanted the same from him.

Dinner? Drinks? Movies? He had no fucking clue. But everyone had to eat at one point or another, so… “Have dinner with me.”

Her head snapped back. “What? Why?”

That request shouldn’t have been so damn shocking.Jesus.“Why the fuck not? We both gotta eat, right?”

“But you want us to eattogether. Like at a sit-down restaurant?”

“What the fuck, woman?” he muttered with a shake of his head.

“When’s the last time you took a woman out to dinner?”

Never.“We ate at Dick’s together.”

“We shoveled food into our mouths while standing at one of the prep tables. That isn’t the same.”

“Depends on who you ask.”

She stared at him with that elusive smile long gone. “What are you doing, Rome?”

“What d’you mean?”

“What. Are. You. Doing? What is all this?” She fluttered a hand around in the air. “Why are you suddenly wanting me to wear your cut? You, a known womanizer and perpetual bachelor.”

“Maybe that ambush woke me up and got me realizin’ life’s too fuckin’ short.”

“I’m sure you knew that before you were introduced to a tire iron.”

“Maybe it hit it home.”

“Is that supposed to be a joke?”

“Maddie…”

“Rome… I just… don’t understand this coming from you. Just because we had sex?—”

“A shitload of times,” he interjected.

“Doesn’t mean I want to be your ol’ lady,” she finished. “Are you stoned?”

“Ain’t high. Ain’t drunk...” He lowered the crutch and jerked his chin toward the door. “Never fuckin’ mind. Said you gotta go, then go.”

She stared at him for far too long with her forehead creased in confusion.

He was done trying to enlighten her. She either got it or she didn’t. And it was clear…

She didn’t.

---