Page 33 of A Sip of Sherry

“What can I say?I’m an optimist.Now say yes.”His lips hovered close enough to tease.

“I—”

He pressed a kiss to just beneath my ear.“Say yes, or I’ll make you beg.”

“I might like that.”

“I know you would.”His tongue snaked out, swiping along my earlobe.

“One date.”The words were a breathless surrender, slipping from my lips before I could stop them.

He growled low as his mouth moved against my skin, trailing from my ear down the sensitive curve of my neck.“That’s all I need,” he murmured, his teeth grazing just enough to make my knees weak.“Wear a dress,” he said, pulling back.

I blinked out of my desire-induced haze.“You’re going to tell me how to dress?”

“Easy access,” he said.“I know once dinner is over, our need for dessert will be… urgent.”

My breath hitched, desire tightening my core as he dragged his finger down my jaw, eyes locked on mine as if he was already playing it out in his head.

“Or I could wear pants and make you work extra hard.”

“Then I am not responsible for any broken zippers, popped buttons, or torn material.”

“You’re a savage.”

“And you love it.”He nipped at my earlobe, then pulled back.“Dinner’s at seven.I’ll pick you up at your place.”

“You remember where I live?”

“I could never forget,” he said, and then he was gone, leaving me aching and desperate for his touch.

Chapter 11

Ben

After over half a year of trying to get Sherry to go out with me, she finally agreed.I expected to walk outside and see pigs flying, maybe a unicorn trotting across the parking lot, tossing confetti as I hopped into my truck and headed home.

A quiet sense of satisfaction settled in much chest as I approached my townhouse in Robin’s Landing.This woman had ignored me, acted as if we didn’t have mind-blowing sex, and I finally got her to agree to go out with me.I should have felt victorious, and I did for about three minutes, but then reality started to seep in.

Guilt tugged and nudged at my gut like an annoying sibling that was always there to knock me back to reality.I shoved the guilt down deep, knowing it was only a matter of time before it resurfaced, but determined not to let it ruin my date with Sherry.I’d put too much effort into this woman, and I wasn’t going to fuck it up now.

I pulled into the parking lot of Robin’s Landing and parked in my numbered spot.It was a nice community for the price, clean, quiet, with just enough charm to distract from the overly active HOA board.They had to know I was just a renter, but it didn’t stop them from pestering me.Luckily, Steve or Odette wasn’t around as I headed to my front door.

I slipped the key into the lock and pushed the door open.Just as I stepped inside, a large hand came down hard on each of my shoulders.

“What the—?”My words cut off as my feet lifted from the ground, and I was carried to the living room and tossed on the couch.

“What the fuck, Mario?”I asked, straightening my shirt as I stared at my dad’s muscle in a suit.“Stanley, good to see you,” I said to the other muscle, whose suit looked like it was about to burst at the seams.“Still haven’t learned to size up, huh?”

Stanley answered with a crack of his knuckles, standing there like the brick wall he was.

Mario crossed his arms over his large chest.“Your father would like a word.”

I groaned.“I just got home.Can’t I eat something first, relax for a second?”

“No.”He slipped a cell out of his pocket and handed it to me.

I eyed the phone, then glanced at him.Anyone else, I’d be nursing a blackeye, but Mario knew better than to rough me up.I might have been a thorn in my father’s side, but he had some lines he didn’t let his men cross… yet.

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