Page 8 of Tilly's Tutus
Carter had to fight back a grin at Lottie’s accusatory tone. While he might not mean to be stalking Tilly, from her sister’s perspective it probably looked like he was.
Looking Tilly in the eye, he returned her sister’s question with a question of his own. “Would that be such a bad thing if I were stalking you?
Tilly blushed as she slowly moved her head side to side. “No, I don’t think it would be a bad thing.”
“Would you like to join us for dinner? That waywecan get to know you better.” Lottie stepped in once again before Carter could do something Daddyish, like take Tilly in his arms and cuddle her for the next few hours.
Carter blinked and took a step back so he could see both women at the same time. “I’d be honored to have dinner with two such lovely ladies. I’ll follow you, if that’s all right.”
“That’s fine,” Tilly said with a smile that had Carter’s heart beating just a touch faster. “We’ll see you there.”
Chapter Five
Tilly had to roll her lips over her teeth to keep from chattering on the three-minute drive to the restaurant. She was stunned that Lottie did not pepper her with a dozen questions, but her sister remained silent until the car was parked.
Then Lottie shifted in the driver’s seat and asked one question. “So, what do you know about this man, Carter McGee?”
Tilly took a breath and released it in a whoosh before speaking. That gave her just enough time to organize her thoughts.
“I know he’s a captain on the city police force. He says he’s a Daddy Dom looking for his Little girl. I know he kept that scary man from hurting me this morning as well as just now,” she said, pausing a moment before adding, “And I know I want to get to know him better.”
Lottie studied her for nearly a minute before she nodded once. “Just so you’re doing this because you want this for you and not because he says he’s interested and you don’t want to hurt him by saying no thanks.”
Carter walking up the side of the SUV behind Lottie pulled her attention for a moment. “I’m not. But I’m not going tocommit to moving in with the man before the evening’s out, either. Give me a little credit, Lottie. I’m not Carri.”
Lottie gave her the look she’d perfected that said that she knew Tilly was edging around the truth. “I know you’re not Carri. But you are my baby sister and I worry about you. It’s my job as the oldest.”
“You’re five minutes older than me, dumbhead. Now let’s go get some dinner. I’m starving.”
Turning as she released her seatbelt, Tilly jumped when she found Carter standing on just on the other side. When Lottie opened her door, which automatically unlocked all the others, Carter opened Tilly’s with a smile.
“I was going to knock, but you two looked like you were having an intense discussion,” he said softly as he took her hand and helped her out of the car.
“We were, and yet we weren’t,” Tilly answered with a smile.
“Ah, one of those,” Carter said as he laced their fingers together. “Ready to eat?”
Tilly nodded as she tried to get her body to not burst into flames just because he was holding her hand. Lottie walked just ahead of them, glancing around as if she was looking for someone.
It wasn’t until they were seated at a booth at the back of the restaurant that her sister made Tilly want to crawl under the table and hide with her first question. It was the same question she’d asked Rooker at lunch a few hours earlier. Tilly would have to apologize to Carri for embarrassing her now that she was on the receiving end of Lottie’s interrogation of the new man in her life.
“So, Captain McGee, what are your intentions toward my sister?”
At least Carter did not take offense and walk out. He sat back and folded his hands over his menu. “My intentions toward Tillyare honorable, but frankly, they are between me and Tilly, and not any of your business.”
Tilly blinked and grinned at the audacity of the man to shut her sister down with just one sentence. She watched as Lottie floundered for nearly a minute.
Finally Lottie blinked and looked at her. “And you’re wanting to spend time with this man? Are you sure he won’t hurt you?”
“I’m sure I want to get to know Carter and find out if we’re compatible. Who knows, it may be that I’ll hurt him in the long run. But either way, I agree that it’s really none of your business.”
Lottie sucked in a breath and held it for several seconds before releasing it again. “Very well then, I’ll back off and let you two get to know one another. But I reserve the right to have another conversation with him at a later date.”
“As is your right as my sister. But next time Carri will be present so all the nosy sister questions can be asked at one time.”
“I can accept that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I see someone,” Lottie said, grabbing her purse and slipping out of her seat. “Don’t go home without me, okay?”
“Okay,” Tilly agreed, even though she wasn’t sure Lottie heard her as she crossed the restaurant to where a trio of familiar-looking men stood talking with the hostess.
