Page 37 of Fierce-Baker
“It does. But, you know, my situation makes men think I’m loose. I’m hardly that.”
“Considering you haven’t been with a man in two years, it’s a given to me. What about before Micah?”
“I’ve been in a handful of relationships. I only have sex when I think it’s going to go somewhere. I’ve never been someone to pick a person up for some action. Just not worth the guilt.”
Which meant Micah’s father was something she expected that didn’t pan out.
“Then why are we having this conversation? We both agree it’s no commitment.”
“Because, like you said, nothing I’ve done so far has worked out. But I can see where it’s confusing to you. Maybe I’m only doing it because in some odd sense of the world, I think you’re a man of honor. That you won’t gossip about this. You won’t play it up to more than it is to your friends.”
“Never,” he said firmly. “I don’t fuck and tell.”
“The person who knows the most about me is Margo. Though I want to say whatever we end up doing, or nothing at all, I’m most likely going to tell her. If that is a problem I need to know.”
“I don’t have a problem with it.”
It’s not like Margo was going to run her mouth to anyone other than her husband.
The Fierce family might be a lot of things, but they were honorable. They were trustworthy.
They were a class act.
“There might be nothing to even tell Margo, but throwing it out there just in case.”
“There will be something to tell her,” he said, his voice with a touch of wicked in it.
She wiggled her eyebrows. “I’m hoping that at some point.”
“Guess this is where we have to figure out the rest. You don’t want me around Micah.”
“Does that bother you?”
A little, but he understood. “It’s your call, not mine.”
“I think for now it’s best. Maybe it will change in a few weeks. No one can predict the future. I sure the heck wouldn’t have thought this night would be happening.”
“The power of Jolene Fierce.”
“She isn’t to know anything. I don’t care what arrangement you’ve got with Gavin. If Jolene thinks we are even blinking at each other, helpfulness turns to pressure,” she said.
“I don’t like pressure.”
“Neither do I. I shut down if it’s too much.”
He nodded. “You took the words right out of my mouth.”
“I think we have a good understanding of each other than.”
“Not yet,” he said, reaching for her before she could step back.
His hand closed around her waist, pulling her in slow enough she could stop him, push him away, or tell him he was out of line.
She didn’t. Instead, she threw her head back and laughed, the sound brushing over his skin like a dare.
Her palms came up, warm against his cheeks, and she pressed a quick, playful kiss to his mouth. Light, teasing, and the kind meant to keep things safe.
Fine.
