“Please, I love food. You will not get me to act all prissy and too cute to finish it if it’s good.”
Amusement brightened his eyes. She found herself getting lost in their depths and blinked away the feeling. “Tell me about the single women you know.”
His eyebrows rose. “I know quite a few.”
“Any marriageable?”
He considered it. “The list is cut down with your criteria.”
“I thought so.”
“A few are professionals, business owners, or at vice president level. They are intelligent and driven. I’d say a couple are barracudas for going after what they want. I admire that.”
“Uh-huh, but is she too busy holding a man by his balls to rock your baby to sleep?”
He stared at her. Kenzie laughed, and he soon joined her.
“You are different.”
“Yes, I am.” She smirked. “We’ve established that. So who else?”
He ticked on his hand. “Jenna is holding out for something serious. She is a secretary in one of the offices I had a fling with some time ago.” He shrugged.
She shook her head. “Um, probably not.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just because she’ll jump at the chance to marry you doesn’t mean you should choose her, and didn’t anyone ever tell you to choose a woman on your own level to have a fling with? All you needed with that one was a little ‘accident on purpose,’ and you’d have half the requirements for your inheritance already. I’m starting to think your grandfather had it right in making you get outside assistance.”
That she’d insulted his intelligence registered on his face, and she chuckled.
“Okay, so you give me the names, descriptions, and details of those who are at least closer to your level and not, as you said, barracudas. We can go from there.”
Easton proceeded to fire off names and describe the women he’d been involved with. There had been more than she felt comfortable with. The man was a player, and it blew her mind. She could count her past lovers on one hand, preferring to try for something longer-term. Of course, that hadn’t mattered because most of those had wandering hands. Other than the men who had shared her bed, she’d dated more, but it never went anywhere. She felt cursed to be alone unless she adopted an “I don’t care” attitude like Easton seemed to have.
She skimmed over the names she had crossed out and came up with ten left over. All of them sounded like good candidates from what Easton told her, and all were of a higher-level profession, wise but down-to-earth enough to take care of their own kids when they had them. He seemed to think none of them would jump blindly at being his wife, which said to her they might be quality people. With all that said, she wondered why he didn’t just do “eenie meenie minie mo” and choose one to convince to be his wife. A thought occurred to her.
“How are you charming women? I mean, what words do you use?”
Her questions brought a confused expression to his face. “Exactly what I want.”
She blinked. “Excuse me?”
He spread his hands out, palms up. Kenzie figured she had misunderstood. Every man had game, or an approach so bad, that was his game.
“I think we need to test you out.”
He frowned. “I don’t need a test. You have that list as evidence right there.”
“If you’re scared…” She gathered her bag and placed the notebook and pen inside.
“You can’t manipulate me with reverse psychology.”
She didn’t answer.
“Fine. What would you like me to do to prove myself?” He leaned forward, and the intensity in his gaze stole her breath. “Use my charm on you? If you offer to take me home for more than dinner tonight, will that suffice?”
Kenzie made a rude noise with her mouth. “You wish, pal. No, Mr. Tremaine. I have a better idea. Settle up, please, and thank you very much for lunch. Do you have a little longer, or do you have to get back?”
He appeared disappointed with her second refusal of him. “I’m at your disposal for as long as you need me.”
“Good!”
She stood, and he did as well, walking around to pull her chair farther from the table. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” She grinned, excited.
He settled the check quickly, and then they left the restaurant. Rather than allow him to call his driver for a pickup, she took his arm, and they strode down the street. Past several restaurants and a few bars, they marched, and then Kenzie chose one that looked good. She stopped beside the entrance. “You go in and take a seat at the bar near a woman that seems like she’s alone and available. Then I will come in a minute later and sit near enough to hear you. What you’re going to do is pick her up, any way you choose. But first…”