“Can I be honest with you?”
“I don’t know. Can you be honest?”
* * *
Damn but that question hit a little too close to home. Good thing he was the poker player in the family. Okay, honestly, he wouldn’t want to play poker with any of his brothers. He deflected her question with a wink and a little smirk. “I’ll plead the fifth on that one. You know what folks say, all’s fair in love and war.”
“Yeah, but which is this?”
“You tell me, Cassidy.”
“You still haven’t answered my question.”
“Which one?”
“Well, you’re a man so we know you can’t be honest, so that leaves the other one. Why are you here?”
“Ow. I lodge a protest in the name of men everywhere.” He offered her another crooked grin and a wink as he added, “I came to see you.”
“Why?”
Time to lay his cards on the table. “Because I want to take you to dinner.”
“Dinner.”
“Yes, dinner. I know Boots goes to the Four Corners to eat. A lot. I figure you weren’t kidding about being a bad cook. I’d like to take you out to eat. To a real restaurant.” She folded her arms across her chest, and his eyes drifted despite his best efforts.
“Yo, dude. Eyes up here?”
Heat climbed the back of his neck. Was he actually blushing? He broadened his grin. “Sorry. A man can’t help it when the view is so lovely.” She snorted, and he laughed. He tossed a shrug of his shoulders into the mix and tried a boyish look on her. “The point remains. I’d still like to take you out.”
“Like...on a date? A real date?”
“There’s such a thing as a fake date?” She rolled her eyes again, and he couldn’t tell if that was progress or not. “Yes, a real date. Dressing up and everything. A nice restaurant, maybe a movie after? Or we could go to Bricktown, hit some of the clubs?” Or maybe not. He’d be recognized there. Crap. He’d be recognized at any of his usual haunts. He needed a Plan B in a hurry. “Or we could go to my place, order in pizza and watch the Cubs game.”
“Cubs? Are you kiddin’ me?”
“Okay...White Sox?”
She looked disgusted. “Why do you think I’d be a fan of either one?”
“Um...you live in Chicago?”
“Yeah. But lifelong Cardinals fan here.”
“Really? You like baseball?”
“Really. And I like Cardinals baseball.”
“So, does that mean pizza at my place and the Cards on the big screen?” He liked that idea. His media room was that much closer to his bedroom, and he had every intention of seducing her before the date was over.
She snorted again. “How cheap do you think I am?” She eyed him speculatively. “Why should I go out with you?”