“Oh, I just thought you might have time to spend with your fuck buddy.”
She frowns. “Fuck buddy?”
My smile spreads. “Ha. I got you to say it!”
“Got me to say what?” Her expression is puzzled, but only for a second. “Oh. That. Well, see? You were wrong. I do have fuck in my vocabulary.”
I take her books. “Want to sow some oats?”
She heads toward her car. “You drove all the way across town to ask me that?”
“Sure, why not? That’s what we’re doing together right? Just having fun? I’m horny as hell, and since you weren’t home, I came to find you.”
“You are so ridiculously bad. Seriously, you think I’m going to work in a fuck buddy break in the middle of my day, because you show up and tell me you’re in the mood?” She unlocks her car and takes her books from me, tossing them into the passenger seat.
I push the hair out of her troubled eyes. “I could take you to lunch first if that would make it better.”
“You’re a pig.”
I shrug. “Maybe.”
“You’re a real piece of work, Danny.”
I grab her hand and lace my fingers through hers, pulling her to me as my other arm goes around her waist. My heart rate speeds when I touch her. I lean in and whisper in her ear. “Then just have lunch with me. I’ll settle for lunch.”
Her body relaxes against me. “Lunch? That’s all?”
I brush her mouth with mine. “Lunch, and maybe a kiss or two. Just to tide me over until you get home later.”
She licks her lips. “Lunch. That’s it. No later.”
I squeeze her hand. “We’ll discuss later later.”
With a shake of her head she extricates herself from my hold and locks her car. “Where to?”
* * *
I pull out her chair.
Mo gives me side-eyes, as though she thinks I’m joking.
I nod. “I’m not going to snatch it out from under you. Promise.”
We sit and she nibbles at the tortilla chips and salsa, taking in everything in the restaurant—or she might be avoiding looking at me.
I take her hand and she tries to pull away, but I hang on. I smooth my palm over her knuckles. “So, what classes are you taking?”
She frowns. “Small talk? Really?”
Fuck. I can’t win.
I turn her hand over, kissing the underside of her wrist. “Well, if you don’t want small talk, and since I’m not getting laid for lunch, I could just tell you exactly what I’m going to do to you later. First, I’m going to sneak into your place after dark, and then I’ll crawl into your bed—”
“Stop. Just—no.”
I lay my mouth on her palm and kiss it. “Or, you can tell me about you—something I don’t already know.”
She pulls her hand away and tears a strip off the edge of her paper napkin. “Something you don’t know? I have no idea what you do or don’t know. I imagine Rach tells you most things. You tell me something about you first.”
“Okay. Ask.”
“Why do you have that giant panther tattooed on your back?”
“Ah, the cat. Well, first off, I was drunk.” I chuckle. “All the best stories start with ‘I was drunk’, don’t they?”
Mo quirks an eyebrow.
“Anyway, panthers symbolize power and strength, and the ability to make one’s own decisions. That’s my goal, to get to a place where I make all my own decisions and don’t take shit off anyone.” My dad, particularly, but I won’t tell Mo that.
She cocks her head and studies me. “You do seem to do your own thing. All right, what do you want to know?”
“I want to know it all. Tell me anything.”
“Okay. Here’s something I didn’t even know about me until recently. I have a sister.”
I pull back. “A sister? I did not know that. Tell me about this sister. Is she as hot as you? And where have you been hiding her?”
That sweet pink shades her cheeks. “I haven’t met her yet. Apparently my wonderful father felt the need to abandon more than just one kid.”
Oh. “Bitter much?”
“About my dad? No. I won’t let him have that kind of power. He’s nothing to me.”
I get that. “So, how old is she?”
“Five. Her name’s Cassie.”
* * *
By the time lunch is over, Mo seems more relaxed, less ready to bolt if I say the wrong thing; at least I hope that’s the case.
We step into the sun and I hook her pinky with mine. “So, what are you off to do?”
“I’m going to the shelter. I help out with the kids sometimes.”
“I’ll go with you.”