“Hot?”
“I never said that.” Her voice squeaked again.
“Well, do explain yourself Miss Patrick.”
“I have three brothers. All legends in their own minds. All think they can’t be held back. Men’s men you know, like you.”
“Well thank God you have me figured out.” I winked. “Now I have to figure you out. You just threw me way off with the brother reveal.”
“Let’s hear it.” She smiled.
“Princess. The hair and makeup always perfect. I bet you have perfectly pedicured feet and an every six week appointment at some salon in uptown. You’re probably groomed perfectly.” I waited for a response and her eyes slowly widened. “You act all uptight most of the time so either you’re a vanilla girl or you’re a freak in the sheets. I assume your Dad is loving and over protective and your mother stays home making sure there are fresh flowers on the table and dinner is served at exactly six at night. I bet you have your pretty little outfits ironed and hanging in your dressing room each morning. Am I close?”
“Almost. You forgot the maid and the birds that dress me every day.”
Lucky fucking bird.
“Not far off am I?”
“Oh you’re way off. But let me have a crack at you again. All I said was you thought you were all that. But since you dug so deep let me tell you what else I see.”
“Let’s have it.”
“Spoiled rich kid born with a silver spoon. You’re twenty?”
“Twenty three.” I nodded.
“You’re going through a phase in life that you have no clue who you would be without your family and you don’t like it. So you decide to get passionate about this.” She waved her hand around. “You wanna live an eternal party full of late nights and easy girls so the fact that you liked to wear your hat cocked to the side, and your jeans way too low as opposed to a suit to show off your gym made body, this,” she waved her hand around again. “Makes sense. The perfect part is you’ll have what it takes to hire people to make it work and sit back and enjoy the success while you wait for your balls to drop and sprout hair.”
I may have been pissed, maybe I should have been pissed, but I wasn’t.
“My balls dropped a long time ago. That would be the reason I like those low riding jeans. My lower half is of epic proportions; nothing needs to get squashed down there. Hair, not a fan of it. Which shows you that I am a gentleman. I hate to have any chick I’m with have to pluck it out of their mouth. Again, showing you how thoughtful I am. And Taelyn, I am offended by the hat comment. Look at my hair. It’s fucking beautiful, why would I cover this up unless it was just too damn cold out?”
Her mouth dropped and then we both started to laugh.
“Get up. I’m hungry and think a work dinner is necessary. Let’s roll.”
“I can stay here, go ahead.”
“I’m gonna feed you. You seem a bit cranky. That time of the…”
“Don’t even go there.”
I grabbed her coat and held it out for her to slide her arms in. “Thanks.”
“Do you say that to your morning birds?”
“You are so incredibly wrong about me.” She laughed.
“Which part, vanilla?”
She smacked my shoulder. “Everything.”
~
We jumped in the SUV and she laughed, “No car?”
“Sorry Princess not tonight.”
I grabbed my phone and dialed the shop. Ricco answered.
“Hey Bro, what’s the traffic like down there?”
“Coast is clear dude, just like it has been for the past week after five.”
“No photographers hanging out in the bushes?”
“None man. You stopping down?”
“Yep, in about an hour. I have to stop at the house and grab some baggy jeans and a ball cap. See you soon.”