“No.” He chuckles while gazing down at me through hooded eyes. “However, I do come with explicit instructions, and before you can play with me, you must understand them.”
“Oh-ho, I know all about your absurd rules, Zeke Declan,” I say catching a quick uplift of his heavy eyelids. “But I must say your reputation undermines you. The guy I met at the park today, he doesn’t really fit into this whole bad-boy persona you got going on here.”
“Ah …” He chuckles again and that adorable dimple in the corner of his cheek dances with the sexy sound. “You’re referring to my knowledge of Picasso and the great Oscar Wilde.”
“Yes.” I squint up at him. “You don’t fool me.”
He hitches a thumb into the front pocket of his jeans. “Maybe I just got lucky.” He leans down an inch closer to me. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck spike from his nearness, even my follicles know to be on alert when it comes to this man. “Or, perhaps, those are the only two quotes this bad boy knows.”
“Perhaps.” I veer back from him. “But if they are not,” I lift my chin higher, “then one must wonder, why you’re trying to hide your literary intellect.”
“You’re right,” his eyes drop to my mouth for a moment, “one would wonder. After all, that wouldn’t be the intelligent thing to do.” He looks back up at me with a raised brow.
I’m not sure how to respond. Is he challenging me? Is he playing with me? In some twisted way, is he trying to get into my pants? I vote for the latter and let the experience of having five older brothers take over. “I find that most men don’t usually do the intelligent thing. They allow the appendage between their legs to do all the thinking for them.”
“Well …” He releases two short chuckles. “I can’t argue with you there. It does have a mind of its own, and it can be very persuasive.”
I open my mouth and this inappropriate puffing sound expels from it. His grin grows. He is unbelievable. The man’s straight-up arrogant without any excuses. Does he really think that he’s gaining anything with me by being an egotistical ass? Does this normally work for him?
“So what do you say, Picasso,” he glances at my heaving chest, “would you be interested in me showing you my beautiful town tonight?”
I snap my mouth shut and tilt my head, studying him. Did he just ... well, if he did then I plan to use it to my advantage. I smile. “Why, Zeke Declan, are you asking me out on a date?”
“Sorry, no.” His smile flattens. “I don’t date. Don’t want ya fallin’ in love with me, sweetheart.” He winks. Oh, come on. Really? Is that another one of his lines? This guy is incredible. Who falls for this shit? “Now, me, on the other hand, I got no problem loving a woman. And if you did want to offer your sweet, hot, tight body to me for the night, I’d be sure to love it real good.”
“I’m not going to offer you anything, and I can assure you that I will not be falling for you either. But if you wanted to show me your beautiful town, then I’d be most appreciative.” Hey, can’t blame a girl for trying. After all, he’s my project for the summer, and I need to start somewhere.
“How can you be so sure?”
“About?”
“That you won’t fall for me?”
“Easy, you’re not my type.”
“Sweetheart, I’m every woman’s type.”
“That might be true in this little town, but remember, I’m not from around here. My standards are a little different. I prefer a gentleman. And when a man is awarded the opportunity to touch this sweet, hot, tight body, he sure as hell isn’t the type of man who would do it in front of a roomful of drunks as you just did to that poor woman over there.”
“I didn’t hear her complaining,” he says with a lopsided grin. “Okay, all right.” He glances around the bar, as if he’s looking for his next prey. “I’ll tell ya what, give me your number and maybe I’ll call you for some sightseeing.”
“I don’t give my number to strangers,” I inform him. Besides, in order to break rule number one, I need to get his number.
“Stranger,” he says, with another sexy eyebrow lift. “It appears you know who I am. You did, after all, know my name when I approached you.”
“Yes.” I nod. “I know of you.”
“Hmm, interesting.” His lids lower. “Well, it appears we’ve come to an impasse here. ‘Cause, sweetheart, I don’t give my number out either. Not to anyone.”