Know Her, Love Her: Daisy & Belmont, Book ONE by Z.L. Arkadie Page B
Authors: Z.L. Arkadie
Ads: Link
and they’re the associate producers I usually work with.
So I show the mean girls how we deal with stupid people like them where I’m from. I continue eating and pretend as if she never asked that question. After a while, the conversation slowly turns back to kickball, but I’m still mad as hell. Dexter keeps flashing his smile and bright blue eyes at me. I give him a weak smile, and Melissa works harder to maintain his attention.
I check my watch. Thirty minutes have passed since Kate asked the offensive question. I calmly set my fork on my plate and take my napkin off my lap and lay it on the table. “Well, I’ve had good time. See you all tomorrow,” I announce to whoever’s listening.
I rise to my feet, and Dexter joins me.
Melissa is caught off-guard. “Are you leaving?”
I wave, signaling him to sit back down. “No, stay. I’ll just walk up Wacker.”
“It’s fine,” he says, walking in my direction.
“I’ll go with you guys,” Melissa says.
Dexter holds up a hand. “No, we’re fine.” He doesn’t give her a second look.
I shrug as he puts his hand on my back and walks me out. The tension follows us out the door. I shiver as soon as the cold seizes me.
Dexter drapes his overcoat across my shoulders. “Better?”
“You didn’t have to leave, you know.”
He shrugs as he blows into his hands to keep warm. “I was bored.”
“You seemed to be having a good time. You should take your coat back if you’re cold.”
“I don’t want it back. And you seemed to be having a bad time.”
“I can’t believe Kate asked that. I’m aware that the girls on the team don’t care for me, but she crossed the line.”
“You handled her pretty well.”
“Thanks,” I say. He blows into his hands again, so I curl my arm around his waist. “Better?”
He pulls me closer. “A lot.”
We cling to each other as we cross the bridge over the lake. I admire how the city lights paint the surface of the water.
“You want to grab a drink?” he asks.
I smile wryly as I shake my head.
He smirks. “What’s that face for?”
I shrug.
“What?”
“Are you flirting with me?” my voice rings with curiosity.
He laughs. “A bit, but I’m a flirt.”
“Yes, you are.”
“You’re beautiful, Daisy. You don’t seem to care about that, which makes you even more appealing. But if I make a move on you, Javar would…” He runs a finger across his neck.
I roll my eyes. Javar’s infatuation with me is so insane. I haven’t the slightest attraction toward him. He’s not unattractive. He’s simply not my type. “How do you know Javar anyway?”
He stops us in front of Houlihan’s. “I can answer that over a drink.”
It’s still too early to go home if I want to avoid thinking about Belmont. I gesture toward the door. “After you.”
“After you ,” Dexter says.
He opens the door, and we’re lucky to find two empty stools at the crowded bar. Dexter orders a whisky, and I get a glass of Merlot.
“So you were going to say?” I ask.
“Ah, Javar. He’s my sister’s husband’s brother.”
I grin. “He’s such a cocky son of a gun. I wonder why he never told me he has a brother.”
“You two are that close?”
“He taught me how to swim the seas.”
He looks at me askew. “And you never sealed the deal?”
I take a sip of wine. “No. I had a boyfriend that I didn’t love, or like, but nevertheless, I made a commitment to that jackass.” I latch on to Dexter’s hearty laugh.
“And now you have a husband,” he says.
“And Javar knows this, right?”
“He knows. He also knows you’re on the rocks.”
“Oh yeah?” I sigh. “He’s like Belmont, and you. He’s tall, good-looking, and walks as though he expects the whole world to fall at his feet.”
Dexter nearly chokes on his whiskey. “Who me?”
“Maybe not.”
“You think your husband’s arrogant?”
“I wouldn’t say arrogant. He’s not used to rejection, and
So I show the mean girls how we deal with stupid people like them where I’m from. I continue eating and pretend as if she never asked that question. After a while, the conversation slowly turns back to kickball, but I’m still mad as hell. Dexter keeps flashing his smile and bright blue eyes at me. I give him a weak smile, and Melissa works harder to maintain his attention.
I check my watch. Thirty minutes have passed since Kate asked the offensive question. I calmly set my fork on my plate and take my napkin off my lap and lay it on the table. “Well, I’ve had good time. See you all tomorrow,” I announce to whoever’s listening.
I rise to my feet, and Dexter joins me.
Melissa is caught off-guard. “Are you leaving?”
I wave, signaling him to sit back down. “No, stay. I’ll just walk up Wacker.”
“It’s fine,” he says, walking in my direction.
“I’ll go with you guys,” Melissa says.
Dexter holds up a hand. “No, we’re fine.” He doesn’t give her a second look.
I shrug as he puts his hand on my back and walks me out. The tension follows us out the door. I shiver as soon as the cold seizes me.
Dexter drapes his overcoat across my shoulders. “Better?”
“You didn’t have to leave, you know.”
He shrugs as he blows into his hands to keep warm. “I was bored.”
“You seemed to be having a good time. You should take your coat back if you’re cold.”
“I don’t want it back. And you seemed to be having a bad time.”
“I can’t believe Kate asked that. I’m aware that the girls on the team don’t care for me, but she crossed the line.”
“You handled her pretty well.”
“Thanks,” I say. He blows into his hands again, so I curl my arm around his waist. “Better?”
He pulls me closer. “A lot.”
We cling to each other as we cross the bridge over the lake. I admire how the city lights paint the surface of the water.
“You want to grab a drink?” he asks.
I smile wryly as I shake my head.
He smirks. “What’s that face for?”
I shrug.
“What?”
“Are you flirting with me?” my voice rings with curiosity.
He laughs. “A bit, but I’m a flirt.”
“Yes, you are.”
“You’re beautiful, Daisy. You don’t seem to care about that, which makes you even more appealing. But if I make a move on you, Javar would…” He runs a finger across his neck.
I roll my eyes. Javar’s infatuation with me is so insane. I haven’t the slightest attraction toward him. He’s not unattractive. He’s simply not my type. “How do you know Javar anyway?”
He stops us in front of Houlihan’s. “I can answer that over a drink.”
It’s still too early to go home if I want to avoid thinking about Belmont. I gesture toward the door. “After you.”
“After you ,” Dexter says.
He opens the door, and we’re lucky to find two empty stools at the crowded bar. Dexter orders a whisky, and I get a glass of Merlot.
“So you were going to say?” I ask.
“Ah, Javar. He’s my sister’s husband’s brother.”
I grin. “He’s such a cocky son of a gun. I wonder why he never told me he has a brother.”
“You two are that close?”
“He taught me how to swim the seas.”
He looks at me askew. “And you never sealed the deal?”
I take a sip of wine. “No. I had a boyfriend that I didn’t love, or like, but nevertheless, I made a commitment to that jackass.” I latch on to Dexter’s hearty laugh.
“And now you have a husband,” he says.
“And Javar knows this, right?”
“He knows. He also knows you’re on the rocks.”
“Oh yeah?” I sigh. “He’s like Belmont, and you. He’s tall, good-looking, and walks as though he expects the whole world to fall at his feet.”
Dexter nearly chokes on his whiskey. “Who me?”
“Maybe not.”
“You think your husband’s arrogant?”
“I wouldn’t say arrogant. He’s not used to rejection, and
Similar Books
