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“My father.”
“And why didn’t you?”
“Because I’m not evil like you are.”
I threw back another sip of my drink, more than just enjoying this game. “I suggest you ask me something a little less demanding for you.”
“Maybe it’s you who can’t handle demanding. Have it your way, Daniel. Tell me about the ranch. Why not own a glorious estate filled with luxurious décor?”
“That’s easy. Because I adore animals and always have.” Why lie? What was also fascinating was that I realized it was easy to talk to her. I’d never wanted to allow anyone to get to know me. There’d been no need, plus I’d realized that anything I told someone could be used against me at any time. “I wasn’t allowed to have a pet growing up and that was a promise I made to myself that when I lived alone, I’d have as many animals around me as possible.”
She bit her lower lip again, absorbing what I’d told her. The way she was struggling to keep hating me tore at what little goodness I might have inside. “So you do the work on the ranch brushing and feeding the horses.”
Why was it she could so easily bring a smile? “Not as much as I used to.” I hadn’t thought about how little I did any longer, my work inside the casinos taking precedence.
“That’s a shame you’re turning into more of a city slicker.”
“You don’t like well-coiffed men?” Now I was teasing.
“Not in the least. They bore me tremendously. I’ll take a man with dirt under his fingernails over a hunk in a five-thousand-dollar suit any day.”
I wasn’t going to tell her my suits cost more than twice the amount she mentioned. “Maybe I’ll take you riding tomorrow.”
“And maybe I’ll enjoy that. However, while the horses are beautiful, you need a puppy.”
“That means you need a faithful companion.” I laughed, the sound more joyous than usual.
She shrugged, dragging the tip of her tongue across her bottom lip and it was just about the sexiest thing I’d seen in a long time. “I’ve never had a pet either.”
“Why is that?”
The question seemed to stymy her, or the harsh reality was something she hated admitting. Men like our fathers had no need for furry creatures. Unless they wanted to torment one to get to an enemy. That would never happen in my world.
Maybe I did have a certain level of scruples after all.
“My father couldn’t be trusted around animals. He would have hurt them.” The anguish in her voice affected me tremendously. She tried to laugh it off but there was no mistaking the pain she felt. It was at that moment that I wanted to give her the world, to provide her with every joy that would allow her to smile as often as possible. “What else?”
“Green is my favorite color. Pizza my favorite food. And I always wanted to be in a band. My father laughed when I told him that as a boy, tearing into me for being unrealistic.”
“The harshness of your father shaped you.”
“As did yours.”
Her sigh was painful to hear. I reached for her wine, guiding it to her lips. While she rested one hand on the thin crystal, she allowed me to control the moment, tipping back her head so I could pour some of the red wine into her mouth. I couldn’t take my eyes off her long throat, the beautiful curves that added to her femininity.
“Are you in pain from the accident?” she asked, the concern in her voice touching.
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Because you’ve experienced it before.”
It was impossible not to think about the times I’d been knifed, shot, punched, and once beaten almost to my death. “It’s a requirement in our line of work.”
“Not my line of work. That’s not who I am.”
“Tsk. Tsk. No fibbing.”
“I’m not fibbing.”
