Page 24 of The Daddy’s Girl

Then her eyes scan me from my head to my feet, which is only slightly unsettling. I fidget with my shirt, tugging the collar open even more. And I’m starting to suspect it’s hotter in here than usual.

“How do I look?”

Amelia bites on her bottom lip for a moment. She’s wearing more makeup than normal, with glossy red lips and a black overall-style dress.

“You look great,” she replies. Then she steps toward me and reaches for my top buttons.

“What are you doing?”

As she slips one of the top buttons into the slit, I stare at her, finding myself wanting to reach for her smooth blond hair just to feel how silky it is, remembering how lovely it smelled on the Métro that night.

“This was too sexy,” she says, fixing my shirt. “You really shouldn’t be showing chest hair on a first date. One fewer button should be fine.”

“Too sexy?” I ask with a playful smirk.

Not moving any farther away, she glances up until we’re gazing into each other’s eyes just inches apart. “Do you know how sexy you are without even trying?”

Suddenly my mouth goes dry.

“I could ask you the same thing,” I whisper. Which is the wrong thing to say.

Her eyes widen, and her breathing hitches. “Matis.”

Shit.

I do this all the time. I say things that are far too flirtatious without meaning to. It’s not that I’m trying to seduce Amelia, but it comes out that way. It’s because I’m so comfortable with her. She lets me be myself, and being obnoxiously flirty is just me.

“I am not sexy,” she replies breathily, still just inches away.

And what the hell am I going to say to that? I’ve put myself in this position. I can’t tell her I was joking and hurt her feelings. Besides, that would be a lie. Amelia is sexy.

But I can’t really tell her that either. Doubling down on my inappropriate remarks feels like an even worse idea.

Stammering, I open my mouth to reply, but nothing comes out. Luckily, I’m suddenly saved by the sound of another woman saying my name.

“Matis?”

Amelia and I turn at the same time to find the beautiful woman in blue standing before us. She’s no longer in blue, though. Her long dark hair is curled the same way as in her photo, but tonight she’s wearing a tight black dress that stops just below her knees.

Amelia pulls away, looking flustered. “I should… You look great… Have fun. Sorry.”

With that, she flies toward the bar, and my eyes follow her to ensure she’s okay. She’s wringing her hands and glancing behind her as she climbs onto one of the barstools.

Two seconds into my first date and I’m already fucking it up by getting caught telling my twenty-five-year-old goddaughter that she’s effortlessly sexy. What an idiot I am.

“Matis?” the woman says again.

Nervously, I turn my gaze to the woman. “Laura,” I reply with hesitation.

She smiles. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

As she puts out her hand, I realize just how bad I’m going to be at this. My instincts are telling me to pull her close, touch her hair to make her smile, speak in a low, sultry tone to gauge how much she’d like to go to bed with me. Turn her on to distract her from the shitty start to our evening.

But I’m not here to do that tonight.

So I put out my hand and shake hers. Then I remember the roses and hold them out toward her. She grins down at them, clearly blushing as she takes in my appearance.

“How sweet of you.” She takes the bouquet, lifting them to her nose to inhale the fragrance.