Page 25 of Brazen

I ignored his compliment, mentally swatting it away like an annoying fly. “What do you think you’re doing?” I whisper-shouted.

Sam smirked, but there was something wild in his gaze. “I just came in case you needed me.”

“Needed you? You came to ruin my date!”

He shook his head. “No, Sparks. I’m just making sure you have options.”

“Options!”

Dear Lord, this guy had a healthy opinion of himself.

He took a step closer and leaned down. I breathed in his clean scent, and my anger wavered. “Yeah. Options. If Dave the Dweeb’s a dud, you don’t have to go home alone, Sparks.”

He gave me a pirate grin. I ignored the way it made my limbs go loose and syrupy.

That wasn’t lust. It was probably just the wine talking.

I frowned. “Dream on.”

“Just give me a signal when you’ve had too much, and I’ll whisk you right out of here. Okay, darlin’?”

Great. Now he thought I was his darlin’.

I raised my hand between us. “No, Sam. Not happening.” I should tell him to go. Set a clear boundary.

But I was secretly amused that he had the chutzpah to show up at my date. I didn’t mind that he’d brought my sex drive back to life, either. Maybe Sam wasn’t the right guy for me, but he was the one who made me realize I was ready to get back out there. I was on my first date since I’d left Ted after all.

On a date but talking to Sam. I should get back to Dave. David. My date.

“Well, enjoy your beer,” I said and brushed past him to return to my table. All the while, I felt Sam’s gaze on my ass.

Somehow, I knew he wasn’t going to leave.

When I sat down and David launched right back in where he’d left off on the custody battle story, I wasn’t sure I minded having a backup plan.

I tuned out David, his voice like an annoying bug buzzing around me. I was annoyed. And confused. How was Sam getting past my defenses? I was sitting across the table from a guy who was so opposite of all the men I’d been around all my life, and I should be happy. David was nice. Stable. But no. I was hot for the player at the bar who I should be pissed at.

I was pissed at.

I grabbed my wine, took a gulp.

Sam was the player who reminded me way too much of Ted. What was wrong with me? Why would I crave a guy who was nothing but trouble?

Our food finally arrived, which shut up David for a while.

As I dug into my chicken alfredo, I stole a glance over David’s shoulder at Sam–just to see if he was still there. Whether the cute bartender or the woman beside him had been successful in engaging his attention.

Whoops. He was back in his seat looking straight at me! His lips twitched in amusement when he caught me looking.

Damn him!

I looked down at my plate and took a bite of food, trying to refocus on David.

“You know the thing that’s the hardest?” he asked me after wiping his lips with his napkin.

“What?”

“Allie misses her mom. She misses her every day. And…God, even after what she did to me, I–”